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?

As far as the time allotment for assignments, there isn't what I would call "plenty" of time, but it really is dependent on your instructors. Some assignments do have pretty sturdy deadlines, but clinical paperwork does vary from each instructor.

Yeah, I didn't think so. After everything at orientation and from previous students and then the great tips that the reps from SNA gave... I figure I have to devote enough time to read 100 pages a night [or two hours/day in addition to class time and study time on campus and with study groups]... Hopefully that will be the enough, but I guess I'll adjust.

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Specializes in LTC.

I just go with what I hear but I guess I'll just have to figure it out for myself. Either way, I'm really looking forward to it. I'll have everything out of the way except nursing courses. So that should help a lot. You're right about the makeup of students. The majority of my BIO 261 classmates are people returning to school with previous degrees. I myself came from the engineering field. I'm halfway done with 261 right now and still holding on to an A. That course is not what I expected at all. Already half of the students have dropped out of the class.

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Can you request a specific clinical time? I have two days a week off work and can be somewhat flexible with those dates but I know for sure I can never get a Monday off all day for a clinical (can move times around for a class/lab/seminar). I'm hoping to switch to the online program and I think most their clinicals are Friday/Saturday though so hopefully that will help.

I thought BIO 261 was a piece of cake, but then again I had taken ANATOMY 200 at OSU (took 261 as a refresher on my employer's dime) and 261 is a joke compared to ANATOMY 200 at OSU so maybe that whipped me into shape :)

I just can't imagine how these people who struggle hardcore with the science classes and prerequisites make it through the nursing curriculum...

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Specializes in LTC.

You're right about 261. The lecture exams are easy. I asked my instructor if we had to know the different attachment sites for each muscle and he replied, "Oh no! That's not something we would go over in this course." I thought to myself, would not knowing a muscle's attachment site make it easier for you to identify the muscle itself? Also, there are a lot of bones and muscles they will no go over for the sake of time. Do you know that they consider 261 to be the most challenging course offered at CSCC? I have a hard time believing that now.

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Really?! I have already taken more challenging coursework at CSCC!!

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Can you request a specific clinical time? I have two days a week off work and can be somewhat flexible with those dates but I know for sure I can never get a Monday off all day for a clinical (can move times around for a class/lab/seminar). I'm hoping to switch to the online program and I think most their clinicals are Friday/Saturday though so hopefully that will help.

I thought BIO 261 was a piece of cake, but then again I had taken ANATOMY 200 at OSU (took 261 as a refresher on my employer's dime) and 261 is a joke compared to ANATOMY 200 at OSU so maybe that whipped me into shape :)

I just can't imagine how these people who struggle hardcore with the science classes and prerequisites make it through the nursing curriculum...

Since I haven't started yet, I cannot answer for certain. It's getting close though. :)

The SNA students and the faculty at orientation explained that clinical sites/times depend on the clinical sites. You can certainly request not to have a clinical on a certain date but if that's what they have available, then you're sort of out of luck. CSCC is competing with all of the other nursing schools in the city for those dates/times and we don't have the option of choosing. We were told that we would have to work our schedules around school rather than working school around our schedules. I'm sure that they'll accomodate if possible for students who let them know in advance and have a legitimate need. But, we will not be allowed to pick.

When I signed up for courses for this fall, I was on at midnight Sunday night. It took me about 1/2 hour to get through and select the sections I wanted. For our 1st quarter clinical, it is either Mon 8-12 or Wed 8-12. I wanted and got Wed 8-12. But, by the time I got online Monday morning, all of the Wed times were filled, so anyone registering after 9am on Monday only would get Monda 8-12 clinicals. If you look at the schedules from previous quarters, you'll see that clinical slots are only listed for first quarter. The rest simply list that there will be a clinical, but don't specify when it will be.

The faculty in charge of clinicals explained that they are giving dates/times/sites and then they have to provide student information to the facilities. Once they have given that information to the facility, they cannot change it. The facilities are very concerned about security and need time to clear the students for the clinicals. The SNA students who were at orientation said that they never got to choose their clinical site/date/time.

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You're right about 261. The lecture exams are easy. I asked my instructor if we had to know the different attachment sites for each muscle and he replied, "Oh no! That's not something we would go over in this course." I thought to myself, would not knowing a muscle's attachment site make it easier for you to identify the muscle itself? Also, there are a lot of bones and muscles they will no go over for the sake of time. Do you know that they consider 261 to be the most challenging course offered at CSCC? I have a hard time believing that now.

That must vary by instructor because we reviewed attachment sites in lab, although I don't specifically recall being tested on those.

While I heard several times that 261 is the most difficult prereq, our instructer also advised that most people drop a grade between 261 and 262 (and I know several people this happened to). It all depends on whether memorization is easier for you than reasoning.

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In regards to requesting specific clinical times - you can request but they may or may not honor that request. If you choose to go full time you will have class 2 days a week, plus your clinical on a different day. I had to reduce my work schedule to 2 weekdays per week. If you switch to the online program you won't have to worry about that.

Just reading your posts about 261 - I think it depends on the instructor because each instructor writes their own midterm exams. I talked to a girl who had lab in a regular classroom and only watched cadaver videos. I was shocked at how they were able to do practicals this way - she said it was really easy and his tests were straight from his lectures. I took the class hybrid and we never had lectures. Just told to read certain sections of the book. We also used the same book that OSU had according to my instructor who was also teaching the class at OSU the same quarter. Like everything else with CSCC - it's all over the place.

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Since I haven't started yet, I cannot answer for certain. It's getting close though. :)

The SNA students and the faculty at orientation explained that clinical sites/times depend on the clinical sites. You can certainly request not to have a clinical on a certain date but if that's what they have available, then you're sort of out of luck. CSCC is competing with all of the other nursing schools in the city for those dates/times and we don't have the option of choosing. We were told that we would have to work our schedules around school rather than working school around our schedules. I'm sure that they'll accomodate if possible for students who let them know in advance and have a legitimate need. But, we will not be allowed to pick.

That is exactly right. :) They get the assignments from the facility some time during the previous quarter and try to let students know in as much advance as possible. CSCC has contracts with the facilities and they are required to honor those contracts according to the Board of Nursing regulations - meaning that if they agree to send 8 students to a location on a specific day then they are expected to do just that and not deviate. You also cannot skip/miss your clinical and go to another one to make it up, there are other procedures in place for make-up work. The faculty does try to accommodate legitimate needs when it comes to clinical assignments, but it is more of "not" placing you in a certain date or location rather than you requesting what day you want and where you want to be.

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If I were you I would just wait to see what happens. I was all discouraged when I applied to the online program at Columbus State. People said it was hard to get in and everyone gets turned away. I got in on the first try and I start in September. Don't be discouraged and please don't go spend a boatload on another school because of the rumors that you hear. You don't want to walk out of nursing school with $45k of student loans. I bet you will get in, yes the waiting is the hard part but it will be over before you know it.

I couldn't agree with you more :) I was discouraged as well and heard all the same rumors. They simply aren't true. If you have a high GPA, score well on the entrance exam, and have your pre-reqs in order there is no reason you shouldn't get in. Contrary to popular belief they DO actually look at grade point average and test scores, not just the time you clicked the apply button on the nursing homepage. It isn't a perfect program - I can personally attest to that, but no school is going to be perfect. You learn to go with the flow. You WILL get a high quality nursing education. Everything is regulated in according with the regulation set forth by the Board of Nursing. They have their own standards for education which every institution must follow. Our instructors are very keen to follow those guidelines, even to the chagrin of some of the students. :) Trust me, I don' feel like I am missing out at all.

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I thought BIO 261 was a piece of cake, but then again I had taken ANATOMY 200 at OSU (took 261 as a refresher on my employer's dime) and 261 is a joke compared to ANATOMY 200 at OSU so maybe that whipped me into shape :)

I just can't imagine how these people who struggle hardcore with the science classes and prerequisites make it through the nursing curriculum...

You're right about 261. The lecture exams are easy. I asked my instructor if we had to know the different attachment sites for each muscle and he replied, "Oh no! That's not something we would go over in this course." I thought to myself, would not knowing a muscle's attachment site make it easier for you to identify the muscle itself? Also, there are a lot of bones and muscles they will no go over for the sake of time. Do you know that they consider 261 to be the most challenging course offered at CSCC? I have a hard time believing that now.

I think that's a little harsh concerning 261. It is a hard class and very fast-paced. I'm happy for you that it was "easy". But I got my second "B" ever in that class and just because someone has a rough time with a science doesn't mean they won't be cut out to be a nurse or make it through nursing school... you both sound really judgmental IMO. There were good, smart people taking it for the second time. And I hope they make it to nursing school... and I won't think they are wasting a spot for someone else.

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Since I haven't started yet, I cannot answer for certain. It's getting close though. :)

When I signed up for courses for this fall, I was on at midnight Sunday night. It took me about 1/2 hour to get through and select the sections I wanted. For our 1st quarter clinical, it is either Mon 8-12 or Wed 8-12. I wanted and got Wed 8-12. But, by the time I got online Monday morning, all of the Wed times were filled, so anyone registering after 9am on Monday only would get Monda 8-12 clinicals. If you look at the schedules from previous quarters, you'll see that clinical slots are only listed for first quarter. The rest simply list that there will be a clinical, but don't specify when it will be.

It was actually a clinical on Monday or Tuesday. I got the Tuesday! - Does that mean you got Tuesday too?

I was so happy. :yeah:

It took me 1/2 hour to get on as well and get registered even though I had my screen ready at 11:45pm.

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