I am looking to gain some insight as to which program is better, Drexel ACE (11 months) or Jefferson FACT (1 year).
The price and length for both programs are about the same, so that is not a deciding factor for me.
I have read many things online about Drexel’s program, and honestly I don’t know where I stand. I have heard very little about Jefferson’s program. Below I have compiled a list of pro’s and con’s. Please correct me if I am wrong about anything and please add your opinion on the programs. If you have graduated or are a current student of either programs, that is a plus!! Please let me know of your experience.
Drexel:
Pro’s: Highly regarded program in and out of philadelphia. I have heard many employers like to hire ACE students because they know how hardcore the program is and that Drexel really does crank out top notch nurses. At the info session, we were told that one hospital hires more Drexel students than their own students. Cons: Any accelerated program would be hard, but from what I’ve read online, Drexel makes it that much harder for you to graduate. I have read that Drexel has a high NCLEX pass rate due to the fact that they do not let you graduate and sit for the NCLEX unless you pass the HESI exit exam with at least a 950 (most nursing programs I have researched only want 800-900). If you do not pass the exam, you must retake it. If you do not pass it again, you must take a remediation course which will lengthen your program time and add to tuition cost.
Jefferson:
Pros - To be honest, I haven’t heard much good or bad things about this program. I have yet to go to an info session, but I have heard everything is state of the art there. If you graduate from this program with at least a 3.2 GPA you are automatically accepted into any of their MSN programs (except anesthesia). You also get a couple grad credits while in this program. I don’t believe they do a HESI exam but then again I am not sure.
Cons - It’s still a fairly new program I believe and therefore is not that highly regarded compared to Drexel.
The only reason I am leaning towards Drexel is because the job opportunities seem better. I know many drexel students in the traditional BSN program and everyone has said yes, it is hard, but we all get jobs pretty quickly, sometimes right out of graduation, and we really know our stuff. The only thing that scares me about Drexel is the HESI exit exam and that some people say the professors seem like they hate their job and are unorganized. Also, if you don’t pass the HESI exam after some point, you don’t get to graduate with a nursing degree. They give you some other degree apparently.
Jefferson sounds amazing, but I really am worried about how well regarded it is in state and out of state. Jefferson sounds like a dream, yet I still lean towards Drexel. I don’t know why. Maybe it is because I grew up in Philly and always heard about Drexel as a school and never about Jefferson?
hi ! I know this is an older forum but I got into Thomas Jefferson recently and have been trying to weigh out options. full transparency I have applied to 7 ABSN programs in total and have heard back from 2 and accepted from both and I'm waiting on the rest. But they're all great programs, with great opportunities for job placement and "recognition" so now the deciding factor for me is the cost of the program. TJ begins May 31 and MUSC starts in August but have a difference of about $8-9k.
MUSC - has higher cost tuition for out of state individuals which I am but also lower cost of living than Philidephia, if I decide here I can work in the Summer to make up that $9k difference
TJ - if I attend I will be living in the Philadelphia area alone in a studio, or one-bedroom, I've seen good apartments that range $950 - $1200 which is about my budget
I am in fact leaning towards TJ but I wanted to know if there are scholarships given, academic performance grants if you do well or things you can apply to like while in the program to lower the initial cost for Thomas Jefferson?
I am a first-gen just graduating from my undergrad so I'd start right after my commencement, so I'm trying to lower the cost of my loans LOL
hi ! I know this is an older forum but I got into Thomas Jefferson recently and have been trying to weigh out options. full transparency I have applied to 7 ABSN programs in total and have heard back from 2 and accepted from both and I'm waiting on the rest. But they're all great programs, with great opportunities for job placement and "recognition" so now the deciding factor for me is the cost of the program. TJ begins May 31 and MUSC starts in August but have a difference of about $8-9k.
MUSC - has higher cost tuition for out of state individuals which I am but also lower cost of living than Philidephia, if I decide here I can work in the Summer to make up that $9k difference
TJ - if I attend I will be living in the Philadelphia area alone in a studio, or one-bedroom, I've seen good apartments that range $950 - $1200 which is about my budget
I am in fact leaning towards TJ but I wanted to know if there are scholarships given, academic performance grants if you do well or things you can apply to like while in the program to lower the initial cost for Thomas Jefferson?
I am a first-gen just graduating from my undergrad so I'd start right after my commencement, so I'm trying to lower the cost of my loans LOL
Most people with good grades only got 2k. Not a lot of scholarships with a second degree. They did have some covid care act relief stuff that gave us like an additional $600
I've heard amazing things about Jefferson! I'm about to graduate the Drexel ACE program though and just wanted to say that it's also amazing! It's difficult, but not impossible and most of the staff really care about the success of the students. We also do clinicals all over the area, including at Jefferson! Both programs seem like great choices, honestly!
Hey! I just got accepted into Drexel's ACE program. Could you give me some insight because I am a little nervous about how people have been talking about the HEIS exam, and how unorganized they can be? Also, if possible could you give some insight on if you liked the program, the difficulty level, the teachers, organization, or anything? I am still deciding between Widener's and Drexel's ace program.
Hey! I just got accepted into Drexel's ACE program. Could you give me some insight because I am a little nervous about how people have been talking about the HEIS exam, and how unorganized they can be? Also, if possible could you give some insight on if you liked the program, the difficulty level, the teachers, organization, or anything? I am still deciding between Widener's and Drexel's ace program.
As far as I know, Drexel stopped using the HESI years ago and now uses ATI for their exit exam. I really liked Drexel overall. Definitely some unorganization but I think that's common in nursing school, especially post Covid where things are constantly changing. Drexel was challenging but not impossible, especially if you just stayed caught up on everything you were assigned. Most of the teachers were incredible but there are a few shitty ones sprinkled in. Overall, I really recommend Drexel as a school and would choose them again.
genesisboosh
13 Posts
hi ! I know this is an older forum but I got into Thomas Jefferson recently and have been trying to weigh out options. full transparency I have applied to 7 ABSN programs in total and have heard back from 2 and accepted from both and I'm waiting on the rest. But they're all great programs, with great opportunities for job placement and "recognition" so now the deciding factor for me is the cost of the program. TJ begins May 31 and MUSC starts in August but have a difference of about $8-9k.
MUSC - has higher cost tuition for out of state individuals which I am but also lower cost of living than Philidephia, if I decide here I can work in the Summer to make up that $9k difference
TJ - if I attend I will be living in the Philadelphia area alone in a studio, or one-bedroom, I've seen good apartments that range $950 - $1200 which is about my budget
I am in fact leaning towards TJ but I wanted to know if there are scholarships given, academic performance grants if you do well or things you can apply to like while in the program to lower the initial cost for Thomas Jefferson?
I am a first-gen just graduating from my undergrad so I'd start right after my commencement, so I'm trying to lower the cost of my loans LOL