I'm getting ready to apply to the Columbia's ETP for 2010. I was just wondering who else was applying and what you were doing to make your application stronger! Also where else are you applying and what do your stats look like (GPA, GRE, experience, etc) ? I'm getting nervous as I start the whole application process and just thought I'd turn to the forums for some support and guidance!
I'm looking forward to sharing the journey with y'all! Hope to hear from you soon! :)
congratulations to all who got in. I unfortunately could not but I am hoping for advice from you all.
Are they any good 1YEAR accelerated BSN or 1 year RN that I could apply to. I am from California so somewhere this part would be great but even NY is good to. I feel I did not do much research this time and applied to limited schools. Maybe getting an RN degree and then applying for MSN could be a good strategy. I hope you all could advice me on this . Thanx a tonne and good luck.
CATCHABABY, during the application period I called and asked similar questions to the admissions office at CU. I was told that a good GPA and GRE score(specifically, at least in the 50th percentile and above)only get your foot in the door. After that they really are looking closely at your letters of rec. and, more importantly, your personal statement. This late in the game it's difficult to change your numbers, but you can always improve your personal statement and get better letters of rec. for next year. Definitely have MULTIPLE people look at your Personal Statement! I even went to the local university and had one of the writing tutors look mine over, this helped with the more technical side of things, helped it flow better. Anyways, just a few pieces of advice...
I've been talking with a friend of my sister's who completed the whole program back in 2007. I wanted to get her take on the issue of cost and if it was worth it. Overall she said one big YES! She loved New York, made great friends, and felt very prepared for the world of nursing. I'm going to directly past part of her email to me below, b/c I found it really helpful:
"I did like the program overall. What I liked most was the flexibility of it (I was undecided when I entered, changed my mind a million times, seriously considered going the midwifery track, and finally ended up with dual women's health and adult). I'm not sure if this has changed since I was there because I know they try to talk you out of it, but I also loved that I could work and go to school part time after the first year. So I did the first year full time, took the NCLEX in June, and started working as a nurse at Columbia Presbyterian in August (full time is 3 12-hr shifts/week, so it is possible). While I was working I did the master's NP portion of it part-time in 2.5 more years. I was pretty much in school or at clinicals most days and worked every weekend. But the great thing about the hospitals in New York is (was?) that they offer tuition reimbursement. I think it was $10,000/year max at Columbia Presb. So with that, and my nurses salery, I didn't have to take out any loans for the master's portion of the program. That saved me A LOT of money. My friends who didn't work have loans over $100,000 now. (It's about $1,100 per unit, the first year is 60 units, then the masters is around 35 units I think). So I did get some scholarships, I took out loans for school and cost of living the first year and had almost $60,000 in loans after interest after I finished. Obviously living in NY is expensive, but salery is higher too. As a nurse I probably made around $73,000/year. (And very easy to make more if you work overtime. I never did). Unfortunately I don't think there is any other way to avoid that 1st year cost, bc you won't have time to work during.
After doing travel nursing for 6 months I got my first NP job at Planned Parenthood. It wasn't hard to find overall, I went on 2 interviews total. My pay now is not much more than what I made in New York as a nurse, but I'm working for a non-profit and the cost of living in Sacramento is really low. Now I make about $80,000, which I am comfortable with. But that is the lowest out of all my friends. My friend in SF who works for a cardiologist makes $125 and my friend in New York who works inpatient in oncology makes $100. I'd say $95 is about average."
Thanks so much for sharing that email! It was very nice to hear of someone who isn't in drastic amounts of debt after completing the program. That lifted my spirits for the day! :)
Great idea to start a facebook group for our class! I just requested to join... :)
A little background on me: I completed my BA in Colorado in 2008 with a degree in international political economy. Since then, I moved home to Seattle and did an AmeriCorps year at a local community health center, specializing in services to Latinos. This year I finished up the all the prerequisites and worked as a Nursing Assistant in a local nursing home. It has be a whirlwind experience and has all affirmed my desire to become an NP! I'll be entering the FNP program. What else about me? Hmmm...I love to run like others mentioned on this discussion...I have a small community garden (P-patch) and love to grow and cook my own veggies...and I am excited but totally nervous to move cross country for the first time!
Like some of the other people here, I am deciding between Yale and Columbia...but leaning towards Columbia for logistical reasons (boyfriend is starting a grad program in NJ). I would love to hear more about what other people have found out about the pros and cons between the two schools.
Wow, that's great! I went to Colorado College. Loved the school...but I was always jealous of CU Boulder's location! Granted, anywhere in CO is fabulous for the outdoors - I skiied or hiked nearly every weekend. It will be great to have such a diverse class, location-wise!
I'm in at Yale, Columbia, and Hopkins and having the hardest time trying to decide! Obviously it's a great problem to have, I didn't think I would get in to all of my top choice schools, so I am a bit overwhelmed. Is anyone else in the same situation? I'd love to get your input/impressions of the various schools.
I'm in the same situation- yale, columbia, hopkins. I haven't actually seen Hopkins yet, but I'll be there on accepted students day. I go back and forth every day. Today, I'm leaning a little more towards Yale. It almost looks like Yale has the cheapest tuition of the three as well. I'm still unsure. What are you leaning toward?
I am also in the same situation. I got into all three. I already nixed Johns Hopkins because of the location (trying to live in the same city as my boyfriend, for once) but Yale and Columbia are both still on my list and I go back and forth, as well. Javabean - what was your cost comparison, if you don't mind me asking? How much cheaper is Yale in the grand scheme of things?
I found Yale to be much more personable and friendly through the whole application process, and I know it is an excellent program from various graduates. That said, Columbia would be much better for me location-wise...and clearly, it isn't a bad school either! It's hard for me to pinpoint other pros and cons of one versus another.
Any pros-cons lists that you two wouldn't mind sharing? :) Any help is welcome!
I'm not sure if any of you have spent any time in New Haven, CT, but that's where I've been living for the last couple of months (my hubby works at Yale), it doesn't even begin to compare to NYC. NYC is much more alive and cultured that New Haven. I'm not sure the difference in the schools...Just my two cents.
I didn't apply to Yale.. but I did get accepted to JHU and Columbia. Will probably be declining the invite to JHU though. Great school, but its the most expensive out of all the programs I applied to, and the location is... well. really bad.
sportsgirlly
34 Posts
CATCHABABY, during the application period I called and asked similar questions to the admissions office at CU. I was told that a good GPA and GRE score(specifically, at least in the 50th percentile and above)only get your foot in the door. After that they really are looking closely at your letters of rec. and, more importantly, your personal statement. This late in the game it's difficult to change your numbers, but you can always improve your personal statement and get better letters of rec. for next year. Definitely have MULTIPLE people look at your Personal Statement! I even went to the local university and had one of the writing tutors look mine over, this helped with the more technical side of things, helped it flow better. Anyways, just a few pieces of advice...
Good luck next year!