GMU vs NOVA vs Marymount

Scarlettanager · Nov 12, 2009

Hi Sumihane,

Thank you so much for sharing your experience; it has definitely given me an idea of what to expect with an accelerated program. I got accepted into Shenandoah's accelerated program for this Spring (starting this Jan). I am considering going because I will be done a year from now. Can you give me an idea of when classes and clinicals will be. I am interviewing for a ten hour/week part time job in DC. I am living at home, and the only expenses I have are gas but will need money for school (books, supplies, food, etc) and that's why I am considering working. If I get this job (10 hrs/week) is it feasible considering I will be computing an hour back and forth so its essentially 14 hours a week?

I have no information so far about how the schedule for this program is and what the daily hourly commitment is. Also do we get vaccations at all?

Thanks alot.

kuccellini · Nov 13, 2009

Hello all,

I am a future (hopefully) nursing student, currently living in Connecticut. My family lives in northern Virginia, and, after being laid off 3 times in one year, I have made the decision to change careers to nursing.

I am 29 years old, married, no kids. My husband and I will be living with my parents for the duration of whichever nursing program I get into.

I am posting here because I am applying to the accelerated programs at Shenandoah, GMU, and Marymount. I do have a BS in Journalism. I wasn't considering NOVA until reading these posts. I'm hoping to get into GMU, but does anyone have reliable information on how competitive and how respected each of these programs are currently? I won't be applying until next Fall, after completing many prerequisites.

I definitely will not be working while going to school, and if you are wondering if you can work while doing an accelerated program, it states on the website of every school I have researched that working is highly discouraged. I imagine the amount of instruction time, studying, and clinical schedule would severly limit any available working hours.

It is unlikely I will be working in northern Virginia. My husband and I will be relocating to southern Maryland or Virginia Beach, whre he can get a job (with the government.) So I want to be sure that if I am lucky enough to get in everywhere I apply, I'll attend a school that has a strong regional reputation.

Thanks for any advice!

shortyrn77 · Nov 15, 2009

Currently, the nursing field is not very welcoming to new graduates. Many of the hospitals in NOVA have hiring freezes. There are so many programs pumping out graduates that it is not as easy as it wasto find a job. I got my BSN at UVA and it took me two months to find a job around this area.

dueler320 · Aug 4, 2011

Hello All,

I realize that nobody has responded to this thread in two years...hopefully somebody who might be able to answer some of my questions will see this.

I am in a similar position to those who have posted on here before also. I have a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of West Florida. Things in my life have not gone according to any plan since I married my husband right as I was graduating from UWF. He is active duty in the Air Force and for the past few years we have had the shuffling around of where are we going to be living pending his orders. We recently were relocated to Andrews AFB on a 5 year lock so I can actually start pursuing a career again.

At this point in my life and after seeing how easily things change in the military world I really feel like nursing would be the best career for me. However I am struggling on where to go to school and whether to go for the BSN or the Associate's. I do eventually want to get my masters but with a prior BS I am hoping on a bridge program possibly through GMU.

Currently I am in the process of applying to NVCC for their online Associate's program that is supposed to be 16 months in length and Marymount's accelerated BSN program that is also 16 months in length. Both starting in the spring. After reading through a lot of the discussions on here regarding both programs I am a little worried about both. My husband would prefer that I do a BSN program, he feels it would better gurantee me job at the end of this than the Associate's..and I do plan on eventually getting my master's to go for NP. The downside to Marymount is that it is really expensive and there are a lot of people on here saying it isn't worth the money, but there are those who say it is. The money is a big stressor for me but I am just trying to remind myself of the end result and not focus too much on the cost right now. I have looked into GMU's program also and would prefer it since that program I could have paid for by the GI Bill but I would have to wait a year before even starting the program. At this point in my life, I just want to finish school. I have had to put off starting a family with my husband because we were being shuffled so much with the military and we both wanted me to have a solid job for me to fall on after starting our family. So...I am pretty confused on which route I should go. Any insight into any of these programs would be greatly appreciated, and whether I should consider the Associate through NVCC.

Thank you for any help. Sorry if the above sounds a little crazy, I am just feeling overwhelmed with everything I need to do and which way I should go with it.

Pamelar · Aug 30, 2011

I'm in NOVA 2+1 program. I also have my Bachelor in non-nursing field. I've met my classmate who dropped from Marymount. She doesn't like Marymount as much. It's too expensive and she feels that NOVA nursing classes are much better and cheaper. There are some universities that you go from RN to MSN. I'm willingly to spend three years to get my BSN, in which I can make connection while I'm having my clinical training rather than graduate with BSN in a year and you have less chance to establish the connection. Good luck with your decision.

Pamelar · Aug 30, 2011

Hello All,
I realize that nobody has responded to this thread in two years...hopefully somebody who might be able to answer some of my questions will see this.
I am in a similar position to those who have posted on here before also. I have a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of West Florida. Things in my life have not gone according to any plan since I married my husband right as I was graduating from UWF. He is active duty in the Air Force and for the past few years we have had the shuffling around of where are we going to be living pending his orders. We recently were relocated to Andrews AFB on a 5 year lock so I can actually start pursuing a career again.
At this point in my life and after seeing how easily things change in the military world I really feel like nursing would be the best career for me. However I am struggling on where to go to school and whether to go for the BSN or the Associate's. I do eventually want to get my masters but with a prior BS I am hoping on a bridge program possibly through GMU.
Currently I am in the process of applying to NVCC for their online Associate's program that is supposed to be 16 months in length and Marymount's accelerated BSN program that is also 16 months in length. Both starting in the spring. After reading through a lot of the discussions on here regarding both programs I am a little worried about both. My husband would prefer that I do a BSN program, he feels it would better gurantee me job at the end of this than the Associate's..and I do plan on eventually getting my master's to go for NP. The downside to Marymount is that it is really expensive and there are a lot of people on here saying it isn't worth the money, but there are those who say it is. The money is a big stressor for me but I am just trying to remind myself of the end result and not focus too much on the cost right now. I have looked into GMU's program also and would prefer it since that program I could have paid for by the GI Bill but I would have to wait a year before even starting the program. At this point in my life, I just want to finish school. I have had to put off starting a family with my husband because we were being shuffled so much with the military and we both wanted me to have a solid job for me to fall on after starting our family. So...I am pretty confused on which route I should go. Any insight into any of these programs would be greatly appreciated, and whether I should consider the Associate through NVCC.
Thank you for any help. Sorry if the above sounds a little crazy, I am just feeling overwhelmed with everything I need to do and which way I should go with it.

I'm in NOVA 2+1 program. I also have my Bachelor in non-nursing field. I've met my classmate who dropped from Marymount. She doesn't like Marymount as much. It's too expensive and she feels that NOVA nursing classes are much better and cheaper. There are some universities that you go from RN to MSN. I'm willingly to spend three years to get my BSN, in which I can make connection while I'm having my clinical training rather than graduate with BSN in a year and you have less chance to establish the connection. Good luck with your decision.

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jan 17, 2012

I graduated from Marymount in '09. ABSN. I loved it there, but you need to just make a decision. If it is strictly money then yes MU is very expensive. I do think it is a great education, but that is subjective to a point. I know everyone in my class passed NCLEX first time. And everyone had a job who wanted one. I have worked non stop since then. So I mean...just make a decision and then hit it.