Yale GEPN Applicants 2012

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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There didn't seem to be a main thread for applicants to Yale's GEPN program this year, so I thought I'd get one started. I'm applying for the midwifery specialty and am currently working on my application essays, having done everything else.

Is anyone else really struggling with the main essay? I've finished my apps to two other programs and was happy with how those essays came out, but Yale's essay guidelines as so restrictive that I feel like my essay is turning out all disjointed. The fact that we have to answer every aspect of every question in *exactly the order they list* (this is apparently something that you need to take very seriously) means that I'm having to tie myself in knots. I want it to be not only informative about me as an applicant but also a good piece of writing - and I feel like the essay format is making this kind of difficult.

Anyone else out there applying?

I hadn't file taxes either. It seems they are just sending them piecemeal, jyager. s-l-o-w-ly. good look!

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Specializes in Diabetes, Research.

ah good to know, thanks steelypop!

has anyone taken a look at the academic calendar yet? looks like orientation week is august 20-26. does anyone know if we have to attend the entire week? I have a wedding in hawaii on the 25th that I really was hoping to go to.

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Hi awhitmer et al,

To my embarrassment, I have never had a facebook! I will be getting one so I can take advantage of the Nursing School page. Financially I feel the programs are comparable, but I live near New Haven and know you can live there cheaply without trying too hard. I have two kids, so the thought of adding up all living expenses in NYC gives me a minor panic attack.

Here's what I like about Columbia: 2 yrs and change for 2 degrees, and the opportunity to go for the DNP quickly and easily if need be; a more diverse clinical experience; no final thesis project; I have many friends who live in the city....Cons? The cohort is much larger, so I feel like there may not be as much opportunity to meet people outside your specialty; The first year is a huge burden financially (for me anyway); I didn't get as much of a sense of community there; needing public trans to get to clinical sites; larger student to faculty ratio.

Yale pros: small class, great community atmosphere, I actually like New Haven, more faculty involvement and low ratio, many resources for families, and it's my guess that the faculty may be less transient at Yale than at Columbia. I'm the type of person who likes to check in w/ old profs and many faculty members at interview day had been involved with Yale for a long time. Cons: Even though I like NH, it's no New York, the program is an academic year longer, and the praxis scares me a bit.

My heart says Yale, but I am worried about future job requisites. Has anyone heard about this?

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Oh, by the way I meant "good luck" not "good look" jyager... you may have had a microsecond of confusion sorry...(your 'look' is probably also very 'good' so my slip was not so bad after all....:cool:)

@cblack37, I know the praxis sounds intimidating but for me it was actually a selling point..You can get the opportunity to explore outside the traditional nursing education format. Yale doesn't want a load of nurses who can read, memorize, and recite, or in clinicals just mindlessly repeat the same action over and over. They want you to incorporate what you have learned and they want you to THINK. That's my sense anyway.....Yale is not the McDonalds equivalent of nursing. It is also scary and suspicious to me that Columbia's program is so short.

But then again I totally carry the banner for Yale, so take what I say with my bias in mind.

My impression is that Columbia is more "shake n' bake" nursing. Sorry. Now I am in trouble with some of you, i'm sure.:banghead::nono:

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Good news for FNP waitlisters....I'm declining my spot. Thanks to everyone for all the information and support during the application process!

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Specializes in Diabetes, Research.

got my financial aid finally! apparently it was sent out yesterday but they had the wrong email address on file.

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I talked w/ financial aid today and had some info I thought you all might be interested in. I was curious to know if the scholarship amount was likely to stay the same throughout all 3 years or if it would decrease by about the same amount that the tuition decreases (i.e. if it covers 30% of the 45k tuition, will it cover 50% of the 30k tuition, or will it decrease to cover 30% of the 30k tuition). The woman I talked to said while she doesn't know if the proportion of scholarship:total will stay the same, that the scholarship will definitely decrease in years 2 & 3 because the tuition is going to decrease. This might have been obvious, but I wanted to confirm it so I could make an educated decision on whether to attend given the cost.

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Hi All,

I was at a client's house the other day and the dad is an academic advisor at a university here in NYC. He said without a doubt to drop the classes and spend time with my family before starting Yale. So I am now, officially, a community college drop out! Congratulate me :)

Cblack, yes we were at interviews on the same day and I interviewed right after you. I think you should go with your heart. Hope to see you there!

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Hi awhitmer et al,To my embarrassment, I have never had a facebook! I will be getting one so I can take advantage of the Nursing School page. Financially I feel the programs are comparable, but I live near New Haven and know you can live there cheaply without trying too hard. I have two kids, so the thought of adding up all living expenses in NYC gives me a minor panic attack. Here's what I like about Columbia: 2 yrs and change for 2 degrees, and the opportunity to go for the DNP quickly and easily if need be; a more diverse clinical experience; no final thesis project; I have many friends who live in the city....Cons? The cohort is much larger, so I feel like there may not be as much opportunity to meet people outside your specialty; The first year is a huge burden financially (for me anyway); I didn't get as much of a sense of community there; needing public trans to get to clinical sites; larger student to faculty ratio.Yale pros: small class, great community atmosphere, I actually like New Haven, more faculty involvement and low ratio, many resources for families, and it's my guess that the faculty may be less transient at Yale than at Columbia. I'm the type of person who likes to check in w/ old profs and many faculty members at interview day had been involved with Yale for a long time. Cons: Even though I like NH, it's no New York, the program is an academic year longer, and the praxis scares me a bit.My heart says Yale, but I am worried about future job requisites. Has anyone heard about this?
Hi cblack! I second the decision to go with your gut. You're choosing between two good places, so don't get too anxious. :)It's true that Columbia's program takes less time (2 years 3 months as opposed to 2 years 9 months at Yale) but that's largely a function of pacing - you get more vacation time at Yale, plus they make you do a few more classes because they don't have any prereqs. Spreading the coursework out over a slightly longer period was actually a reason that a number of Yale midwifery students I talked to chose the school - a lot of them were parents and it allowed them I have a little more balance in their lives. Yale does seem to be a place that more actively works with parents than Columbia, so that could definitely be a positive thing. And yes, Columbia awards a BSN, but that's probably only an issue if you want to work as an RN during the masters, which you basically can't do as a midwifery student at Columbia anyway (because of the pace of the program).Personally, I'm going with Columbia - but that's what my gut told me to do. It seems like Yale is what you want! Congrats on your great options and good luck with your final decision!!
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Thanks to everyone who has been giving me her two cents:)

Steelypop--I love the research process and have given a lot of thought already to potential praxis theses. In the past, I have struggled with the self-paced aspect of the actual writing, i.e. every research paper I've written has been done at the last minute! To what degree does the faculty guide you? How often are you required to check in w/ them?

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CBlack37--sorry everyone....I came off rough about Columbia needlessly. I just a) hate to be rushed and b) am totally biased because I am familiar with the work of two Profs at Yale and am in awe of them, to say the least. Columbia is an awesome school and living in NY would be great. But, yeah....go with your gut CBlack37.

Your apprehension about the praxis tells me that you are very aware that you need to (as I need to, as MANY of us need to) learn the discipline to be a self motivator. This is a skill you should probably master before finishing grad school and one of the most important you should take away from your education. You will also NOT be alone in doing this....we will be a tight community and will do it together.....I personally will send you emails in to get your butt in gear if you promise to do the same with me ;)

Good luck CBlack37.....it's gonna be hard sure, but sometimes "you have to me cruel to be kind" (can I utilize eighties cheezy pop music please?)

Am I convincing you that this is your own choice or am I just trying to convince you that YALE IS AWESOME? Probably the latter, but man I totally believe it ;)

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Oh and the extra vacation time gives you the luxury to really sink your teeth into your thesis/praxis/capstone

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