CSULB EL-MSN Fall 2009--any applicants/ current students?

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Hi, everyone! I am getting ready to submit my application to CSULB's EL-MSN program--who else is applying?

Also are there any current students or graduates from this program out there? What do you think of the program--can you offer any advice?

Thanks!!

so much to think about........!

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Levoila, do you know if we can work part-time during later 18 month period?

In case of CSULA, they said that one can even work full-time (and required to work)

On the other hand in CSUF, they said most do not work at all because of workload.

I don't know how it is with CSULB

And I don't think we can change to NP mid-track, right?

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Levoila, do you know if we can work part-time during later 18 month period?

In case of CSULA, they said that one can even work full-time (and required to work)

On the other hand in CSUF, they said most do not work at all because of workload.

I don't know how it is with CSULB

Well during the CSUF interview, Dr. Wickman said that at least half of the class was working part-time.

For CSULB, if I remember correctly, she said that they didn't recommend working during the first 18 months, but if we chose to switch to a part-time school schedule, we'd be able to work. I might be confusing information, but I do vaguely remember Monalisa Ward making a distinction between those who continued at the accelerated pace, versus those who didn't. I guess we could just call and clarify.

This would be an important deciding factor for me since I'll need experience to eventually become a NP.

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levoila, doesn't CSULB give BSN after first 16 months? For some reason, that's my impression.

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Levoila, do you know if we can work part-time during later 18 month period?

In case of CSULA, they said that one can even work full-time (and required to work)

On the other hand in CSUF, they said most do not work at all because of workload.

I don't know how it is with CSULB

And I don't think we can change to NP mid-track, right?

Regarding changing to NP, it would be after finishing the CNS MSN coursework. During the info session, Monalisa Ward said that we'd be able to transition into the post-master's NP certification program once we finished the MSN coursework without having to reapply. This makes getting the work experience in there somewhere essential.

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I am planning to call Monday morning... hopefully she will be able to talk.

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That sounds even more awesome. By any change, do you know if MSN coursework means MSN core coursework or the whole CNS stuff? I'll have to ask Ms. Ward for more info.

Eventually, I want to become nurse educator, and I like that CUSLB has something called "functional minor in education" that you can do on top of specialty.

Before that, I'm leaning to public health, but I imagine that I'll have to do clinical nursing to become nurse educator. (To be honest, I don't really know anything about nursing field. )

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Levoila, i just read on their website that el-msn program does give bsn degree, too. So it looks like no brainer to me. Besides, I'd like to see you there :)

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thanks so much levoila! i can't pm right now, but glad you got in too!

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Thanks DJC85--what other options are you considering? How has this acceptance affected your decision-making?

I wish it were a no-brainer for me :(

15 months= BSN or 36 months= BSN & MSN and the possibility to stick around to get the NP post-master's certification (without having to reapply and therefore avoiding the agonizing over whether or not we get accepted).

On the one hand, if I do the A-BSN, I'd be starting in a few weeks and would be done August 2010 and working towards getting the experience I'd need for the NP MSN. On the other hand, if I do the CSULB program I would have both a BSN and MSN by the time I would barely be applying for the MSN with plan A.

My problem is that I can't see into the future to know which of the two would prepare me better for my ultimate goal of being a nurse practitioner and hopefully working with médecins sans frontières. I think the critical care training for the CNS degree would be helpful and then I could just transition into the post-master's certification program...my biggest concern is the experience I'd be getting. I need to clarify whether or not students work after getting the BSN and whether or not that necessitates them attending school part-time (and thus adding more time to the completion of this step).

I need to call and ask questions about all of these things.

Does anyone know anyone who is currently in the program--what color scrubs would we have to get? I already bought my uniforms for CSUN (if I ended up going to CSULB, I'd have to see if I could return/exchange them)

CSUN seemed like the perfect choice for so long and now I have this unexpected other choice that seems better in many ways.

Does anyone know anything about employers sponsoring you to get your master's if you already have your BSN? I wonder if that would be a realistic option.

My head hurts from going over all the pros/cons of each one.

mnguy which program are you leaning toward?

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Specializes in float pool, ED.

I am interested in a program/ comparison in the Excelsior College BSN or MSN program---- I would like input to other programs. I have an ASN from Excelsior/ Thank you.

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I had only heard negative things about excelsior--did you have a good experience? Did you have trouble getting licensed?

I don't know really know anything about excelsior. I'm only famiiar with the programs in the Los Angeles area. From what I understood, Excelsior is an out of state, online school.

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