Direct Entry Programs- How hard to get in?

[GoodyNurse2b]

Thanks for all of your responses to all of my previous posts. As you probably assume, I'm evaluating all of my options including ADN, BSN, and Direct-Entry MSN. The direct entry programs look extremely appealing, but seeing that they are at the best of colleges, I don't know how easy they are to get in.

Does anyone know what the typical GPA, scores, acceptance rates of these programs are? Anyone have any experience applying?

I'm in MD, so I'd consider Hopkins, but Columbia, MGHI in Mass, Case Western, Vanderbilt, Pace, and Yale also look appealing.

Seeing as nursing traditionally isn't an "ivy league" profession, are the credentials required for these programs less than what a typical "ivy" student would need?

I'd love to hear experiences with any programs.........

[Gennaver, MSN]

I think having the BSN/RN degree is good if you want the flexibility to leave one program with a BSN/RN and then go to another for the masters. If you are in a 3 year RN/MSN program and you go straight through, that's fine.You have a masters. But if you after the 1st year you don't like it, then you have a RN, but no masters. Then what happens if you want to apply for a masters later on? That's something to think about.

Smile123

Hello Smile,

For me the RN/BSN isn't really necessary because my whole ambition is indeed to go for the direct entry.

However, If I did not get in for that then the back up plan which I keep mentioning is indeed the ADN, (RN). Even still, then I would reapply to the same grad school for their MSN, (seeing as they have all my admissions stuff anyhow and that is where I want to go!)

I would hate to imagine any one at this level of intention and dedication realizing after one year that they don't like it. Ugh, that would be a super shock and surprise.

Hope it doesn't happen to anyone of use here. :)

Fingers crossed!

:)

Gen

[Gennaver, MSN]

UMass Worcester called today for an interview (at 6:45am!) I was still hitting the snooze button here in the West

I didn't have the heart to say no, so I agreed to an interview next week. Should I cancel and get the inevitable denial letter, or go forward with it, even though I have no intention of following through and attending?

I'm such a softie :smackingf

Diana

PdxDreamer,

Oy. I am a former 'overly-softie' myself. Let me speak from the heart and kindly so....To answer your question, yes, cancel. Unless of course you really want to pursue this.

Gen

p.s. if you have no intention of attending, why would you spin your wheels like this to go for an interview? Is there something that you want? Maybe you aren't aware that you want it?

[max6well]

tell umass that while they are a strong option, you've decided to put them on your waiting list!

UMass Worcester called today for an interview (at 6:45am!) I was still hitting the snooze button here in the West

I didn't have the heart to say no, so I agreed to an interview next week. Should I cancel and get the inevitable denial letter, or go forward with it, even though I have no intention of following through and attending?

I'm such a softie :smackingf

Diana

[smile123]

Hello Smile,

For me the RN/BSN isn't really necessary because my whole ambition is indeed to go for the direct entry.

However, If I did not get in for that then the back up plan which I keep mentioning is indeed the ADN, (RN). Even still, then I would reapply to the same grad school for their MSN, (seeing as they have all my admissions stuff anyhow and that is where I want to go!)

I would hate to imagine any one at this level of intention and dedication realizing after one year that they don't like it. Ugh, that would be a super shock and surprise.

Hope it doesn't happen to anyone of use here. :)

Fingers crossed!

:)

Gen

Hi Gen,

It's not to say a person who signed up for direct entry would want stop at a BSN/RN. However, people do change schools due to other factors - spouse got a job somewhere else, curriculum or faculty did not meet expectations, financial aid did not come through the way they thought, there were unexpected health problems, etc. So perhaps they do their RN at school A and then for some reason need to go to school B for the master's portion. That's all I'm saying. I plan to go on for my RN and then masters!

Smile123

[Gennaver, MSN]

tell umass that while they are a strong option, you've decided to put them on your waiting list!

Max6well,

I like this style, short and simple and directly to the point.

This may be the winner.

Gen

[Peachy720]

Hey everyone!!

Been lurking in this thread for the last 10 pages or so..just wanted to say a big "congrats" to everyone!!

I do have a question (as always)--last night, I was surfing UPenn's Direct Entry Program--don't think I'll be applying because with all those Organics and Biochems, it would be another 3 years just to enter!! [i'm still trying to finish my first!]. One thing I found interesting is that it said you should take SEMESTER classes and not QUARTER classes. What do you guys think on this one? I'm signed up for A&P I this summer, and I'm nervous enough as it is without reading this...any tips or thoughts?

Thanks again!

[PdxDreamer]

This statement basically implies that you should not take your courses at a community college. CC's run on a quarter system instead of a semester system. I think that is an offensive remark by UPenn. I have been doing all of my prereqs at CC and it has saved me time and money. For me to have to pay a private institution or a state school just to get prereqs would be very expensive. CC allows me to go to school at night and still have money to pay for grad school. Unless UPenn is giving out scholarships left and right, you will need to save as much now as you can.

I usually don't get angry about anything, but this statement really got to me. I have had such a good experience at my community college. My teachers are all chemists, biologists, engineers, scientists....and they are great! OHSU, one of the best nursing schools in the country is located in Portland. They accept credits from community college and don't have any preference.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now - just giving my

Take Care, Diana

[arciedee]

I don't think that they are referring to community colleges. The CCs near me are all on semester systems. I think it's just that quarter system courses are shorter (they have to be since the year is carved up into 4 sections instead of two or three in the semester system... by three I'm including summer semesters for schools that offer them). So perhaps they are concerned that a course taken in a quarter system will not go as in-depth as those on the semester system. If it's a concern I'd either talk to the school you're looking at or the school with the quarter system to find out how they deal with these situations.

[Gennaver, MSN]

Hi Gen,

It's not to say a person who signed up for direct entry would want stop at a BSN/RN. However, people do change schools due to other factors - spouse got a job somewhere else, curriculum or faculty did not meet expectations, financial aid did not come through the way they thought, there were unexpected health problems, etc. So perhaps they do their RN at school A and then for some reason need to go to school B for the master's portion. That's all I'm saying. I plan to go on for my RN and then masters!

Smile123

Hi,

Thanks, now I get you. :)

Now I am back to wondering though, just like when I contacted my undergrad's nursing department about bridging to a BSN with a Grad RN certificate, (not with the MSN, just the RN certificate.)

I am just playing this around now but, wonder what will happen if the new entry level becomes a BSN and we all already have BAs' or BSs' and then will also have Graduate RN certificates. Somehow I can't see our degrees not being recognized. I mean, we will have all the core of an undergraduate, all the pre-reqs and then not only 200-300 level nursing courses, (as for the BSN), but the 400 level required for grads.

It is exciting to help promote this relatively new concept! I am already having ot explain to former coworkers, (at a women's health center where I am also a patient) how it is that I am trying to go to grad school for nursing when my major is not a BSN.

:)

Gen

[Peachy720]

Thanks Diana and Arciedee!!! I really appreciate the info!!

Diana--sorry to have gotten you riled up with Penn.. I completely agree with you. While I'm going to a four-year right now, I know that the most respected nursing program here in Louisiana is through a two-year community college! Sheesh, you would think with the amount of money we're going to spend at their schools for these programs, they'd give a little break with the pre-reqs!!

[smile123]

This statement basically implies that you should not take your courses at a community college. CC's run on a quarter system instead of a semester system.

Okay, I'll get off my soapbox now - just giving my

Take Care, Diana

Actually, that's not quite true. Yes, UPenna would like you to have semester credits instead of quarter credits, but it does not matter if you took them at a CC or a university. It just that they are on the semester system.

You can do a quick conversion: 3 quarter credits = 2 semester credits OR 1.5 quarter credits = 1 semester credit to figure out if you have enough credits for the pre-req classes you are taking. They can also be lenient if you needed .5 of a semester credit for a course.

I know of 2 CCs where I live where 1 is on the quarter system and the other is on semesters, so it really depends on the school you go to. Another data point: my friend who went to CC with me (on the quarter system) got into UPenna last year for the direct entry BSN/Gerontology NP. She was able to take the Org/biochem pre-req at UPenna on top of her other classes. She also got a RA ship to be a resident in the dorms and probably some other loans for financial aid. So she doesn't really have to pay much out of pocket. If you have everything except for Chem, I would still apply and see what happens.

Smile123

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

I don't think that they are referring to community colleges. The CCs near me are all on semester systems. I think it's just that quarter system courses are shorter (they have to be since the year is carved up into 4 sections instead of two or three in the semester system... by three I'm including summer semesters for schools that offer them). So perhaps they are concerned that a course taken in a quarter system will not go as in-depth as those on the semester system. If it's a concern I'd either talk to the school you're looking at or the school with the quarter system to find out how they deal with these situations.

When I applied to Penn this kind of amused me. I went to UC Santa Cruz, which was on the quarter system. A couple of other UC schools were on semesters. Our "less in depth" quarter classes were all five units, while the semester classes at UC San Diego were four.

And Gen me love, I think it's less about not liking nursing, but more about deciding not to finish the master's portion right away. I could have sworn I made a whole post about this a couple days ago, but it seems to have vanished. My point, though, was that especially for those of us in tracks like neonatology and CRNA, where we have to take a year or two to work in between pre-licensure and master's studies, it may come to pass that we decide we really just love the bedside nursing and want to do that for a while longer. In that instance, going to a program that grants a BSN might be preferable. Kisses everyone!

46 days oh my god oh my god oh my god where's the Xanax??? kidding!