UVA MSN CNL 2015

U.S.A. Virginia

Published

Hi all, I've been lurking on the boards for about a year and a half now and finally the time has come for me to apply. I haven't found any boards about UVA MSN applicants for the 2015 cohort so I decided to start one. I'm also applying to VCU's ABSN program as well, and perhaps GMU and ODU, too.

I was hoping to get some feedback from others applying because truth be told, I'm very nervous about my stats because while I am above the minimum requirements for GPA and pre-reqs, they are still below the comparative applicant averages. I also am very interested in talking to others who are going through the process of applying!

I'm graduating this December with a BA in Philosophy from Virginia Tech. My GPA is 3.16 and I doubt it'll increase much more with this last semester I have ahead. I've completed all the pre-reqs with a 3.5 avg gpa and I'm going to take the GRE the beginning of September. I work as a care companion at a local nursing home and have experience with late-stage Alzheimer's patients and the geriatric community as a whole. I don't have a CNA license however. I also volunteered and interned at a women's shelter working with clients over the phone and in-house, as well as training new interns/volunteers. My other job is unrelated to healthcare and involves working in a research lab as a lab tech and although I have not done any formal research, I have helped grad students and the PI with small projects in addition to the typical duties of dish cleaning and lab maintenance.

UVA is definitely my top choice but my stats are so mediocre in comparison to the other applicants of previous years, I'm feeling discouraged. I'm not sure what else I can do to improve my chances other than study my butt off for the GRE and write mind-blowing statements, and hope my letters of recommendation are as glowing as my recommenders say they will be.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to chatting with others applying and going through the process and hopefully we will be classmates in the near future!

Phil:

In the second summer of the program all students take a course in Community & Population Health. The classroom part of this course is taught across 2 weeks. Then students have 4-6 weeks for their practicum experiences for this course. About 1/2 of the class has gone overseas (this summer's sites included South Africa, Denmark, Central America, the Caribbean and Thailand) for their clinical experience; the other half have remained in Virginia for their community health clinical experience.

0 Votes

Hi Everyone!

Glad I found this thread, I am also applying to UVA Master's program! This process is so exciting and a bit scary so it is nice to have some folks in the same boat. I have gone to a few info sessions over the last couple of years and they are great! It is particularly helpful to talk with the students and ask them questions about the intensity of the program and hear their advice. Really great. Also, if you have any questions about the curriculum Dr. DeGennaro is very approachable and incredibly informative about the role of the CNL in general.

I am finishing up my essays in the next few days and hope to "submit" really soon!

I look forward to reading about everyone's process and getting/giving lots of support and encouragement!

0 Votes

Hi y'all! I'm in the current CNL class. Don't be discouraged before you even apply. Take time on your essays and truly think about WHY you want to be a nurse and WHY this program is right for you. They are expanding the program every year with my class of 41 being the largest yet. It is an amazing program and you learn something new every single day. Go to an info session for sure...it was the key factor in my decision to go to UVA. I KNEW this was where I belong and I was right!! Good luck!!

0 Votes

Hey everyone,

Oct 1st is coming quickly and I hope everyone's application is coming along. :) I submitted mine last week, and I am trying to be patient. Though being patient is hard.

buckeyecass08 thank you for the words of encouragement. It is always nice to hear confirmation from someone in the program to hear how much they learning and enjoying it.

Emily

0 Votes

This program's full tuition costs around $90,000 along with living expenses. If accepted I will be an out-of-state student who already has student loan debt.

How is everyone paying for this large amount? Are there a lot of scholarships available from UVA or outside sources for this specific type of direct entry MSN. I do not think the military's Health Professions Scholarship Program would apply to program. (Correct me if I am wrong).

Any suggestions and advice would be helpful for internal and major outside funding ideas.

Thanks and good luck!!

0 Votes

Hey pbergen,i know that UVA has some assistantships available alongside some scholarships. if accepted, i'm going to apply for the scholarships, assistantships, etc but i will likely be taking out more loans on top of the loans i already have. i would contact someone from the military about your scholarship program!

good luck to everyone :)

0 Votes

I was emailed about having my interview next week. I turned in my application way back in late August though, so that's why it's rather early. Has anyone else been emailed?

0 Votes

Elefant,

Congrats on getting an interview! I too received an email for an interview and I am unbelievably excited. I turned my application in mid-September, and I agree with you it seems like we heard back very quickly!

0 Votes

Congrats to you both!! I have not heard anything, but maybe because I submitted my application after you guys? I hope!

0 Votes

i know from previous boards that they request interviews well into november so not to worry! i haven't heard anything yet but i hope to get that email in the next month or so!

0 Votes

Thanks for the encouraging word angi. I have not started to panic yet! Trying to think of the anticipation/waiting as a positive...like a kid on Christmas morning, lol!!!

0 Votes

Hi everyone! I'm so glad to finally encounter this group! I started my own posting earlier tonight because I had trouble finding this one. I applied to the MSN CNL program last month and am thrilled to have just received an interview request for next week. Yay! I have no idea what I'll be asked, but I'm looking forward to the conversation. I too attended an information session over the summer, and I was super impressed with the program. I knew it was the right program for me as soon as I started talking with the current students and walking around the CSLC. And the number of clinical hours required is great (but intimidating!) for us non-nurses. I'm excited to have this potential opportunity as I change careers, from IT to nursing. What are your backgrounds, if you care to share? I look forward to hearing more from everyone!

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment