Which one do you recommend: CSU Hayward or SFSU University BSN RN Program?

futureforensicRN · Jan 12, 2005

I currently attend SFSU and some of my friends are in the nursing program right now. They told me that even though you are in the program it is really difficult to get classes. I am not sure about Hayward though. I don't want to be nosy, but I also heard that getting into the SFSU nursing program is very difficult as well. Do you think it was hard to get in? What did you do? Community service? Are you bilingual?...b/c when I reviewed the requirements for getting accepted into the nursing program at SFSU, there was a list of requirements: 3.5 gpa or higher, community service, bilingual....

Thanks! Jackie

Vivi · Jan 13, 2005

Hi Jackie,

I chose the SFSU nursing program because SFSU accepted me before CSU Hayward did, who put me on a waiting list. They told me that I was the next one to be accepted when I told them I was going to attend nursing training somewhere else. What I like about SFSU is that it is on a semester basis, so you get a long summer break and more time to study the textbooks I think. Last semester, I was in the group that studies only two nursing classes: Nursing Processes and Healthy Aging; my other classes were an Enlgish 214 composition class with James Boyd, and two general education classes (Meditation, Imagery in Healing with Adam Burke, and Perspectives in Chinese Medicine with Briahn Kelly-Brennan). I liked all my classes, except a theory class covering nursing history etc. I liked one of my two nursing theories classes better than the other one. The other group studied Health Assessment, and some other nursing classes and started their clinicals last semester, which is what I am going to do next semester. Most people seem to be happy with the program. One woman I know was shocked at how miserable were elderly patients were in a East Bay Kaiser hospital. Many others liked their clinical experience. Most people's grades went down the hill in the nursing program, but had high GPAs before being admitted. Most people I know seemed to have worked in the field or volunteered and have multicultural experience. I am bilingual and have multicultural work experience outside of healthcare though. My GPA was high.

CSU Hayward requires a NLN pre-entrance exam, which I found very hard. I got a high score on the science part, but got low scores in English (although I got As in my English classes) and math because there was not enough time to answer the questions. Nevertheless, I was put on a waiting list, and was going to be accepted when I decided to study at SFSU. I think CSU Hayward has also a good nursing program, but it is on a quaterly basis, so I guess you have to read your textbooks faster, and have shorter breaks between quarters.

If you're not bilingual, don't have a high GPA and multiculral experience, you may want to you may want to volunteer somewhere, e.g. the "free clinic" in Berkeley, Alta Bates, etc. to increase your chances of being admitted.

I am not sure what your friends mean by "it is really difficult to get classes". Do they mean to get general education or English classes outside the nursing program, or to choose the instructor they prefer for their clinical experiences? Once you're in the nursing program, you can attend the nursing classes. I heard that some people will have to repeat their classes or drop because of their low scores last semester. The official requirement to get in the nursing program is not officially 3.5 GPA (I know a nursing assistant who got in with a 3.45 GPA), but there were so many candidates over 600 I heard last semester that they took the better scores of course. I heard that a few people they had not accepted previously, who did not reapply were contacted and accepted last semester.

Overall the faculty and director look good at SFSU.

For more info go to: http://nursing.sfsu.edu/ ; they have information meetings.

I wish you the best,

Vivi

MissJenny · Mar 30, 2011

Hey Vivi,

I was just accepted into SFSU's nursing program for Fall 2011. I was wondering what hospitals do SFSU nursing students intern at? And was it difficult getting into the nursing courses at SFSU due to classes filling up quickly?

Thanks for your help!

Jenny

Vivi · Mar 30, 2011

Hi Jenny,

Congratulations! I graduated in 07. My clinical rotations were at:

-the VA in SF 1st semester

-UCSF med-surg

-CPMC in SF maternity and pediatrics

-Mills-Peninsula in Burlingame, and Rypins house with the Progress Foundation for mental health

-Kaiser in Oakland for sr preceptorship in med/surg

Others went to Laguna Honda and Seton (reported they did not like); SFGH, Kaiser San Francisco, John Muir I think, children's hospital in Oakland, and ? ...

You just need to make sure to register quickly on the computer as soon as U can do so to choose the clinical instructors u're interested in following. If the system is still the same, u may need to as to the coordinator where those instructors teach.

Recommendations: study from a drugs calculation textbook well in advance --give yourself a good month, because u will have tests right off the bat as soon as u start the semester. I think those who did not pass the 1st time could retake it, but only once. A few students had to leave the program because they had not well prepared for it.

Before U start your clinicals, u may want to purchase a nursing software on ur phone device. I used Nursing Central from unboundmedicine.com and Psychiatric nursing constellation from skyscape.com. I liked all my clinical rotations.

All the best to you!!!