Chances for ABSN/DEMSN Acceptance???

Boomer MS, RN · Apr 3, 2017

Hi I am a junior at a top tier university majoring in music and minoring chemistry. I have a GPA of about 3.3 and will most likely be closer to 3.5 upon graduation. My GPA is low due to my C+s in Organic Chemistry and Physics and the fact that i missed a month of school sophomore year because of an ovarian tumor that i had surgery for causing me to get a lot of Bs. But Ive received mostly As and Bs in my prereqs, have a lot of volunteering, have been published for lung cancer research, and am a nationally certified phlebotomist. Im think of applying mainly to private schools but Im wondering if I even have a chance to get into schools like Yale or NYU due to my low GPA? I havent taken the GRE yet but will this summer. Any advice from current students or applicant is greatly appreciated!

Well done. First make sure you need the GRE, not a measurement, IMHO, of how successful a student will be in graduate nursing programs. Your post seems to ask for advice for an ABSN vs DEMSN. Many of the direct entry master's programs for nursing are generalist programs. Not all though, and those that are not generalist programs are longer. I've been informed that the generalist programs do not prepare an nurse for an advanced practiced role, which requires experience. So you'd be a new grad RN with a master's with no experience, competing with other new grads with an ADN or a BSN. This is unlike traditional master's programs requiring a BSN who has experience, which are specialty focused, such as an NP (many specialities) or CNS, also with many specialities, depending on the school. I am a strong advocate to get your BSN first and not go the direct masters' entry route for my reason stated above. Often BSN students change their minds as they navigate through the program and transition into practice, deciding they love peds instead of any other specialty, for example. But some BSN graduates are able to get their dream job and start their career in ER, peds ICU, OR, adult critical care, etc. You don't know what job you can get, depending on where you live, the needs of the area, any networking you were able to do, etc. I do not believe any BSN or ABSN program requires physics now, although my university traditional BSN program did way back when. It was the only course I thought was a waste of time and effort. I know nothing about Yale but know a little about NYU. You are a candidate for any ABSN program. Just go for it after doing some searching. I do know NYU is expensive, but so many programs are expensive now. Good luck.