So the writing is on the wall: as much as I would love to go public it's not happening. Tried Downstate and Hunter twice, got kicked back twice (my GPA is okay but not strong enough because I had to do my prereqs while working full time. I thought about going back and retaking all of them but frankly, I got B's and above and I just want to get on with my life at this point). So, like many I'm probably going to have to go the private route and I'm freaking out about how much it'll cost. I did my undergrad at CUNY and was fortunate to come out with fairly little debt but that has also warped me as to what college actually costs. I'm having a meltdown on whether I should swallow taking out loans and do an Accelerated BSN or try to get into a CUNY school, work part time and do an associates, pray I get hired somewhere and then try to do a RN-BSN (do hospitals even pay for that anymore?). My main goals at this point are: get my degree and be in a position that will maximize the possibility of getting a job as soon as I finish school (and yes, I'm fully ready to leave NYC then-I just can't leave until I finish because of my husband's job).
Of the schools I've applied to, I've tried to run what the numbers would look like and came up with these approximate tallies (all are based on accelerated track unless noted otherwise). Some schools were a lot more forthcoming about actual costs than others, which is why I'm asking for your input:
Pace: $49000
Wagner:$72000
NYU: $89000
Molloy (provided I skip the MSN part): $34000
College of New Rochelle, 18 month program: $55000
Muhlenberg JFK (accepted, have not yet responded) Accelerated ASN: $32,000
Phillips Beth Israel ASN: $36000
for those who are in the programs, does this look accurate? Did you have out of pocket costs that contributed significantly to the final price? Did you feel your school was generous with financial aid and did a large percentage of your class get aid? Anyone thing any of the above schools are a much better value for what you get for what you pay? I'd love input since I certainly can't be the only one in this boat right now--the price tags are making me want to cry.
My Queensborough friend mentioned that - how many QCC people do they actually let in? I mean, Hunter only accepts a small percentage of their own students into each program (which now has fewer seats due to the split). She said she tried and didn't make it and her GPA was quite good.
Have no idea exactly how many QCC students are taken by HBSON. However was able to find:
IIRC classes were offered both day and evening at two locations with one being somewhere in the West 30's in Manhattan.
Interesting....do you know much or can you speak to the quality of the program or it's reputation? Their NCLEX pass rate of 73.7% is not great but for the price point you can always take Kaplan afterwards...It's definitely the most affordable of the private options, have to wonder why that is?
I did get into PBISON ATOP program, and while I'm less than thrilled/scared about getting an associates it's seeming like a nice school and possibly an affordable, easy option....somewhat hard to pass up.
Interesting....do you know much or can you speak to the quality of the program or it's reputation? Their NCLEX pass rate of 73.7% is not great but for the price point you can always take Kaplan afterwards...It's definitely the most affordable of the private options, have to wonder why that is?
I did get into PBISON ATOP program, and while I'm less than thrilled/scared about getting an associates it's seeming like a nice school and possibly an affordable, easy option....somewhat hard to pass up.
Cannot speak directly of CMSV's nursing programs (undergraduate or ABSN), but their (if you pardon the expression) pitiful board passing rate would give me pause to think. I know much comes down to a nursing student's aptitude and ability, but with such consistent (over the past few years anyway) low passing rates something needs looking into.
If you are seriously considering attending CMSV I'd try to track down and speak with those who have worked with their grads to see what they have to say. You can also search archive posts here in the group for some previous comments by former students.
Personally if one was going the private nursing school route and looking at taking on debt, I'd go for some place with better passing scores.
PBISON is by all accounts a great school, and congrats on getting in! Yes, you have to make a judgement call here between getting an ADN degree in this current "BSN preferred/only" hiring climate.
Being as that may if you are young, are working and will continue to do so during NS, looking not to go into huge amounts of education debt, and perhaps would consider relocating after graduation to get that first RN gig an ADN *might* not be so bad.
No one can predict what the nursing employment market will look like in the two to three years it will take you to get your ADN. By the time you graduate and pass the boards the hiring climate may change. Even if it does not you still would be a licensed RN and though maybe not in a NYC hospital right away, may find work elsewhere (hospital outside of NYC, LTC, etc...) as an ADN whilst going on for your RN to BSN.
DoGoodThenGo
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Have no idea exactly how many QCC students are taken by HBSON. However was able to find:
http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/pv_obj_cache/pv_obj_id_270E5B1679DC977349F5B4CD11F3C2011D831200/filename/QCC-Hunter-Dual-Joint-Degree-proposal-and-course-changes.pdf
Nursing Students Celebrate Success in Hunter College Partnership