Direct Entry MSN 2020 at Columbia University

[FutureRN2FNP]

Hello Everyone, The applications for June 2020 at Columbia University has now opened. I haven't seen any new threads for this year so I wanted to start one. I am in the process of applying and half way done! References already sent their recommendations!! and an upside to this year is that Columbia University is no longer requiring the GRE. SO I am pretty happy about that!!

Good Luck!

[Nurse luckynp]

3 minutes ago, momo90 said:

@Nurse luckynp Yes! just got that email. Dr. Ferrara was fantastic on visiting day (+ he has a great NP-focused Twitter account) so I am really looking forward to this. Again, love the communication, updates, and thoughtfulness we've received so far considering the chaos of the moment.

OMG! Yes honestly it’s like a breath of fresh air amidst this trying time. I love the feedback and response and how the faculty and staff are tirelessly making sure we have a great year ahead of us even whilst a pandemic I couldn’t be more pleased in my choice. While the price tag ? is not appealing at least the school is going above and beyond.

[momo90, MSN]

11 minutes ago, Nurse luckynp said:

OMG! Yes honestly it’s like a breath of fresh air amidst this trying time. I love the feedback and response and how the faculty and staff are tirelessly making sure we have a great year ahead of us even whilst a pandemic I couldn’t be more pleased in my choice. While the price tag ? is not appealing at least the school is going above and beyond.

1000000%

I'm going to feel so stressed about the cost of the program until I pay off my loans (someday), but I knew that going in and made the decision after a lot of careful thought and discussion. I can't speak about how other programs are handling things, but I do feel like that high price tag is already demonstrating its value with CUSON's handling of the situation. I was so proud to see that almost the entire 2020 graduating class signed up to work as nursing assistants at NYP during this final semester, and that Columbia facilitated that for them after the students voiced an interest. As a side note, I thought this was especially wonderful given that med schools are graduating students early but they get to go work at the top of their license as MDs, while the nursing students are in a nursing assistant capacity rather than working as RNs, and they STILL signed up to go to the front lines. It really speaks to the heart of nursing and I think to the group that Columbia assembles in each cohort. Anyway... I don't want to seem like I work for Columbia admissions ? I am just really happy with my choice after a lot of stress deciding and I'm excited to start in just a few weeks. Columbia seems to be really responsive to students' needs, which I know I will value a lot during a stressful/rigorous program.

[Nurse luckynp]

2 minutes ago, momo90 said:

1000000%

I'm going to feel so stressed about the cost of the program until I pay off my loans (someday), but I knew that going in and made the decision after a lot of careful thought and discussion. I can't speak about how other programs are handling things, but I do feel like that high price tag is already demonstrating its value with CUSON's handling of the situation. I was so proud to see that almost the entire 2020 graduating class signed up to work as nursing assistants at NYP during this final semester, and that Columbia facilitated that for them after the students voiced an interest. As a side note, I thought this was especially wonderful given that med schools are graduating students early but they get to go work at the top of their license as MDs, while the nursing students are in a nursing assistant capacity rather than working as RNs, and they STILL signed up to go to the front lines. It really speaks to the heart of nursing and I think to the group that Columbia assembles in each cohort. Anyway... I don't want to seem like I work for Columbia admissions ? I am just really happy with my choice after a lot of stress deciding and I'm excited to start in just a few weeks. Columbia seems to be really responsive to students' needs, which I know I will value a lot during a stressful/rigorous program.

Yes @momo90 well said! It’s like you’re reading my mind or something get out! No I’m just kidding but yes money well spent I definitely hope I will be singing praises once the program is complete and I’m really excited to see what they have in store for us. Oh did you get to research the online simulation lab module we will be using at home? It looks very interesting and fun.

[momo90, MSN]

@Nurse luckynp Hahahaha! Yet another reason to love Columbia, I feel like everyone in the class is just super smart, kind, and good-hearted individuals. I hope we still get to gel as a class even with the online portion first, but I think we will. I've taken a bunch of online classes before and I think they are (for the most part) what you make of them, and I definitely have distance-education friends to this day. Are you already in the NYC area or relocating here?

I didn't check out the online sim lab but that's GREAT to know it looks good. I took a couple of pre-reqs with Hopkins and the online labs they had were a little strange, but that was a different system. I know they were just trying to give us silver linings but it is cool that we will be able to hear both normal and abnormal heart/lung sounds, skin conditions, etc., with this program. I definitely plan to rope unsuspecting family and neighbors into being my guinea pigs. I hope my husband is ready to get his BP and hearing checked every day this Summer!

[largar]

Something to think about in regards to what our in-person clinical experience might look like in the context of covid.

My mom shared this with me. She is a nurse educator and has been following this closely:

“This policy brief is the collaborative effort of nursing leaders who propose and support academic-practice partnerships between health care facilities and pre-licensure registered nursing (RN) and practical/vocational nursing (PN/VN) programs across the country during the COVID-19 crisis. This is one potential model to consider. It is not mandated, rather an innovative approach to meeting academic and workforce needs.”

http://www.nln.org/newsroom/news-releases/news-release/2020/03/26/u.s.-nursing-supports-practice-academic-partnerships-during-covid-19-crisis

We are at the forefront of changing tides in healthcare due to this pandemic and I am confident Columbia will be a leader in implementing innovative strategies that will accomplish the dual purposes of meeting the clinical needs of nursing students and bolstering the strained workforce. We got this!

[Nurse luckynp]

3 hours ago, momo90 said:

@Nurse luckynp Hahahaha! Yet another reason to love Columbia, I feel like everyone in the class is just super smart, kind, and good-hearted individuals. I hope we still get to gel as a class even with the online portion first, but I think we will. I've taken a bunch of online classes before and I think they are (for the most part) what you make of them, and I definitely have distance-education friends to this day. Are you already in the NYC area or relocating here?

I didn't check out the online sim lab but that's GREAT to know it looks good. I took a couple of pre-reqs with Hopkins and the online labs they had were a little strange, but that was a different system. I know they were just trying to give us silver linings but it is cool that we will be able to hear both normal and abnormal heart/lung sounds, skin conditions, etc., with this program. I definitely plan to rope unsuspecting family and neighbors into being my guinea pigs. I hope my husband is ready to get his BP and hearing checked every day this Summer!

Awe that’s a shame I would have thought for CU and Hopkins to be on the equivalent level especially when it comes to offering an online lab module. Sorry to hear that it was strange for you, hopefully we will come to love and not be able to live without CU’s version.
Yeah I plan to do vitals on my husband first and if he gets annoyed and bothered then my dog will be next hahahah!

[Nurse luckynp]

4 hours ago, momo90 said:

@Nurse luckynp Yes! just got that email. Dr. Ferrara was fantastic on visiting day (+ he has a great NP-focused Twitter account) so I am really looking forward to this. Again, love the communication, updates, and thoughtfulness we've received so far considering the chaos of the moment.

So I guess I will need to follow him on Twitter to see what he has going on. Thank you for letting me know this!

[thatguy183812]

I am just mostly concerned about the fall semester. If the Summer+fall are online, then half the program is online. I am just worried about getting the best education possible (I prefer in-class environments). I'm not sure I like the idea of paying so much money for half of the program being online.

[Nurse luckynp]

27 minutes ago, thatguy183812 said:

I am just mostly concerned about the fall semester. If the Summer+fall are online, then half the program is online. I am just worried about getting the best education possible (I prefer in-class environments). I'm not sure I like the idea of paying so much money for half of the program being online.

I totally get it because I also chose CU for the entire experience It had to offer and I also prefer learning in a classroom setting amongst my peers but at least we can say that our program, is not being delayed like some other schools are doing at this time.
We will have to make the best of it and hopefully we can return in the fall but the social distancing will prob have to be implemented so I guess smaller class settings and even smaller lab sim and clinicals.

[micho]

hi everyone!

I am applying to the MDE/DNP program specifically for pediatrics for June 2021.

I know Columbia uses a holistic approach when it comes to looking at applications, but I was wondering if anyone would mind sharing their stats (even if they did not get in or if they just got into the MDE program)?

My stats:

Graduating from Penn State in 3.5 years with my B.S in neuroscience psychology Fall 2020. Hopefully by the time I graduate my GPA is around 3.3 (maybe a 3.4). My prerequisite GPA is possibly 4.0 just have to take nutrition and Microbiology, otherwise shouldn't be lower than a 3.75. I have done research since freshman year and am a research assistant, I volunteered in both inpatient and outpatient physical therapy clinics, was the captain of the women's tennis team, have been a tennis instructor for about 5 years, this Summer I will be attending Duke's DPT Summer discovery program, and since freshman year been apart of THON (the worlds largest student run philanthropy raising millions of dollars a year to help children impacted with pediatric cancer). I have a bunch more leadership experiences and extracurriculars, however, those are the main ones.

[momo90, MSN]

@michellemirjani hi there! You have a very impressive resume and I am sure Columbia would be excited to have you as a student next year. From what I’ve seen, even though it doesn’t help with the application anxiety, Columbia has a truly a holistic admissions process. I was accepted into both MDE and DNP with great undergrad and pre req GPAs and 4 years of emergency room volunteer experience, but I was also working a FT non-HC job and was a non traditional student (took a few years off between starting and finishing undergrad to work). At visiting day I met students with tremendous variety in their backgrounds, so there is no one preferred type of student. Many students that I met were from NY, MA, CA, Chicago, and TX predominantly but others too. There was every type of previous job and some students straight out of undergrad. I believe they do have approximate minimum GPAs for pre reqs but you seem to have great stats so I wouldn’t worry. It sounds silly but just be true to yourself during the written essays and video essay- show them who you are and why you want to be a nurse and why Columbia specifically. Best of luck!!

[micho]

@momo90 thank you so much!! I know I shouldn't have application anxiety, but it is so hard not to! I really appreciate you advice though, thank you again!