UMB Spring 2012

Published

Hello! I am in the process of applying for the spring 2012 semester at the Baltimore campus!! I didn't see any threads out there yet for people who are applying so I figured I'd start one :) Feel free to share gpa, TEAS scores, etc and any updates on admission!! GOOD luck to everyone!

Congratulations Anniecait!!

Did you get a call from the admission office about your acceptance?

I am still on the waitlist...:'(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hi, I would like to get some insight on what some of you are doing with regards to the background check. I am afraid I do it through Precheck or some other form and at the end, the facility in which I do my clinical does not accept it and waste that money :(

Precheck is the vendor of choice and all clinical sites have agreed to accept it and no other.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Has anyone been able to register yet? I wasn't clear online if there was a time that registration opened on the 21st. Been trying since midnight last night. I'm sure you all, like me, just want to get this registration thing over with!

You are guaranteed a seat in all your required courses and there is only one section of each so there is not much choice there an no worries about getting shut out. You may not get your preferred lab and communications module group, but there will be a slot for you somewhere and you might find someone to switch with later if you like.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

TEXTBOOKS: Anyone in Spring 2012 Trad BSN buy your books yet?

I checked out the booklist provided when I registered for classes yesterday, and found that the REQUIRED books alone total approx. $850.00. This does not include the recommended texts (some of which I've heard ARE worthwhile), or the Response Card, and supplies (scrubs, stethoscope, etc.). If you buy used books, you get about 20% to 25% off the "new" price.

I hadn't planned to buy books yet, but, out of curiosity, I surfed by Amazon. I bought ALL my required texts for $580.00. All of the books are NEW. Not only is that over 30% cheaper than the prices quoted by the school supplier (Barnes & Noble, I think) for new books, I paid fifty bucks LESS than the USED price total they gave.

I don't work for Amazon, or have any connection to them. I have, however, consistently found them a very convenient and (so far) dependable way to shop for necessities. And you can't argue with saving almost 300 bucks on an $850 book bill.

There's an Au Bon Pain shop in the hospital across the street from the SON, and that $300 will keep me in cherry danish, cheese croissants, and chocolate-dipped shortbread all term.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Amazon is awesome when it comes to text books. Do you have an amazon student account? You can sign up for it as long as you have a .edu email address. You get a free trial of Amazon Prime (which means free 2 day shipping). When I signed up for it, it was a free 1 year trial. I think it's only a 6 month trial now, but it's still worth it! (I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon!).

Also, valorebooks.com is great for textbooks. I had to purchase a Chemistry book @ AACC and it cost $175 USED! I asked if they would be buying the book back and the lady told me they wouldn't because there was a new edition slated to be released. That was a tough $175 pill to swallow! A friend recommended valorebooks.com and I found the exact same book for...wait for it... $4.50. Needless to say, the $175 book was quickly returned!

My problem is that I will most likely be using financial aid to purchase books. So, I'm stuck paying bookstore prices for now :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just bought most of my textbooks from Amazon as well. I searched on cheapesttextbooks.com for price comparisons and Amazon usually had the best deals. The only one I haven't bought yet is the one for NURS 304; Fundamentals of Nursing.... I was planning on buying the bundled version from the bookstore, but hoping to get a used one- which is the bargain price of around $155!!! Yikes! The only other book I haven't gotten is a NCLEX study guide. I've heard that they are a good thing to have along the way for studying.

Aeonic- did you buy the Fundamentals of Nursing text from Amazon as well? Can't decide if the bundle will be worth the extra $$. Also, do you remember which 'recommended' texts were useful? Thanks!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I got the Fundamentals of Nursing text about a month ago when I was convinced I wasn't getting in to UMSON and would end up at AACC. Haven't had a chance to get past the second page.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Tippeny, most times I steer away from "packages" because many of them have crap I don't use. This promises to be especially problematic in this program, where the amount of assignments and reading is monumental. I had already purchased the Kozier & Erb "Fundamentals" text when, later, I found out out that a number of students are actually using the workbook and MyNursingLab, despite them not being listed as "required" books. I went back on Amazon and ordered those things separately.

Amazon (for whatever reason) doesn't carry the package, but I bought all items (NEW) separately on Amazon (text, workbook, MyNursingLab) for $162.00 total. Whatever you do, make sure that all of the things you are expecting to be included, actually ARE, and make sure that there's not an issue with whole "access number" thing if you go with the "used" option.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Aeonic- did you buy the Fundamentals of Nursing text from Amazon as well? Can't decide if the bundle will be worth the extra $$. Also, do you remember which 'recommended' texts were useful? Thanks!

The "Calculation of Medication Dosage" (ISBN: 9780781758543) is definitely something that just about everyone will use to some extent, depending on their level of skill (altho a bit pricey at 67 bucks). This is also something that you're responsible for learning on your own; the school doesn't teach you, but they definitely test you. I believe it's once a term that you have to complete it; passing grade is 100% correct. If you didn't achieve a high level of comfort with dimensional analysis in your chem classes, DO IT NOW, and save yourself a lot of stress later.

Because it's "recommended" and you're essentially teaching yourself, you've got some flexibility on buying a cheaper book if you can find one that fulfills your needs; there are tons of them out there. There's also lots of free instruction on the internet...not only on nursing sites, but chemistry and mathematics sites too.

Some sort of NCLEX prep/ study guide is also highly recommended. I've been warned repeatedly that huge amounts of information will be coming at students in these classes, and apparently, the book helps you learn to identify not only the material that will be covered on the test, but also how you'll be questioned on it.

But the few people I've talked to said that they've had no need of additional texts aside from those. They say that there's more than enough to cover in the required texts.

One more thing: you can buy an APA Guide if you want to. However, there are lots of websites that provide comprehensive information on APA style, and are much more user-friendly (especially to the user's wallet!).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Amazon is awesome when it comes to text books. Do you have an amazon student account? You can sign up for it as long as you have a .edu email address. You get a free trial of Amazon Prime (which means free 2 day shipping). When I signed up for it, it was a free 1 year trial. I think it's only a 6 month trial now, but it's still worth it! (I buy a lot of stuff on Amazon!).

Also, valorebooks.com is great for textbooks. I had to purchase a Chemistry book @ AACC and it cost $175 USED! I asked if they would be buying the book back and the lady told me they wouldn't because there was a new edition slated to be released. That was a tough $175 pill to swallow! A friend recommended valorebooks.com and I found the exact same book for...wait for it... $4.50. Needless to say, the $175 book was quickly returned!

My problem is that I will most likely be using financial aid to purchase books. So, I'm stuck paying bookstore prices for now :(

I already have Prime; I really hate shopping, and don't have any time for it besides these days, so, I, too, use Amazon a lot. The Prime has more than paid for itself. The Amazon Student version is now 6 mos. free Prime shipping.

I hear you on AACC. With regard to their transferable math and science courses, they are one of the best educational deals around. But I really have a problem with their book policies. They're moving more and more into "unbound books" (which are a PITA, and can't be recycled or resold), or "packages" that contain a lot of junk you never use. They also use some genuinely crummy textbooks with awful editing, and flawed information (Developmental Psych was truly memorable for that). And every term, they assign a "new" edition, even though the publisher hasn't offered one in 5 or 6 years (they present them as "special AACC" editions, and change the binding or packaging to deceive students) but it's simply the same stuff they used in each of the previous 5 years.

What's worse is that, as you mentioned, they use that as an excuse not to buy books back from students. I was behind a student who tried to sell a book back that she had bought 6 mos before, but was told that the book was too dated. Very interesting since it was the exact same book as I had just bought for $175 for my upcoming math class. (BTW, it was recommended that she "donate" the book to the "charity" box by the checkout. How much do you want to bet that the bookstore was selling those back to a used text company?). It bugs me that my tax dollars are going to pay for this textbook racket; I much rather see that money go toward paying the professors and instructors a decent wage at AACC. I've had some really excellent teachers there.

I'd hold off a bit on buying, if I were you. I think there's gonna be a lot of UMB students wanting to dump some texts come December.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hey AprilAnney, I got in! Thanks for your message, it was so sweet. Havent gotten an actual acceptance letter, but my online app status changed last Thursday, the 17th. So excited to be in the Shady Grove mix!

For anyone looking for financial aid - I definitely submitted a FAFSA but havent gotten any word on awards, etc. I checked my status on SURFS and it says there isnt any info on me yet. Anyone know when that should be available after acceptance? Thanks!

- A

Hey anniecait, I am waiting to hear about financial aid information as well. I haven't seen anything on SURFS yet but I'm probably going to call the financial aid office next week to speak to them. I am quitting a full time job and will really need assistance!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I called the financial aid office and they said they should be contacting people in the beginning of December regarding financial aid. I'm really anxious to hear about that too! I'm also quitting a full time job so that has me a little nervous...

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion