Direct Entry MSN 2020 at Columbia University

Nursing Students School Programs

Updated:   Published

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!

After completing the program, are you eligible to register as an NP? 

On 11/16/2020 at 3:31 PM, Frankie10 said:

After completing the program, are you eligible to register as an NP? 

The MDE program is for a MS that allows you to sit for the NCLEX to become an RN, so when you're finished you're a nurse with a master's degree. To become an NP with Columbia you would have to continue on to one of the DNP programs or CRNA. 

Has anybody from this thread started taking classes in this program? If so, how do you like it?  I was initially looking into an ABSN, but since  it’s hard to get federal loans out for a second bachelors I’m thinking of doing a direct Masters. I saw that the program doesn’t give an MSN, but only a Masters in Science. I’m thinking of doing the MDE only & then getting some work experience before going back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner. Do people who have done a MDE always go back to school for the DNP or do some get an additional Masters w/a specialty? 

Also, the MDE program says you can’t work. Do you or any of your classmates still work part time? 

On 2/6/2021 at 5:49 PM, CrystalC said:

Also, the MDE program says you can’t work. Do you or any of your classmates still work part time? 

Hi @CrystalC

to answer both of your posts:

1. how much I like it depends on the day ?. this is a difficult time to be going to nursing school (or doing anything really!) and Columbia's program is accelerated. That has its pros (done faster, worst experiences are over quickly) and cons (sometimes it feels like we are moving so quickly we are not learning as deeply as we could be, the workload can be overwhelming at times). There are some professors who are awful and some who are wonderful, because of the pace you're not with either type for very long before you're on to the next thing. I would say the material is not dissimilar to the pre-reqs, it goes a little bit deeper, there's a nursing focus, and it's just a high volume (firehose analogy). Clinical experiences all over the city are great to see different hospital systems, though I think our actual clinical experiences could be better. If I could do it all over again I might choose another school and I wish I had applied to a program like MGH that does the direct-entry masters to be an NP for less $$. On the other hand, I hope the columbia name will open doors/strong alumni network. Tl;Dr is that I think columbia is a very decent nursing program but it is extremely expensive and can be very stressful. 

2. I'm honestly not sure about the process of going from a MS/RN to an MSN/APRN, but a ton of people do not go straight through to DNP, many go to work as RNs or do their NP elsewhere.

3. I know some people who are working 1 day/week and I worked part-time for a few months in the beginning as I wrapped up my job (in an extremely flexible position). Columbia also offered for us to work as nursing assistants at NYP for a bit this Winter two 8-hour shifts a week max if we wanted to, and some people took them up on it so are working 1-2 days a week and getting paid for that.

I think if you can swing it so that you are not working, you'll be glad, it's really just a lot to stay on top of and you'll be happy for a little downtime. If you are going to work, I would try to keep it to one day a week, best if on a weekend. Columbia changes the schedule randomly during the week with meetings, sim labs, or whatever but weekends are our own! Also I would add that a bunch of people have kids in this program and that seems to me like a job in and of itself and they're balancing it all, and if you're not particularly concerned about grades and/or things come super quickly to you, you may find you have more flexibility to work

Sorry this is so long and I hope it's helpful! 

That was BEYOND HELPFUL! Thank you so much! I really appreciate you taking the time to go into detail! 

+ Add a Comment