Chat Session Transcript
24-month BSN Program Information & Questions
May 22, 2007
Question: Hi, I have a few questions about the 24 month program.
Answer: What can I help you with?
Question: How many students are accepted into the program?
Answer: We admit 80-83 students to the 24-month option twice each year, in January and in May.
Question: Also, the application deadline is 8/10, how far after that deadline will one be informed of acceptance or not?
Answer: We will review all completed applications submitted by the deadline and will send our recommendations to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions by the end of October. They should send you written notification of a decision by November 15th.
Question: Gotcha! Currently, I am retaking A&P I and will retake A&P II this fall, how much would that weigh on my acceptance into the program? I passed both courses the first go round, but I had poor teaching and needed a course where I actually LEARNED.
Answer: We will use the retake for A&PI since it will be finished when you apply. We will use the grade for the first taking of A&PII. You should somewhere in the application, probably in the optional question, explain why you are retaking the courses. Then the committee can put it in proper perspective.
Question: Okay, I've explained my reasoning in the optional essay. Do you look at all aspects of the application as a whole, or does one section weigh more than another?
Answer: We look at all aspects of the application so each section should be given careful attention. Grades may the first thing noticed but the rest of the application can either enhance or detract from your standing.
Question: If you are entering as a second-degree student, if your grades from your first degree are not as strong as they should have been, how much does that weigh on your application?
Answer: You should talk about that in terms of your level of maturity, discipline and determination then versus now. We look for indicators of your ability to carry a full-time demanding course load so you may need to talk about how you will be able to succeed even if your previous work does not indicate that.
Question: Have you accepted students into the program whose GPA met the minimum requirement? Or do all students have above that?
Answer: The average cumulative GPA for the last few cycles has been around a 3.4 but I cannot say that will not admit anyone at a 2.5. Usually below a 2.75 has not been competitive enough to be seriously considered.
Question: When you say "competitive" is that solely academic wise or the academics as well as the application?
Answer: When you are asking about GPA's the answer regards academics. If an applicant presents a lower cumulative GPA, competitiveness may be enhanced by a higher science GPA (using Psych, Stats, A&PI and II and Micro), experience through work or volunteering, special skills mastered, and other attributes that may merit an offer of admission or waitlist.
Question: If I have a college degree, do I need to submit a HS transcript as well?
Answer: Unless you graduated from UNC-CH, you have to submit a high school transcript. You are applying to an undergraduate program and that is one of the requirements.
Question: How does UNC calculate GPA?
Answer: We add up the GPA hours earned at all institutions, add up the GPA points earned at all institutions and divide the total points by the total hours.
Question: What exactly is the waitlist?
Answer: You are asking very good questions. We make admission offers to as many students as we have room for (80-83) and then offer other students a position on a waitlist. If we receive a decline of our admission offer, we will offer that position to someone on the waitlist. Once classes begin, the waitlist reverts to a deny.
Question: Thank you. If you are placed on the waitlist for Jan. do you still have to wait a year before applying. For example, could one apply to the May program?
Answer: Yes, if you are waitlisted for January admission and you are not chosen you can reapply for May admission.
Question: I'm very concerned because my undergrad GPA from my first degree is no where near the caliber it should have been, is there any advice as to how I can show that I am a very strong candidate for the program, regardless of my work then?
Answer: You need to make good grades in any coursework you are taking now. You also need to talk about specific things that are different now than during your first degree program that would make you a stronger student.
Question: I've covered all this ground in my essay, so I feel that I am prepared, just worried.
Answer: You may want to have a friend read over your application and let you know if they think you have effectively stated your case.
Question: What do you all look for when reviewing applications that places students in the admit pile vs. waitlist?
Answer: Basically any student waitlisted would have been admitted if we had enough room in the program. We look for good grades, consistently high academic performance, good background in the prerequisites, volunteering or community service, maturity, determination, commitment to Nursing as a professional career choice. Specifics vary each cycle because the difference in the applicants. Those meeting the most of these, or presenting the strongest overall applications are likely the ones offered admission up to the point we have filled our class then others would be waitlisted.
Question: If you are lacking in one of those areas, but compensate in another area or areas, is that considered, or is it cut and dry?
Answer: Excellence in one or more areas may be enough to compensate for lower performance in other areas.
Question: How many applications do you receive for the 24 month program?
Answer: We will likely receive between 200 and 300 applications.
Question: Do many people change their minds once accepted, allowing for waitlisted students to be placed in the program? How are waitlisted students pulled in, meaning, what order are they selected?
Answer: The number of people pulled from the waitlist each cycle varies and we cannot predict what the number will be in any given cycle. We also do not give out specifics of the number of applicants waitlisted or any persons place on the waitlist. If we receive a decline, I am instructed to make an offer to a specific person on the waitlist.
Question: Is there a way I can get a completed copy of this session, there is a lot of useful information on here that I want to keep and refer to when working on my essays.
Answer: We will post a transcript of the session in a couple of days. You should be able to access it from the site you used to enter the room.
Question: Thank you so much for answering my questions, I know that they were quite detailed, but I really think this is an great program for second degree applicants!
Answer: Glad to help.
If you have any specific questions not answered in the transcripts, please contact Anna Terry.
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