DUKE-ACCELERATED BSN--> I have questions!

[porterrj]

Hello,

I am currently a senior graduating in May and I've decided this year that I want to pursue a different path than my current major.

I'm a mass communication major at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and I want to pursue nursing.

Needless to say, my family is all in health care/medicine....and after some on-hands experience I've had within the marketing/communication world...I've decided the field doesn't appeal to me any more...and there are many aspects of nursing that seem very desirable and the job itself would challenge and excite me!

I'm interested in applying next year for admission into Duke's accelerated BSN.

Unfortunately, I still have to take prerequisite courses---chemistry, statistics, etc. ....so even though I'm graduating I know I have a few years of more school ahead of me!

I plan on taking these at a branch campus of Ohio State University or a community college to save money since I'm already coming out of my undergrad with some debt.

My questions are:

If you've completed this program or if you've been accepted, what did your application reflect?

My current GPA is a 3.49. Nothing outstanding for a communication major, but Miami isn't a walk-in the park.

- do you think community college classes would be sufficient for prerequisites at Duke?

Also, what were your GRE scores??

This is something I'm looking at into the future and I'd really like to focus and aim for DUKE, however, I do not know if I'm setting myself too high.

I mean it's got to be pretty difficult to be accepted!

Are there supplemental actions I should take to increase my chances???

Thanks,

Rachel

[NCVegRN]

3) I don't know if you're originally from the Carolina area or otherwise planning to be around here for a while. Duke's loan repayment is pretty awesome because there's absolutely no commitment, but you don't get the money until you've worked for a year (then you get the $11k, then work for another year and get another $11k, etc.).

Um - 22k loan payback? Are you sure about that? I've been offered a job there (am coming from out of state) and the paperwork I have says 5k after 1 year and then another 5k after 24 months. If you have that much to pay back (and I know very few who don't!). Am I getting the shirt end of the stick or could your info be rumor?

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

Um - 22k loan payback? Are you sure about that? I've been offered a job there (am coming from out of state) and the paperwork I have says 5k after 1 year and then another 5k after 24 months. If you have that much to pay back (and I know very few who don't!). Am I getting the shirt end of the stick or could your info be rumor?

Her information is quite accurate - if you are a Duke graduate. I've actually got the contract in my hand right now and will be turning it in tomorrow to the hospital. For us as Duke grads, it's basically a signing bonus - you don't have to have the loans to get the money. (I'm in the ABSN program here at DUSON.) $33K in agreement for working for them for three years. If it's less than that, you get whatever it is you stay for - $11K for 1, $22K for 2.

So unfortunately the $33K is just for the folks here.

[Runningnurse]

Exactly. Don't know anything about Duke's other signing bonuses or lack thereof. I only know that as an ABSN grad I will receive $33K (minus the huge taxes) in three installments if I work for Duke for three full years.

[NCVegRN]

That is awesome! The fact that they have such a great sign on program to try and retain their own graduates makes me want to work for them even more!

[britbrat]

I was wondering if someone could tell me how they paid for Duke accelerated program in detail.