Columbia ETP 2015

snoozyd, NP · Feb 19, 2015

To be honest I've been a useless employee since I got the news. Especially if I'm going to Columbia, I've only got two more months in this position! As my old nursing supervisor used to say, I've "decathected" fully.

DivaliciousMe85 · Feb 19, 2015

Hey guys did anyone check out the preregistration health requirements? Does anyone know if the Hep B vaccine must be finished by the start of the program? I know it takes time and I won't have it completed by the time this program starts. Thanks for your help!

I just emailed health services about this. I had a few questions for them, this being one of them. I know I'm immune to Hep B, as I got my titers done last year, but I have no idea when I received the vaccine. I asked if I have no record of the dates of vaccination if I must get it again and if it's okay if it's not finished by the start of the program. Hopefully I get some answers soon. They emailed me very quickly this morning after I asked different questions so I'm expecting an answer by the end of the day *hoping*. I'll definitely let you know if I hear from them.

DivaliciousMe85 · Feb 19, 2015

Bellamarie, unfortunately she answered my question, but not yours. Email health services. They've been extremely helpful.

tenta · Feb 19, 2015

Just letting you all know I'm declining my spot for AC-AGNP so congrats to someone on the waitlist!

sophs12 · Feb 19, 2015

I'm incredibly stressed about the health screening. All I know is that I had the vaccines necessary to enter school in 1995. I don't think I've had hep B or hep C. I don't even live in the state I grew up in. I can't make an appointment out here yet (no doctor btw so I have to find somewhere) because I won't know what I need until my mom does some digging.

madley2814 · Feb 19, 2015

Hello everyone! Another long-time lurker who finally joined up! (It was oddly comforting the last couple of months to read all of your posts and know I wasn't alone in some of my questions and anxiety--but I never had much to add; but since acceptances have come out, I keep seeing a bunch of new posts that I feel I can contribute to.)

Briefly about me: accepted into the ETP PMHNP Cohort for 2015 (and still get goosebumps everytime I think about it!); CUSON was my one and only choice/institution that I applied to. I moved to NYC about 12 years ago, and have lived ALL OVER the city. I can't WAIT to start on this journey with all of you.

Now, as concisely as possible, just wanted to address a couple recent concerns with some (hopefully) helpful info:

1) Re: Jersey City -- it's GREAT! And a wonderful choice of place to live for affordability and proximity to the city. New Yorker's normally joke that moving to NYC gets you a 3% raise, since you no longer have to pay NYC Tax if you live there, but everyone always refers to it as the 6th boro. Also, the PATH train is CRAZY reliable (most of the time, but the same is true of the MTA), and will provide you with just as easy access to getting to CUSON campus as most of the NYC MTA lines. Also, a metrocard will work on PATH too--but not a montly-unlimited path, so factor this into your budget (I can explain this in further detail for anyone who would like me to!). PATH has some issues on the weekends, but they're really easy to work with--and during the work week, you likely will have an easier commute than those trekking in from the outer boros (Brooklyn/Queens/SI.)

2) The first thing those of you not native to the city have to come to terms with is what long-time New Yorkers call "commute comfort". What this means is that the city can appear IMMENSE, but it really isn't...and what might seem like a long-distance in a community/metropolis that relies on car-culture, is actually quite mangeable in the city--but your expectations have to be realistic. A 20-30 minute commute (one-way) from your home to ANYWHERE in the city should be totally acceptable to anyone moving here--because more often than not, that will be your minimum commute. It's also not out of the question to commute up to an hour if it means saving $1k on rent (not kidding...choosing to live in Bushwick instead of on the UWS can mean savings of at LEAST that much.) And a little something to remember: the further 'out' you live (ie, the further away from midtown Manhattan), the closer you live to the 'end of your line' (the termination point for your specific subway), which means the higher likelihood you'll get a seat! And believe me: you can get some INCREDIBLE studying done sitting in a perfectly molded subway seat, with your iPod headphones in and nowhere to go for an hour. :)

3) For the health assessment, I have some questions too...but one piece of advice I can provide: usually your undergraduate university still has records of all the immunizations you came in with--so if you're hunting down that info, ask your UG Health Services Office if they can release your records. They sometimes require an in-person signature to do so, so if you're not still in-state with your Undergrad, this might not be helpful...but it's a place to start!

I promised to be concise...not sure if I accomplished that!

Best,

Matthew

sophs12 · Feb 19, 2015

Thanks Matthew! That's a good idea.

MissesOh · Feb 19, 2015

Thanks Matthew. This is very helpful. Yes please explain in further detail about this metrocard versus PATH unlimited. I was just trying to look at it online (maybe it's because I'm at work too, a bit busy), but it seems a bit confusing!!

rcz89 · Feb 19, 2015

Hey everyone! I too have been reading this thread for the past month, and just decided to post. I was accepted for FNP and will most likely be putting my deposit down in the next few days. Its been so awesome so read everyone's posts and see that everyone is stressing about the same exact things as me, so i wanted to add my advice in hopes that it helps anyone.

I was born and raised in NYC so i have a lot of experience with the city. I've been thinking (and stressing) about this alot and i honestly think the best option for off campus housing is to live in the Washington Heights/Hamilton Heights/Morningside Heights area. It seems like we will have lots of early mornings, some late nights, and most importantly we'll want easy access to Columbia's amenities like the gym and the library. The rent in these areas is much cheaper than the rest of manhattan (i saw a bunch of three bedroom apts online for around 2400 or less, which is 800 each. That is more than reasonable for the city) so if we can match up roomates like people have previously posted, i think living right in the area should not be a problem

PublicHealthNurse1 · Feb 19, 2015

Hi, All!

Does anyone have any idea as to what was awarded for last year's financial aid packages other than the 25K grant? There aren't a lot of posts expressing concern about FA packages. I'm hoping that someone has a friend in the program or maybe a current student has info to contribute. I'm going to search the 2014 thread but was just wondering if any of you had any info on FA awards.

Thanks!

madley2814 · Feb 19, 2015

Here's the long and short of it:

A Metrocard works on the NYC MTA; and a PATH Pass (or SMARTLink Card) works on the PATH trains.

A Metrocard can be filled with money one of two ways: with TIME or with VALUE. (Time means a length of unlimited rides, either a week or a month; Value turns your Metrocard into a pre-paid cash card, so if you put $50 of VALUE on your Metrocard, you'll get 20 rides [every ride on the NYC subway is $2.50/one way].) **It's actually a little more complicated than that because there's a fare hike coming up this summer, and also the MTA overlords have tried to pacify their subjects by implementing this new system where you get a 'bonus' of value everytime you refill your card...it's difficult to understand, and I still haven't mastered it because I use a monthly unlimited.

Now, a Metrocard that has VALUE on it (not TIME) can be used on the PATH; but a Metrocard with TIME on it cannot.

Essentially--and sorry if this becomes pedantic--you'll need to ride the MTA at least twice per day, everyday, a minimum of 5 days/week for class (all PATH trains terminate at 34th street, and have an EASY and CONVENIENT transfer to MTA trains there, but that still leaves you 130 blocks south of CUSON campus, so you'll need to take the MTA subway the rest of the way). As every ride is $2.50, that's $5/day (2 rides) --> $25/week (10 rides) --> $100/month (40 rides). The unlimited 30-day/monthly metrocard is (presently) $112, or the equivalent of 44.8 rides...trust me: you wil ride the subway for some random reason at least 5 more times every month than just those "utility rides" to get you back and forth to campus during the school week.

An unlimited-30-day PATH Pass is $89/month.

So that means for $201/month, you can get back and forth to class, and ANYWHERE ELSE in NYC or Jersey City/Hoboken--which is wayyyyyyyy cheaper than living in car culture.

I reallly need to learn how to be more brief, haha.

Hope that's helpful!

sfortga · Feb 19, 2015

Hi everyone-just thought I'd chime in about housing. I talked to a friend who is in her first year of the program (she loves it by the way) and she said people do tend to live all over manhattan- she says some commute from brooklyn, even long island also, etc. She lived in morningside for the summer (for most intense part of the curriculum) but has been living downtown since. She said also to keep in mind that she has had clinicals all over the city, so it's actually been more convenient often times to be located downtown near other hospitals. Obviously it is more expensive, but I just wanted to let others who may already live in the NYC area and who don't want to relocate that it is doable to live outside morningside/washington heights area if that is what you wish! Obviously not everyone wants a longer commute but I thought I'd share that!