Unhappy with CSCC...are there any alternatives?

U.S.A. Ohio

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I submitted my application to CSCC at 9:00 am this morning. Later today, I found out that dozens of other people had the same idea. They camped out in the computer lab and all waited to hit the 'enter' key at 9:00 am. The application was supposedly for Spring '11, but only a few people will get in due to the overwhelming number of applicants from the Fall '10 crowd. I'm fairly certain that I will not start until almost a year and a half from now. I find this frustrating, considering I have the same chance of getting in as someone who has much lower grades than mine (I have a 3.9 GPA). Are there any good alternatives to Columbus State out there?

Aha! Got an answer to my post.

Just in case anyone else shows up on this blog thread and would like to know when to expect the "Welcome Packet" for nursing Spring 11' cohort:

We should receive that information sometime in December 10'.

See some of you in the spring!!

Hope I'll be there with you :D

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm not all that sure what could be taking them so long. It's not as if they have a selection committee who goes over each applicant one-by-one. If they are first come first serve, then why can't they automatically mail out acceptance letters? Could it be they are checking everyone's credentials and making sure they have everything in order? Even then, would it take 2-3 months?

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Specializes in LTC.

I just checked the CSCC website a few minutes after my last post. According to CSCC, students applying in Jan '11 will not start until March '12. They will not start until a year after they apply. I'm guessing that students who applied back in July not only filled up the spring class, but also filled all of fall '11 as well. It's getting worse all over central ohio. At MTC, I've heard the waiting list is as much as three years.

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I just checked the CSCC website a few minutes after my last post. According to CSCC, students applying in Jan '11 will not start until March '12. They will not start until a year after they apply. I'm guessing that students who applied back in July not only filled up the spring class, but also filled all of fall '11 as well. It's getting worse all over central ohio. At MTC, I've heard the waiting list is as much as three years.

And you would think it would be getting better as people are realizing nursing is far from recession proof and a ton of nurses are jobless. So those going into it for the money, security, guaranteed job, etc should be running far far away because that isn't happening anymore! Please leave the seats to those of us who have a passion for nursing and want to get the degree regardless of the job prospects and economy!! :mad:

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I'm not all that sure what could be taking them so long. It's not as if they have a selection committee who goes over each applicant one-by-one. If they are first come first serve, then why can't they automatically mail out acceptance letters? Could it be they are checking everyone's credentials and making sure they have everything in order? Even then, would it take 2-3 months?

What I've seen since getting into the program and dealing with the program more and more is that there aren't people who just do this [screening applicants]... they are a group of people who do a million and one things including admissions. They are also handling current students, graduating students, graduations, testing, etc....

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What I've seen since getting into the program and dealing with the program more and more is that there aren't people who just do this [screening applicants]... they are a group of people who do a million and one things including admissions. They are also handling current students, graduating students, graduations, testing, etc....

I vote to take two days off from dealing with current students to pour through all the apps and get them done. Easier than trying to juggle it all for a couple months, IMO. I'm sure the current students would understand - they've all been in the applicants' shoes :)

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I vote to take two days off from dealing with current students to pour through all the apps and get them done. Easier than trying to juggle it all for a couple months, IMO. I'm sure the current students would understand - they've all been in the applicants' shoes :)

I know, I've been there :), but I think there is more to it than we think. I've heard from a few people that there is a little more too it than first come, first served, so they must be looking at something...?

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They don't just look at the timestamp and send out letters. My understanding is that they double check to make sure that the applicants have met all of the requirements in case there is a problem with the computers. There are also people who got kicked from the application because the computers think that they haven't met the requirements, but they actually have. (I was one of these people). They have to be checked into and if they are in fact legit applicants meeting qualifications, they have to be put back into the mix.

They also have to wait until the application period is over which lasts several weeks, even if the class actually fills in the first minute or so.

You're also looking at a couple of office staff who do everything who also take on the applications on top of everything. The cannot drop all that they do for current students to rush through the applicants. They have students getting ready to start - and they have to process all of the CPR certifications, drug tests, background checks, etc. for the. And, you have a class preparing to graduate along with all of the things that go along with that.

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Specializes in LTC.
And you would think it would be getting better as people are realizing nursing is far from recession proof and a ton of nurses are jobless. So those going into it for the money, security, guaranteed job, etc should be running far far away because that isn't happening anymore! Please leave the seats to those of us who have a passion for nursing and want to get the degree regardless of the job prospects and economy!! :mad:

I get so down about this stuff. Sometimes I lose sight of what's really important. I keep thinking about what I want and not so much about why I'm going into this field. Sure, I'm smart, I've got good grades, I work hard. Yet, am I any more deserving than the next person? I started this thread because I was angry at CSCC. I had these feelings of entitlement, like as if success should be specially gift-wrapped and handed to me.

I work at a nursing home. People at school will ask me where I work. When I tell them, they immediately look disgusted. They all say, "Uhh! I could never do that." Sometimes I'll say I work at a LTC or Rehab facility, and then it suddenly doesn't sound so bad. I would love to work in a hospital. I could get someone to pay for school, I would get decent benefits, and I could learn more.

At work, I had my assignment switched around a little bit and I began taking care of some people I had never dealt with before. This one particular guy, he has severe dementia and he's constantly falling out of bed. He has no family, few belongings (mostly donated), and he is often neglected. He barely says a word to anyone. This guy looked as if he had not been shaved in several days. I removed his soaking wet clothes, cleaned him up, shaved him, put him to bed, and made sure he was safe. The next morning, after I got him up for breakfast, he thanked me and requested a haircut.

I'm just now sitting here and realizing this. Maybe things aren't so bad for me right now. Perhaps I'm needed very much right now where I'm at. Could it be that I still have a lot to learn where I'm at right now? If I don't get in to the program until a year from now, maybe things will work out better for me than I had previously thought.

I can really feel for the people who are struggling to get through school and finish. It's just not worth letting this stuff get the best of you. This rat race we call school and career should be less important than we sometimes make it.

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I really enjoyed that post. Very heartwarming to see a person with such a good heart to take a moment and to share such an experience. It helps us to keep things in perspective. People are so important. Many of us yearn to be a nurse because first we had a love for others.

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Not sure where you all live in relation to 161. If you take that route towards Newark you can make a stop to check out COTC. The clinicals are not the best, but they do have Newark Hospital to contract with. That was one of the schools that I checked out along with CSCC, and OSU. The application process is perfect! Applicants are scored and invited into their program on a competitive basis. My grades were up there in the top 5% and so was my score. I could get into that program during any quarter - last year they were enrolling first year students 4x during the year. Needless to say, I am a bit too far. I would encourage any of you to check it out. You also may be surprised to see such a nice program with the added benefit of the beautiful surroundings.

Also, thinking about the admission process being so long: I was talking to one of hardworking office staff last year at CSCC. During this time she had mentioned that one of the requirements of "the wait to hear" if the new students made it in to the next class or not is the time frame involved to see if there are any nursing students who have left the program and then are coming back, and also for the transfer students that are allowed into the program under different circumstances than many of us. (sorry for the long sentence, I will not have time to edit this for better clarity, and still would like to make one more point...)

Would anyone think it to be too crazy of an idea, especially if your grades are top notch, to apply to COTC where applicants are accepted with a competitive scale, start your nurse training under their program, after one or two quarters, if you decide that CSCC is still a better fit for you, to then apply as a transfer student? It is still a risky proposition, but you would have more options, and your time frame in relation to sitting for NCLEX would appear nicer in many respects.

This is just another way of using all avenues available to get into the program of your desire.

I'm heading off to Michigan now! Looking forward to chatting next week. :)

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Please don't get discouraged :)

Just be patient, and remember everything happens for a reason. If you have to wait one more year- think of that in the grand scheme of your life - its like a blink of the eye. I thought it was the end of the world that I had to wait until spring to start the program, but in the long run it was really the best thing for me. Also, consider the people in the nursing office are doing their best. They have a lot of students to service and there are only a couple of them to do an immense amount of work. I am not sure how things will work when the shift from quarters to semesters happens but believe me it is already being discussed.

As far as the welcome packet - if you are in the spring quarter you should receive it around the first of December (that way you can get started on things before orientation in January).

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I unfortunately may not have the ability to wait until September 2011 to start. I would of course be willing to but it may not be a feasible option to me. For me, nursing may be March 2011 or never.

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