Columbia University MDE/DNP - Summer 2026

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UPDATE: Changes: New Log In Requirement

Did a search and haven't seen this thread yet. Thought I would get it going! Submitted my application November 4th and now just waiting to hear back. 

SamIAm26 said:

No not missing anything. I happened to be done with my pre-requisites so figured I'd submit it. 

Ah got it. Thanks for explaining. 

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agpcnp2be said:

Would you say that the disorganization is mostly in admissions, or has it affected the rest of your experience with CUSON? 

It was not reserved just for admissions and basically defined our experience from MDE through DNP. It was highly frustrating but you reach a certain point where you have to radically accept it and just view it as a means to an end, keep your head down and do what you need to do.

TrailblazerRN2023 said:

Do you remember how big cohorts are on average?  Would especially like an answer for FNP DNP, but any number for any program I will happily take a ballpark estimate on.  I've been doing my digging on this and can really only find mostly conclusive numbers on the CRNA cohort (30-35 out of *whelp over 300 applicants from what I've seen).

On average the MDE cohort is about 200-230 students. The number decreases as the program progresses and I think by the end of MDE we had lost maybe 40-50 students? The FNP cohort is usually around 50-60 students. 

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NSS0147 said:

It was not reserved just for admissions and basically defined our experience from MDE through DNP. It was highly frustrating but you reach a certain point where you have to radically accept it and just view it as a means to an end, keep your head down and do what you need to do.

On average the MDE cohort is about 200-230 students. The number decreases as the program progresses and I think by the end of MDE we had lost maybe 40-50 students? The FNP cohort is usually around 50-60 students. 

What would you say contributed to the loss of those students? I've been told the programs are so difficult that along the way people will drop or take breaks. Do you have general advice on how to succeed & stay stress free? TYIA for contributing to this thread even as an alum! 

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pyl941811 said:

What would you say contributed to the loss of those students? I've been told the programs are so difficult that along the way people will drop or take breaks. Do you have general advice on how to succeed & stay stress free? TYIA for contributing to this thread even as an alum! 

The top 2 reasons were mostly either failing out or being kicked out for disciplinary reasons (some for very legitimate reasons, others for extremely unfair reasons as some students definitely had a target on their back from admin...largely to do with issues at clinicals where the admin prioritized reputation and relationship with the clinical site over student welfare. This didn't happen directly to me but I witnessed it many times). Of course, some people might leave for personal reasons like illness etc.

I can't say I have much advice on staying stress free as for me that was personally not possible LOL. I think finding an approach that works for you is the most important thing. Don't focus on how others are doing things, focus on what methods work best for you and also realize that how you may have studied best in the past may not work for you as well in this program. Ex: I personally did not find TA review sessions to be helpful so I stopped going to them and I did fine. I don't find flashcards helpful, so I don't make them.

 Definitely have a good support system in place between friends, family, therapist etc. I think most people would agree that your friends in the cohort are what keep you going. Many people found the program to be traumatic in some shape or form (I say this to just be pragmatic and transparent) but having other people with the same shared experience really validated whatever frustration or difficulties one might have been facing. Definitely don't try to be a gunner and try to collaborate well...you never know when you are going to need to call in a favor. Try to carve out whatever small pockets of time for yourself for some form of self care, whatever that might look like for you. The program also moves extremely quickly so making sure you stay on top of deadlines and establishing how much time you personally need to study is important.

Always happy to help. As I said, it's a tough experience and I always appreciated the transparency alum and the cohort ahead of me had when discussing the program because there was a great degree of misleading from the school itself.

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NSS0147 said:

The top 2 reasons were mostly either failing out or being kicked out for disciplinary reasons (some for very legitimate reasons, others for extremely unfair reasons as some students definitely had a target on their back from admin...largely to do with issues at clinicals where the admin prioritized reputation and relationship with the clinical site over student welfare. This didn't happen directly to me but I witnessed it many times). Of course, some people might leave for personal reasons like illness etc.

 I can't say I have much advice on staying stress free as for me that was personally not possible LOL. I think finding an approach that works for you is the most important thing. Don't focus on how others are doing things, focus on what methods work best for you and also realize that how you may have studied best in the past may not work for you as well in this program. Ex: I personally did not find TA review sessions to be helpful so I stopped going to them and I did fine. I don't find flashcards helpful, so I don't make them.

 Definitely have a good support system in place between friends, family, therapist etc. I think most people would agree that your friends in the cohort are what keep you going. Many people found the program to be traumatic in some shape or form (I say this to just be pragmatic and transparent) but having other people with the same shared experience really validated whatever frustration or difficulties one might have been facing. Definitely don't try to be a gunner and try to collaborate well...you never know when you are going to need to call in a favor. Try to carve out whatever small pockets of time for yourself for some form of self care, whatever that might look like for you. The program also moves extremely quickly so making sure you stay on top of deadlines and establishing how much time you personally need to study is important.

Always happy to help. As I said, it's a tough experience and I always appreciated the transparency alum and the cohort ahead of me had when discussing the program because there was a great degree of misleading from the school itself.

This is so so so insightful. Thank you.

Do you mind elaborating on students who had a target on their back? What did they do?! That sounds awful... 

If admitted, I'll have had a background as an attorney and law school was also extremely tough and peers were not helpful - they'd try to sabotage you. There was a ton of cheating on exams, gate-keeping exam banks,  gate-keeping supplements that could help study for exams, etc. You would walk into class friendly and think others want to be your friend as well, but they would turn their backs and take advantage of your kindness... Is nursing school the same? I don't want a repeat of law school - it's why I'm leaving the profession (no one actually cares about you & the profession itself is toxic!) 

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Update: 

"Due to unforeseen circumstances with our new application system, our review process has been slightly delayed. Priority decisions are expected to be released in mid-January.

We appreciate your patience as we are reviewing applications. I hope you enjoy the holidays!”

@NSS0147 was right.... What a bummer. 

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SamIAm26 said:

Update: 

"Due to unforeseen circumstances with our new application system, our review process has been slightly delayed. Priority decisions are expected to be released in mid-January.

We appreciate your patience as we are reviewing applications. I hope you enjoy the holidays!”

@NSS0147 was right.... What a bummer. 

Thank you for the update. Appreciate you sharing what admissions said. 

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For anyone already admitted to another school, what are you planning to do given Columbia's delayed timeline? Even with a one month extension on your acceptance, that cuts it close to hearing back from Columbia (assuming they actually release decisions by mid-Jan and that isn't delayed further).

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Katherine Cullinane said:

For anyone already admitted to another school, what are you planning to do given Columbia's delayed timeline? Even with a one month extension on your acceptance, that cuts it close to hearing back from Columbia (assuming they actually release decisions by mid-Jan and that isn't delayed further).

I could very well eat my words later on, but a mid-Jan decision release wouldn't be the worse for me since that's when many of the programs I applied to either release their decisions or release interview/phase 2 invites.  At the moment though, I'm fortunate enough that the one offer I have as of yesterday from Emory states that I have until May 1 to decide and place an enrollment deposit (could have very well read that wrong though)?

Regarding plans for if timelines become to dicey, I prepared well in advance and set aside money that I'm willing to part with to secure spots in x programs should the waiting game drag out for other places.  Of course, I'd rather it not come to that, but it is at the very least accounted for on my end.

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TrailblazerRN2023 said:

I could very well eat my words later on, but a mid-Jan decision release wouldn't be the worse for me since that's when many of the programs I applied to either release their decisions or release interview/phase 2 invites.  At the moment though, I'm fortunate enough that the one offer I have as of yesterday from Emory states that I have until May 1 to decide and place an enrollment deposit (could have very well read that wrong though)?

Regarding plans for if timelines become to dicey, I prepared well in advance and set aside money that I'm willing to part with to secure spots in x programs should the waiting game drag out for other places.  Of course, I'd rather it not come to that, but it is at the very least accounted for on my end.

Overall though, I very well want a decision to come STAT for all of our sakes haha.  Between the changes in federal funding, to just overall having as much time to prepare for Summer/Fall 2026 (especially if a program is all in-person), the STAT decision would be nice even if it means cutting it close with deadlines to accept/requests for decision deadline extensions.

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I also applied by the early deadline. I was hoping to have decision by this week for an early holiday gift 😅.  I feel like waiting is the hardest part. 

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Has anyone received a interview/phase 2 invite or something saying their application has moved to the next round for Columbia?

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