What's the deal with Columbus State admission?

[foreverLaur]

My friend applied in January 2009 for their traditional ADN program and was accepted (as all students are) and was told her start date was March 2011. In the meantime, she applied twice to their online program and was rejected.

Their website states for application dates...

Traditional Track

• Jan. 6-15, 2010 for the Autumn 2010 class
  
• July 1-9, 2010 for the Spring 2011 class
  
• Jan. 10-19, 2011 for the Autumn 2011 class
  

I called the school and asked: "So, If I apply during the July 2010 application period and meet all the requirements, I'll definitely get to start in March of 2011?" Their answer? YES OF COURSE YOU WILL!

Is the waitlist gone at CSCC or is the nursing school misleading me? I don't want to hold out and stay in Columbus an extra year only to be disappointed and realize I could have started at Tri-C sooner after all.

Also, what is the deal with CSCC requiring the anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and biology sections for the Hesi A2 exam?!

They require organic/biochem as a prerequisite, but a lot of the chemistry seems to be stuff covered in general chemistry (nuclear chem, molar relationships, stoichiometry, etc). Additionally, biology isn't a prerequisite in any way, shape, or form. Anatomy and physiology are taken during the nursing program and are not requirements. The Hesi review book states: "A one-year course in anatomy and physiology should be taken before the student prepares for the anatomy examination." Yet, CSCC expects us to rock that section BEFORE taking any form of A&P. What is up with all that?! Luckily I've taken biology and general chemistry for science majors and I've taken anatomy (not physiology) so I'm a bit better off, but that seems really unfair. Additionally, I took anatomy twice (As both times) and both were high level with human cadavers taught by medical school faculty and there is a lot of anatomy stuff in the review book I never learned. Needless to say, I'm frustrated and worried.

Thoughts?

[shortnorthstudent]

Quick question for anyone that may know. Regarding the background checks for CSCC - do they have to be done anywhere particular? Is it just a standard BCI report? Is there a timeframe for having them done?

The reason I ask is because my childrens' school can run BCI reports (they require anyone who volunteers with the children to have fingerprints and a BCI report). It's been a while since they ran mine, but I know that they would run another for me at no cost (I do LOADS of volunteering and am on the School Board). But, they are considering not renewing their ability to run these reports and may not be able to after May.

[foreverLaur]

I've never heard of anywhere (school or employer) that lets you use a background check from another source. They want you to get your very own just for them. I can't find information for CSCC but here is information from Tri-C and I would imagine that most schools would have a very similar policy

http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/healthcareers/Pages/BackgroundCheckInformation.aspx

Also - what is med/surg shadowing? Why are you shadowing for med/surg instead of doing?

[foreverLaur]

Has anyone who applied to the traditional program in January received notice yet? It seems to be 50/50 as to whether or not CSCC has a wait list so I'm anxious to find out if the people who applied in January actually all get to start in August 2010 or if some get pushed to March 2011 or if there really is a 1-2 year wait list like others have said.

NURS 100 and NURS 110 - they claim to be corequisites to each other. Does anyone know if these HAVE to be taken together or if I can take NURS 100 my first quarter and then transfer into the online program? There is no possible way for me to take them together with my work schedule and I can't quit my job... it pays the bills and has amazing benefits (paying for my schooling).

[shortnorthstudent]

I have not heard yet and don't really expect to for at least a couple more weeks. As for the classes, I'm not really sure. But, the courses are in sequence and not offered every quarter. So, 1st quarter classes are only offered fall and spring, 2nd quarter classes are only offered winter and summer. So I'm not sure how that would work out for you. I could be incorrect, but if you look at the catalog and the class schedules, you should see that scheduling. Can you work fewer hours or finish the co-reqs so that you only carry 6-8 credits of NURS classes and nothing else? Sorry for the typos. On my pakm.

[foreverLaur]

I have not heard yet and don't really expect to for at least a couple more weeks. As for the classes, I'm not really sure. But, the courses are in sequence and not offered every quarter. So, 1st quarter classes are only offered fall and spring, 2nd quarter classes are only offered winter and summer. So I'm not sure how that would work out for you. I could be incorrect, but if you look at the catalog and the class schedules, you should see that scheduling. Can you work fewer hours or finish the co-reqs so that you only carry 6-8 credits of NURS classes and nothing else? Sorry for the typos. On my pakm.

Ha it's ok. I do the same thing when I respond in my cell phone or iPod. I do have everything completed except for nursing classes and 2 other classes which I'll have plenty of time to finish before I get into the nursing program.

I have Tuesdays and Saturdays off work and I work 230pm-11pm the other days. The hybrid classes appear to be evenings during the week a lot and some of the traditional classes are during the week and later... ugh

If I cut back my hours, I'll lose my benefits, including health insurance and tuition reimbursement. Nothing is ever easy!!

[shortnorthstudent]

Ha it's ok. I do the same thing when I respond in my cell phone or iPod. I do have everything completed except for nursing classes and 2 other classes which I'll have plenty of time to finish before I get into the nursing program.

I have Tuesdays and Saturdays off work and I work 230pm-11pm the other days. The hybrid classes appear to be evenings during the week a lot and some of the traditional classes are during the week and later... ugh

If I cut back my hours, I'll lose my benefits, including health insurance and tuition reimbursement. Nothing is ever easy!!

Perhaps by the time you get into the program you'll have enough time in at your job to switch your schedule around to accomodate school. A lot of the PCAs I know are able to get a fair amount of cooperation from their units in terms of scheduling once they become SNAs.

I would think that your biggest problem would be that the program would take you an extra 6 months to get finished because you'll have to wait until fall to take the other 1st quarter NURS class, and I don't know if you'd be able to switch from a 1st quarter traditional student to a 1st quarter online student since that would be taking away a spot from a new group (as opposed to taking a spot where someone dropped out later in the sequence). I would really consider whether it's worth it to have your job help with tuition if it's going to interfere with your ability to take the classes and finish up. Will you have this problem every quarter? 2nd quarter there are 3 NURS classes for 10 credits that the only offer summer and winter quarters. I would really think about whether the job and school are compatible if you are going to have to spread each quarter out. If you take a class, take a quarter off then finish the quarter, you're going to be at a disadvantage for a few reasons. It is likely that some of your knowledge base for school will be forgotten in that quarter off, and it could take you much much longer to graduate (meaning that you will have less loans, but your salary could be lower for years). Also, each quarter you'll be with a different group of students who have been together and it might be difficult to get into study groups, etc. with them as each quarter

[foreverLaur]

I don't work as a PCA anymore. My job basically forced me to quit when they heard I was going back to school because they don't hire any student nurses. They only hire those who are able to work a full-time schedule without accommodation for constantly changing schedules such as nursing school. I received a job as a MST at another hospital, but they could not offer me full-time or benefits so that was not a viable option for me. I need both. After being rejected from job after job after job, I finally received a job doing patient care consulting for a mail-order pharmacy. It is full-time with amazing benefits and a decent salary. It definitely isn't what I want to do long term, but they are open 24/7/365 for the consulting so it is possible, down the road, to modify my schedule.

There is a fairly reasonable chance that come March 2011, I'll be able to change my schedule around - I'll have been there for an entire year by then. That's what I'm hoping for. Or finding someone who is off on one day I need off to switch me days off for the quarter.

My biggest concern is whether or not there is a wait list because I truly get a different answer from everyone I talk to. I have officially been accepted to Tri-C for a January 2011 start. My seat is reserved and waiting for me. If there is a very reasonable chance I can start at CSCC in March 2011, I'm going to keep my great job that I love and attend CSCC, but it seems silly to wait an extra year or two to start when I could move home with my parents and attend Tri-C for sure. I just have a boyfriend, my sister, and a great job here and I don't want to give that up unless CSCC "forces" me to by putting me on a long waitlist.

[foreverLaur]

Just an FYI - an e-mail from the head of the nursing dept at CSCC

"We are still processing the January 10 applicants for Au 10. We have far more qualified applicants than we have space for in fall. Therefore, whether we accept them for Spring 11 or place them in a priority system for spring, additional seats will be very limited. It is impossible to say what your status would be. Realistically I would guess Autumn 11 but possibly Spring 11."

[PaperPencil]

foreverLaur,

Did you apply in January?

[foreverLaur]

foreverLaur,

Did you apply in January?

No, I never took NURC 102. I was originally told I could test out of it because my boss and two nursing coworkers verified that I had a high level of knowledge of every skill taught in that class, but then when I talked to someone higher up they said you could only do that if you were a LPN so I'm signed up to take NURC 102 this upcoming Spring Quarter and then applying July 1! So it looks like I'll be starting August 2011 unless not everyone they admit actually starts and I'm one of the first to apply. I'm definitely keeping my fingers crossed for a March 2011 start date still. I'm so anxious to start and after NURC 102 I'm done with all courses except NURS classes.

[tainted1972, ASN, RN]

You cant do the online program unless you already have a BA degree in something else..

[foreverLaur]

Conveniently, I earned a BA in Psychology in March of 2009.