Accepted Columbia ETP applicants (and current students: some advice). get-together?

Nursing Students Post Graduate

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:welcome: Hi everyone! I thought it might be a good idea to get our own separate thread for those accepted to Columbia ETP! Sure we have a lot to discuss!

I would also like to invite current students to this topic to share your experiences and answer some questions.:idea:

Here is one question that is really bothering me.

I have been working and studying simultaneously for the past 4 years, and to tell the truth I am really tired. Will financial help from Columbia (both scholarship and loans) allow me to only study? In particular, how much money do they give every month for living expenses? If you feel uncomfortable writing about it in public, personal messages are welcome too

Aside from this, - congrats to all those accepted and really looking forward to meeting you! :balloons:

Oh, by the way, I am Women's Health! What about you?;)

Specializes in Pediatrics, Neo-Natal.

Hi Chickpea!

Ok! I am in the same exact boat!!!! I don't know how to make a decision. I had a great experience when I went to Yale for my interview, but yes...the car is quite an expense. I don't know how I would be able to manage that one. And as for the Financial Aid...I am sure we will not get an award letter by the time we have to decide! It's so hard because if we want to apply for housing, we have to hurry up or they will all be taken.

:uhoh3:

Does anyone have any pros and cons about these programs? Anyone know the rankings for each program? (I haven't been able to find that.) Any information, opinions, comments would be helpful.

I am def going to the Visiting day and it would be great to meet up! What speciality are you?

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The last time US News ranked nursing schools was in 2003, so discount these accordingly. At that time, Yale was #10 and Columbia was #19, although only number rank was between them due to multiple ties at each rank. There were also rankings in some specialties. I only remember that both were tied at #5 in adult (WH was not ranked). If you are curious, look in the college guide section at your library. It's something like US News Best Grad Schools 2003 or 2004.

Really, I think the major decision is New York or not New York.

A few other differences: Yale's GEPN class is about half as large as Columbia's (80-ish vs 150-ish). At Columbia you can switch your specialty after the first year, and you get a BS, although only at the end of the program. For most of us Columbia/New York will be more expensive. There's also the difference in start date.

I haven't found many other concrete differences. Anyone else have thoughts?

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Specializes in Adult/Gerontology ANP Student.

I agree with you BeaconStreet on the differences.

I'm on a dual adult/gerontology track and felt that, while Yale has a great program, I would be arranging some of my clinical experiences in the gerontology portion, so Columbia appears stronger for me in that regard.

I do think it boils down to curriculum strengths for each specialty and New York vs. New Haven.

Good luck to everyone in their decisions!

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Neo-Natal.

I agree with the fact that class sizes are really different. That does make a difference for me. Not only does it mean that Yale is more selective but that there will be more personal attention.

Also, I feel like the cirriculm is more thorough at Yale. What does anyone else think about this?

But as for ranking,I'm in pediatrics. I can't find the ranking for Peds, but I did find it for Family...Yale is higher...4th if I remember correctly. Does anyone else know any information about peds for both programs...or either?

I'm also worried about opportunities to go abroad for community outreach. During my interview, it was stressed that not everyone may be able to go abroad. Is this the same for Columbia?

Thanks guys!!

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FYI: I just heard back from Oscar, the Finaid guy, and he said that my Financial Aid offer will be mailed to me on Friday. Don't know if that's true for everyone or just me since I bugged him about it.

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Specializes in Diabetes, Primary care.
At Columbia you can switch your specialty after the first year, and you get a BS, although only at the end of the program. ?

I know a few people who have left the program after the 1st year and got their BSN. There have been talk about awarding the BSN only after completion of the MSN protion, but I don't know if they changed this yet. Also, isn't there a requirement for midwifery and anesthesia tracks to have 1 year of work experience after the 1st year? shouldn't they receive bsn?:eek:

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At the info session I attended in December they said they had switched the BSN to the end of the program. The admissions guy did say that they wanted to discourage people leaving after 1 year and that's why they had made the change. I don't know what happens to those who leave the program early under the new policy.

The work requirements are in neo-natal and CRNA. They def. get their RN certification before starting the work requirement, but I'm not sure about the BSN.

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Wow. I got some pretty discouraging opinions from a current ETP student that I've been talking to. She said:

"yes...it's completly disfunctional. in 26 days I'll be back home for spring break, and then I have two months worth of integration and I'll be done.

It's a nightmare.

I wish I'd gone ANYwhere else.

Worth the money?

Absolutely not.

$98,000 and most of this stuff is thrown at you so fast you have to self-teach.

If you got in anywhere else, I'd give them a good hard

consideration...and FNP is an FNP is an FNP."

She also said she wished she'd taken the warnings to heart when she started. :( This is adding to several discouraging opinions I've heard about the ETP program. I'm SO conflicted because of it. I haven't heard enough positive to outweigh the negative at this point, so it's making my decision really difficult, as Columbia has a great namesake, but I don't want to pay $100K to be frustrated and bitter about the program and my decision for 2-3 years.

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my expectation is that in any accelerated program, you would have to do some degree of self teaching. its fast...that's why its an accelerated program.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Neo-Natal.
:confused:
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Specializes in Adult/Gerontology ANP Student.

I agree, anniepants.

I'm actually planning on reviewing my A&P between now and then. After all, we're

getting the 'compressed' version of a bachelor's in 12 months. I expect it will be

fast, furious, and exciting all at once.

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Specializes in Diabetes, Primary care.

Ok, now this isgoing to be a really stupid question. But, what the heck, I'm still anonymous. :roll

Ok, on Columbia's nursing school website there is a link "accepted etp applicants log-in". How do you get the username and password for that log in? I tried the ones I used for application and it didn't work. :chair:

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