Which UAB Program is more competitive?

symphie · Oct 12, 2011

I can only give advice from my own experience. I applied to Auburn, Auburn Montgomery, and UAB. I did all of my pre-reqs at Auburn, had exactly 60 hours of volunteer experience (which is the minimum UAB will look at) and had a 3.4 GPA. I was rejected from Auburn twice and was accepted to Auburn Montgomery and UAB. AUM takes about 50 students in the Spring and in the Fall. UAB takes about 120 in the Spring and in the Fall. My transfer adviser told me that the average acceptance for UAB in the fall is a 3.4 and in the Spring is a 3.2 but it could be a little higher now (I was admitted for Spring 2011). Also, the 2nd degree BSN students are in the same recruitment as the regular BSN students. So the ~120 students they take during each admission period includes both traditional BSN and 2nd BSN students.

I know that's a jumble of information but hopefully some of it can help you. :)

cpl_dvldog · Oct 15, 2011

I can only give advice from my own experience. I applied to Auburn, Auburn Montgomery, and UAB. I did all of my pre-reqs at Auburn, had exactly 60 hours of volunteer experience (which is the minimum UAB will look at) and had a 3.4 GPA. I was rejected from Auburn twice and was accepted to Auburn Montgomery and UAB. AUM takes about 50 students in the Spring and in the Fall. UAB takes about 120 in the Spring and in the Fall. My transfer adviser told me that the average acceptance for UAB in the fall is a 3.4 and in the Spring is a 3.2 but it could be a little higher now (I was admitted for Spring 2011). Also, the 2nd degree BSN students are in the same recruitment as the regular BSN students. So the ~120 students they take during each admission period includes both traditional BSN and 2nd BSN students.
I know that's a jumble of information but hopefully some of it can help you. :)

The information you gave is the same information I have been given in the past with one exception. I noticed when the Spring 2012 classes were posted they are only showing seats for 104. This is for all of the first semester classes. I am not sure if they have a reduced number of clinical instructors like many other schools are struggling with right now.

symphie · Oct 17, 2011

The information you gave is the same information I have been given in the past with one exception. I noticed when the Spring 2012 classes were posted they are only showing seats for 104. This is for all of the first semester classes. I am not sure if they have a reduced number of clinical instructors like many other schools are struggling with right now.

From what I understood, they send out "acceptance" letters to ~120 and have a "waiting list" of ~10. I think my first day we "officially" had 118 and two were "waiting list" students that got their acceptance like, literally a few days before the first day of class. But you're right, with the faculty always changing they definitely could have had to adjust their numbers a little. We also had 2 drop out after day 1. Too much information to handle for them I guess. :lol2:

cpl_dvldog · Oct 17, 2011

From what I understood, they send out "acceptance" letters to ~120 and have a "waiting list" of ~10. I think my first day we "officially" had 118 and two were "waiting list" students that got their acceptance like, literally a few days before the first day of class. But you're right, with the faculty always changing they definitely could have had to adjust their numbers a little. We also had 2 drop out after day 1. Too much information to handle for them I guess.

I was told that those on the waiting list that don't get in are automatically in the next class.

We had two in my class that didn't finish the first day. When they told us to go down the hall and turn right to take drug tests 2 turned left and went straight to the parking lot.

symphie · Oct 17, 2011

I was told that those on the waiting list that don't get in are automatically in the next class.
We had two in my class that didn't finish the first day. When they told us to go down the hall and turn right to take drug tests 2 turned left and went straight to the parking lot.

That's true. If you are put on the waiting list and don't get called before the semester starts, you are automatically accepted to the next semester. When they admit people, the waiting list from the previous semester gets first priority. After that is students who are "pre-nursing scholars" at UAB and then they look at all of the first and second degree BSN applications.

inactiveRN · Oct 25, 2011

Thank you all for the replies! So, If I'm correct UAB accepts approximately 240 students per year - 120 fall semester and 120 spring semester? That seems like a huge number of students compared to some programs! Any idea on how many applicants apply for the BSN/2nd degree program?

Symphie,

I believe we have talked before - glad to see you are still on this forum and hope school is going well for you! Can you (or anyone here) provide insight into where to get hospital experience? Symphie, where did you do yours? In Auburn? My daughter would specifically be interested in volunteering at Children's or somewhere in the Birmingham area over Christmas break and I would appreciate any ideas on how to go about this...someone suggested contacting the Human Resource departments of different hospitals?

Thanks in advance for any information!

cpl_dvldog · Oct 25, 2011

Thank you all for the replies! So, If I'm correct UAB accepts approximately 240 students per year - 120 fall semester and 120 spring semester? That seems like a huge number of students compared to some programs! Any idea on how many applicants apply for the BSN/2nd degree program?
Symphie,
I believe we have talked before - glad to see you are still on this forum and hope school is going well for you! Can you (or anyone here) provide insight into where to get hospital experience? Symphie, where did you do yours? In Auburn? My daughter would specifically be interested in volunteering at Children's or somewhere in the Birmingham area over Christmas break and I would appreciate any ideas on how to go about this...someone suggested contacting the Human Resource departments of different hospitals?
Thanks in advance for any information!

When I checked into volunteering at UAB Hospital they have a stipulation that you must volunteer for 6 months before they will write a letter to turn in for the nursing program. I am not sure if this is still true nor am I sure if Childrens is like that also. From what I know about Childrens they are a little more particular about who has access to their patients, since they are children. If your daughter knows of a working RN, in any setting, she should contact them about shadowing for 60 hours. It is not normally a big deal, the RN will just have to get it ok'ed through the nurse manager. Your daughter will have to sign some papers pertaining to HIPPA, and will most likely have to get a current tb test.

symphie · Oct 28, 2011

Thank you all for the replies! So, If I'm correct UAB accepts approximately 240 students per year - 120 fall semester and 120 spring semester? That seems like a huge number of students compared to some programs! Any idea on how many applicants apply for the BSN/2nd degree program?
Symphie,
I believe we have talked before - glad to see you are still on this forum and hope school is going well for you! Can you (or anyone here) provide insight into where to get hospital experience? Symphie, where did you do yours? In Auburn? My daughter would specifically be interested in volunteering at Children's or somewhere in the Birmingham area over Christmas break and I would appreciate any ideas on how to go about this...someone suggested contacting the Human Resource departments of different hospitals?
Thanks in advance for any information!

We may have talked before. Haha. I don't reply on here often. I'm more of a lurker. But I try to give the little bits of information I have when I can. :lol2:

I looked into Children's and UAB for volunteer experience but both were too strict for me about how long you had to do it, being consistent for those 6 or 9 months, etc. I actually did my volunteer experience at Princeton Baptist. I went to their website and filled out the form and within 2 days their volunteer coordinator had set up a time to meet with me. I wasn't a huge fan of the hospital, but they were very, very understanding about my situation. I told them I was applying for nursing school and they did everything they could to get me into the departments I wanted to see and being flexible with my busy schedule going to/from Auburn.

morri082 · Nov 9, 2011

Thank you all for the replies! So, If I'm correct UAB accepts approximately 240 students per year - 120 fall semester and 120 spring semester? That seems like a huge number of students compared to some programs! Any idea on how many applicants apply for the BSN/2nd degree program?

Thought I would reply since I was just accepted to the Spring 2012 BSN class as a 2nd Degree student (actually a 3rd degree, B.S. Management & MBA). I combed through just about every post on this board as I applied to UAB's SON and came to the conclusion that I had not shot. This is why: 1) I had not finished any of my pre-req science courses (I am currently taking them all in this fall semester). 2) I was not a native UAB student. 3) I had 0 volunteer experience (I have two business degrees, why would I need hospital work experience :uhoh3: !?)

I applied nonetheless and I was accepted. I write this just to prove that GPA is not an absolute killer for applicants. I had a 3.54 in grad school. I did feel, however, that I wrote a killer interview essay! I honestly feel that it was the main contributing factor to my acceptance! Hope some of this helps in your daughters decision.

danceluver · Nov 12, 2011

@morri82: I am applying to UAB as a second degree student as well for fall 2012. Can you give me a little insight on the application process: I apply first the university i understand, then how long does it take to hear back regarding applying to the nursing school itself? How also are you funding your second bachelor's degree as I have heard its mainly loans? Did you apply for any scholarships through the school, how competitive are they? Feel free to send me a PM or email if that is better thank you!

morri082 · Nov 14, 2011

@morri82: I am applying to UAB as a second degree student as well for fall 2012. Can you give me a little insight on the application process: I apply first the university i understand, then how long does it take to hear back regarding applying to the nursing school itself? How also are you funding your second bachelor's degree as I have heard its mainly loans? Did you apply for any scholarships through the school, how competitive are they? Feel free to send me a PM or email if that is better thank you!

@Danceluver, the process of applying to UAB SON is rather tedious! First you apply to the University. You'll have to have all your transcripts sent in. I got my UAB acceptance letter rather quickly. Once admitted, you will need to call and set up an advising appointment with a "pre-nursing advisor." During that meeting you will discuss all your pre-req courses that you need to complete or show that you have completed and they will fill out your GPA score sheet. You get your application to the UAB School of Nursing from your pre-nursing advisore! It's NOT on any website, you can't just find it and download it yourself. They will email it to you once you have been advised! You will fill it out and submit it electronically. I also had to print out a copy of the application and bring it to an "application acceptance" session. Our session for the Spring 2012 term was early September, and I was explicitely told that the letters regarding acceptance would be sent out "on or before OCT. 31"! What they should have said was "ON OCT. 31, no earlier!" because I checked the mailbox frequently expecting something a few days early, but it came on Nov. 5! That should give you some idea of the time frame you are looking at (obviously it will be different months for your enrollment term). As for funding, I don't mind telling that I will be using student loans. The timeframe for applying for scholarships came and went before we even knew if we had been accepted, and as such, I never knew about it! I was pretty ticked off about that too! I believe there are quite a few scholarships though. My advisor mentioned something like 50%, or a little more, get some scholarship help! I hope some of this info helps! Good luck!