University of Maryland Traditional BSN Fall Program: Any idea when we will hear back?

lonestar88 · Mar 20, 2009

Many people do use their laptops.. It's really up to what you prefer. I remember for Pathopharm everyone had to fight for the outlets at each row... lol. I ended up just keeping a row of outlet surge in my backpack and whipping it out whenever I need it (it's amazing, I know. lol) It's funny cause after awhile people would just ask if I mind taking it out. Anyway, when I did use a laptop I find myself surfing the internet and not pay attention as much since the lectures are so fudging long. So it's your call. It's ideal if you promise yourself that you won't start going on facebook, aim, etc. All the lectures are given in powerpoint format, so what I do is type notes directly onto the slides. :typing That way I can actually read what I write instead of trying to make out chicken scratch from rushing (I type faster than I write as well).

For adult health this semester I print out the slides 4 per a page so I have room to write stuff in class and additional notes after reading on my own. I just feel like I can't afford to have my mind wandering the net anymore. Okay, I guess I'm going to contradict a little with what I said. The best is to print out slides for patho and use your laptop for the rest of the classes.

You should invest in a Swissgear backpack or a type of built-in laptop storage. The cushion on the back is heavenly.

As for the exam schedule... I can't exactly remember completely. Crazy I know, since it was only one semester ago. They say that they try not to kill us will exams by cramming it all in one week, but honestly I find everyone referring exams as "hell week." What happens is that you'll have about 1.5 week of pretty much nothing but studying or downtime and then you got your hell week with exams, practicals, etc back to back. By the end of the exam week only about 25% of the class shows up for classes on Fridays cause everyone is completely burned out. It's tough but I heard it gets better by the 3rd semester! Not trying to scare you :rolleyes:

Again, thanks for the info. Do most students use laptops for classes to take notes etc? I can definitively type faster than I can write...but then again i dont know about carrying around a big expensive laptop.
Also, can you tell us what your first semester was like in terms of a weekly schedule? I know...so many questions haha.

Agrippa · Mar 20, 2009

Yea, i can see how the internet can be distracting as well.

When I asked about schedules, I kind of meant like class schedules during the week. Ei, what kind of leeway do we have in terms of class schedules and if most students are scheduled to come to class M-F. Thanks!

angelp71 · Mar 21, 2009

ok folks, im really starting to wonder....

how long did your status remain at 'committee ready'? its been a week now; thinking it will just stay like that and they send me a rejection letter. trying very hard to remain optimistic.

also, did everyone else have just the 2 academic recommendations? since my professor ones were taking forever to arrive, i asked two of the doctors i work with (one is the coroner) to write some and they gladly did. im hoping this will push me to the 'admit' side if they were on the fence. :saint:

Agrippa · Mar 21, 2009

I had 2 academic ones. I really don't think letters of recommendations are that big of a deal. They really are not good indicators of you as a student/person. I would think that admissions officers realize that A: These recommenders are student selected and thus are obviously going to contain positive things about the student and B: professors rarely know enough about each and every one of the students that they write letters for. I think at most the LORs show that the student isnt totally socially awkward/someone you totally dont want to be in a classroom with. Just my .02.

loloterp · Mar 21, 2009

Hey angel,

Hang in there...They are on spring break ending this weekend, so maybe that's why there is a delay. My status was on comm. ready for about 4 days before i it changed last Friday. I'm sure by the end of this upcoming you'll hear something. As far as recommendations, believe it or not I sent in 4 recommendations :chuckle(3 academic and 1 from my charge nurse supervisor at the hospital i work at). I do think that those recc.'s helped me out along with the experience I have so far as a PCT. I also think I did a good job on my essay. If you were denied, it would have said decision made Denied, I assume. But don't ponder on that.

Lonestar...Thanks for all your advice. Your really giving us beneficial info. :bow:

loloterp · Mar 21, 2009

Hey lonestar...Did you get your Swiss backpack online?? I want to get one. I also saw the Targus one online too, that look gooodd ..Also, any effecient laptop you would recommend for us nursing students??

THANKK YOUUUUUUUUUU!!!!!!!!!!!!

KTJSR · Mar 21, 2009

Angelp71 hang in there... I agree with loloterp, I believe the delay is being caused by the springbreak period. Once they get back next week 23March you should have a decision that week. Remain positive and good luck to you!!!!

lonestar88 · Mar 22, 2009

"When I asked about schedules, I kind of meant like class schedules during the week. Ei, what kind of leeway do we have in terms of class schedules and if most students are scheduled to come to class M-F. Thanks!"

LOL. I think I'm losing my mind. I swear I saw the word exam and yeah... I got carried away. Anyway, I believe I had classes 4 days a week. 3 days of lecture and 1 day of labs. It can vary because of the days you're assigned for labs.

"Did you get your Swiss backpack online?? I want to get one. I also saw the Targus one online too, that look gooodd ..Also, any effecient laptop you would recommend for us nursing students?? "

I think I got my backpack at Target? Or was it office depot? I know they both carried it but I was going back and forth both places to see what style I wanted. It was also during the time when school was just starting for HS, MS and elementary school so there were school supplies all over the place, they might have less if you go there now. I think I paid around $50 (you can probably get it cheaper online, most, but not all come with a padding section for a laptop). I see a lot of Targus ones around but the cushion on Swissgear won me over. As for a laptop recommendation.... there's really nothing too specific that a nursing student will need... just any good ol` laptop will work. I've been sticking to my Dell for 3 years now... but I know I can't wait for it to screw up or something so I can have an excuse to convert into a Apple user. The new ones are soo nice. If you already have a laptop, I think you should just stick with what you have to save money.

**Btw, I recently got a new stethoscope. Sooo... if anyone is interested in saving some money on a Littmann Classic SE (the one UMB wants you to get) PM me by sending an email!

dorkalicious · Mar 25, 2009

to whomever is asking abut class schedules....

FYI at SG campus here is MY schedule, just so you have a general idea....

M; 9-11 Health Assessment LECT

5-7:30pm Pathopharmocology LECT

T: 1-4 Health Assess LAB

5-7:30pm Pathopharmocology LECT

W: 10-1 Comm Module (only 4 weeks out of entire semester! the remaining weeks you are FREE!)

Th: 9-11 Fundamentals in Nursing LAB

11-1 Fund in Nursing LECT

And then you have 24 total hours of clinicals (can either be 3 days of 8 hour clinicals OR 2 days of 12 hour clincals...........and its NOT your choice what clinical site you get as a 1st semester junior!!!!!)

The schedule is very wide open, BUT i spend my time at open lab practicing hands on, AND/OR going to study sessions.... and I'll tell you it has benefitted me becuase I have an A/B in all my classes so far.... those who choose to go home and not spend extra time at open lab or at study sessions end up getting C and D's on their exams so far... so the choice is yours of how you want to spend your free time!

PM me if you have any questions about this!

jrbakern · Mar 25, 2009

dorkalicious is absolutely right! The only thing I would add is that the schedule looks deceiving in that it doesn't appear to be all that demanding. All your classes will require extra time watching whole video lectures, special projects, and most important - study time. Pathopharm alone will require 10 hours a week, minimally, to study. Our exams, which happen once a month, are all usually given on the same week. It's impossible to wait until the weekend before and attempt to study for all your tests. What some people end up doing is skipping classes to study for the tests, and those are the same people who are making Cs, Ds, and Fs. Don't be one of those. I can't speak for Dork but I really don't spend a lot of time working with and helping out fellow students I never see in class or putting in extra time in the lab.

angelp71 · Mar 26, 2009

ok people..........i got my status updated today!

ADMIT INSTITUTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! :bow:

i am too speechless/verklempt to post a substantial reply. thanks everyone for the support. ill remain 'subscribed to this thread'.

lonestar88 · Mar 26, 2009

I have never gone to the study sessions so I can't say anything about them.. but I do recommend going to the open labs. It's honestly the only way you can learn the skills because lab time is definitely not long enough.

Patho is the hardest class, but you do have to be sure to spend some time on your other classes as well. It is easy to neglect it because you think it's extremely easy. Don't go focusing on patho and getting an A in that class and b's in your other ones!