USF vs SFSU vs SMU - Thoughts?

Nursing Students School Programs

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Hi Everyone! I recently submitted my application to SMU's ABSN program and will be submitting applications to USF's Non-Nurse MSN and SFSU ELMSN programs in the next 2 months. I was hoping to get some opinions/observations/thoughts from other prospective students or current/past students on the pros and cons of each program.

Of course, many people have different criteria for which schools they apply to, hope to get into, and ultimately choose, so I am posting this really to get a feel for the programs from others. The main criteria for me include:

  • Tuition
  • Degree and credentials earned during and after the program
  • Networking
  • Mission and values
  • Quality program (teacher to student ratio, clinicals, resources, etc.)

SFSU ELMSN, CNS role

  • 6 semesters (3 years) – 97 units
  • $4,383 per semester – totaling $26,298 for the entire program, if I am reading the fee table correctly
  • NCLEX pass rate for 2015/2016: 11 tests taken, 63.64%, according to the CA.gov website
  • Degree(s) earned upon completion: BSN and MSN

USF Non-Nurse MSN, CNL role

  • 4 semesters (2 years) – 68 units
  • $1,295 per unit – over $88,000 for the program
  • NCLEX pass rate for 2014/2015: 74 tests taken, 81.08%
  • Degree(s) earned upon completion: MSN

SMU ABSN

  • 12 months
  • Over $70,000
  • NCLEX pass rate for 2015: 91%
  • Degree(s) earned upon completion: BSN

My dream schools would be wither SFSU or USF. I love that SFSU places an emphasis on diversity in nursing and providing an education that will help promote diversity in healthcare. SMU is essentially my back up school and I feel like I have a good chance of getting in. I have spent the past 4.5 years preparing for nursing school so getting into a program where the outcome will be that I am an RN in 12 months is appealing and one step closer to my goal.

The low NCLEX pass rate for SFSU is a bit concerning to me. However, I question how accurate the CA.gov website is - the pass rate stated on the website for USF was far lower than what USF states on their website.

I am mostly leaning to SFSU I have also heard good things about the program at USF specifically the networking and resources available. I have seen on older threads USF students mentioning how quickly they could get jobs after graduating. This is also very appealing as it is San Francisco and going for a long time without a job is beyond difficult.

Although tuition is a factor for me I do plan to apply for the NURSE Corp scholarship (unless I end up going to SMU - the disbursement schedule for the scholarship would not work for the SMU program).

As I said before, I think I have a good shot of getting into SMU. I applied to USF last year and did not get in but it is difficult to determine why I didn't get in since they do not take entrance exam scores. Perhaps my GPA and/or essays were not adequate compared to the other applicants. This is my first year applying to SFSU but I think I might have a good chance of getting into that program.

I greatly appreciate anyone's thoughts/opinions/observations. And Happy Holidays!

Cheers!

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I went through this same exact debacle and ultimately decided that SMU was the only program I wanted to attend. A big part was financial- I have kids and can't afford more than 12 months without an income. But secondly, after scouring these archives, I don't think hospitals necessarily look that fondly on new grad MSNs, at least for regular beside nursing which is what I want to do. You can go back and get your masters later, and many hospitals pay for it. I have also heard at least one first hand real story of someone in the Bay Area that was not able to get hired at a local hospital after graduating from the usf program bc she didn't have a BSN and the hospital required it. Even tho an MSN is higher, they required a BSN and the usf program doesn't give you that degree. I just thought to myself ok, I'm gonna waste 2 years and $100k and still be barred from certain hospitals? No way.

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Thank you, Natalie513. That's a really going point I had not thought of. I had originally had the plan of going to SMU, doing the 12 months (to get my foot in the door) and then go back for my MSN. That's still a plan to keep should I only get into SMU but I think your point about the possibility of needing the BSN justifies my desire to get into SF State even more since I would graduate with both a BSN and MSN from the program.

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I take it you are in SF and that's why you are not considering schools in other parts of the bay? I was accepted into SMU's ABSN and ultimately decided that $70K for one degree was absurd.

I also applied to SFSU BSN and made it to the interview round before I withdrew my application because I was admitted to my first choice school, a different CSU. The NCLEX pass rate for SFSU MSN is concerning, but it is much higher for BSNs, so maybe you should go that route?

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Right now, those are the only Bay Area programs I'm interested in. I may try the UC Davis MEPN program if I do not get into any of these but it would require taking one more chemistry course. I may also reapply to UCSF.

I have also applied to Johns Hopkins and University of Hawai'i but my preference is to stay in the Bay Area, specifically in the fairly immediate area of San Francisco. My husband has a very good job with his company right now so we're trying to avoid completely uprooting.

Is there are any other programs in the Bay Area that you know of that have programs that offer both a BSN and MSN or are master-entry please let me know.

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i am in SF and i have young children and moving is not an option for us. I can only afford one year without a salary, so unfortunately if I want to be an RN, samuel merritt is my only option! it is pricey, but i don't want to live my life doing what i am doing any longer, and i don't want to look back and wish i had given this a shot. i'm planning to take out loans and pay them off slowly, just as i did with my law degree.

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