<p>PENN - ok - what is a SIM person??? The nursing program/schools was just recently re-accredited - Nursing Program Reaccredited
Two recent reviews of TU’s Nursing program returned unequivocal approvals with no recommendations for change - and I think you have your info wrong about what they do and don’t do as nursing students.</p>
<p>We are not critizing your career goals - but giving you food for thought - especially on how to reach those goals - you may have better options than a nursing program to get where you want to go.</p>
<p>As far as the housing situation - if you have the real need for what you are saying - take it up the ladder - can your parents assist you in any way or are you doing this on your own?</p>
<p>No one is criticizing your goals, it’s just that if you want them to come to fruitition, you’ve got to narrow your fields. You’re indicating that you want to work in the legal aspect of healthcare law, then why not stick to that route? If you want to get the medical aspect, why not major in something like clinical health and do that on top of your pre-law [if pre-law isn’t a major unto itself]? It’s not that you can’t handle a nursing major, I’m just not seeing how it will help you more smoothly reach your goals.</p>
<p>I graduated from nursing school many years ago. I think I did my first IV stick on the job. You learn skills quickly when you hit the hospital floor…if you hit the hospital floor</p>
<p>Most IV training is in fact done on the job, according to my wife (who graduated two years ago). Most hospitals that do IVs, according to her (she’s sitting next to me, working on nursing paperwork) have their own training requirements.</p>
<p>If you want the clinical degree, I’d still suggest the community college route, though again, in certain communities, including my own, it is harder to get into than Penn.</p>
<p>also, while I’m not sure what you wrote about in your application, nursing programs might be hesitant to admit someone who doesn’t plan to spend their career in nursing. I’m not saying you should lie about your motives if you decide to re-apply, but just realize that nursing schools want to train nurses (and need to train nurses! there are so many unfilled jobs out there!) so they might be hesitant to train a future politician/lawyer/policy analyst.</p>
<p>Look into living at the Coronado apartments at SLU. They are right across the street from the school. While you wouldn’t have the “dorm” experience, you are essentially on campus. There could still be some apartments available for the fall.</p>
<p>Adding my 2 cents here. If you do go through with your nursing education, I would highly advise that you work at least a few years as a nurse before going on to law school. Your experiences as a student nurse are nothing compared to how it is working in the trenches as an RN. If you are serious about pursuing law so that you can help the nursing profession, then make sure you do work as a nurse so that you have a true understanding of the profession and the problems that nurses face every day. I know you have been a patient and have probably have had a lot of contact with nurses, but hearing and seeing their struggles is not the same as experiencing them yourself. If that was true, then there would be no need for you to become a nurse.</p>
<p>And for a previous poster, a SIM is a simulated model/dummy that allows students practice. The newer ones are computerized.</p>
<p>One of the great things about a nursing degree is that you can get a good job, just about anywhere, out of undergrad. I worked med/surg and then psych before going on in psychology and the training and experience were invaluable and have made me a better psychologist and mom.</p>
<p>I would agree with other posters though, that you not take a slot in a nursing program unless you intend to spend some time in practice. It sounds as if there are better ways to reach your goal, which is certainly a laudable one. You sound like an interesting and thoughtful person with a lot to contribute. Good luck!</p>
<p>JeepMom, I did not mean to imply at all that a nursing degree is not helpful if you go into law or medical/legal consulting; I only meant that it’s not necessary. And as mom2boys states, those nurses who do go into health care law or policy, or into medical/legal consulting do so after working as clinical care nurses for a number of years. Just having the degree isn’t sufficient for most of these positions; you also need the experience.</p>
<p>OP, this is not a criticism of your particular career goals. They are laudable. The advice seems to be geared not to the goals but to the path you’ve chosen to get there. There would seem to be easier and potentially more successful routes.</p>
<p>(Cross-posted with bethievt - how many times do you see “laudable” in two independent posts??)</p>
<p>to the OP-- don’t post looking for advice if you’re going to be hostile to those trying to help. Nobody has suggested that you can’t handle a nursing program… but there are people here who are nurses, as well as those who have worked in heath policy, public health, hospital management, etc. and they’re trying to save you the aggravation of discovering 2 years into a demanding program, that you’re no closer to your goals than you were senior year of HS.</p>
<p>My comment about statistics was not meant as a dig… it’s great you’ve taken stats and done well. Your response is more of a commentary about your lack of knowledge about what a finance major learns and does, than it is a slight on your statistical knowledge. If you’re interested in health policy, a one semester course in financial accounting will get you up to speed. Why you need to be a Finance major (most of whom are preparing for careers as equity analysts or investment bankers) in order to do that escapes me.</p>
<p>Like Blossom, I get the law school part, but I don’t get the need to double major in finance. You certainly don’t need a finance major to go to law school, and in fact it’s not one of the majors with a particularly high acceptance rate for law school. The most well known study of Law School acceptance rates puts it in the middle of the pack. </p>
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There might be other majors more amenable to a double major, like Biology and Chemistry, that would be helpful for law school applications. Or, if you’re looking to make a difference in government, a double major or minor in Public Policy or Public Administration would be good. Just saying that you don’t need to go to law school to get involved in government and politics. And you don’t need to double major in finance to go to law school</li>
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<p>That was not clear from your initial posts, or from your subsequent responses.</p>
<p>But given that this is apparently the case, search the boards here. There are many threads every year about schools that are still taking applications now, and this year is no exception.</p>
<p>If that is the case, I don’t think nursing programs will be available to you this year. These programs as you already know are highly competitive and have very limited numbers of openings. I know that many also have waitlists that they will draw from. Around here (I’m not in Kansas) the nursing programs at the community colleges SOMETIMES take students for the second semester…because of attrition or graduations. I (along with all the others who responded) must have missed your query about rolling admissions schools. Community colleges (not for nursing) take students at any point before the classes begin, in most places. Could someone post the link for the site that lists colleges that still have openings? </p>
<p>But I’m still a bit confused…does this mean you are not even considering the two schools where you already HAVE an acceptance?</p>
<p>Also, Pennhunter…It’s not much fun getting letters of rejection from your top three choices (Penn, JHU and Georgetown). You sound disappointed, and confused. But you are fortunate to have two acceptances…some kids have none. Believe it or not, many students pick up the pieces, and enroll in college where they were accepted. Some actually grow to love that “not my top choice” school and graduate. Others do transfer, take time off or something of the like. Believe me…I know…DS received several letters of rejection for grad school…but he wisely only applied to schools that he wanted to go to…the fourth school will be his new home next year and he could NOT be any happier. He isn’t crying over spilt milk. He’s moving on. I would say, it’s time for you to do the same.</p>
<p>Someone else suggested it on page 1 of the thread and I agree you should give it a serious look…FAU in Boca Raton, FL. The nursing program is very strong and I think they would work with you on your double major idea. I think admissions stay open there until the end of May or June.</p>
<p>If you do end up taking a gap year (or, even if you don’t I suppose) you might consider being a sociology major. I’m a sociology major and I think it’s been really useful for understanding a lot about people and power relationships and would be a good background for doing something like a JD/MPH (probably not a bad fit for your career goals). You might also consider going to a school with a public health or health policy program. I think nursing/finance wouldn’t be terrible prep for what you are doing, but might be too indepth in areas that you don’t necessarily need to know about.</p>
<p>Just a plug for sociology! Good luck - as a future physician I hope you DO fix the system!!</p>
<p>You may look at it that way, but I think that some of the parents here don’t. We see the purpose of this thread as helping you come up with a variety of Plan B’s since your Plan A didn’t work out. Plan B might involve finding a school with rolling admissions that meets your needs. But it could also involve other options, such as going to SLU and living off campus, that perhaps you had not considered. It can’t hurt to take a look at all the possible options.</p>