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.

Specializes in psych/dementia.

littlemango, as was said, CNL's HAVE to take OB and peds over the summer, and lucky for me I had to take both at the same time (2 full days of class plus 2 days of 12 hour clinicals a week. Tons of fun!). I definitely agree with getting a tech job and/or summer internship as a traditional BSN. That's something we as CNL's cannot do because of summer classes. :(

You really want to know how I study? LOL. Okay, here goes.

So, I pre-read all the textbooks. I've managed to get ahold of all the syllabi before break so I can buy the books and read everything. Yes, everything. The one class I didn't have the syllabi for I almost read the whole book before getting the syllabi. I did this for all my first and second semester classes, as well as my winter gerontology class. I didn't do it for my summer classes as I didn't have the syllabi and didn't do it for my last semester either.

THEN, before class each week I will type out the powerpoints. Not just cut and copy the text, but type it out. I will then either take handwritten notes during class and add them to my powerpoint notes OR take my laptop and type in the notes directly during class as the professor is lecturing.

AND THEN (I told you this was intense) each weekend, I reread all the notes for all my classes (not so much for certain classes, but others most definitely). So by the time it's test time, I've read all the information, except the newest, multiple times.

Phew. And yes, my GPA is rather high. Would it be as high if I didn't do as much? No clue. I got into the routine of pre-reading in undergrad and my grades significantly improved so I've stuck with it. My grades in nursing school are higher than undergrad though, which I realize is not the norm.

Anyway, hope that didn't scare anyone away ;)

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Wow! That is pretty intense, smoup! I'm in awe haha! That is a great idea to read the entire material beforehand... Though I'm not sure if I could retain it all. Unless you take the notes while you read and then review it? Anyway, that sounds like it would definitely work... I'll see if I can try it out! Trial and error, right? Haha! (I don't know if I could!)... (I'll try!) Hahaha!

smoup you are one dedicated nursing student! :)

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Specializes in psych/dementia.

It's not that I retain it so much as when you hear it in class, it's not the first time you've heard it so it makes more sense. Things can click in class since you have already read it.

Off to class.

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Yeah I just spoke to my friend about this just now. After reading it, it would be more cemented after hearing it in class... more understandable. I was thinking of sort of doing your version before, only reading the powerpoints, but I'm not sure if they would be available before class? Powerpoints, to me, are my go-to for relevant information, since usually the professor creates it most of the time.

Anyway, have a good time! :)

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Hey everyone! I'm posting here for some advice. I currently work from 7am-3:30pm Monday-Friday and applied to UMSON for the spring semester. Does anyone know what the nursing schedule is like? Are there evening classes available? I would really like to keep working, but I'm not sure if that will be possible...

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@Mbd4life

It sounds like classes and clinicals are all during the day, so you can't really do a full time M-F daytime schedule. I have a 9-5 right now, and it looks like I'm going to have to quit. It looks like it is possible to do the program part time, so if your schedule is flexible, it may be possible to work part time and do school part time, but it would take longer to finish up the program I'd guess. I don't know if anyone on this board knows anyone doing a part time schedule and could go more in-depth on what that might look like. I'm going to try to see if I see if I can negotiate doing one day a week of data entry/admin type work here to get a little bit of $$$. Probably won't be possible, but we'll see when I get my class schedule what I actually have to work with.

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I went to the open house and I think I rember saying that they don't really do part time. They don't want anyone to take longer than 3 years to complete the nursing program so it's better to go to school full time then part time.

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They do offer part-time schedules at UMSON, but it's not common. At orientation at Shady Grove, we met a student who had a baby and was going part-time.

The spring schedule was: classes throughout the day on Mon, an early evening class on Tues and Thurs, classes 10-6-ish (?) on Wed. There were labs on Tues/Thurs, depending on what lab time students were assigned. Unless something changed, Shady Grove always does first semester clinicals on Fridays. (Be there at 6 am, start at 7 am until 3 pm, I think?) Subsequent semesters had clinicals multiple days a week.

When I thought I was going, the only times I *might* have been able to work, not taking studying into account, were Tues mornings, Fri evenings, and weekends. But there will also be occasional weekend events to go to, it seems, like health fairs. I guess you could also work overnights. But I think it's generally frowned upon to work all night and then go to a clinical. All the nurses I know told me not to try to work and go to nursing school. I don't see how I could handle it, and a family on top of that! But everyone's different, so you may be able to juggle both and succeed!

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Hi Everyone,

When I went to the open house at Shady Grove, the lady told us, they have two types of programs. One a 2 year full time and the other is a part time that has to be completed within five years. Hope this helps.

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hopeful 2015, that's what I heard too. Just as long as you complete it in 5 years! But I feel it would be better to get it all done in two years and then start working!

afowler77, I remember looking at Shady Grove's schedule about a month ago and tried figuring out the schedule, but recently the website for the Universities changed it slightly. What I'm wondering is, what time do classes usually start in the morning? It looks like it varies... I surely hope it isn't too early most of the days, for traffic reasons. :nailbiting: Also, does anyone know about the Research and Evidence Based class? It doesn't have a set date (as in, M, W, or T) so I'm confused as to when it will be on our schedules.

Also, I'm getting a kick out of the list of classes on the Universitie's website because they refer to the Fundamentals lab as "Fundies Lab." Fundies... I'm sorry guys but that's so funny to me hahahahahaha!

(gummycoco! Empty your inbox, girl!)

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@littlemango lol!! So sorry hahaha it's empty nowwww

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I guess I was wrong. I don't think they mentioned anything else about a part time program except what I heard. You all are brave for working full/part time AND going to nursing school at the same time!

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