Johns Hopkins or University of Maryland??

U.S.A. Maryland

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Are there any nusing graduates from Johns Hopkins or University of Maryland who would share their educational experience and pros/cons of the nursing program?? Thanks, im debating the to schools..all comments are needed HELP!!:crying2:

Thank you for your replys! I am leaning toward JHU but Im receiving feedback from non-nurses implying that it makes more sense to go to UMB and do the MSN/CNL program in 16 months and graduate with a MSN as opposed to a BSN.... Im very frustrated, because most nurses I spoke to are telling me to start off with a BSN get a few years of exp. then decide which area (MSN) to go into. Im torn!!!!!!!!!!!!! pLS CONTINUE TO GIVE YOUR ADVICE AND REASONING

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Hi,

Just wanted to give you my experience. I attended JHU for a semester and a half in 2008 in their Accelerated BSN program. I got good grades (A's and B's), but had to take a medical leave of absence. I plain just couldn't afford to go back after I left, I had student loans from my first degree from another "Ivy League" institution. I now owe nearly $40k for just that semester and a half at JHU, and I don't even have the degree to show for it. Thankfully I am starting next semester at AACC so I can finally get that RN license, but it will take me longer to get the BSN I would have gotten at JHU.

Overall, if I could do it over again I would have tried to go to UMD. I know Hopkins students who got into JHU but could not get into UMD. The program itself at Hopkins was good, although I would not recommend an accelerated route simply because I feel like I only learned the material long enough to be tested on it and it didn't really stick. That is my personal experience though, some people like the faster route. Like any other college there were great professors and there were not so great ones. I really feel the biggest benefit of choosing JHU over another school is that you can say you went to Hopkins. I am not going to lie, around hear that can really impress people. However, once you get out there as a nurse where you went to school will be less important than your work experience. I did even notice that many of my Hopkins professors went to UMD and other schools.

Ultimately, I would say if you can afford it or don't mind going into a lot of debt, than JHU looks great on your resume. But unless you are a scholarship student the financial aid is not that great, you will be expected to borrow substantial private loans and all that is going to add up very quickly if you are going for your MSN or doctorate. You might be paying over half your salary a month just in student loan payments (I know I will be when I graduate).

If you have any questions, feel free to post and I will answer. I hope I don't sound jaded about Hopkins, they were great in dealing with my illness and trying to help me, but I wish I had taken the time to explore other cheaper but equally great programs.

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Many good points kira. However, its been my experience that the "Hopkins" name doesn't give one an an advantage over a degree from UMB in this area - at least in the nursing field. I think its mainly because people in healthcare in this region who know what they're talking about know that its plain nonsense to believe that a degree from hopkins is somehow more valuable. In fact, i feel that many people would kind of resent the whole "well it is an Ivy" attitude some may have. UMB has a top notch nursing and medical school as well as great facilities like shock trauma.

Furthermore, at least in the MD/DC metro area, I feel like UMB has a stronger alumni base.

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Kira,

So sorry for your experiance. Been there, many years ago..paid it off, and now I'm entering my second year of AACC's studies. You'll like AACC. The faculty are solid and I'm already hearing how well respected their grads are just interviewing for tech and summer intern positions. You'll be able to bridge into UMB's RN-BSN no problem with a previous degree...just wish you weren't saddled with all those loans.

Join the Nursing Student Association and bring some of your experiance to the table!

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OMG!!!! I just made the choice to attended JHU and after reading the last few replys I feel uneasy!!!! Well, I guess I have to live with it now and choke up the debt....wish there were more people praising JHU...Where are the JHU students anyway???

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Hi misssrblake,

Let us know what you decide!

I wanted to throw in some perspective. I finished my first semester of nursing school at UMB and don't have any complaints. Nursing is mostly a competence based profession not really a "status" based profession so I feel that it is hard to justify Hopkins tuition costs. I'm in the BSN program and I felt the pace was just right, I was able to work about 20 hours a week. I feel that with the CNL it would not be possible to work but the class load would still be managble (w/o working outside). I know that UMB recently received some mucho money for sholarships and has been handing them out to both BSN and CNL to cover about half of tuition which makes UMB even a better choice. Not biased-just saying that in this world money talks.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
Thank you for your replys! I am leaning toward JHU but Im receiving feedback from non-nurses implying that it makes more sense to go to UMB and do the MSN/CNL program in 16 months and graduate with a MSN as opposed to a BSN.... Im very frustrated, because most nurses I spoke to are telling me to start off with a BSN get a few years of exp. then decide which area (MSN) to go into. Im torn!!!!!!!!!!!!! pLS CONTINUE TO GIVE YOUR ADVICE AND REASONING

I bolded the things that stuck out to me in your post. :D

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

I was in the same place you are about 6 months ago. It is so confusing. I am a list-maker so I made a list of pros and cons for each school. At the end of the day, I realized that the main reason I was thinking of Hopkins was the name recognition. Considering how much further into debt that would put my family (even though I completed my BA 8 years ago, I am still paying off some of my loans from that "fancy-name" school), I realized it just didn't make any sense.

Then I spoke to two JHU nursing grads (both of whom went on to become nurse practitioners at UMB), and they both encouraged me to go the UMB route. They said Hopkins was just not worth it.

In the end, I applied to the CNL program at Maryland. I am feeling very comfortable with my decision, and very much looking forward to getting that acceptance letter and starting in the Fall.

Best of luck with YOUR personal decision! Maybe we will cross paths one day. :)

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It really is a personal decision. For me, personally, I'm poor. I've always gone to public schools and prob always will. I'm fine with that - im very happy with my education thus far.

If I had money to spare, sure I'd consider JHU. Nothing wrong with swinging it if ya got it.

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Specializes in Emergency Department.

If I had money to spare, sure I'd consider JHU. Nothing wrong with swinging it if ya got it.

I agree!

I just read your last post and it looks like you made your decision. Good luck and get the most out of it that you can, wherever you are.

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Specializes in L&D.

I agree with Jamie. It's sounds like you really want to go to Hopkins. It's ok to be scared after making the decision because you start thinking about the money, but that's to be expected. I felt the same way when I decided to go to UMB instead of a ADN program, but I don't regret my decision at all. Again, go with your gut, go with your heart...

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hopkins grad here who is up to her eyeballs in debt. looking back would i have still picked hopkins? without a doubt. as baltdave stated, outside of the baltimore area the hopkins name opens up doors for you. even with this horrendous economy and competitive nature with job openings, i was offered two jobs on the spot down in south carolina where i had intended on moving to.

i can't attest as to how the education differs, but my thought was why not go to school at hopkins and do clinicals at the #1 ranked hospital in the u.s.? hopkins is also the #4 grad school in the country. i'm slowly working on paying my loans and i still don't regret the decision. you'll only go for your rn/bsn once, go where your heart tells you to.

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