I was accepted into a state school and an ivy league school for my MSN in midwifery, starting this fall. (I'm already an RN.) It looks like I'll be getting only loans this first year at either place (my applications weren't complete by the first deadlines, so I was waitlisted, then got in each program, but by that time the scholarships were all gone). I think the ivy league school's final financial aid offer, which I'm still waiting for, will actually cover my living expenses, unlike the offer from the state school, which was only for tuition and school costs, so it may be more practical to go there.
When it comes to finding a job after graduation, does it make a difference where you attend school? I want to attend the ivy league school, but the tuition will be twice that of the state school. I'm thinking there will be many benefits to the ivy league school, like networking; better clinical experiences; more non-nursing students (ie GEPN or direct entry), students who have done other things than nursing; plus the prestige of an ivy league graduate degree. I've also never been to the east coast and would love to live there for a couple of years.
Or is it prestigous in nursing to attend an ivy league school? I already have a MA from a top ten school (religious studies) and this has not made two bits of difference in nursing. (If not the RNs, the MDs do notice these things, however ...)
Is there anyone out there reading this who has inside knowledge about the relative merits of degrees from various schools? BTW, the state school is top ranked, I have no hesitation to go there, it has a wonderful reputation, it's in my hometown, and I want to eventually return there to work as a CNM.
You go, girl! I just want to be a fulltime student and finish school. I heard of RNs attending grad school who worked full time while going through school. A nurse I worked with in 1992 and I took they physical exam class at the same time; she went ahead with MW school, like a fool I didn't. She worked 12 hr/nights, would leave work at 8am to go to clinical, have clinical all day, go home and sleep 3-4 hours, then back to work. I cannot do that. To those of you who can do that: wow. I couldn't do medical school because I can't stay awake for 36 hrs or get by on 3-4 hrs sleep a night.
Wow, you bring back memories. I took a few prenursing and nursing theory classes at UTA around 1983 - 1984. (I graduated from UD a few years before that.) Susan Grove taught one of them; she wrote the research text we used here last fall. While at UTA I went through major life changes. I wanted to be a midwife even then. A nursing job would give me the financial freedom to leave my husband, which he figured out, so he kept me from having the car to attend class, which put a stop to nursing school at that time. I still left him the next year, after coming out, getting the tubal ligation, finding feminist theology, and ditching catholicism. I finally got the courage to tell him "no" to sex, he tried to kill me, so I bought a plane ticket north, left my kids, and split. Dramatic, huh?
Since we're talking about TX, I would LOVE to have integration at a place like Parkland. This would be the only way to get my butt back to TX for any length of time. Talk about getting experience and volume! The more patients/deliveries you have, the more likely you are to have things "go wrong" and be able to sucessfully learn to handle them with a preceptor, the more weirdness you'll see, the better prepared to hit the dirt and get working after graduation. Look at http://www.dallasnews.com. They just had a few articles about the midwifery and OB services at Parkland.
Best of luck to you.
Wow ! You really had some drama in Texas ! Susan Grove STILL teaches and we are using her text as well. I got my undergrad there a few years after your dramatic exit.
I agree with you..I just don't have the stamina to do like some people do. I totally admire them and think it is amazing, but I have NO, ZILCH,NADA desire to go through life like that...even if it is just for two years. Life is too short and when there are children involved it just isn't fair for them. IF I was single I might give it a try. We are in no way dependent on me for income, so I am fortunate to be able to name my own pace and for now it gives me a justifiable reason to not have to work much.
I've heard Southwestern has a great women's health nurse practitioner program....would that interest you ? I'm thinking they are very much affiliated with PArkland ! Good luck to you too !
Hey, there! I just came across this thread. If you don't mind me asking, Selke, what choice did you end up making? I feel like I am experiencing a similar dilemma as yours and I am very curious about your perspective.
Hey, there! I just came across this thread. If you don't mind me asking, Selke, what choice did you end up making? I feel like I am experiencing a similar dilemma as yours and I am very curious about your perspective.
Thanks and take care,
Julie:D
I'm with you Julie! I have asked this question a million times, and I think it all boils down to the location in which you are planning to practice. There is a certain "prestigious" university that I considered going to, but after speaking with several health care professionals in that area, I found that NP grads from that school find it very difficult to find jobs b/c of how their program is set up. It allows students with non-nursing backgrounds and a bachelors in ANY field to come in, fast track, and become an NP in a 1 1/2 yrs. After graduation, these NPs are not highly favored due to their nursing inexperience and are being offered salaries much lower than the average. In other disciplines it is a great school, but the NP programs have a bad rep . In that case, spending the extra $$ to attend that school would be a complete and total waste. So I would say each case is different.
Thanks for the input, Longhorngirl!! I REALLY need to do some much needed research for this school. It's no ivy league, but I guess it's supposed to have a great reputation and offer lots of opportunities?? (Then again, a student can make the most of their education at ANY institution... It's all about the drive and the passion!) I think I'll definitely voice my concerns and questions when I speak to someone at the school. (I'll get to see how biased their answers are!! haha) So, if you would like to share... What school were you talking about? The school I am interested in going to/transferring to is the University of Rochester in New York, which is a buttload of moola for an edu-ma-cation!!!!
Ok....well....I'm new to this site and I think I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to do this:nono:.....but um......Vanderbilt University in Nashville...
. In that case, spending the extra $$ to attend that school would be a complete and total waste. So I would say each case is different.
I REALLY need to do some much needed research for this school. It's no ivy league, but I guess it's supposed to have a great reputation and offer lots of opportunities?? (Then again, a student can make the most of their education at ANY institution... It's all about the drive and the passion!) I think I'll definitely voice my concerns and questions when I speak to someone at the school. (I'll get to see how biased their answers are!! haha) So, if you would like to share... What school were you talking about? 
The school I am interested in going to/transferring to is the University of Rochester in New York, which is a buttload of moola for an edu-ma-cation!!!!
carachel2
1,116 Posts
Wow ! You really had some drama in Texas ! Susan Grove STILL teaches and we are using her text as well. I got my undergrad there a few years after your dramatic exit.
I agree with you..I just don't have the stamina to do like some people do. I totally admire them and think it is amazing, but I have NO, ZILCH,NADA desire to go through life like that...even if it is just for two years. Life is too short and when there are children involved it just isn't fair for them. IF I was single I might give it a try. We are in no way dependent on me for income, so I am fortunate to be able to name my own pace and for now it gives me a justifiable reason to not have to work much.
I've heard Southwestern has a great women's health nurse practitioner program....would that interest you ? I'm thinking they are very much affiliated with PArkland ! Good luck to you too !