Columbia University-ETP

I applied to UCSF as well but got my rejection letter in late December. I was hoping to stay in the SF Bay Area. Columbia is the only other school I applied to, since I haven't completed enough prerequisites to apply to other schools. So far, my experience with Columbia has been great! I feel they've done a really good job being responsive to their applicants. Good luck with Penn! Did you apply to other schools besides Columbia and Penn, dohzenOFF?

Liz & dohzenoff,

I was accepted to the Columbia program (amongst a few others) but opted for a less expensive BSN program. Let me know if you have any questions, as I remember most of the process.

If you don't mind answering these questions, could you tell me...Where you ultimately decided to attend? What schools you were deciding between? And what made you opt for a BSN vs. a direct entry program? I've also considered a BSN program and would love to hear how you made the decision.

Liz: PMed

FYI all, I called Columbia today to see where they'd be sending letters to (I don't live at my permanent address) and Jose said that we'd find out online (but also be sent letters)...hope this makes everyone's day (it means we'll be finding out sooner than in the past!)
good luck all!

Where did you wind up going? I feel torn about the expense. I applied to Columbia and Pace. Thanks!

Sevillaes- where would we check online? I logged into the account where I submitted application today and there is nothing there. I get a message that I have not submitted my application. I can no longer to see the status of the application (I was able to a few weeks ago).

jalin_2009...I thought for a moment that something had happened within the past few hours (since you indicated that something changed on your account) but I checked mine and nothing has changed. My account is the same as it has been for weeks (but maybe the change in yours is a good sign...who knows?!) When I called Jose said that we could see the admissions decision online, but clearly no one is sure where...they didn't seem bothered that I called so I would just recommend calling and asking where the information will be accessible

Team (we're in this together!),

Over the weekend I attended an open house / info session at the campus in New York and got some information that answers questions that have been floating around here... so I thought I'd share.

It sounds like there are two phases of application review - one for general admission to the ETP program by the director, then another by the specialty area. They received about 650 applications total this year and will be accepting between 160-180 students (works out to 25-28%, I immediately did the math on a napkin). Unless your specialty is Anesthesia or Midwifery, it sounds like you're safe at that point. If you're accepted at all, you're accepted to the specialty you want, because they're less limited.

Anesthesia is the tightest and accepts only 8 students. Midwifery accepts 20. Both of these numbers are smaller than the others simply because here are fewer placements in the New York area for students to do clinical rotations and integrations (an extended shadowing sort of thing). In the case that a student is accepted into the general program but not his/her specialty choice, the option is given to switch specialties, but it is not possible to switch in later once you've been denied entrance.

As far as finances go, most students get $32k in scholarship (that $22k for year one, $10k for year two), then finish up with around $140k in student loans, depending on rent/living expenses. Estimated tuition and fees for the whole time is nearly $90k. On the upside, most students manage to repay their loans within 7 years and Oscar, the Financial Aid guru, seems very willing to work with students individually for the best outcome.

Also on the bright side - this program sounds incredible.
The summer session is like a 9 week "boot camp," and students are seeing patients by the second week. The second session (Sept - March) is made up of 5 clinical rotations, taught 2 days/wk by practicing NPs, and the remaining days are spent in a pathophysiology course and a research one. The Spring session after that is an 8 week "integration," where each student is assigned a nurse and lives his/her schedule alongside him/her. Often that means working nights. Once that's over, it's NCLEX time (to get the RN). Then the specialty training can start.

Sooo... I think that about covers it.
If anybody has other questions, answers may have been mentioned and I'd be happy to share anything else if they were! Just say so.

Good wishes to everyone!

Amanda