I'm really confused..

[AllyGirlie]

Hi, I'm Ally. This is my first time posting on the college board (I'm primarily on the teen boards..right now at least). This isn't about Disney at all but I needed some opinions and advice. I'm in quite a pickle right now about college..

Before I left for Florida in December, I applied to 4 colleges for nursing. After I got back, I was accepted to 3 (Cedar Crest College, University of Connecticut, Western Connecticut State University) and waitlisted at 1 (University of New England).

Cedar Crest was the 1st college I was accpeted to. Almost 3 weeks after appying I got my acceptance letter. I was psyched. It was the college I wanted to go to which is crazy considering I've never visited it, but there was something about it I really liked. So I sent in my deposit and I was good to go.

At the end of March though I got my acceptance letter to Uconn which was a very close 2nd in my college choices. After talking with my family, we decided that UConn was a better choice because it's closer to home and a lot cheaper because I'd be in-state and commuting from home (FYI: Cedar Crest is in PA). So at the end of April we had my deposit from Cedar Crest refunded positive I'd be going to UConn.

Here's where the trouble comes in:

After I refunded my deposit from Cedar Crest, I went to the accepted students night at UConn and that's when I found out that I wasn't accepted into the nursing program and instead I was accepted as an undecided major. This was a big blow in my plans, but the person I was talking to implied that I'd still be able to take all the required courses for the nursing program and I'd be able to petition to get into the nursing program. They made it seem like it wasn't all that big of a deal so I proceeded with UConn. Last Wednesday I went to register for my courses and that's where I found out that because I'm not in the nursing program, I'm not eligible to register for most of the nursing courses, but I signed up for the ones I could. Then they told me that over 200 students petitioned for the nursing program last year and they only accepted 10 and that's when it really hit me that my chances of getting in are slim to none. So basically I'm now signed up for 4 random courses with no guarantee that I'm even going to get into the nursing program. They said that if I don't get in I'll either have to petition again, change my major, or possibly even change schools if I really want nursing.

My other 2 options are basically gone. Western withdrew my application because I didn't send in the deposit (it was my safety school, I never wanted to go there) and UNE I haven't heard back from since the waitlist letter. So I called back Cedar Crest. I haven't gotten a call back yet because my counsellor there isn't in the office for a few days. I know it's really late now but I'm still kind of hoping that I can get back in and send another deposit. Even if I couldn't get in the fall semester, or even the 06-07 year I'm willing to go to the community college in my town and then transfer.

So what are your opinions on my problem? Should I stick it out with UConn or try to get back into Cedar Crest?

 

[monarchsfan16]

Don't withdraw from UConn yet
If you feel Cedar Crest is your best shot, pursue it. I do know someone who had cancelled deposits at UNH to go to some other school, then decided she didn't want to go so far from home so she called up UNH and they were willing to "take her back". So continue to pursue Cedar Crest. It is late, but it might not be too late. But do NOT withdraw from UConn until you have a more definitive answer

 

[Briarprincess]

Take everything I'm about to say with a grain of salt.

I would wait and here from Cedar Crest. Don't leave UConn until you are definitly set to go somewhere else, and have been accepted and paid everything off. I'm a junior (oh geez i'm halfway done, scary), with an Elementary Education/Psychology major, Special Ed. minor. I also work in the Undergradute Education Department. It's a growing trend for students to go into college with a plan of what they want their major to be, and for whatever reason, having to declare undecided to start. Plenty of students are never able to even declare their major because of GPA, the program being full, or they didn't have the extra time to complete the courses they missed in the beginning becuase of the undeclared. I know one of my friends who wants to do education but didn't get accepted to my school went to our community college. Taking only core courses that my school will accept, she is still going to be at least a year behind, because programs tend to have you start courses early on.
If you went to UConn, you would already be behind in the nursing program, inteding to stay or not. On Tuesday (since Monday is a holiday obviously), call UConn and ask to speak to an admissions rep. Ask what the chances of being accepted to the nursing program after the first semester/year are, and what requirements they look for when allowing petitioning students to be accepted. Then, call Cedar Crest and find out from them what courses you would be required to take freshman year if you were in the program. This way, if for whatever reason, you end up at UConn or community, you can work on getting the pesky core requirements out of the way.
Also, in regards to the four random courses they have you signed up for, check and see if they are core requirements, for UConn or Cedar Crest. If not, see about changing them so you aren't taking courses that don't meet some form of important requirements at either school.


But again, do what you feel is right. Let us know how everything works out.

 

[msquacksalot]

I would say if Uconn is really where you want to go at this point stay with it. Even with the nursing program you will have to take these other classes like any other major. You have to take math and science and all of those and maybe if they see how dedicated you are to the school they will take you next semester for the program because these programs are semester by semester.....don't give up hope because of what one person told you....and you may even be one of the ten they take for the fall....I mean just because they odds aren't the greatest doesn't mean it isn't possible. It is your choice and your's alone but if you want Uconn then go for it. And if you chose to go to Cedar then do it. College is about making your own choices for your own life. And you have a big one to start with!!!

 

[Princess Ash]

Hi Ally!!! I occassionally jump on here...

I personally think that, where there's a will, there's a way. If you really want to go to Cedar Crest and want to do nursing, then you should do everything in your power to get back there...even if it means reapplying and sticking out one year at UConn...remember, most colleges stress a core liberal arts program their first TWO years...so you might still be ok...

GOOD LUCK HUN!!! Let us know...or at least PM me

 

[AllyGirlie]

Well, I've made my decision..I'm going to Cedar Crest.

I actually visited there this past weekend. It worked out nicely because I got through to my admissions consellor there on Thursday and coincedentally we happened to be leaving for Pennsylvania on Friday (we were going to be in the area). I loved it. It's REALLY small. There's only about 1,700 students there and it's primarily girls (there connected to 5 other colleges in the area though and basically have open campuses with eachother). We were early for our tour so we drove around campus, and well you drive through it in about 2 minutes and you don't even realize you were there. But once we went on the tour, it was a lot bigger. We walked around campus and went in the buildings so you got to see what you couldn't from just driving. For your first 2 years there you do your general academic classes and then in the spring semester of your sophmore year, you choose a major. They said that if you apply for a program, you're in it, there's no being rejected from it or having to petition to get into it, none of the stuff I had to deal with at UConn. I wish I could tell you more about the college but I really don't know what else to say other than it's small and it's mainly academic based. On the outside though there's a theme park (almost like 6 flags) like 3 minutes away.

I told my friend about the college and she actually picked up an application for there. She was just going to go to the community college in town, but she said she'd apply and see what happens. I think it would be awesome if she got in, at least I'd have someone there with me and make me feel more comfortable.

So it seems like everything has worked out. Thanks for all your help.

-Ally

 

[Briarprincess]

Yeah, Cedar Crest is really close to Dorney Park. It's a great park actually, with it's own water park- Wild Water Kingdom. They have some great roller coasters and other rides. You should check out dorneypark.com. My family normally goes out at least once a summer for the day. From Dorney Park, you'd be about an hour and fifteen minutes from Hershey Park, another great place.

Glad to hear everything's working out!