JHU or YALE?

ham_tranwich · Dec 17, 2007

Hi fnp4me!

I've applied to both JHU and Yale this year, and in my opinion I believe that JHU is a slightly better program. This is simply because JHU offers a BSN and a MSN as opposed to most schools where students get their RN licensure and then the MSN. In addition, JHU is very flexible with being able to take a step out year after achieving your BSN, and with changing specialties.

I hope this helps...Have you applied already? I went to an interview right before thanksgiving, and won't hear back until february. What a long wait! Hopefully I get an interview at the other schools I've applied to.

-Ham

fnp4me · Dec 17, 2007

-double post-

fnp4me · Dec 17, 2007

Thanks for the reply! I was almost sure this thread would be dead since I ask a pretty direct question.

I was accepted for the combined family nurse practitioner program. I am wondering, as far as rankings, why JHU is ranked #4 overall and they do not even rank for FNP while Yale ranks #10 overall (I think) and #4 for FNP? I know some people consider these rankings superficial but the schools, especially JHU,seem to take them seriously.

The fact that Yale does not issue the BS is also personally a disadvantage for me. I have read that they do not issue the bachelors because they do not have the accreditation due to lack of courses needed in curriculum. I've taken this to account for the fact that Yale starts in the Fall to complete a year for the pre-specialty while JHU accelerated students start in the summer to complete a year for the bachelors.

What else should I be taking into account?

llg, PhD, RN · Dec 17, 2007

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What else should I be taking into account?

As both schools provide an excellent education, I would be looking at the following:

1. The culture. Would you be more comfortable and "fit in" better at one school than the other?

2. How flexible will they be if you decide to change your focus? A lot of nursing students enter their programs believing that they will like a certain specialty, but change their minds when they get a little experience?

3. Is one significantly more expensive than the other?

4. Location. Would you rather live in one place or the other? Would you rather get your clinical experience in one place or the other?

lovingpecola · Dec 21, 2007

Just adding in:

It is possible to change specialties at Yale, although certainly not encouraged because you're interviewing for a specific specialty with faculty IN that specialty and taking a spot from a student who wanted that specialty if you change...but yes, people do change their minds, hopefully without wasting precious time and adding time onto their time to graduation! And you can also stop out of Yale and work as an RN of you so choose. (Remember a BS/BSN is not a requirement for licensure as a nurse!) Getting a BS/BSN along the way is a matter of preference, and remember that additional classes are required when you plan to get the BSN.

The culture is definitely a big deal, but for me, it would have been a culture shock at either place because they're both very similar in terms of kinds of students and resources available...what is different I think is reputation for a particular *specialty*...for example Yale might be better for midwifery vs Hopkins better for FNP (only examples, not saying that's true, but that you should look at it this way too!)

Both are privileged institutions in the middle of impoverished neighborhoods, and having spent time in both places, and not being the least bit scared in either place, I would say it might be easier to adjust to New Haven than Baltimore if you tend to be afraid of inner city living...

-Get a feel for faculty...talk to as many as you can while visiting.

-Pay attention to the people you're interviewing with...these would be your classmates!

-Talk to current students at each place because they will tell you whether what is advertised is true, and give you a better feel for the culture of the place!

Good Luck!

Lars23 · Jan 23, 2009

Is anyone else debating between these two schools this year? Any additional information or insight regarding the strength/quality of the programs, the caliber of other students, faculty, reputation within the profession, etc. would be appreciated! :) Thanks!!

Biddy · Feb 17, 2009

I'm debating between JHU and Yale as well. I was almost hoping to not get into Yale simply so I wouldn't have to make the decision. I'm married and 29 and feel like Yale is perhaps better for my demographic, but in terms of clinical experience, it seems like JHU would better prepare us for the "real world"...I don't want to come out of an institution that places too much emphasis on research and not enough on clinical skills (I've read threads about Yale grads being discriminated against for not having the requisite clinical skills expected of them in practice up graduation...I worked in law firms for years, and those kids coming out of law school knew little to nothing about the actual practice...it scares me that nursing school could possibly get away with a similar outcome, but that seems to be one of the prejudices against entry-level programs--whether it's true or not, varies from specialty to specialty, etc.) A lot of people I've come across talking about JHU (and Columbia, which I've decided not to attend) seem younger--like they're coming straight from undergrad. Since I'm a west coaster with many friends in NYC but not Baltimore or New Haven, it's important to be able to form a social network. I know nothing about the close-knit aspect of JHU, but it seemed like that spirit of community was alive and well in YSN...

I also have different specialty choices depending on the school...At YSN, I was admitted for the Gerontological NP specialty, and at JHU, I'm in for Adult NP. I want to work with the elderly (that's why I decided to pursue nursing), but some seem to think it's better to do the Adult NP because then you can work with a larger population of patient, though you can choose to work in geriatrics still. I might want to do academia a bit (while working clinically), so I don't know if it's better to do gerontology at yale or ANP at JHU and focus any research on elderly patients (they don't offer GNP at JHU, but said during the interview I can choose to focus on elderly through clinical sites, research, etc.) I am kind of wondering if Yale would let me change to Adult/Gerontological NP and just combine the two now to alleviate any concerns...

My husband seems to lean towards Baltimore because of it's proximity to DC (he's a political junkie and is going to be changing careers...if the job market will allow him to find one). I worry New Haven is a bit too isolated for him, about what types of things he'd be able to find there. He's also interested in advertising/making corporate videos (he worked in film for the past 7 years and is currently putting together a reel of videos--both commercial and training videos for a hospice--hoping perhaps to be able to do freelance stuff while I'm in school).

Any opinions/comments? I hate making decisions, but my friends and family are beginning to think I'm silly for dragging my feet...I'm choosing between two great schools and finding myself paralyzed. pros and cons on both sides...ugh.

fnp4me · Feb 17, 2009

Funny that this thread was brought back :bugeyes:

I decided not to go to any of the schools (Hopkins, Columbia, Yale) and went to a local accelerated BSN program instead - saved about $80,000 in tuition and now I'm looking for masters programs after I get some RN experience.

I think you should choose based on what you feel is the best fit. They're all similar calibre and do a "quick and dirty" first year for the BSN/RN. Best of luck!

jumbo05 · Feb 18, 2009

I'm in the same boat as well debating between these two schools! Are you going to the visitor's day at Hopkins on 2/27? Visiting Yale for the interview day was eye opening and made me love the program even more, but maybe a visit to JHU will help give you more information? Everyone says go with whatever is the best fit however you define that, so I think if you love both programs you can't make a wrong decision.

Also, I am originally from CT so I have to throw it out there that NYC isn't too far away from New Haven (maybe an hour?) especially by train, so Biddy, if your husband is worried about job opportunities realize that NY may have more options than just New Haven. Just a reminder!

Biddy · Feb 18, 2009

Hey Jumbolove,

Yes, I am going to visitor's day at Hopkins. I decided last night that I needed to go there in order to be able to make the best decision possible. My husband will be with me. We're going to spend a few days in Baltimore to see how we feel about it. I just keep coming back to the clinical experience aspect of the program, which I feel like Yale is deficient in. I've worked as a nursing aide, and I will say most of what I learned in that job came from clinicals, not classroom training. I would assume the same is true of advanced practice nursing. The fact that Yale doesn't emphasize clinical training--it seems the emphasis is on research...and I wonder, too, what it says about the culture that the majority of professors there are former YSN grads. And I was looking over the Yale brochures I got on interview day this morning...it seemed like a lot of former grads were working part-time, one was working as an RN (which makes you go, huh???), and many were in teaching positions at various east coast universities. I do want the opportunity to teach but not if that means I go light on clinical education. I want to be a clinician who does some research on the side, not the other way around. It seems like Yale emphasizes the other way around. (and, too, I'm from a family where nothing was ever given to me...I was not raised wealthy...the fact that so many former grads appeared to be married to doctors and be working one day a week while raising their four yuppy-in-training babies is a form of elitism I really find distasteful...but perhaps that's just the east coast-west coast divide...)

When I visited Yale, I actually flew into NYC and took the train. I took Amtrak, though apparently, according to Angela, there's a local rail line (though I was on the local Amtrak, so I'm not sure and it was the only train leaving Penn Station in NYC going up that direction...) It really wasn't cheap ($30 each way), so I can't imagine using that to commute into the city really. He worked for a News Corp company in LA for the past 6 years, and HR said they'd give him lovely references for any job in the city. Unfortunately, they have a hiring freeze right now. Like so many other places...he's contemplating trying DC out, since he's a political junkie, and after working in Hollywood culture, he figures he can handle the deceit, treachery, and superficiality of politics. Another reason I'm thinking JHU over Yale.

Hopefully, we'll meet at visitor's day!

FNPHopeful2012 · Jan 4, 2012

Hi Biddy,

I am struggling to decide between Yale or Hopkins for FNP. I decided against Columbia because they did not have any opportunities to go abroad on rotations that Hopkins and Yale offer. I am not sure how much to base my decision on rankings considering Hopkins is #1 in Nursing overall, #7 FNP, while Yale is #7 in Nursing overall, and also #7 in FNP. I am pretty adaptable to a lot of situations, so the cities do not bother me at all. I've always had dreams to go to an Ivy League school, which may seem silly, but it seems hard to just let go of Yale. But Hopkins seems to offer so much in terms of its public health rotations abroad, etc. If anyone still follows this thread, how did you end up deciding?

Thank you!