Nursing... What? Like it's hard?

I noticed many students are asking questions about the nursing program.  Some are only thinking about it, while others are fully committed to taking the plunge. Almost everyone is scared to death of organic chemistry.

But what's really on your mind is: how hard is it?

I'm not going to lie.  It's hard!  But, totally worth it, especially if you really want to be a first-rate nurse.  With all the support you'll receive from students, faculty, and staff, about 95% of you will ace your nurse licensing exams with ease.

If you're unsure about entering the program, it's important to first consider the mandatory courses.  It's all science, all the time!  During your first year you'll need to pass chemistry, biology, anatomy, and physiology.  Eek!  Then there's the CPR certification and the math competency exam.  However, since everyone is going through the same thing at the same time, study groups in The Fens are aplenty.

Once you get the prerequisites out of the way, you can move on to the fun stuff: clinical labs!

The great thing is, the student to faculty ratio in clinical courses is 6:1.  That means there's only about five other classmates in lab with you - which is perfect, if you want individual attention from your professors.  I highly suggest taking advantage of their time, too.  They're all practicing nurses who can give you the real deal on techniques being used in today's hospitals.

Also, the Learning Resource Lab (where you'll probably be spending most of your time), is not your average lab.  It's designed to be like a real-life hospital.  Upon graduating, you can walk into any hospital, anywhere, and already be familiar with all the equipment and supplies.

Oh, and then there's Boston!  There's no better city in the world to be a nursing major, than in Boston.  Here, you can intern at numerous hospitals and health centers all located within WALKING distance from school.  The world-renowned Longwood Medical Area (includes Children's Hospital of Boston, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute) is right around the block.  Literally.  You can roll out of bed, grab a cup of coffee, and be to your internship within 5 minutes.

Not to mention the more than 100 other clinical affiliations located throughout the city.

You can't beat it, really.

So about the hard part?  Actually, nursing is really exciting, and like I said, totally worth the all-nighters before a chem exam.  One of the most popular groups on campus is the Nursing Liaison.  By joining The Liaison, you can meet other nursing students and take part in coordinating social events, parties, alumni nights, and fundraisers for local charities.  It's also a great group to join if you're looking to fill out a study group.

Nursing is the most popular major and is comprised of some of the brightest students.  If you're nervous about placement exams, the science courses, the sim lab, or the clinical, don't be!  From professors, to tutors, to classmates, everyone is here to help you.

Playing the waiting game

As I mentioned in my last post, big envelopes (or those icky small ones) from college's are starting to arrive - especially if you've applied early decision.  This is the time of year when mail carriers across the country are being stalked daily while students rush home after school to be the first to grab the mail.  Most of you are waiting on that one fat envelope from your top choice, but of course, are only receiving responses from your 2nd, 3rd, or even 5th choice schools.

Oh, the agony!

But don't let that discourage you.  There's a lot to be said for being accepted to any college - even your so-called safety.

So, since no one likes to wait around, here are a couple things you can do before your letter finally comes:

1.  Get to know your other choices!  You already know all about your first choice - right down to the water pressure in the dorm showers.  But have you taken the time to really learn about the schools that are lower on your list?  Check out their websites, talk to the admissions counselors, schedule an overnight visit, or for a more candid, insiders look, check if the colleges have profiles on social networking sites - it's the best way to talk with current students, professors, alumni, and staff who can answer your questions on pretty much anything!  Who knows, you might discover something you love about the school that you missed the first time around.

2.  Choose a major.  Many colleges let you apply without declaring a major.  If you've been undecided, start thinking about what you're most interested in studying.  By comparing which of your offers has the best program, the decision on where to attend becomes easier.  Shameless plug:  Nursing, communications, and psychology are all top majors at Simmons!  It's OK, though, if you still want to wait on it a bit.  Liberal arts colleges give you the option to check out a few courses first and will allow you to wait until your sophomore year before officially choosing a major.  Inter-disciplinary study does have it's advantages!

3.  Apply for financial aid.  This is, perhaps, the most important.  Once you've been accepted to your schools, it's time to start thinking about how you're going to pay for it.  For the majority of you, I'm sure your parents have already started hounding you about the paperwork.  Sometimes a decision rests on which school will give you the most aid, so the sooner you apply, the sooner you'll know which class of 2014 you'll belong to.  Even if you don't think you'll qualify aid, still, absolutely, 100% apply because you never know.  Also, start looking into grants and scholarships from local organizations in your community (fire stations, rotary clubs, libraries, etc.).  They may only offer small amounts, but any money helps and textbook expenses can add up.  At Simmons, you already have a counselor who can walk you through the process - even if you haven't yet applied.

Hopefully now you have some ideas to keep yourself busy.  It should distract you long enough to stop you from peering through the curtains, at least.  My guess is maybe you already received your envelope after all!