FALL 2020 Johns Hopkins MSN: Entry into Nursing

botmann · Apr 2, 2020

I went to JHU SON information session on the MESN program. One of the first things they said was the program is expensive. They do not hide the fact it's going to be $100K in tuition fees.

If being a nurse is your end goal, and you want a significantly cheaper route, then an ADN program at a local community college is the way to go. Around where I live, the total cost, minus housing and what not, averages about $5K.

Yes, you're partly paying for name. But what private school is cheap, even on the undergraduate level? And graduate school is not cheap at any school; as for affordable, it's relative to other said programs.

On a side note, the acceptance rate is nowhere near 46%. The admission rate is close to 20%; ~120 spots, 600-700 applicants per cohort.

Sadly, this is just not an issue at JHU, it's an issue of the overall post-secondary education system. I know plenty of people who owe over $50K on their bachelors and make maybe about $50K/yr.

Ultimately, most of us will owe over $100K when done. If you're smart about your lifestyle choices, you can keep the amount you owe down; no star backs every day, not buying clothes or going out to bars and what not every weekend, or not subscribing to a bunch tv, internet, streaming, and other services. But on average, nursing is a better paying career once you get a few years under your belt. Thus, it's not unrealistic to be able to pay if off within about ten years. Also, at least right now, there are still loan forgiveness programs you can apply to that will pay half to all that you owe.

I graduated from college many years before any of you; the minimum wage was maybe $5/hr. I received litter help from family. Only the last couple of years did I qualify for financial aid (once I transferred to a four-year institution). When I graduated, I owe about $10K in student loans and another $15-20K in credit cards. I moved back home and literally took half my disposable income to pay that debt. I had a mediocre job and pay kind of low. I paid off all the credit debt in about 18 months. I never went behind on my student loans. When I paid a loan off, I applied that amount to the remaining. I paid those loans off about two or three early.

If you want it bad enough, you'll find a way to do it

tayem-20 · Apr 2, 2020

I say something to consider is how much a RN or NP (whatever you are striving for) makes yearly in your state.. I know RNs with an MSN make on average $86k in Maryland, so hypothetically you can probably make student loan payments every month and still live comfortably. Do the math on monthly payments you would have to make depending on how many loans you would take out, then make your decision if it is worth taking them out.

There are also several loan repayment programs nationally and on local state levels that pay up to 85% of student loan debts of nurses in return of you serving in an underserved area for x amount of years (depends on the program)..there are other faculty nurse loan repayment programs for nurses who plan to teach other nurses as nurse educators or faculty. I say that is always something to think about as you can apply every year, and never give up until you get it!

I say do your research, it is very tedious, but I have been doing a lot in my downtime while in quarantine LOL. It is a lotttttt of money, and I am going back and forth with the decision myself. I hope this helps!

momo90, MSN · Apr 8, 2020

On 3/31/2020 at 8:25 PM, lavieenrose said:
Speaking only from a financial perspective and I'd have to do the math to say with certainty - Columbia's program is 85k, but at the end of the day, what leaves your pocket by attending Columbia vs. JHU is nominal with the high cost of living in NY.

Hi! I just wanted to chime in that Columbia is actually about the same price as JHU, if not a little more expensive (plus higher cost of living in NYC vs. Baltimore). Columbia lists their tuition and fees for the first 12 months, but it's a 15 month flat rate program, so it's actually ~$29,000 per semester x4, so it comes in at around $120k for the MSN, plus other cost of living fees like rent and transportation. I believe the DNP program is about the same cost, even though it's longer.

I was choosing between CUSON and JHUSON and ultimately chose Columbia for a number of reasons including that I already live in NYC and I was accepted into their MSN/DNP program and since I want to become an NP, Columbia is just a bit faster route to my end goal.

Best of luck to everyone, these are tough decisions to make during really strenuous times. Stay healthy and safe!

eastwest · Apr 13, 2020

Hi everyone,

I'm a current second semester MEN student at JHUSON. I remember really agonizing over this decision (between JHU, Columbia's MSN/DNP, UPenn's ABSN/FNP, and Univ of Minnesota DEMSN), and it reaaaally helped to talk to current students. Just wanted to make myself available if you have any questions! DM me with your questions. Good luck everyone, there really are no wrong decisions.

Caiti

AlwaysSmiling · Apr 16, 2020

On 4/13/2020 at 12:09 PM, eastwest said:
Hi everyone,
I'm a current second semester MEN student at JHUSON. I remember really agonizing over this decision (between JHU, Columbia's MSN/DNP, UPenn's ABSN/FNP, and Univ of Minnesota DEMSN), and it reaaaally helped to talk to current students. Just wanted to make myself available if you have any questions! DM me with your questions. Good luck everyone, there really are no wrong decisions.
Caiti

That's very sweet of you. I'm new to this forum and so I can't yet send a private message. I was wondering if you would be able to share the textbook list for the first year? If so, feel free to pm me.

eastwest · Apr 17, 2020

On 4/16/2020 at 8:44 AM, AlwaysSmiling said:
That's very sweet of you. I'm new to this forum and so I can't yet send a private message. I was wondering if you would be able to share the textbook list for the first year? If so, feel free to pm me.

I can't send private messages either! Weird. I'm not sure if they'll have changed the list for next year at all, and I don't have a full list of books, unfortunately. They are all nested within each class's Blackboard site, not on a single list. They do send out a single book list for first semester, but I don't have the email anymore and I'm not sure the books would be the same. I can tell you that there are a few books you will need to buy and then the rest are all available for free from past cohorts. There is also a student who organizes reselling of books for really cheap. The books you need to buy for first semester are the medical surgical nursing book from Hoffman and Sullivan with the code, the foundations lab manual (from the JHUSON library, but you actually might be able to get away with using an old manual), and the Craven, Henshaw, and Henle health assessment textbook with the code. The professors will let you know what has to be this year's copy and which ones you can get used. I really would wait before buying. This is a super supportive school in my experience, and people are always sharing resources with each other.

sunny_bunny21 · Apr 17, 2020

Hi guys, I got into the program with $10K merit scholarship but I'm trying to decide whether to go here or go to a cheaper ABSN program first, then work and figure out if I want to go for NP school. Does anyone have any input/advice?

botmann · Apr 20, 2020

I have no advise for you since I'm an incoming student too and my healthcare experience is very limited--on-call CNA and human dissector.

As for being a possible an NP, you may want to look where you like to practice, ie which state because some are talking about requiring a DNP to be a NP. Those programs are longer. This is where I think this program has a slight advantage, especially if you do go to JHU's MSN program because you might be able to use a year's worth classes towards the DNP, which saves time and money.

Other than that, I do not think it matters much if you do this MSN or an ABSN program, assuming the later is an accredited program. Both will be you to be able to take the NCLEX and become an RN.

I will say this, trust your instincts and what feels right to you. Good luck nonetheless.

nurselefteye · May 1, 2020

Hi everyone! I just got in off the waitlist. How long does it take for you to get your financial aid notifications after you got accepted???

lwebster22 · May 1, 2020

CONGRATS! I'm on the waitlist. How did they notify you? Did they call or email?

nurselefteye · May 1, 2020

1 hour ago, lwebster22 said:
CONGRATS! I'm on the waitlist. How did they notify you? Did they call or email?

email

kathy0805 · May 7, 2020

hello,

do you guys know how many people typically apply to this program?

I am interested in applying. my GPA is a 3.8

had health care experience in hospice, behavior technician, hospital volunteer, behavior health specialist at a psych hospital and mental health associate at a rehab.