APNN FAQ's
Must I have a Bachelor of Science degree in order to enter the ABPNN and AMPNN programs?
A baccalaureate degree in any field is required (BA or BS). The ABPNN and AMPNN programs are designed to admit non-nurse baccalaureate graduates and provide education for generalist and specialist (advanced practice) nursing roles.
I need to work, is it possible for me to do this program?
As far as working, it is near impossible to get work hours in as a full time student - in the past, students have had to get these hours in on the weekend (that means shifts Saturday and Sunday) as there is no time during the week (this year, however, there may also be clinical times scheduled for Fridays or Saturdays). For example, if you have clinical on a Thursday 7 am - 4 pm , you may need to go up to the hospital Wednesday evening and get the chart for your patient and go home and look up the disease, make drug cards for all the drugs, etc. Working also leaves too little time to get the background reading done that is necessary to pass the nursing boards.
Of course, we cannot legislate what folks do in their private time. We have just had several upset students come the fall, saying "but I always worked in undergrad and grad school before!" Nursing is so time-consuming because of the hours - in college, 1 credit = 1 clock hour a week; in (any) nursing school, 1 clinical credit = 4 clock hours a week. The full time program is not designed for concurrent work.
Sorry the program isn't really "family-friendly" - it is more of an "immersion" experience!
How can the necessary clinical be covered in just one year?
It is one calendar year, but three full semesters (summer, fall, spring), so we are essentially taking 4 traditional semesters of clinical and offering them in three semesters. They are NOT shortened, and in fact there are more clinical hours and lab hours than required by the state (our BS portion of the program has 772 clinical hours and 90 lab hours).
How long is this program? What about the Masters portion of the program if I choose the AMPNN
The ABPNN is one year (12 months). Thatís when all the "acceleration" occurs (all the nursing content of the baccalaureate, or generalist, coursework for RN licensing). Those admitted to the AMPNN do the exact same first year, and then a slot is simply saved in one of our NP masters programs (there is no acceleration in years 2 and 3 ñ that is a regular MS program schedule). You should have a very strong application, including substantial health care experience, for the AMPNN.
The MS portion is four regular academic semesters (after the one year baccalaureate portion, the MS portion will be Fall/Spring the second year and Fall/Spring the third year). Depending on when you begin the program, completion time for the entire program (including BS and MS portions) will differ by a few months (those who have May start dates will complete the MS portion three years later in May; those who have January start dates will complete a few months later in May of the third year)
Do you have distance learning?
The School of Nursing offers courses online in the RN to BS and Masters Programs, but NOT in the accelerated programs for non-nurses.
Are prerequisites required for entry into the ABPNN and AMPNN programs?
Yes. The prerequisites are: Non-nursing bachelor's degree, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Growth & Development (also called Developmental Psychology), Nutrition and Statistics (labs are not required).
How can I meet the pre-reqs?
Edvantage, the UR School of Nursingís healthcare career development department, offers the pre-requisites (except statistics) online at a discounted flat fee for the entire 3 credit course. Visit their website and click ìcoursesî to search for these pre-requisites, called Fast Track Courses. You can also look at the electives and continuing education available at URís School of Nursing.
If you are registering at other schools (you are welcome to complete the pre-reqs at any 2 or 4 year accredited school), please feel free to e-mail Elaine Andolina to check that the course description is appropriate.
Do I have to take two semesters for anatomy and physiology?
We wrote the pre-req as "A&P" since some options for completing this (e.g., "Excelsior" challenge exam for those with a science background) involve one exam for both. Also, some (not many) schools have a complete A&P course in one semester (minimum 6 credits). More schools break it up into 2 semesters, and do half the body systems (e.g., cardiac, reproductive, muscular) in the first semester and the other half (endocrine, neuro, etc.) in A&P II. So if your school offers it this way, you would need two semesters in order to get the entire body! If your school offers A&P over three quarter semesters, you would need to complete all three semesters. Some schools offer anatomy in one semester and physiology in another. If there is more than one choice, choose the course for science majors.
Do I need to complete the prerequisite courses by the application deadline?
Pre-requisite courses do not need to be completed by the application deadline. However, If you are taking pre-requisites anywhere other than the University of Rochester, we prefer that they be completed by the end of the fall semester prior to May entrance or by the end of the summer semester prior to the January entrance. This is one of the best ways to strengthen your application. If you do have a course still outstanding, we ask that you choose our online pre-req, so that it is completed at your own pace and we can get a grade at least a month prior to your beginning the program (as opposed to having exams at the time you need to be here for orientation). All pre-requisite courses must be successfully completed with a grade of C or higher by the first day of the program if you are offered and accept admission to our program.
Do you require GREs?
We do not require any standardized test scores for the APNN program.
Is there an application deadline?
Applications for the entering May class must be postmarked by the prior November 1st. Applications for the entering January class must be postmarked by the prior July 1st.
Is there any tuition support?
Several financial opportunities are available on our financial aid listings page, but in general, students need to be willing to take out substantial loan amounts.
What if I have other questions?
Our Admissions Director, Elaine Andolina, is happy to discuss the answers to your questions- You may call her directly at 585-275-8846 or please feel free to call her secretary at 585-275-2375 and request a telephone or in-person appointment (also try the web site www.discovernursing.com).
How do I know what courses will transfer in from my prior baccalaureate degree?
We do not really transfer in specific courses from your transcript. We transfer in 79 credits regardless (with no notation of what they are specifically). You must then complete 49 credits here (residency requirement) for the total of 128 for the BS in nursing. The pre-reqs are not transferred in- we just need proof of their completion with a "C" or higher.
There are several different kinds of "nutrition" courses? Which is right for the pre-req?
We would not suggest you take a nutrition course is too basic, with a title such as ìConsumer Nutritionî or ìContemporary Nutrition.î Better would be ìNutrition in Healthî or ìNutrition and Therapeuticsî Some are just titled ìNutritionî however. Here are examples of descriptions/key words that WOULD be helpful to you as a pre-nursing student-
This course is a study of nutrition as it relates to normal growth and development, health and disease conditions. Therapeutic diets for specific disease conditions will also be covered.
OR
This course is primarily for those students pursuing careers in the health fields. Topic include diet therapies for nutrition related medical disorders, nutritional assessment techniques and patient care and nutrition during the life cycle.
We also have our own ( UR ) online nutrition course at a discounted price.
If you have already completed a nutrition course in your baccalaureate program that covers enough basic nutrition, we would not make you go back and take another one. It's just that if you have options, the disease state-type nutrition would be much more helpful in nursing.
Do I need a car?
It is helpful to have a car for the times you may be assigned to a hospital and have to start at 7 am . You don't want to have to depend on your classmates to get you there or try to stand at a bus stop in the dark at 6 am . Students live everywhere - most get a regular apartment nearby, some live with each other in rented houses literally around the corner from here, some (fewer) live in graduate housing (see the last FAQ on this page).
What about international students (or those with English as a second language)?
As far as what we need for international students (or those for whom English is not your native language)- a TOEFL above 560 (regular paper test) or above 230 (regular computer test) or 88 (new "I-based"). Also, you should have your transcript "evaluated" (given a comparison to U.S. courses/grades) by either:
World Education Services
Bowling Green Station, P.O. Box 5087, New York, NY 10247-5087; E-mail: info@wes.org
Phone: 212-966-6311; Fax: 212-739-6100
- web: www.wes.org
or
Educational Credentials Evaluators
P.O. Box 514070 , Milwaukee WI 53203-3470 ; E-mail: eval@ece.org; Phone: 414-289-3400; Fax: 414-289-3411.
- web: www.ece.org
Otherwise, you would apply just as it states on the web (two leters of reference, professional statement, etc.) We prefer higher than a 3.0 GPA (the above organizations will let you know what your equivalent is).
What about the interview if I live far away?
A phone interview is perfectly acceptable.
Do I really need the CPR certification when I am only applying at this point?
We ask for CPR training by application date only because our years of experience have taught us that otherwise a significant number of people will not be ready to begin, having put that off. However, there is a little leeway, in that you can schedule it for a little later (say December or January), as long as you note on your application when you are scheduled and where.
We require either the American Heart Association CPR course, "BLS for the Health Care Provider" or the American Red Cross CPR Course "for the Professional Rescuer."
For my "employment and related experience" and "honors and other evidence of scholarship" may I attach a resumé, or should I try to fit it on the application?
Most people simply write "see attached" and then send a resume, and that is fine.
How do I "specialize" in nursing? I'm not sure if I want the ABPNN or the AMPNNÖ
No one specializes at the basic nursing level (the first clinicals/program leading to RN licensure - because in order to pass the RN licensing exam, you are tested on all areas - peds, maternity, psych, etc. - It is by working on a certain unit as a nurse OR by going on for the masters that you specialize in one area. You will also need to decide whether you want the "ABPNN" or the "AMPNN" as the applications differ. Some folks choose to do the "ABPNN" first so that they go through the different rotations and test each one out. The "AMPNN" is for those who already know exactly which NP program (we have seven) they want (and know they DO want to be an NP - keep in mind that there are also masters in nursing programs that do not lead to Nurse Practitioner certification. Or you may prefer to get some practical experience in the work world before doing the masters portion. In fact, if you work as an RN at one of our two affiliated hospitals, the MS is free with tuition benefits - another reason many choose the ABPNN.
It's been a long time since I was in school and I don't have an academic reference. What should I do?
We prefer a reference from someone who can speak to your academic ability and someone who has been a supervisor. However, if this is not possible that is okay. You might choose someone you have worked for in a volunteer capacity or someone who is your teacher for a pre-requisite course now. You should not have a friend or relative write your reference letters.
What about the interview? Do I schedule that?
Once we have your completed application, Nancy Kita, our Admissions Counselor, will contact you to arrange an interview. It can be in person or over the phone. If you have questions about this, please e-mail Nancy at nancy_kita@urmc.rochester.edu
What about housing?
Go to the link http://ochousing.reslife.rochester.edu (note that there is no "www" at the beginning of this address) to learn about on and off campus housing offerings. There are also houses for rent here within walking distance and there are lots of apartments which you will see on that link.
Links of Interest:
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Contact Us
University of Rochester 
School of Nursing
Box SON
Helen Wood Hall
601 Elmwood Avenue
Rochester, NY 14642
(585) 275-2375
