Current, Past, Future Seattle U APNI Students?

[malapata]

Hello everyone! I recently had an interview for Seattle University's APNI program (to begin summer 2010). I'm looking to hear feedback from any current, past or (possibly) future students in the program or college (if you are in a different SU nursing program, I'd still love to hear from you). I am very drawn to the school because of it's mission and vision and just generally have a good feeling about it.

Anyone have any comments or opinions?

Thanks!!

[Meredith09]

Hey guys! I applied for the 2010 FNP APNI program as well--just wondering how many of you have heard from Seattle U? Of all the schools I applied to, they are the only one that I haven't heard a word from since submitting my app. Good luck to all!

M

[jjsrn1]

Hi Meredith - Check out the "Seattle U APNI - 2010 entry" thread located in the "Washington Nurses" Discussion Board

[Meredith09]

Hi Meredith - Check out the "Seattle U APNI - 2010 entry" thread located in the "Washington Nurses" Discussion Board

Awesome, thanks MPH!

[JSBH]

Meredith. Yes, check that link. We've been discussing the process for awhile now. The long and short of it is that everyone should know their status by next week.

[aurora155]

Thanks for all the good discussion here. It is hard to pick the "right program" for oneself.

she told me that Seattle U does not have a lot of contracts with clinics/hospitals in the area and so it's sometimes hard to be placed during rotations. They strongly enourage their students to take the initiative to find their own placements.

I find that kind of worrisome. I don't have contacts in Seattle at hospitals and clinics. How would I find my own placements?

MPHgirl, have you definitely chosen Seattle U?

I have been accepted at SU and UW and did not apply elsewhere. I have heard some not so favorable things about the UW program, but here we are hearing some unfavorable things about SU too. It's hard to tell, weighing all the pros and cons, which may be based on just a few people's experiences. Not that I doubt what anyone has helpfully posted... For me, a big consideration is that the UW program is $25,000 more expensive than SU, so that may be the deciding factor for me. (And I am in state.) It's going to be hard financially especially that first pre-licensure year when you can't really keep working. An extra $25,000 in the pocket is not to be scoffed at. Interestingly, I spoke with a UW nursing faculty member a while back (before I was accepted), informally, and I said if I was accepted into both programs, I was not sure what I would do, as they both had some good features, blah, blah, blah. Then I mentioned the cost differential and she just point blank said, go to Seattle U. UW is not a program that is that much better that it is worth spending so much more money on. As others have said, at the end of the day, we will all be NPs. I think wherever I go, I will have to be proactive about advancing my career, making connections and contacts, getting every shred of value I can out of all the rotations, etc. A lot is on my shoulders to make the best of whatever program I enter. One thing that makes me leary of UW is that it has fallen on such hard times due to the economy and the shrinking state budget. There have been a lot of cutbacks and lay-offs, hiring freezes, getting a raise freezes, program closures, student service eliminations, etc. When I went to the UW GEPN informational meeting, they made sure to say that more tuition increases were likely. (The first 5 quarters of GEPN are guaranteed to be a certain price, but after that, the regular graduate tuition could be increased at the university level.) I'm sure all universities are having hard times, but at least Seattle U is not dependent on the state legislature.

rockett, I think one advantage of UW might be that they do have the DNP, so if you do the master's and decide you want to continue on for the DNP, it might be easier perhaps. At SU, there is just the master's (which is the degree I want at this time). I also have gotten this vibe (maybe I am imagining this!) that UW nursing, which sits side by side with the medical school, has a little bit of a complex about that. It's hard to describe or put into words. At SU, Nursing is the main show, there is no medical school. However, at UW, because it has a medical school with all of its many departments, there might be more opportunity to take classes from other departments, like UW has a pharmacology department, so you might be able to beef up on pharm by taking more courses. At SU, the pharmacology courses would be just those offered by Nursing. On the other hand, I know that certain departments at UW will only serve their own students, and will not allow in students from other majors.

I don't find the Seattle U program to be particularly short. It is 3 yrs long, same as the UW GEPN-Master's (maybe it is one quarter shorter). I did like how the last year at SU is just about all clinical, so you are working at one or two places for 9 months or more straight instead of a couple months here, a couple months there. I did consider the DNP at UW but that is 5 years long, and I can't afford that.

[Lauramac]

Do you guys have any thoughts on the quality we can expect of the CNM program? I wonder what other faculty is super excited about the program.

[jjsrn1]

Hi Aurora155 - I am leaning more toward Seattle U at the present, though I have not made any final decisions. Seattle U has a great program....and I also think I want to stay local :-)