Direct-entry MSN programs

Published

just moving the other thread to its new home. Here's where we talk about issues unique to Master's-entry programs!

Specializes in Pain Management.

I am applying to an Accelerated BSN program and I was wondering if it is easier for me to be accepted and to recieve scholarships because I am a man. I've heard this from several different nurses and I thought it was probably one of those urban legends.

If I got accepted just because I am a guy, I would have a problem with that.

Different topics: does having a masters degree in a health care field increase odds of acceptance? The reason I am curious is because there seems to be such a wide variety of the bachelors degrees of accepted applicants into the two masters entry NP programs that I checked out (University of Washington and Seattle University).

Also, do any programs look at masters level GPA? My GPA from my three year masters of acupuncture program is about a 3.8 for 190 credits, but my bachelor's GPA is only about a 3.25 (I was in a fraternity).

Thanks to all.

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I am applying to an accelerated BSN program and I was wondering if it is easier for me to be accepted and to recieve scholarships because I am a man. I've heard this from several different nurses and I thought it was probably one of those urban legends.

If I got accepted just because I am a guy, I would have a problem with that.

Different topics: does having a masters degree in a health care field increase odds of acceptance? The reason I am curious is because there seems to be such a wide variety of the bachelors degrees of accepted applicants into the two masters entry NP programs that I checked out (University of Washington and Seattle University).

Also, do any programs look at masters level GPA? My GPA from my three year masters of acupuncture program is about a 3.8 for 190 credits, but my bachelor's GPA is only about a 3.25 (I was in a fraternity).

Thanks to all.

Hi Josh

I can't anwer your questions, but I wanted to say Hi and ask what other schools you are applying to. I have BS in biology and 4 years of grad school in cell biology (towards a phd, which i'm not going to get.... and my program won't even give me a master's :o ) and am applying to direct-entry MSN-NP programs. I looked into the Seattle programs, but they have so many specific requirements (esp UW) that I think I'm going to stay on the east coast (prob Boston).

Hmmm, I really hope that they consider whichever GPA is higher! I have a 3.97 from undergrad and something like a 3.6 from grad school... in my program b's are as good as a's so I never made too much of an effort in class, spent my time in lab instead.

I doubt you'll be accepted just because you are a guy. You'll be accepted because you're a good candidate! I applied to and was admitted to a mostly-male graduate program (structural biology), and they made a point of telling me that being female didn't help me out at all.

Anyhow, welcome and good luck!

janony

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Specializes in Ortho, Med surg and L&D.
Hi Josh

I can't anwer your questions, but I wanted to say Hi and ask what other schools you are applying to. I have BS in biology and 4 years of grad school in cell biology (towards a phd, which i'm not going to get.... and my program won't even give me a master's :o ) ...

janony

Janony,

That is such a bummer! Hopefully things will turn out for the absolute best and I am sure that direct entry programs will see how stellar you are and grab you up right away!

Gen

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I agree with Janony- your record is the important thing. I sure hope janony

has been to the Dean and if necessary to the Board of Trustee about her situation. This happens all to often to good students who do the work, pay their money and the school makes no effort the compensate them. If all else

fails- see a good lawyer. When they are served paper for a hearing and are asked to provide documents, it can really shake those creeps out of their ivory towers. Sorry to highjack this thread, but this is a disgrace that graduate school get away with all the time and the students pay big time! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Hi Josh

I can't anwer your questions, but I wanted to say Hi and ask what other schools you are applying to. I have BS in biology and 4 years of grad school in cell biology (towards a phd, which i'm not going to get.... and my program won't even give me a master's :o ) and am applying to direct-entry MSN-NP programs. I looked into the Seattle programs, but they have so many specific requirements (esp UW) that I think I'm going to stay on the east coast (prob Boston).

Hmmm, I really hope that they consider whichever GPA is higher! I have a 3.97 from undergrad and something like a 3.6 from grad school... in my program b's are as good as a's so I never made too much of an effort in class, spent my time in lab instead.

I doubt you'll be accepted just because you are a guy. You'll be accepted because you're a good candidate! I applied to and was admitted to a mostly-male graduate program (structural biology), and they made a point of telling me that being female didn't help me out at all.

Anyhow, welcome and good luck!

janony

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I agree with Janony- your record is the important thing. I sure hope janony

has been to the Dean and if necessary to the Board of Trustee about her situation. This happens all to often to good students who do the work, pay their money and the school makes no effort the compensate them. If all else

fails- see a good lawyer. When they are served paper for a hearing and are asked to provide documents, it can really shake those creeps out of their ivory towers. Sorry to highjack this thread, but this is a disgrace that graduate school get away with all the time and the students pay big time! :angryfire :angryfire :angryfire

Ooops, I guess I was really not clear about my academic situation in that post. If you read back a couple weeks I explained it in more detail. Basically, I'm NOT getting kicked out of grad school. I'm leaving. My program's policy is not to grant a master's degree except under exceptional circumstance. My circumstances don't qualify as exceptional, even though I've done enough work for a masters 2x over. It's phd or nothing.

My school has actually been pretty decent to me. I get tuition and a stipend (so i pay nothing at all), health insurance, a choice of advisors, etc. And my advisor really wants me to stay, it's just that I'm *miserable* here. Academic biology is not for me.

Anyhow, I appreciate the anger on my behalf ;) , but no need. I'm bringing my graduate school troubles on myself by leaving early! I do really wish I could get a masters just so I'd have something to show for 4 years of my life, but it doesn't work that way here.

janony

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Specializes in Pain Management.

Janony - Now I am applying to the Accelerated BSN program at the Research College of Nursing in Kansas City (http://www.researchcollege.edu ). I was in the process of applying for a masters entry NP at both the University of Washington and Seattle University, but I couldn't justify 3 1/2 more years away from my family (health reasons).

The program at Seattle University was the first in the area and has had a few graduating classes while the program at UW hasn't had a class graduate yet (they will next year). UW is the #1 ranked nursing school by US News and World Report (if you believe the rankings) and I salivated at all of the potential NP focus areas...although I would still do FP.

But I am excited to get back home. In addition, my baby's momma will graduate acupuncture school next June, so if we stayed in Seattle she would have to start her practice, work two years, then relocate when we moved to KC. This way we can build the practice once we move to KC without having to relocate.

With your background in cell bio, are you going into clinical nursing or research?

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Hey Smile

I'm in NCal - Berkeley area, and it's cold and icky. Not that I miss the mad humidity of NY, but still, this is my summer vac! I did just call up an old friend and we're going to meet for coffee in a bit. I didn't realize that not needing a car in NY does not = not having a car in CA. Right, I should read my med-surg. And quit smoking. I should get right on that...

Hi elizabells,

I'm in Berkeley too...just moved up here from so. cal. I can't believe how cold August is! Everyone keeps telling me it warms up in September/October. Can't wait. :) This is my first post... I'm an aspiring Direct Entry student, I'm going to start working on pre-reqs ASAP, although I have missed the semester start at the local community college. How do you think schools feel about online classes? Keep in mind I am going to be compensating for a low GPA and no direct healthcare experience. Although I am going to start volunteering here soon at Alta Bates.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi to a fellow Bezerklian. :)

Izzy

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Hi elizabells,

I'm in Berkeley too...just moved up here from so. cal. I can't believe how cold August is! Everyone keeps telling me it warms up in September/October. Can't wait. :) This is my first post... I'm an aspiring Direct Entry student, I'm going to start working on pre-reqs ASAP, although I have missed the semester start at the local community college. How do you think schools feel about online classes? Keep in mind I am going to be compensating for a low GPA and no direct healthcare experience. Although I am going to start volunteering here soon at Alta Bates.

Anyway, just wanted to say hi to a fellow Bezerklian. :)

Izzy

Hi Izzy,

Welcome! You might want to check out the quarter classes at some community colleges. They don't start until the 2nd or 3rd week in Sept. On line classes for some of the pre-reqs are fine too. I took Dev Psych online which was great; the flexibility helped me while I was taking other lab classes in Anatomy and Physiology. That's good you are going to volunteer at Alta Bates! Take care.

Smile123

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Hi Izzy,

Welcome! You might want to check out the quarter classes at some community colleges. They don't start until the 2nd or 3rd week in Sept. On line classes for some of the pre-reqs are fine too. I took Dev Psych online which was great; the flexibility helped me while I was taking other lab classes in Anatomy and Physiology. That's good you are going to volunteer at Alta Bates! Take care.

Smile123

Hi Smile and thanks! I'll look into that today and see if there are any CC's on the quarter system. I looked into taking classes at Cal through Extension but geez they are expensive! Do you think it matters much to admissions of these Direct-Entry programs if you took the classes online or in an actual classroom? Particularly A&P/Micro?

Thanks!

Izzy

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Hi Izzy,

I'm new to the forum, too! I just finished my first quarter in the Masters Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at UCSF. I would recommend that you take the most rigorous anatomy, physiology, and microbiology courses, if possible. It's pretty helpful when you take pathophysiology because the course is very fast paced. Good luck!

integrativebio

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Hi Izzy,

Welcome! You might want to check out the quarter classes at some community colleges. They don't start until the 2nd or 3rd week in Sept. On line classes for some of the pre-reqs are fine too. I took Dev Psych online which was great; the flexibility helped me while I was taking other lab classes in Anatomy and Physiology. That's good you are going to volunteer at Alta Bates! Take care.

Smile123

Let me also put in a plug for the Berkeley Free Clinic. It's a couple of blocks from UC. I got GREAT experience there as a Volunteer Medic in the men's STD clinic. You do physical exams, interview clients, obtain specimens/do blood draws, do UA to check for WBC, dispense oral meds, etc. under the supervision of a volunteer MD or NP. Other parts of the clinic do different things, depending on what section you work in. I did one afternoon a week for 2 years.

DL

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Hi Izzy,

I'm new to the forum, too! I just finished my first quarter in the Masters Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN) at UCSF. I would recommend that you take the most rigorous anatomy, physiology, and microbiology courses, if possible. It's pretty helpful when you take pathophysiology because the course is very fast paced. Good luck!

integrativebio

Hi integrativebio! That's so impressive that you go into the program at UCSF. Unfortunately my stats aren't good enough for me to have a chance there.

Thanks for the tip about the courses.... that leads me to my next question then... are ANY of the online courses rigorous enough to give me the foundation I will need to keep up in a MEPN-like program?

So how are you finding the course load to be? I'm concerned about having time for my boyfriend (we live together) and also having a life.... I'm probably dreaming, aren't I?

Thanks again!

Izzy

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