Duke MSN/DNP Application Info

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Does anyone here have experience applying to the MN or DNP program at Duke?

I am in my first year of the BSN program at University of Washington and will be moving with my partner to North Carolina after graduation next year. I will be applying to Duke's MSN or DNP program for the FNP track. (I am leaning toward the DNP, given the "big switch" in 2015)

So I have a few questions:

1. Does any body have any stats on applicants/students to the DNP program?

2. Do you need to take the GRE to apply for the school of nursing financial aid?

3. I will not have any RN experience and I know they say it is recommended but not required. Does any one have a feel for if they do take BSN grads without any RN experience?

I think that is mostly it. I guess also, for anyone at all who with the Duke School of Nursing, do you like the program?

Thanks.

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I was wondering the same thing as well. I'm currently enrolled in the Accelerated/2nd degree program at the University of Houston - Victoria and just started school this past January. I am expecting (crosses fingers) to graduate this December 2010. I'm also interested in the FNP track and was curious about Duke's BSN-DNP program and have the same questions as you.

I hope we get some responses soon! If you happen to hear anything from any other sources outside of this site, would you mind sharing, please? :)

Best of luck to you!

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Well, who knows, we may be in the same cohort?

I will definitely post any that I come across.

Good luck with school.

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Hello,

I am starting the FNP program next week here at Duke! I just moved after getting married a month ago from michigan with my husband to Raleigh this week.

I was actually pleasantly surprised with my application process (and I did apply for the FNP-DNP just like you are interested in-I definitely agree with the whole switch coming up its better to just get both at once!). I graduated December of 2008 with my BSN, and started working on a med/surg floor in January of 2009. I just quit my job a month ago due to my wedding, moving, etc so I had just about a year and half of experience. Duke does not require experience, but they highly recommend having a year of experience when applying.

I also applied to UIC's program and did not even get an interview. However with Duke, I got an email for an interview! So I flew down and was nervous, only to find that myself and another girl were "interviewed" at the same time and basically told that based on our application we were more than qualified to be admitted, that she would recommend to the committee that we be admitted to the program, and that she just wanted to make sure what we were looking for in a program fits what they teach and provide!

I also had been on the phone a few times with the admissions coordinator before going down there so I received some statistics-there are 40 spots for FNP students and it all depends on the year and how many apply as to who gets in/etc. Last year he said not everyone got in, while the year before everyone was accepted. It just depends on the number of applications.

The GRE is now being required only if your overall undergraduate GPA is not 3.4 or higher. I had transferred and had not done well at the first school I attended, therefore I had to take the GRE and submit it. I did not do very well but my scores were never brought up so I do not think they pay as much attention to that (while for their PA school, that is a large indicator for if you will be considered for an interview or not).

I hope that helps! I will be going to school year around (possibly finding a per diem RN job once I get settled in here) full time-so after 2 years I can take the boards for my masters and then I will continue on 1 more year and finish my doctorate (which is all online by the way!)

All in all, i'm sure it all depends on what your resume looks like, experience etc. But I would not consider myself as one with a ton of experience either-I'm 23 and aside from my 1 and 1/2 years of nursing experience I don't have much else. I did, however, go to Africa last year and do some volunteering abroad-which they seemed to like since I believe a lot of their family NP program is focused towards underserved areas/people.

I also think with the price of attending Duke is what deters some people away...and having the reputation of being a very good school I think people might assume they wont be considered. It all depends on the program-while the PA program is one of the most competitive in the country, I don't think that is quite the case with the FNP program

good luck!

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So how is the program?? It looks like you have been it for a couple of semesters now. I'm looking into the online FNP-DNP option but am very concerned about getting into the FNP part. Do you have any online classmates (that you know of) residing in other states? I've been told it's a case by case assessment but I am curious as to how many students are actually doing it.

Thanks!

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The program is going well. I decided to split up the FNP and DNP. I started in the fall and realized how much there was just for the masters portion and will take one part at a time (my original plan through my advisor had combined my classes with masters and doctorate, but it would have postponed me receiving my masters for a few semesters. I'd like to get out sooner and work as a NP for a bit and then I can continue with the DNP online (which its all online anyways).

I am not aware of how many people are doing the program online. I know there are some because when talking about placements, my course coordinator mentioned that they have to help place in other states. I'm not sure about the process for applying to the online vs on campus. A girl in my class is moving to the mountains in June so she is switching to online/long-distance in the fall and didnt have a problem doing the switch. Good luck with applying-might as well try it wouldn't hurt :)

--And even though im on campus, some classes are only available online. This summer I will be taking 2 online and then have my clinical and on campus class. The online classes are working out well, which originally I was skeptical about them (im not an online class person typically). Also residing in another state could be beneficial as well. I'm not sure how they determine your clinical placements, whether you find it or they do etc but they were a little misleading in how far our clinical placements would be or where we would be placed. Last semester I was 1 and 1/2 hrs away, and this summer I will be an hour.

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I am not aware of how many people are doing the program online. I know there are some because when talking about placements, my course coordinator mentioned that they have to help place in other states.

Thanks for all the helpful information!! Just one more question- an interview is definitely required right? I'm thinking its a no go for me this round because 2nd round application review ends this week and I haven't been contacted for an interview.

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Yes, I believe they always do interviews-but someone in the program with me had hers over the phone. I hope you hear from them. The nice thing about Duke is you can apply for any semester to start, so you could always apply again to start in the spring.

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Kool. Thanks!

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Hello anny08 -

I am glad to hear the program is going well for you. I was accepted for the MSN in the FNP specialty a few weeks ago and am awaiting the committee's decision on the DNP. What you are saying about delaying the DNP is interesting - it is something I too am considering (though the committee may make the decision for me if they don't accept me for the DNP). I am interested in getting out to practice sooner rather than later and also wonder if my experience in the DNP program may be richer if I have some NP practice under my belt. We shall see!

Thank you so much for the info you provided last year! It helped a lot. Can you tell me when you received your financial aid package last year? I am not sure what their time frame is for that and am anxious to see for what, if any, aid I qualify.

Well, perhaps I will see you on campus next fall!

Take care.

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Hello anny08 -

I am glad to hear the program is going well for you. I was accepted for the MSN in the FNP specialty a few weeks ago and am awaiting the committee's decision on the DNP. What you are saying about delaying the DNP is interesting - it is something I too am considering (though the committee may make the decision for me if they don't accept me for the DNP). I am interested in getting out to practice sooner rather than later and also wonder if my experience in the DNP program may be richer if I have some NP practice under my belt. We shall see!

Take care.

Were you in the first or second round of FNP decisions? Also at what point in the review process were you contacted for an interview?

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Specializes in ABMT.

Well hey there! I'll see you in a few months!

Rebecca the porterwoman in Durham :D

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