UMSON Spring 2015

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Hello everyone! I may be a little early with this, but here's a new post for all of you hoping to apply this September 2nd for the Spring 2015 semester at UMSON. You can post questions you have, helpful advice you would like to give (if you're already in the program), etc.

I specifically have a question for those who have already applied to the Spring 2014 semester and got in. When you applied last September, when in November did you get your acceptance letter in the mail? Was it the beginning, middle, or toward the end of November? I'm asking this because the other nursing school I am applying to only gives a 3-week time period after the end of October (when they let you know if you made it in or not) to accept or decline enrollment. So, if I don't make it into UMSON, I'd want to be able to give this other nursing school an answer before the 3-week time period runs out.

I'm sure you'd be an amazing doctor if it comes down to it bcandygurl! But let's all hope for the sake of our Master's hopefuls that it stays that way. I'm trying to remember if they said anything about it changing to a doctorate in the open house back in July. I feel like they did but I didn't pay attention to that part of the presentation. :saint:

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Specializes in NICU.

It is a suggestion for a move towards DNPs being the standard for advanced nurses. Just like they are doing with the BSN requirement as of lately for entry level nurses. Most of the big schools have transitioned to DNP only programs, but a few masters programs still exist. I know that UMSON only has the DNP option from now on for their NP programs. And thanks @ littlemango. I ,specifically, chose nursing though because it was a shorter path than med school so it will be disappointing if I have to.

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Specializes in NICU.

and Vigor no there isn't a dissertation requirement. However, most require you to do some type of project and presentation demonstrating your use of evidence based practice.

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littlemango, I am currently a student at UMSON.

You do not need to get a BP cuff.

Save yourself some money :)

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Hi guys,

I am currently a BSN student at UMSON, Baltimore.

I have 7 more weeks of school left, and I am graduating, so I am super excited! ;)

It's been quite a journey in nursing school, and I would like to provide you guys with some helpful tips to survive in Nursing School.

Let me just warn you guys, not to scare you off, but just to give you guys some reality check that first semester is very difficult and time-consuming because it's like learning a foreign language, and everything is new.

If you were awesome at getting good grades by studying for a subject like the day before an exam, do NOT even consider doing that in Nursing School because that's the best way to get a bad grade in nursing school. Try to give yourself at least 1.5 to 2 weeks to prepare for an exam because the amount of materials you will be learning will be overwhelming, so it's better to prepare early as possible, but not too early that you will forget everything. Many people who were getting A's and B's prior to coming into nursing school would get low B's and C's on their exams. Let me put in this way. In Nursing School, B is the new A, and C is the new B, but let me also tell you that GPA is not what gets you the job, especially in Nursing. I know some people who graduated with a GPA of 3.8 and they still don't have a job, but people who had a GPA of 3.0 and had experience as a tech/student nurse, those are the people who have jobs and are flying. Catch my drift?

Just make sure you pass with at least a C though. For each class, the passing grade is 69.49 and above. If you get below that score, you need to retake the course. Also, in order to graduate, you need a 2.5 GPA, so also make sure to get some A's and B's ;). BTW, there's no minuses or pluses, as far as grades are concerned. So, A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0

In nursing school, especially the first semester, you will get burnt out because you would likely have not experienced the workload that is considered normal in nursing school. You will learn to manage your time efficiently because you have to. BUT, I want to give you another important advice that MAKE SURE you also know when and how to take a break because that's the only way you are gonna maintain your sanity. Pick a day or two during your week to spend time with your loved ones or get to know your nursing buddies because they will become your best friends for the next two years. Do NOT make enemies because you never know you might see them again in the future as your manager/supervisor at your workplace.

AND, Even if you mess up on an exam, or have a bad day with your patient at clinicals, don't feel bad. Just keep doing your best and NEVER EVER give up. You will eventually get to the end.

Another thing is once you come into nursing school, maybe I shouldn't say this here, but ETOH will probably become your best friend haha!

Anyways, if you guys have any questions, holler at me, and I will try to answer what I can!

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Hi everyone,

I am really confused. why does my admission type box say "medical technology regular"? I did apply to both medical technology and nursing for UMD baltimore campus. I am so scared is this bad?

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lxcalibur, welcome to the thread and congrats on your upcoming graduation!!! :) And no worries! I have a spare BP cuff from phlebotomy school sitting around haha! But thank you for the heads up! (So everyone, no need for BP cuff!) Is there anything else we should know regarding supplies? Like how many uniforms we may need the first semester? Or something else we may not need?

Also, my gosh thank you for the heads up! :D I expect it to be difficult, but at least now I know just how difficult! Do you know how many times we can retake a course if we get under 69.49? I know you said the first semester is like learning a new language, so is it more memorization-heavy (vocabulary) or more problem-solving? Also, how was the medcalc tests? How did you study for them? I'm just so curious about the curriculum!

Haha I know I'll have more questions later... :saint:

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itsmylife I'm wondering the same thing. Perhaps call admissions for UMB? Maybe they mixed your applications up. :cyclops:

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bcandygurl I was thinking that was why you were going for it! I was going to suggest PA school if the Master's at UMSON didn't work out. From what I know, most are about 2 years long.

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Specializes in NICU.

I thought about that before going to nursing school, but I am not in the position to quit working. I have student loans from my prior degree, and now that I have my degree in nursing I'm not going back.

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Most people don't recommend going nursing to PA. They say its difficult to do the nursing model and then have to learn the medical model. I am still looking into it for myself though. I don't want to go 4 years to get my NP. School is too expensive for that!

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Does anyone know about summer/winter classes? I'd like to take a few to lighten the load up a bit. I have to work to pay for school and I don't want it to be too much.

Would we be able to take winter classes for this coming january? I don't know because we wouldn't go to orientation yet...Or if there is one that we could take.

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