Direct-entry programs

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Hi all,

I recently got into MGH Institute of Health Professions' direct-entry nursing program. I would prefer to begin my career as a mid-level provider, so this direct-entry program is most attractive. However, attending this school would put me into some serious debt (some $175,000 total). If I take this route, I will start my career as an NP at 24 years old. Considering that I will start off making $85k and up to $100k, is this debt doable? What would you recommend?

Also, does anyone have any experience with MGH IHP? Any alumni or current students? Thank you all for your input!!

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$175k is an awful lot of debt to take on in relation to your expected earnings as a new NP.

A friend of mine went through the MGH direc-entry NP program and really liked it (although she ended up not liking being an NP and hasn't worked as one since shortly after she finished school).

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

Honestly, you should probably see if you even like being a nurse before leaping to becoming a nurse practitioner before sinking that much money into student loans. You may even want to try working as a CNA or a volunteer to make sure you even like working with patients at all in health care before sinking that much money into becoming a nurse. I will try to keep my thoughts here minimal about the general public even having an availability of schools to chose from to start out in nursing as a nurse practitioner right out of the gates, to myself, sort of. What about trying the physicians assistant route instead?

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I made some horrible choices when it comes to student loans, and I regret them. Truth be told, I did not even understand how interest accrues on student loans before I got them. I strongly encourage you to look at the link provided and calculate how much you'll be paying in interest daily on $175,000 in loans. In the end, you end up paying far, far more than the original loan amount. Also, people say that student loans are "good debt", which is not necessarily true considering debt to income ratio. Finally, remember that these loans can't ever be discharged in bankruptcy, so, if for any reason, you're unable to keep up with the payments, be prepared for endless calls from the lender and, eventually, a collection agency. I would look for a more affordable nursing program.

American Education Services - Interest

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I went about 130k into debt for my direct entry master's. It was totally worth it, but my loan payments are now $1000/month. That is doable on the average NP salary, but means that I still live on a budget and not luxuriously AT ALL. 175 is significantly greater than 130 ... Do you already have undergrad loans or has MGH raised their prices to match their name brand? Do you have any other direct entry options?

ps being an NP is nothing line being an RN or CNA. If you want to be a provider, go for the DE-MSN and just do it!

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Thank you for your input coast2coast! I have about $15,000 worth of loans from undergrad, and i factored in other fees and living expenses to come up with the $175k.

I'm waiting to hear back from Simmons College and Northeastern. I'm worried that I put all my eggs in one basket by applying to such an expensive area (Boston) and only direct-entry. However, I'm only 21 years old and I somehow feel that I will have the time to pay back all those loans. Advice?

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.

ps being an NP is nothing line being an RN or CNA. If you want to be a provider, go for the DE-MSN and just do it!

I was not implying that it was similar, only that it is an advanced degree that should be meant for an already working nurse to advance into through added higher education. I am proud to be a nurse, and maybe one day I'll chose to advance my education to become a nurse practitioner. It just happens to be my opinion on the subject. I have read many of your posts and have developed quite a bit of respect for your knowledgable replies (unless I'm getting you mixed up with another poster - could be) but I do find it odd, if not a bit offensive, that you just made a comparison of apples to oranges about CNA's and RN's to show how different becoming an APN would be? I have been in both roles and they aren't really all that similar albeit one did help to supplement the other. Honestly, whatever the OP decides to do, they're the ones that could potentially hate being an APN but still have to pay off all of those loans. Best of luck then.

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Specializes in Emergency.
I was not implying that it was similar, only that it is an advanced degree that should be meant for an already working nurse to advance into through added higher education. I am proud to be a nurse, and maybe one day I'll chose to advance my education to become a nurse practitioner. It just happens to be my opinion on the subject. I have read many of your posts and have developed quite a bit of respect for your knowledgable replies (unless I'm getting you mixed up with another poster - could be) but I do find it odd, if not a bit offensive, that you just made a comparison of apples to oranges about CNA's and RN's to show how different becoming an APN would be? I have been in both roles and they aren't really all that similar albeit one did help to supplement the other. Honestly, whatever the OP decides to do, they're the ones that could potentially hate being an APN but still have to pay off all of those loans. Best of luck then.

I didn't read coast2coast's comment anything like that. I believe you were the one that suggested the OP learn if she likes being a nurse first, and then you recommended she work as a CNA to do that. So, the association of CNA with RN was made originally by you, not by coast2coast. So, if that association is offensive, you should look at your own post for the offending event.

The message I got out of coast2coast's comment was that there is a significant difference in the role of a provider vs the role of a bedside nurse and if the OP already knows they want to become a provider, than stopping midway through the education process is not necessary. I'm sure coast2coast can correct me if that was not the intended message.

As for the opinion that stopping is better for the education, I have been unable to find any data to back that up. Direct entry programs have been around for many years, and there is nothing I can find that indicates they produce inferior providers to other programs. Do you have any specific data for that, or is it just your opinion?

If it's a belief that these individuals are any less dedicated to the profession because they didn't choose a path that mirrors yours, well, I don't buy that one bit either. Yes there are many nurses who spend decades on the floors, but that isn't the one and only way to be a nurse.

Now back to the OPs original question. I personally would not go into $175k debt, but I can see that the time factor of being done in 3 years while your only 24 would play a factor in that decision. There are some federal loan repayment options, but I think they max out somewhere in the range of $70k after three years of working in specific sites, and are not guaranteed. I would encourage you to research other options before selecting such an expensive program, but wish you the best in whatever you choose is best for you and your family.

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I was not implying that it was similar, only that it is an advanced degree that should be meant for an already working nurse to advance into through added higher education. I am proud to be a nurse, and maybe one day I'll chose to advance my education to become a nurse practitioner. It just happens to be my opinion on the subject. I have read many of your posts and have developed quite a bit of respect for your knowledgable replies (unless I'm getting you mixed up with another poster - could be) but I do find it odd, if not a bit offensive, that you just made a comparison of apples to oranges about CNA's and RN's to show how different becoming an APN would be? I have been in both roles and they aren't really all that similar albeit one did help to supplement the other. Honestly, whatever the OP decides to do, they're the ones that could potentially hate being an APN but still have to pay off all of those loans. Best of luck then.

I wasn't actually trying to make a comparison, just referencing the advice the OP received in previous posts. I have great respect for RNs and the APN role that they created. That being said, financially I think it is far wiser to do a DE-MSN rather than to take years doing it piecemeal or even via the traditional BSN, MSN route if you know you want to be an NP. Perhaps I should have made that part clearer.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.
I wasn't actually trying to make a comparison, just referencing the advice the OP received in previous posts. I have great respect for RNs and the APN role that they created. That being said, financially I think it is far wiser to do a DE-MSN rather than to take years doing it piecemeal or even via the traditional BSN, MSN route if you know you want to be an NP. Perhaps I should have made that part clearer.

I do see and respect your point but feel that the NP role should be reserved for practicing RN's to advance in their experience, knowledge base, and careers. I don't see why someone that doesn't really want to be an RN not just go the PA route instead honestly.

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Specializes in Medical-Surgical/Float Pool/Stepdown.
I didn't read coast2coast's comment anything like that. I believe you were the one that suggested the OP learn if she likes being a nurse first, and then you recommended she work as a CNA to do that. So, the association of CNA with RN was made originally by you, not by coast2coast. So, if that association is offensive, you should look at your own post for the offending event.

The message I got out of coast2coast's comment was that there is a significant difference in the role of a provider vs the role of a bedside nurse and if the OP already knows they want to become a provider, than stopping midway through the education process is not necessary. I'm sure coast2coast can correct me if that was not the intended message.

I'm pretty sure what I wrote said that the OP may want to try being a nurse first if they think they may want to become a nurse practitioner, after all a nurse practitioner is a nurse. If they want to get a feel to see if they can even stand patients in a medical setting, then they may want to volunteer or work a short time as a CNA...so if your talking that there's an even remotely loose association in there somewhere then whatever floats your boat. And while being a nurse and APN are very different, both are nursing model roles, and frankly I'm not a fan of lay people being able to take that type of short-cut, and a pretty pricy short-cut it looks to be. Probably much cheaper to do the PA route and just as respected by physician's...

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I do see and respect your point but feel that the NP role should be reserved for practicing RN's to advance in their experience, knowledge base, and careers.

You're welcome to your opinion (and I share it), but neither your opinion or mine means anything. The reality is that the direct-entry advanced practice programs have been around for decades and are enormously popular, and, as already noted, there's no real data I'm aware of that shows there are any problems with the quality/competence of their graduates.

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