A thread for those awaiting decisions...

I applied to OHSU and Seattle U. (Grad Entry) and am still waiting to see if I'm even getting an interview. Has anyone heard from either of those two places? I already had an interview with University of Portland, so I'm awaiting a decision there. I have a good GPA (3.9 overall, 4.0 in all pre-requisites) and reasonable GRE scores (1300), and I know 2 of my 3 recommendations were good because they sent me a copy. Most of my volunteer experience was a while ago and I keep thinking of how I could have done better on my essays/personal statement though, so I am going crazy here!! Has anyone here been notified that they got an interview at either of those two schools?

I'm so glad they're letting you re-submit! Best of luck, Rooneyfan. :)

SU was one of the schools that I applied to, but I haven't heard anything back yet. I heard that interviews could start as early as late January, so I'm hoping I hear something soon.

Hi all,

I've applied to the following schools for graduate entry programs with a specialty in midwifery:

UCSF - rejected

Columbia

OHSU - found out today that I have an interview on Feb. 6th

Vanderbilt

UIC - reapplying after being waitlisted last year

I'm also applying to Seattle Midwifery School and a couple BSN programs in my area.

Good luck to all!

I don't know if you have ever visited Vanderbilt or not but I went over the summer and fell in love with both the school and Nashville. The faculty that I met were all wonderful, very informative and friendly. Nashville is such a great city too! Best of luck to you : )

I'm adding to the thread in the hope that someone can offer some advice because I am struggling with this.

How would you feel about staggering your studies in the following manner:

Attend a school where tuition was $2500 per semester for a 12-month BSN instead of 50-70k at some of these other private schools, but then apply to another program for the MS? You'd have the BSN and could work and hopefully have your employer reimburse a good percentage of graduate tuition, but this would mean that instead of finishing in 2-3 years (BC is 21 months!), you'd finish in 4-5 years but have minimal debt. How might you decide?

I ask this because I'm still paying off grad school at Columbia (public health), I'm over 40 and I've been accepted at Hopkins, Boston College, SUNY Stony Brook, and NYU. I'm still waiting to hear from VCU, Vanderbilt, Penn, Arizona, and Columbia. I will add that my reasoning to date caused me to withdraw from UW and Yale despite being asked to interview - but don't let this influence what you would do.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

Thank you for weighing in.

I was accepted at UCLA for the Fall 09 MSN FNP program about 2 weeks ago. Kind of odd, considering the deadline for applications hasn't even passed yet. I guess it pays to apply early, it looks like they don't hold spots? They also don't require the GRE or interviews, so it was the only place I applied. Good luck to everyone else who is waiting to hear.

I know I chose not to go that route because all of the MSN programs I looked at required that you work as an RN for at least two years in your specialty before applying, which would add on even more time before I would be finished. At the one interview I've had for a direct entry program (UP), the interviewer told me they require all of their direct entry students to work part-time as an RN once you have the license, anyway, so I figure that will help to cut down on my student loans (I'm a stay-at-home-mom/student right now, so my husband is already used to paying the bills!) for the graduate portion of my schooling.

Duke said they are missing a letter of rec, though my prof insists she sent it. I'm pulling my hair out about that one....

Duke lost one of my references too.

Now Duke wants a portfolio. WT_F am I supposed to put into a portfolio?

They told me the same thing. I told Eric that my cv is my portofolio. If this isn't good enough for them there are other places willing to take our $38 large. Remember, with this economy coupled with a decent gpa, in the context of a post grad-post RN program--the student is in the driver seat.

I'm adding to the thread in the hope that someone can offer some advice because I am struggling with this.

How would you feel about staggering your studies in the following manner:

Attend a school where tuition was $2500 per semester for a 12-month BSN instead of 50-70k at some of these other private schools, but then apply to another program for the MS? You'd have the BSN and could work and hopefully have your employer reimburse a good percentage of graduate tuition, but this would mean that instead of finishing in 2-3 years (BC is 21 months!), you'd finish in 4-5 years but have minimal debt. How might you decide?

I ask this because I'm still paying off grad school at Columbia (public health), I'm over 40 and I've been accepted at Hopkins, Boston College, SUNY Stony Brook, and NYU. I'm still waiting to hear from VCU, Vanderbilt, Penn, Arizona, and Columbia. I will add that my reasoning to date caused me to withdraw from UW and Yale despite being asked to interview - but don't let this influence what you would do.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

Thank you for weighing in.

Find a state school! Cost of tuition at Vanderbilt is obscene. I was talking to a NP and he kept advising me against VAnderbilt because that is where he went and he is paying off over 100k. He will be paying the rest of his life. I'm applied to a state school and the price (out the door) is about 15k. That's still a lot of money, especially when you consider you may as well count in extra for living expenses because you won't have much time to work.

I'm adding to the thread in the hope that someone can offer some advice because I am struggling with this.

How would you feel about staggering your studies in the following manner:

Attend a school where tuition was $2500 per semester for a 12-month BSN instead of 50-70k at some of these other private schools, but then apply to another program for the MS? You'd have the BSN and could work and hopefully have your employer reimburse a good percentage of graduate tuition, but this would mean that instead of finishing in 2-3 years (BC is 21 months!), you'd finish in 4-5 years but have minimal debt. How might you decide?

I ask this because I'm still paying off grad school at Columbia (public health), I'm over 40 and I've been accepted at Hopkins, Boston College, SUNY Stony Brook, and NYU. I'm still waiting to hear from VCU, Vanderbilt, Penn, Arizona, and Columbia. I will add that my reasoning to date caused me to withdraw from UW and Yale despite being asked to interview - but don't let this influence what you would do.

I'd appreciate any and all advice.

Thank you for weighing in.

Hi Mazzini,

Having been enrolled in a private Accelerated BSN-MSN program (for second degree students) and leaving after the BSN mainly for financial reasons, I would have to agree with the previous poster that a state school BSN might be the way for you to go...Although that plan takes longer, it might be worth it if you can do it debt-free.

If you are hoping for your employer to pay for your masters, then I would suggest that you find out what amount of tuition reimbursement is offered at hospitals in your area (or whatever area you think you will be working in as a RN). The hospitals in my area really don't offer that much (a couple thousand $ per year) but I am sure this varies depending on where you are. Because of this I plan on pursuing my masters on a part time basis so that I don't accrue more loans.

To play devil's advocate, another way to look at it is that if you were to go to BC, for example, you will accrue debt but in a mere 21 months you will be able to make a NP's salary and start paying that debt off. While if you go the BSN-work-then MSN route, you will not make a NP salary for 4-5 years, like you said. You can factor this into your calculations to help make your decision.

That being said, there may be other considerations besides financial. You will probably find lots of posts on this board about the pros and cons of going straight through a direct entry program versus working as a RN first before pursuing advanced practice nursing. If you don't know 100% what APN specialty you want, it might behoove you to gain work experience first.

Good luck with your decision!