Friday, October 02, 2009

*sigh*

Sometimes I feel cursed. I got a call from the Admissions Director at the Nursing College yesterday afternoon, asking me to come in for a meeting this morning.

Apparently, the sister campuses (which have been around much longer than the recently-established Las Vegas campus) have a much higher first-time testing pass rate for their graduates taking the NCLEX, so the Las Vegas campus is implementing some changes to improve the local students' outcome.

Bottom line: there will be NO November class. The next class starts on April 2nd. Not too big a deal, right? Except for the fact that they're starting over with the entire admissions process. AND they're shrinking the class size from 38 to 24. So more competition for fewer slots. The good news is that they're "extending me the courtesy" of an automatic admissions interview, because I apparently had the highest test scores the director has ever seen (who knew?), and my essay was also the bomb. Though he didn't quite put it in those words...;)

Also, since I've been through this interview before, I won't be nearly as nervous, and I'm already making bullet points so I don't sound so much like an idiot this time.

AND, since I'm making much less money this year than last, my FAFSA will hopefully grant me more financial aid next year.

As you can see, I'm trying very, very hard to find the silver lining in this whole mess. Even if it's only a millimeter thin...

16 comments:

cybrus said...

Well, not the ideal situation, but it sounds like you've got a good shot.

Good luck!

Christina RN LMT said...

Thanks, cybrus! Also, I'll hopefully be able to get this legal mess straightened out before I start classes. That would mean a lot less stress.

Buck said...

Well, THAT sucks. But I get the feeling the Admissions Director inserted a large "wink-wink, nudge-nudge" factor into the discussion, what with granting you an automagic interview. I'm thinking you're in... but the delay still sucks.

Christina RN LMT said...

Buck, I certainly HOPE so! I'm determined to do much better in my next interview. I certainly won't be as nervous, and I'll be better prepared.

Captain Tightpants said...

I would agree it sounds like they are saying "Look just wait, you'll be fine" - but I know it's frustrating... just hang in there! Perhaps it means something else big needs to get taken care of first, or else it's the extra money like you said...

Keep us posted - I expect good news!

Christina RN LMT said...

Thanks, Sean. I will keep you all up to date on the process.

Old NFO said...

Practice the interview! The high scores will be a big help.

dick said...

I would've called bullshit right then and there.
I do not like the smell of this.

Christina RN LMT said...

OldNFO, absolutely! I've already been going over the answers in my head. :)

Dick, you're naturally suspicious and cynical...I love that about you!
It's bullshit, but it's legitimate bullshit. I just have to deal with it, that's all.

Julie said...

hope interview #2 goes smoothly and everything else is sorted out by april :)

Christina RN LMT said...

Thank you, Julie! I'm very hopeful, because otherwise I'd just be boo-hooing all the time.

SCI-FI said...

Waitaminute... Christina LMT is becoming a Christina RN?

(Newbie here - and only a lurker for a short time. I'm still wading through back-posts to catch up. Speaking thereof: Brazilian wax? Pass!)

How did I suddenly get hooked into all these medical blogs -- TOTWTYTR, Ambulance Driver, EpiJunky, and Christina LMT (certain to be Sin City's finest, in short order)? Maybe it's because I started with the gun blogs (MArooned and Breda)... after I shoot a bad guy, I want to patch them back up? Or it's related to rotator cuff injury. Either/or.

Stay sane, breathe deep, and practice for the interview! We're all behind you in this-

Christina RN LMT said...

Thank you, SCI-FI! You're reading my older posts? Brave man!!

I'll keep plugging away at this nursing thing, I've been working toward it for YEARS...what's a few more months, right?

I'll be sure to take your advice about the interview, and I know I can't do any worse than my last one!

I'm kinda hoping to become a shooty person, too, but since I'll never be a gun nut, I'll never have a gun blog.

SCI-FI said...

Since we've crossed paths a few times in JayG's blog, I figure it was time to visit.

Bad interviews? I've had a few. ("Then again, too few to mention..." with apologies to Frank S.) The stinker of the lot was me, desperate to leave a lousy job, getting caught in sudden and unending PARKING LOT-LIKE traffic which added a brain-melting 30 minutes to my commute to the interview. Did I mention this was years before folks regularly had cell-phones, so I couldn't even call to let them know I was running late?

By the time I got there, my would-be boss was angry. The "traffic" excuse got me ZERO sympathy, and he threw every "bad interview" question he could think of my way. Rather than getting flustered, I got angry, then morphed into a wise-ass. By the time he threw the one I hate -- "What are your weaknesses?" -- I leaned back in the chair, gave a shrug, and said, "I don't have any - I've been doing too many great things to think about weakness."

I figure if you gotta flame out and crash, make it spectacular...

SCI-FI said...

Other points:

re: the Nursing thing - my wife got her RN in the mid-90s in New York. I can have her stop by and offer advice if you have questions...

re: "become a shooty person" - I highly recommend learning the basic rules, then taking a few models for a test-drive, so to speak. I do not own a gun, but that is solely because my home state makes it so onerous, I need to take a day off from work, and I'm creeped out at the thought they may capriciously say "no"...

re: "reading your older posts" - I gotta do that, like catching up on past episodes of a TV show. I learn about the site and our hostess before I shoot my mouth off. Or my ADD will kick in and I'll get distract-- HEY, LOOK, A SHINY BEAD--

Christina RN LMT said...

Wow, I'd never have the cojones to completely snark my way through a bad interview...I'm too highly socialized! ;) I wish I could have been a fly on the wall, though...

Does your wife have a blog? I appreciate the offer of tips! I admire nurses and EMTs tremendously.

SCI-FI, regarding shooting, that's exactly my plan. Besides the experience I'll gain at the November Blogmeet in Colorado (aka "Blogorado", for obvious reasons), I also plan on renting various handguns at our local gunstore/range. I'm sorry you live in such a repressive state.

Anyone who slogs through my archives is a friend! Even if he's distracted by shiny objects...:)