FNP programs in MA?

[RNcal21]

Hi All,

I'm an RN currently living and working in the Boston area. I'm planning to go back for my FNP in the near future and am starting the process of searching for programs. I plan to work full time and pay for as much of the program as I can out of pocket since I still have so many loans from my undergrad and nursing school. That said, I value well-renowned, accredited programs, so if I need to take out some loans thats Ok, I just want to limit it as much as possible. Since I am working full-time I would be more inclined to do an online or hybrid program. I am using the following criteria for my search:

- Accreditation

- Reasonable cost

- No on-campus requirements, or if there are, school needs to be local (i.e. drive not fly)

- Preceptors are assigned

- High pass rate

- No GRE would be a plus... but now I think I'm getting a little picky so for the right program I would definitely let this one pass :)

If anyone is in the area and currently in an FNP program that fits the bill I would love to hear more about it! Also if anyone has suggestions as to other criteria that should be on my radar, please let me know. Thanks so much in advance for your help.

[BostonFNP, APRN]

These are the good programs in MA (in no particular order):

Simmons

MGHIHP

UMASS Boston

UMASS Worcester

BC

?NEU

[cjcsoon2bnp, MSN, RN, NP]

These are the good programs in MA (in no particular order):

Simmons

MGHIHP

UMASS Boston

UMASS Worcester

BC

?NEU

I second the recommendations of BostonFNP. I have a colleague that teaches at Simmons as well as a few peers who are in the program and I've heard some really great things but I think it's sorta pricey. I can appreciate that the OP has a detailed list of his/her requirements for a FNP program but to find a program that meets all of those criteria may be challenging. Particularly, having a program that does the work of matching you with a preceptor but has no or few campus-based requirements may be tough to find.

I'm in a FNP program in a nearby state that meets many of your requirements but it is campus based (and probably not close enough to Boston). I've had to find my own preceptors at my last school for my MS in Nursing Education program and it was something I would rather not have to deal with again so I chose a program that had a strong pool of NP preceptors. Best of luck OP!

!Chris