WGU Pre-Licensing BSN Cedar Sinai October 2015 cohort.

Nursing Students Western Governors

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Hey everyone. Are there any other potential students working towards the October cohort???

Where are you in your process so far??

Let's Connect!!!

I am going for Cedar Sinai. Hope I can get in. If not then I will look at Huntington. I am closer to Cedar Sinai. The other hospitals are further away. I am afraid of having to travel far and not be on time.

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I am finishing 2 classes Spring Semester and TEAS 5 testing.

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ebolton: The current Cedars cohort started October 1st, and I think that's the date it starts each year. There are 7 Cedars employees in our cohort so you have a pretty good chance of being accepted. Most of them are techs and CNAs but I think a couple might be in non-clinical roles. So far I LOVE ! We started with boot camp the second and third weekends in October and that was really intense but now we are just working on didactic courses until March. The criteria for acceptance for Cedars employees may not be as strict; ask around if you can at work. There seems to be a lot of employees enrolled at WGU as Cedars was a pilot program with WGU from the beginning, designed specifically for its nurses to continue their education for BSN, MSN, etc., online.

I think the rules for allnurses will not allow me to name my counselor but all of them are very helpful I've heard so just make a call if you haven't yet.

For the TEAS, I highly recommend reading the post by rainbowva on the TEAS help thread under Students on this site. I think it's dated from 2012 but should be pretty high on the thread list. (I don't know how to link it, sorry.) I took the recommendations and created a study guide. EVERYthing rainbow suggests is helpful, especially the soft stuff like not freaking out and really reading the questions. You have to think critically and quickly. An example: the first math question was so easy that I wasted 3 minutes on it just trying to figure out if it was a trick. I used the ATI book and the McGraw Hill book with 5 practice tests, and took the two ATI practice tests online, two times each. I didn't schedule to test until I was absolutely sure I was ready. I scored a 92.7%.

I also will reiterate that it's very important to be in contact with your counselor often and check the program guide on WGU's website frequently. It changed three times over the two years I was getting pre-reqs and waiting.

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Also: I am currently employed full time (M-F, 8-5) and studying is intense but not too overwhelming. But it's early days. The labs and assessments will be on the weekends starting in April, 2015, but clinicals may be on weekends, week days, nights and holidays. Cedars should work with your schedule if you are accepted.

I only applied to Cedars and was planning on applying to Pasadena if I wasn't accepted. I think a few people who were not accepted to Cedars were accepted to the OC cohort.

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SoonerBredExpat - thank you so much for your update! It really emphasizes what I was unsure of. I'm pushing myself to get good grades on my prereqs - which I have. I will look for that thread you mentioned and get to studying the TEAS. How long would you recommend studying for it 2-3 months? I orderd the McGraw book and will also order the ATI book. If you get a chance could you find out how many students are non-clinical. Otherwise I'm afraid I will have to spend several months in a CNA program - not that I mind, but it will prolong my goal/schedule. Btw - I also work Mon-Fri 7:30-4pm. I'm hopeful my dept will give me time off to complete clinical hours. This gets me more pumped to complete my steps. Thank you!!

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Now that I think about it the Cedars employees are: 3 CNAs and 4 techs. The techs are in different specialties. When you speak to an enrollment counselor, ask about getting a certification because you may not need to. If she/he says it will help your application, you should consider it. My counselor was a bit vague (not saying outright that it was required) but she repeated it often enough that I knew it was something I needed to do. I found a course that was only 5 weeks so I just got it done. Same thing with volunteering. (I'm an accountant so anything extra clinical-wise was helpful.)

As far as studying for the TEAS, it's not really a matter of how long to study, but it's more about making sure you understand, from a fundamental perspective, every single concept in the ATI Study Guide. You don't have to be an expert in photosynthesis or mitosis, for example, but you must understand the basic concepts. I started studying in December, sort of glancing at it, and really got down to studying every day in January, then took the test on February 1st. I've been out of school for decades though so you might have a much easier time and not need as long to study. :D

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I have been out of school for a while too. It was a challenge to get back into the swing of things when I started my prereqs this past summer, but slowly I'm back in the game. I'm so eager to get my McGraw-Hill book now. I think ordered the "5 TEAS Practice Test" so i will definitely order the ATI this week. I have about 4 weeks off during winter break before Spring semester starts and I'm pretty sure Microbiology will be a tough class. I will get as much done in December. You are a big help I truly appreciate it! BTW - I commute from Fontana to work everyday...just noticed you're in the IE. Best of luck to you with !!

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Wow, Fontana! How's the drive? I'm imaging I will need to leave by 3:30 a.m. to get to Cedars by 7:00 on a weekday. I'm in Riverside. I hope you enjoy your time off school!

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It's not that bad...I'm on a vanpool that Cedars offers as an incentive to RideShare. I leave my home at 5:30am, meet at a Park & Ride in Rancho Cucamonga by 5:50am. We leave around 5:55am or so and make it to Cedars by 7:30ish. You should look into vanpool options with Cedars, they may offer it to students.

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I just wanted to clarify that working at Cedars does not make the acceptance criteria any less strict! I am an employee at CS (SoonerBred, you know me of course). I did not get accepted the first time I applied (October 2013 cohort) nor did I get accepted into the Pasadena cohort which was open early 2014. Took me 3 tries to get in.

I also agree about the TEAS score. I scored mid-90s; don't shoot for anything less than 90% minimum. Good luck! :)

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Grrl- did your criteria change from the 2nd or 3rd time you applied which got you accepted? Meaning, once you got declined, did you do anything different or just kept trying with the same background/classes etc?

I dont presume working at Cedars makes the criteria any easier, reason why I have been asking a bunch of questions with respect to the TEAS V exam. i do understand this is one of the priorities in scoring high.

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This is the best program ever. allows students to really make an effort to pass courses by allowing students 3 chances to pass Objective Assessments, which are finales for their courses, if I was at a community college you get one chance to pass these exams, then you'll have to repeat the program over. I'm currently in my last semester CA cohort 19. I work at Cedars and thankful that we get a discount attend the school where clinicals are at. My advise to anyone attending WGU is cut back on work hours so you can focus on courses. I was working full-time but went part time for the last year of the 2 1/2 year program and that's only because I have a mortgage to pay for.

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