CNL program at University of Maryland

It depends on what you want to do.

Do you want to go into an ICU-type setting? You will have more opportunity for clinicals in these settings as a CNL, which could get your foot in the door for hire later. In every specialty, CNL's get the preferred choices for clinical sites.

Do you want to go into management? Management jobs often prefer master's degrees and experience. It doesn't seem to matter what the masters is in.

If you want to go into an advanced practice specialty, you will have to go back to school either way.

You will come out of school making the same money either way, but the CNL will cost a ton more.

I agree with *ac*. It's really depend. I just want to be in school the lease amount of time. I don't mind the intensity. The CNL also provide the some graduate course which if I want to do the specialty later I don't need to take some of the class. But that's not the main reason. Even though it's pricey but it's not that bad compare to JHU-accelerated BSN.

Hi JennyA and Blondell---another mom here who's hoping that all of the back-to-school stuff can distract me while I wait to hear about my CNL application. Where would you two be commuting from? If I get in, I'll be making the commute from Bethesda. Did a dry run earlier this week and was really pleasantly surprised by what an easy drive it was. Granted, it was not during rush hour which is probably a very different beast! Looking forward to keeping in touch as we eagerly await an admission decision.