WSSU ABSN 2021 Start

Ashlee Clark · Jul 20, 2020

They are big on pathophyisology, priorities, & pharm bc those are stressed on the NCLEX. Some key points are:

*knowing whats normal- vitals, body systems structure & function (you cant know when somethings wrong if you don't have a good understanding of what normal looks like), *involving patients in decisions/pt centered care, *prioritizing tasks & *ADPIE (Assess, Diagnose, Plan, Implement, & Evaluate, ex. you shouldnt move to "I" unless you've completed "ADP")

No specific literature that I recommend bc I usually use ppts or Youtube. Registered Nurse RN & Simple Nursing are great resources on Youtube to help with understanding how to -know normal, prioritize, ADPIE, & involve pt- as it relates to specific diseases. Like you could look up "Hepatitis A registered nurse RN" on Youtube and learn all those things about 1 disease in 20-30 mins.

Pre-program, with no medical or clinical background top 5 things I would do

1--familiarize yourself with medical terminology (root words, prefixes, & suffixes)

2--memorize basic volume conversions (how many mL in a liter?, Tbsp in an ounce?, mg in a gram?, etc)

3-- if you struggle with math learn how to do factor label method (aka dimensional analysis aka conversions). There are many techniques to do these but the math is all the same. You are responsible for teaching yourself this and have to take a conversions quiz before starting every course beyond pharmacology. (there are great videos on Youtube & its super easy once you get your groove. I was a chem teacher before & taught this to my HS students)

4- familiarize yourself with taking vital signs, whats normal VS range?, practice on family

5- *lastly* begin to learn major pharm groups & common endings (-cillins are antibiotics for bacterial infections, -pam are benzos for anxiety, -LOL are betablockers to slow heart down & lower BP, etc.)

aja1023 · Jul 23, 2020

Hi everybody! I'm looking into nursing programs in NC for the upcoming year (stressing actually!)...for WSSU when is the deadline to apply to the university? I know you have to apply there first before submitting a nursing application.

S. Rowland · Jul 25, 2020

On 7/17/2020 at 11:58 AM, Ashlee Clark said:
Good luck to everybody applying to the WSSU ABSN 2021 (N20) cohort! I am in the N19 group and we are halfway through our program. I would be happy to answer any questions about my application process or time in the program.
-Ashlee P

Hey Ashlee!

Can you share an approximate cost of tuition for in-state? You mention you split the cost for electronic textbooks. Were you able to access the book anytime? Did y’all create an account you can both access?

Once I am accepted to a program, I want to try paperless. Splitting textbook cost would be awesome.

How do you like the culture at WSSU?
Do you feel like you received the tools you need?

While working PRN, did you feel like you could manage the course load?

I haven’t worked in healthcare, but I recently finished my CNA course. I was thinking about doing that while in school.

Thanks for your time! Congratulations!

S. Rowland · Jul 25, 2020

On 6/12/2020 at 5:47 PM, Future.Derm.NP said:
I'm glad you made this. I am literally looking for any ABSN program for Jan 2021 that is a reasonable amount of tuition wise.
I am also interested in applying but my ACT scores were taken back when I was in high school and the results were HORRIBLE. I've also already missed all the ACT and SAT test dates for this year in my country (im from canada). I did not study at the time and mostly ended up guessing. I believe the score was even below the average.
My HS grades overall were good, my GPA from university was 3.4 (once converted to US system it became a 3.22) and my prereqs are currently going very well with me getting 90 and above in all of them (with the exception of stats where my final grade was 83). Would it still be worth it to apply?
Do you also have an idea of what tuition would look like for out of state student with board and books included?

I am in a similar situation. I am still going to apply. Hopefully, everything else can outweigh my SAT score since COVID has put a damper on things. If they offer a contingency based on passing SAT or ACT before school start I can register for a fall test.

Good Luck!

S. Rowland · Jul 25, 2020

On 7/2/2020 at 10:00 PM, moniquel10 said:
I will be applying this Summer! Excited and nervous. My undergrad GPA was a 2.9 but I did well in my prereq courses so I'm hoping for the best.
Does anyone know if we have to receive our acceptance to WSSU before actually applying to the nursing program? I applied today (July 2) but I'm not sure how long it will take to receive acceptance to the school.

On the WSSU site:

Submit the “Complete” ABSN application below to the Division of Nursing by September 1st with all the items listed below:

Transcripts from all colleges/universities (Do not submit degree audits. Transcripts may be unofficial)

SAT or ACT test scores

Proof of payment that you applied to WSSU admissions office and paid your $50 application fee.

Division of Nursing will not review any nursing applications if you have not applied to WSSU Admissions office.

Ashlee Clark · Jul 26, 2020

@S. Rowland

I have attached a screenshot of my billing statement for this upcoming fall & last Summer. Summer was cheaper bc we were forced to pay distance learning tuition (not in person, and no fees). Summer is typically cheaper anyways. I also attached the amount they gave us in Dec as an approximate. UNC system mandates fees for all students, not WSSU. Insurance is mandatory but can be waived if you show proof you have your own policy with a spouse, parent, or job.

The N18s had e-copies & sold them to one person in our group then we split the cost. I always had access to it as a PDF on my laptop or in a Google doc we all shared. Some versions were older but worked just fine for me as a reference. I imagine we will sell our stuff to N20s.

I feel like you don't really have time to immerse yourself into WSSU culture bc you are so busy with classes. But I did start undergrad at ECU, transferred and graduated from WSSU in 2012, then graduate school at Wake Forest. WSSU was my favorite, by far. Regardless of race, you get a different level of nurturing at HBCUs, like WSSU, that you don't get at other institutions. It's not a competition, we want everybody to win. I genuinely believe I will have the tools I need to pass the NCLEX and have a basic level of understanding to be a nurse. Nursing school helps you pass a test (a test where you are given "in a perfect world" scenarios and WSSU is prepping me for that.

I can manage the course load while working because I do not work during busy weeks (finals week, projects due, etc). I only work about 3 days a month. Could work more but I prefer to spend down time with my husband and Im a procrastinator. If you don't have family priorities and are better at time management than I am, you could probably work 4-8x/month PRN. It also gives you a good taste of what to expect post-graduation (can I handle 12h shifts? what kind of unit do I want to work on?)

Re: grades & SAT scores. Some people in my program had really good grades. Mine were meh. I graduated from undergrad at WSSU w/ a 2.895 GPA. My SAT score from 15 yrs ago was a 1280 (760 math, 520 verbal). Even with that GPA, still got into Wake Forest for grad school (had a 3.1 there) still got into the ABSN program. Don't doubt yourself. Worst they can say is "No" or "Not yet". You got this! When applying I found out all my original prereqs were older than the 7 year requirement so I had to retake the classes. The classes over 7 years old didn't count towards their calculation of my admitting GPA. I took micro in 2010 got a "C", I had to retake it in 2017 and got an "A". An office assistant told me they use the 2017 grade because the other one was expired. Plus the newer grades were more representative of my current abilities and knowledge.

S. Rowland · Jul 26, 2020

4 hours ago, Ashlee Clark said:
@S. Rowland
I have attached a screenshot of my billing statement for this upcoming fall & last Summer. Summer was cheaper bc we were forced to pay distance learning tuition (not in person, and no fees). Summer is typically cheaper anyways. I also attached the amount they gave us in Dec as an approximate. UNC system mandates fees for all students, not WSSU. Insurance is mandatory but can be waived if you show proof you have your own policy with a spouse, parent, or job.
The N18s had e-copies & sold them to one person in our group then we split the cost. I always had access to it as a PDF on my laptop or in a Google doc we all shared. Some versions were older but worked just fine for me as a reference. I imagine we will sell our stuff to N20s.
I feel like you don't really have time to immerse yourself into WSSU culture bc you are so busy with classes. But I did start undergrad at ECU, transferred and graduated from WSSU in 2012, then graduate school at Wake Forest. WSSU was my favorite, by far. Regardless of race, you get a different level of nurturing at HBCUs, like WSSU, that you don't get at other institutions. It's not a competition, we want everybody to win. I genuinely believe I will have the tools I need to pass the NCLEX and have a basic level of understanding to be a nurse. Nursing school helps you pass a test (a test where you are given "in a perfect world" scenarios and WSSU is prepping me for that.
I can manage the course load while working because I do not work during busy weeks (finals week, projects due, etc). I only work about 3 days a month. Could work more but I prefer to spend down time with my husband and Im a procrastinator. If you don't have family priorities and are better at time management than I am, you could probably work 4-8x/month PRN. It also gives you a good taste of what to expect post-graduation (can I handle 12h shifts? what kind of unit do I want to work on?)
Re: grades & SAT scores. Some people in my program had really good grades. Mine were meh. I graduated from undergrad at WSSU w/ a 2.895 GPA. My SAT score from 15 yrs ago was a 1280 (760 math, 520 verbal). Even with that GPA, still got into Wake Forest for grad school (had a 3.1 there) still got into the ABSN program. Don't doubt yourself. Worst they can say is "No" or "Not yet". You got this! When applying I found out all my original prereqs were older than the 7 year requirement so I had to retake the classes. The classes over 7 years old didn't count towards their calculation of my admitting GPA. I took micro in 2010 got a "C", I had to retake it in 2017 and got an "A". An office assistant told me they use the 2017 grade because the other one was expired. Plus the newer grades were more representative of my current abilities and knowledge.

You are AWESOME! Thanks I appreciate it! I wish you well on your nursing journey!

NP_trackN · Jul 26, 2020

4 hours ago, Ashlee Clark said:
@S. Rowland
I have attached a screenshot of my billing statement for this upcoming fall & last Summer. Summer was cheaper bc we were forced to pay distance learning tuition (not in person, and no fees). Summer is typically cheaper anyways. I also attached the amount they gave us in Dec as an approximate. UNC system mandates fees for all students, not WSSU. Insurance is mandatory but can be waived if you show proof you have your own policy with a spouse, parent, or job.
The N18s had e-copies & sold them to one person in our group then we split the cost. I always had access to it as a PDF on my laptop or in a Google doc we all shared. Some versions were older but worked just fine for me as a reference. I imagine we will sell our stuff to N20s.
I feel like you don't really have time to immerse yourself into WSSU culture bc you are so busy with classes. But I did start undergrad at ECU, transferred and graduated from WSSU in 2012, then graduate school at Wake Forest. WSSU was my favorite, by far. Regardless of race, you get a different level of nurturing at HBCUs, like WSSU, that you don't get at other institutions. It's not a competition, we want everybody to win. I genuinely believe I will have the tools I need to pass the NCLEX and have a basic level of understanding to be a nurse. Nursing school helps you pass a test (a test where you are given "in a perfect world" scenarios and WSSU is prepping me for that.
I can manage the course load while working because I do not work during busy weeks (finals week, projects due, etc). I only work about 3 days a month. Could work more but I prefer to spend down time with my husband and Im a procrastinator. If you don't have family priorities and are better at time management than I am, you could probably work 4-8x/month PRN. It also gives you a good taste of what to expect post-graduation (can I handle 12h shifts? what kind of unit do I want to work on?)
Re: grades & SAT scores. Some people in my program had really good grades. Mine were meh. I graduated from undergrad at WSSU w/ a 2.895 GPA. My SAT score from 15 yrs ago was a 1280 (760 math, 520 verbal). Even with that GPA, still got into Wake Forest for grad school (had a 3.1 there) still got into the ABSN program. Don't doubt yourself. Worst they can say is "No" or "Not yet". You got this! When applying I found out all my original prereqs were older than the 7 year requirement so I had to retake the classes. The classes over 7 years old didn't count towards their calculation of my admitting GPA. I took micro in 2010 got a "C", I had to retake it in 2017 and got an "A". An office assistant told me they use the 2017 grade because the other one was expired. Plus the newer grades were more representative of my current abilities and knowledge.

Thank you so much for the details that you provided. I recently moved to NC and, unfortunately, will have to pay out of state. Do you have any idea how much it would be? Thank you for your time!

S. Rowland · Jul 27, 2020

3 hours ago, NP_trackN said:
Thank you so much for the details that you provided. I recently moved to NC and, unfortunately, will have to pay out of state. Do you have any idea how much it would be? Thank you for your time!

The information she posted has both in-state and out-of-state estimations.

AliciaAndrews · Jul 29, 2020

Hello everyone my name is Alicia! I applied this Summer as well (July 6th) to be exact. I had no clue that the application was open for this Summer til I logged on July 3rd to the nursing home page and saw the ABSN application being open and online. I emailed a nursing department representative and she did in fact to tell me to apply!

This will be my second time applying, last year the application was mail in and wasn't to be submitted until August. Very confused because I didn't see a thing for Summer applications but happy I came it across it when I did! I didn't get accepted last time because my own undergraduate college sent the wrong transcript to the nursing department yay LOL but I'm happy to be here again!

I was a nursing major in college with a 3.8 at UNC-Charlotte and didn't get in twice, changed my major to Health Systems Management which is a fancier term for healthcare administration and minored in public health. Needless to say some of our nursing credits weren't transferable to a lot of UNC-System schools so here I am applying again to WSSU! I have also been a CNA for over 3 years. Best of luck to us all!

SPikett · Jul 31, 2020

On 7/20/2020 at 2:48 PM, Ashlee Clark said:
Overall & Faculty--The role of nursing school is to help you pass the NCLEX and learn nursing basics. This program is great overall at preparing you for to pass the NCLEX. Even though I feel very prepared for the NCLEX, there are a few areas that are disorganized. This may cause you not know some things until the last minute. I will say that I have learned a lot but that is one of the things I found most frustrating & COVID has exacerbated that. Faculty for the most part are good and you will find some subjects and/or profs you vibe with more than others. One thing I think majority of N19s would agree with is our first professor and advisor, was kind of quirky and one of the professors that shows she cares the most. You learn to love and miss it when she's not teaching you any more.
Support-- There is definitely support. Sometimes in the program (free tutors & set up office hour mtgs if needed) but mostly throughout the group. Find you a little group and use teamwork!
Workload--The workload is heavy for some and light for others. I have been a CNA in ICU since Jan 2019 & helped take care of my mother before she died in 2018. So I am very familiar with diabetes, heart disease, some meds my mom took, etc. I have also asked a ton of questions to my nurse coworkers for our patients during downtime at work ("what is this tube?, why are we taking this pt to CT?, why did the Drs order this?"). I did this for a year straight and it helped me more than I realized. Others have no patient experience or are determined to get A's and must bust their butts studying. I study but value balance and my peace of mind also. A healthcare background is not required, but may ease some of your study load you will see classmates have to pick up.
Schedule/Days off-- I have attached a copy of our schedule for us. It changed to virtual due to covid but I imagine this is what you might expect if things return to "normal" in Jan 2021. On clinical days (Th, F, Sa, Su) you must complete the total number of clinical hours for each class. You are split into groups <8 students and assigned a hospital instructor. Your days will depend on when your instructor has off and what the hospital has open (only 8 students allowed on floors at a time, so we cant double dip our groups or mix with other local schools). For one class we needed 72hr of clinical. One group was scheduled Th&F for 3 out of 6 weeks. Another group assigned every Sun for 6 weeks. My group got M&Th for 3 weeks. The day(s) you are assigned changes with every clinical class. So its not the same the whole program. So yes you can have days off but it will change depending on which block/clinical instructor you have. The ask you to have all days open so you can be ready to accept any days you are assigned. Clinical can range from 8-12hr each day.
What I wish I knew/did-- I'm glad I was a CNA for atleast a year before starting, glad I don't have to work during the program but chose/choose to work 2-4days per month PRN still as a CNA (only a handful of 53students work full time and one's grades dropped and he got kicked out of the program in May. Most students quit their job or dropped to PRN at the start of the program). Glad I saved to pay for 1st semester out of pocket bc financial aid was a HoT MeSs! Glad I did accelerated and not traditional. Glad I split e-books with my classmates & got a bunch of things used because you fly through it so fast its not worth it to buy anything new. Wish I would have done this sooner! Wish I didn't have to commute from Durham >_<. Wish I knew the grading scale (A:100-93, B:92-85, C:84-80) and if you get less than an 80, you have to drop to traditional or withdraw from nursing. Wish I knew nursing exams are different than any other exam EVER and but glad accepted that early on and altered my studying techniques. Glad I was able to have extra cash on standby for last minute expenses (and of course the basics: make a schedule and stick to it, use teamwork, and minimize procrastination).
I know thats alot but hope it helps!
-Ashlee P
Accelerated Option Schedule N19 10-23-19.pdf

This is SO helpful as I just submitted my application last night!! So, when is the program "done"? It says Graduation 5/21 for you guys? When do you guys take the NCLEX? I'm trying to wrap my brain around how this works. Thanks!

Ashlee Clark · Jul 31, 2020

@SPikett ABSN, finishes classes March 5th. University releases your name to PearsonVue Testing 30 days after you successfully complete the program. Once name is released, you log in or call PearsonVue and pick a test date (must wait 14 days I think, aka you cant get released on day 30 then test on 31, you have to test atleast 44 [30+14] days after finishing classes) .That gives you atleast 4-6 weeks to strictly study for the test or relax or whatever. Most take the NCLEX sooner than later because you cant work until you pass that NCLEX. regarding May, that date only matters if you want to walk across the stage with ALLLLL WSSU graduates. As a program we have our own pinning ceremony before graduation that is more intimate than the big graduation ceremony.