Hannah
Deciding you want to go to nursing school is a really big, exciting choice. Deciding you want to go to nursing school after you already have a degree, a job, or maybe even a family? A little more intimidating. That’s exactly what I thought when I realized towards the end of my first degree that I wanted to become a nurse (and was not in nursing school). The thought of having to go back and get another entire degree was pretty daunting, but after doing some research I found the Baccalaureate Accelerated Track (BAT) program at Binghamton, which allows people with previous degrees to get their bachelor’s of science in nursing in just a year. This was the answer I needed! Now actually applying for the program was another story, but there were a few things I did to help get me applied and accepted into Decker.
Here are some tips I used to help prepare yourself and my application for the BAT program!
Visit the Decker advising team
The Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences has a great team of professional and student advisors to help answer questions about classes and programs in the nursing school. When I began to consider applying, the first thing I did was schedule an appointment with a peer advisor to figure out what I needed to do to even make myself an eligible applicant, such as taking the various prerequisite courses required for the BAT program. As a prospective student, you can reach out to Decker advising to schedule a time to meet with an advisor yourself, and that can be invaluable to making sure you and your app are ready! Additionally, there are several different methods through which you can speak with an advisor, including video chats, phone calls, and in-person meetings, so they really do their best to make themselves accessible to everyone!
Fix up your resume
It was extremely helpful for me to meet with professional advisors to help me edit my resume and get it to a professional level that I felt confident submitting with my application. Not only do they have professional knowledge in these areas, they also just have an outsider’s perspective that can bring some valuable insight to what you have. Because I went to Binghamton University for my first degree, I was able to schedule appointments with Binghamton’s Fleishman Center, which also has some really great online resources that are open to everyone, including a super helpful resume/CV handbook.
Shadow or get a job in the field
Getting a job in the field not only helped beef up my resume, but it also helped solidify my decision to become a nurse, as it gave me hands-on experience with things I had only ever heard or thought about. I personally chose to work as a COVID-19 screener and a home health aide to get this experience, but there are many different ways you can do this, such as working as an aide or assistant in a hospital or doctor’s office or volunteering in a nursing home. Shadowing is also a great way to go about this as well and may be able to get you some more specific or tailored-to-you experiences. The most important thing is getting your feet wet and trying it out!
It is definitely understandable to be a little stressed during this time, but have confidence in yourself! Emails and links to some of the resources I mentioned can be found below:
Fleishman Resume/Cover Letter/CV Handbook: https://cdn.uconnectlabs.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/60/2019/08/Career-Guide.pdf
Decker Advising email: decker@binghamton.edu
BAT Prerequisite Requirements: https://www.binghamton.edu/decker/nursing/undergraduate/bs.html
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