UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
COLLEGE OF NURSING
GRADUATE APPLICATION &
ADMISSION
Student Services Advising Team
Sonja Jensen
sonja.jensen@nurs.utah.edu
Acute Adult-Gerontology Acute Care DNP & Neonatal DNP, Women’s Health & Nurse Midwifery DNP
Nicole Brandt
nicole.brandt@nurs.utah.eduCare Management, Nursing Informatics, Nursing Education, RN- MS Cynthia Weatbrook cynthia.weatbrook@nurs.utah.edu MS-DNP Arminka Zeljkovic arminka.zeljkovic@nurs.utah.edu
Primary Care (FNP, A/GNP, PNP) DNP, Psych Mental Health DNP, Gerontology MS
Jennifer Van Cott –
Director
jennifer.vancott@nurs.utah.edu
Deidre Schoenfeld
deidre.schoenfeld@nurs.utah.edu
Funding & Scholarships
Carrie Radmall
carrie.radmall@nurs.utah.edu
Associate Director Student Services , PhD Program Manager
Common Distinctions
Undergraduate
• Learn an entry-level role • Answer questions
• Learn common ways to solve problems and make decisions
• Learn new skills and knowledge
• Learn common answers and mistakes Graduate • Learn to lead • Ask questions • Increase problem-solving or decision-making skills
• Build on, learn new, and make changes to skills and knowledge
• Strengthen your voice • Tolerate ambiguity
Why Graduate Education?
Why this Specialty Area?
Why the U’s College of Nursing?
Why this Degree?
Admissions
What is the process?
What can you expect?
How can you prepare?
Graduate School is an Investment
–Making the time commitment
–Planning to fund your education
–Getting prepared academically
Meet the Faculty
Break Out Sessions
7:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
The faculty will speak about program curriculum
and academics as well as the profession.
Your Application
DETAILS
Graduate Advisors:
Required Prerequisite Courses
Elementary Statistics
• Must be within the last 3 years or newer (counted back from the start of your graduate program).
• B grade or better • No exception
• Any basic statistics course will fulfill the requirement
• NURS 5550 Nursing Statistics
Upper Division Physiology
• Must be within the last 5 years or newer (counted back from the start of your graduate program).
• Recent ( within the last 5 years )BNS graduates who took the upper division Physiology course are exempt.
• B grade or better
• NURS 5905 Clinical Physiology was created as THE prerequisite for the graduate programs‘ Pathophysiology requirement
The Online Apply Yourself (AY)
Application
Make your application
Stand Out
Graduate Advisors:
Arminka Zeljkovic, Sonja Jensen &
Nicole Brandt
Professional Goal Statement
• Understanding and passion
– Role
– Profession
• Quality of your writing
– Style – Ability
• Contribution to the profession • Goal(s)
– Professional – Personal
• Answer all the WHYs
Questions to Get You Started:
Inspiration: What/who inspires you?
Achievements: What are your accomplishments?
Unique: What is unique about you?
Letters of Recommendation
•Acts as a professional and academic endorsement
Leadership abilities Organizational skills Commitment Motivation
Analytical thinking Intellectual independence Communication skills
•Who should you ask?
•Mom? Grandpa? Great aunt Sally?
•Past/present professors and supervisors
•3 required; make a list of 4 to 5 and prioritize
•When should you ask?
Letters of Recommendation
•How should you ask?
•Ask if they would be able to write a FAVORABLE letter •Be willing to graciously take “no” for an answer
•In person (1st pref) By phone (2nd pref) By email (3rd pref)
•Explain the process
•Online submission
•Provide a personal statement draft & CV/resume
•Follow up
•Say “thank you”
•Check your application for completion •If needed, send reminder
Résumé
• Work History
• List Awards and activities
• Leadership
• Relevant Experience
• Commitment
• Area of interest
General Advice
What to do • Start Early
• Tell your story
– Show why you are good fit – Illustrate why the program
needs you
– Demonstrate who you are and what kinds of
student/practitioner you will be
• Use your own voice
– Maintain your humility
• Remember your audience • Edit often
What to Avoid
• Clichés, slang, and jargon • Acronyms, spell everything
out
• Unexplained
gaps/discrepancies in your academic record
• Controversial, religious or political issues if possible • Late submissions
Funding Opportunities for Graduate
Nursing and Gerontology Students
Deidre Schoenfeld
CoN Funding Opportunities
• Annual Application Process
– Scholarships
– Fellowships
– Traineeships
• Fall/Spring awards
• Availability varies each year
• Specific criteria
CoN Funding Opportunities
• How To Apply
• Application available online in October
• Includes submission of funding essay
• Must submit by January 15, 2014
• Separate from the program application
• Submit the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible (plan to do your
taxes early this year)
Work at the CoN
• Work 10-20 hours/week • Paycheck
• Teaching Assistant – Assist CoN faculty
– Application available each spring • Research Assistant
– Conduct research with faculty/research teams – Availability varies
• Graduate Assistant
Graduate Tuition Benefit Program
• CoN Funding and Graduate Student Job Opportunities
qualify students for additional benefits
• Reduced tuition & fees
• TAs & RAs may qualify for subsidized student health
insurance
University-Wide Opportunities
• Graduate School
– Graduate Student Travel Award Assistance
– Scholarships
• Most applications due in January/February
– See Graduate School website
• Western Regional Graduate Program
– WRGP/WICHE
– Resident tuition rates for students whose
residence is in a state other than Utah (specific
states qualify)
Nurse Faculty Loan Program
• Up to 85% of NFLP loans are forgiven in exchange for teaching full-time in an accredited nursing education program for 4 years post-graduation
• Funding is not automatically guaranteed – must meet strict eligibility requirements
• Must be a US Citizen
• Must have a current FAFSA on file
• Must take 3-course sequence (9 credits) in nursing education
• NURS 6010, 6015 and one elective
• Funds may be used for educational-related expenses only
Have You Thought About…
• Your personalized plan of action
– CoN funding should be your plan “B”
• Employer tuition reimbursement options
• Student loans
• Professional Associations
• Talk to program faculty
• What financial sacrifices can you afford to make
in other areas – it’s just a few years!
Thank you for attending!
Please contact a Graduate
Advisor with any questions.
Student Services Advising Team
Jennifer Van Cott – Director
jennifer.vancott@nurs.utah.edu Carrie Radmall
carrie.radmall@nurs.utah.edu
Associate Director Student Services , PhD Program Manager
Deidre Schoenfeld
deidre.schoenfeld@nurs.utah.edu
Funding & Scholarships
Nicole Brandt
nicole.brandt@nurs.utah.edu
Care Management, Nursing Informatics, Nursing Education, RN- MS
Sonja Jensen
sonja.jensen@nurs.utah.edu
Acute Adult-Gerontology Acute Care DNP & Neonatal DNP, Women’s Health & Nurse Midwifery DNP Cynthia Weatbrook cynthia.weatbrook@nurs.utah.edu MS-DNP Arminka Zeljkovic arminka.zeljkovic@nurs.utah.edu
Primary Care (FNP, A/GNP, PNP) DNP, Psych Mental Health DNP, Gerontology MS
Meet the Faculty
Break Out Sessions 7:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Rm 2300- Intro & Funding Rm 2400- Primary Care DNP
Rm 2600- Nursing Informatics, Care Management, Nursing Education MS Rm 2505- Midwifery & Women’s Health DNP
Rm 2510- Acute Care DNP
Rm 2515- Psych Mental Health DNP Rm 2525- MS-DNP
Rm 2520- Gerontology MS Rm 2530- Neonatal NP
Student Conference Room- PhD Nursing in Research