NYU, SUNY Downstate

[kdrose01]

Hi!

I'm just starting my pre-reqs for nursing and am overwhelmed by the varying course requirements per program. My first choice is NYU (easy commute from my apt, fantastic location), but it's also my most expensive choice. Since I can't afford to be out of work forever, I'd have to attend their accelerated program. I've spoken with admissions, and they said I had an excellent chance at acceptance given my prior performance in college. So, this is a program I can really consider. My biggest concern, though, is the sheer cost.

Any graduates of this program out there? Is it worth the price tag? And how generous are they with their scholarships?

Also, I'm considering SUNY Downstate, but heard it's more difficult to get into, since it's cheaper. This isn't high on my list, since I'd have to move and the location doesn't thrill me. But I'm still keeping it on my list, since I've read great things about the program.

Any NYC nursing graduates care to weigh in?

[kirham]

Oh no! I guess in some ways you get what you pay for. Actually, one of my patients was an nyu grad and said that they don't give you enough real world experience. You are just thrown out there.

Seems like most schools don't really know what they're doing.

[Mellieinab]

For those of you who have applied and been accepted or denied to SUNY Downstate... When did you submit your application and when did you get your acceptance/denial? I just sent in my application and I am obsessing about how long I will have to wait to hear back.

I went to the open house and they had said that as soon as they get applications they start making decisions but from what see hear... Do I really have to wait until april to find out?

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I am a current student. It took about 6 weeks from when I sent in the application until I got the acceptance letter.

[Mellieinab]

Sorry to harrass you with questions, but I have heard a lot of negative things about the accelerated program, how do you like it?

[kirham]

I am so nervous about getting accepted into this school. I have heard bad things as well but this is in my price range, especially if I can't work for a year. I dropped my app off in person on nov 6 because I wanted to make sure they had it in hand. I saw how the office is run and I can totally understand the administrative complaints. I just want to start nursing school already

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Sorry to harrass you with questions, but I have heard a lot of negative things about the accelerated program, how do you like it?

Hmmm... well some of my classmates have posted their comments about the program, do a search for SUNY Downstate. I'd be happy to share any info with you via PM.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

I am so nervous about getting accepted into this school. I have heard bad things as well but this is in my price range, especially if I can't work for a year. I dropped my app off in person on nov 6 because I wanted to make sure they had it in hand. I saw how the office is run and I can totally understand the administrative complaints. I just want to start nursing school already

Good luck! At the end of the day you'll be an RN and that's what counts, right?

If you do go to SUNY-Downstate, just be prepared to do a lot of self-teaching, both in terms of hitting the books as well as getting clinical experience.

[kirham]

Thanks! I never thought getting a nursing education would be this hard. Not taking the

classes but actually getting into the school. I've never jumped through so many hoops for different programs in my life. The higher Uppsala in the nursing septa everywhere should be ashamed of themselves. Yesterday I looked into and rn program at a school that shall remain namless and the advisor was in a rush to leave for the weekend. She was not a nice person and basically told me not to try for this nursing program because of a c in psychology ten years ago. I have since re taken the class and received an A. This is what is wrong with the nursing programs today. They take you based on a number and not who you are. Hopefully suny will see who I am and accept me

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

That reminds me of the time I thought of applying to Hunter... I called to get some kind of idea of what days/times their clinicals were. I was told that there would be NO accommodation of anyone's personal schedule... if I was not prepared to do clinicals any day of the week, any time of the day or night, I should just forget it and apply elsewhere.

[tomall]

I think someone else on this board said that with all the fees NYU adds (student fees, activity fees, graduation fees, etc.), plus books and supplies, it comes out to around $80k for the program. Plus, living expenses in the NYC area are pretty high!

Pace Univ also has an accelerated program for nursing, but I haven't heard as many good things about that program. And their website couldn't provide less info.

lol yup. what I was able to gather (it was like reading tea leaves and pulling teeth mostly) is that they require general chemistry AND organic chemistry - pretty unique. Lehman has started an ABSN as well, and since they are a Pace spinoff, they choose to me-too the organic chem requirement.

[tomall]

Good luck! At the end of the day you'll be an RN and that's what counts, right?

If you do go to SUNY-Downstate, just be prepared to do a lot of self-teaching, both in terms of hitting the books as well as getting clinical experience.

self teaching is fine re NCLEX prep, but just as important is maintaining a strong GPA for entry into SUNY graduate programs (NP) -- are the expectations (ie what material will be tested) for class exams adequate?

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

self teaching is fine re NCLEX prep, but just as important is maintaining a strong GPA for entry into SUNY graduate programs (NP) -- are the expectations (ie what material will be tested) for class exams adequate?

The problem is not so much knowing what to study for exams. It's that test questions can be very ambiguous and not very well-written. There could be strong rationales for one of two choices and it's just a coin toss which one is correct. We were always told "Real NCLEX questions will be like that so get used to it." Well, guess what. I took the real NCLEX and questions were NOT like that. There were questions I knew and questions I didn't, but I did not have to guess what the question meant or why one answer was better than the other. For the questions I knew, the right answers were pretty clear.

When all is said and done though I ended up with a decent GPA and I'm not too worried about grad school when the time comes.