UW... why NOT to go

U.S.A. Washington

Published

Not to burst any bubbles, but the University of Washington is on the decline. They've just raised tuition for their family nurse practitioner program to exceed that of medical school. We're talking they JUST told students to come up with $7000 in the next 2 weeks. Sure, all public schools took a hit in this economic downturn but UW didn't lay off even ONE faculty member. Instead, they're sticking it to the students with a 43% tuition hike. (And they've warned students that the FNP program is just the tip of the iceberg.) So while students are required to take numerous classes about health care disparities and access--when it comes to actually providing an affordable education... the UW prefers rich kids only.

Reconsider UW: You aren't guaranteed even a day of clinical work at the UW Medical Center (or Harborview). Nobody but nobody hiring nurses knows or cares about the UW's No. 1 rating. And you have to pay to access the library on the weekends! So not kidding about the library.

Nursing students at UW are treated like a nuisance. Most of the faculty have not even set foot on a hospital floor since the 1980s. They're mostly researchers who hide out in their offices writing grants. Remember, UW is a research institution. That's where they get their No. 1 rating. NOT FROM EDUCATING STUDENTS. If you want to be an FNP: Go to Seattle U. Go to PLU. Heck, go to the University of Portland. If you want to be an RN: Go anywhere but the UW.

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wow sorry to hear that! are you a current student?

I sure hope they're not misleading prospective students about the cost and future potential. my friend's on the CNS track and feels she was very mislead about the opportunities after graduation, I will have to ask her about her tuition situation!

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Yes, I am a current student. I sincerely hope members of the incoming classes are getting the message. We were told by the admin to apply for more financial aid and that "...adapting to change starts with loss, grief, and the ending of what was..." That's a direct quote. RETCH.

But yah, the UW definitely misleads students with that No. 1 nursing school spiel. Nobody cares!!! There are no jobs in Seattle for nurses who don't have experience=new grads. NPs, CNSs, or RNs--we're all screwed with a half-a** education and stuck with these enormous student loans.

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Specializes in Acute Care, and Dementia/Alzheimers.

Well crap, where the hell is someone supposed to go after they get an ASN/ADN to get a BSN/BDN? ***?!?!?!? :o

Where else in WA can someone with an ASN/ADN transfer for a Bachelors in their career field? Or will they have to "minor" in Nursing and pick a bachelors degree in something else?

***?!?!?!?

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Try WSU. At least the President of WSU took a pay cut before raising tuition. The President of UW is the second highest paid public university president in the United States. Greedy greedy greedy.

I've also heard rumors that community colleges in WA state will soon offer the BSN, if you can wait it out.

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Specializes in Acute Care, and Dementia/Alzheimers.
Try WSU. At least the President of WSU took a pay cut before raising tuition. The President of UW is the second highest paid public university president in the United States. Greedy greedy greedy.

I've also heard rumors that community colleges in WA state will soon offer the BSN, if you can wait it out.

I hope so.

:o

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Specializes in ICU.
Most of the faculty have not even set foot on a hospital floor since the 1980s. They're mostly researchers who hide out in their offices writing grants. Remember, UW is a research institution. That's where they get their No. 1 rating. NOT FROM EDUCATING STUDENTS.

Ok, I could not agree with this more. I am glad I'm not the only one who notices this! I did 2 years of pre-reqs at UW and am SO glad to be transferring to Seattle U for the BSN program. UW professors are not in it to teach- they are in it for RESEARCH! Teaching is just an hour-a-day nuisance for them- they don't CARE AT ALL about their students!!!!! I would not recommend UW to anyone, and I mean that.

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I am in my last quarter of pre reqs and I have classmates that say that the only way to get a "Good" job is to go to UW, but when I speak to working nurses they advise me not to go to the UW, It is expensive but isnt Seattle U the same if not more expensive than the U.

Im going to a community college, when I see that the proof that a BSN is truly needed I will shell out the money and get it.

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I don't know about "good" jobs, but I think people make more money per hour as a BSN. (Of course that hardly matters because THERE ARE NO JOBS...) The coursework between the bachelor's and associate's degrees is similar, and we all take the exact same RN licensure exam in the end.

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Specializes in ICU.

Yes, Seattle U is way more expensive than UW. I am not worried about cost, rather quality of my education (i.e. the teachers care about you, etc). Seattle U and UW had the same NCLEX pass rate in 2008 (90%), so how is UW the best nursing school in the country?

Don't misinterpret this as me being bitter that I didn't get into UW Nursing- I didn't even apply!

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I don't know if Seattle U. is more expensive than UW anymore. Maybe for the BSN...

That No. 1 nursing school business has nothing to do with the NCLEX pass rate. (UW nursing students get NO REVIEW FOR THE NCLEX. We have to pay for that on our own.) The U.S. News & World Report editors do the ranking and they've admitted that it is fairly random=just for marketing purposes. What better way to sell a publication to an eager student audience year after year? Think about it.

The only reason UW is No. 1 is because of their enormous amount of research funding. The research is done by old school nurses who are so entrenched in academia that they will never retire or make way for the next generation. Never. Just look at their online faculty profiles. This No. 1 business has nothing to do with teaching or education. Trust me. When my fellow classmates and I talk about how we are at the "No. 1 nursing school" we are being facetious and cringing.

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Specializes in NICU.

Seattle U IS very much more expensive than UW. I should know seeing as I got my BSN there. I'm not sure about the Masters costs.

I'd caution that UW still has many, many graduate programs that aren't available elsewhere. At Seattle U, there is only the FNP, graduate entry FNP, and leadership in community health. They have plans to have a doctorate program along with a midwife and geriatric NP but I think those are on the back burner for now.

Also, I was under the impression that UW was ranked #1 for their graduate program, NOT their undergraduate program?

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