Johns Hopkins Entry into Nursing (MSN) Spring 2021

Marthern17 · Jun 23, 2020

Hi everyone! My name is Marlie, and I'm applying to JHU for Spring 2021! My journey started six years ago as a freshman when I decided to be a nurse. I live in California and programs here are pretty competitive. I just graduated with a bachelor's degree in human development and Johns Hopkins is my absolute dream school!! I'm looking forward to being challenged and hopefully be accepted into their nursing program!!:)

Christina121979 · Jun 27, 2020

Hi Marlie! Good luck to you in your journey to Nursing School at Johns Hopkins. Hope to see you there. Christina

Christina121979 · Jun 27, 2020

Hey everyone. I submitted my app to johns hopkins a couple days ago for early decision. I am anxious to see how everything goes this time around. Hopefully, the 2nd time will be the charm. how is everyone else doing with regards to application submission?

Marthern17 · Jun 27, 2020

Hi Christina, I am anxious as well. Let us know how it goes!! I really want to know how competitive the program is.

-Marlie

botmann · Jun 27, 2020

On 6/22/2020 at 11:15 PM, Marliellie17 said:
... in California and programs here are pretty competitive. ... Johns Hopkins is my absolute dream school!! ...

To say getting into nursing school is pretty competitive is a bit underestimating how competitive it really is. On average, schools are getting five to six hundred applicants for fifty spots per application cycle. Obviously some terms are higher, and others lower. Some schools have more spots, others are lower.

Some programs are purely based on points they assign from the information submitted. They accepted the top point earners. These are truly the definition of competition. Other programs do a lottery system for those who meet the program's minimum requirements; this is more on chance than achievement. Others, are first come, first serve who qualify. For an example, I got into CSU East Bay Spring 2020 cohort. Rumor had it during orientation, there were almost one thousand applicants for sixty spots.

Bridge programs are no way near as competitive.

The graduate programs like Johns Hopkins, it's a different kind of competition and a bit more subjective. Some programs are all about grades, entrance exam scores, and whatnot. Johns Hopkins is one of the programs that take a more holistic approach. These kinds of programs are looking to see if the applicant fits their vision of their ideal applicant. Those essays and letters of recommendation are very important. They look at grades and so forth, but more to confirm you'll be able to handle to rigors of the program; one can still be accepted with a GPA below a 3.0 These are still competitive. JHU for example, from what I was told, gets around six to seven hundred applications per term.

That said, I say go for it. I would use anyone you know or service to go over your resume and essays. I got into JHU, and I use a family who is a head of an HR department and reads resumes all the time; being doing it for twenty-something years. I had a friend who is a writer--novels, essays, literature graduate student--go over my essays. Talk to the people who are doing your letters of recommendation to make sure they want to and will give a good impression. The essays, letters, resume, application addendum (if needed) is all the information the admission committee will be used to determine who you are. There's no interview. I got in. There were people who looked much better grade, education, volunteer work, career, and so forth than me.

Thus, if you do not apply, it's an automatic no. You only need to make a decision if you're offered admission. That said, make sure to apply to other programs. I suggestion a vareity--ADN, BSN, direct entry BSN/MSN/DNP. As one admission director JHU said at an information session, "there is more than one way into nursing".

CPAtoRN · Jun 28, 2020

Hey Everyone!

So happy to hear about people already working on their applications for 2021! I was accepted to the program and will be starting this fall. Like many people here, I'm a career-shifter, going from corporate risk and finance to nursing. I had a 3.4 undergrad and grad GPA from business school, volunteered for about 4 months at a local major hospital prior to applying (and another 6 months after), and about 4 years professional experience at the time. While I'm not sure exactly what they are looking for in the end, I can say from the students that I've met so far, there is a really nice mix. There are Peace Corp. veterans, adult career-shifters, and students coming straight from undergrad. It's definitely mostly female, but that's probably very typical for Nursing school. I also got accepted into Columbia's accelerated MSN program as well, but ultimately decided on Hopkins for their integration with the JH Hospital system, 6 months of additional classroom education (which I plan to transfer some hours over for a DNP program one day), and also I'm not a personal fan of NYC after growing up in the tristate area.

If anything, I'd definitely recommend spending a lot of time being purposeful about the content of your purpose essay. It's not much space, so you have to make a compelling statement that is both impactful yet succinct. Don't be afraid to have trusted friends review it and sit on it for a few days before going back to revise! I also hear the letters are important, so just a heads up there as well!

Best of luck!

James

botmann · Jun 28, 2020

On 6/22/2020 at 11:15 PM, Marliellie17 said:
... California and programs here are pretty competitive. ... Johns Hopkins is my absolute dream school!! ...

A side note for you, the second biggest area that students for JHU's program are from California. The biggest is Maryland. At least that was what I was told.

If you do get end up attending, there will be others in similar shoes.

botmann · Jun 28, 2020

4 hours ago, CPAtoRN said:
... I was accepted to the program and will be starting this fall. ... There are Peace Corp. veterans, adult career-shifters, and students coming straight from undergrad. ...

First off, I'll be seeing you in the fall. I'm also nursing as a second career student.

I do agree there is quite a mix of students in their professional, health, and academic experiences. There is a quite a mix in who the students are culturally, ethnically, and anything else that makes up a person.

The one thing I did notice, at least from the Accepted Students Day I attended in January, which went with the essay questions was the theme of inclusion.

Christina121979 · Jun 29, 2020

Congratulations to everyone who will be starting this fall. wishing you the best of luck. Christina

Mills796 · Jul 2, 2020

Just submitted my application! ?? I’m surprised there isn’t more activity in this thread at this point

Christina121979 · Jul 2, 2020

1 hour ago, Mills796 said:
Just submitted my application! ?? I’m surprised there isn’t more activity in this thread at this point

Congratulations! Good luck to you. I submitted my application a couple days ago. I was told by admissions that we should get word in early September for early decision. I am anxious to see what happens. Why did you decide to go into nursing?

- Christina

Megan9901 · Jul 4, 2020

Is there a verification process? I submitted my app a few days ago and it says “Completed” but I never got notification that it was verified. TIA!

Heres my stats to make people feel better LOL:

Major: Biomedical Sciences, 80 science credits/graduated a semester early (Dec2019)
cGPA: 3.39 sGPA: 3.14 (yikes)

PCE: 800 as respite care provider (tracheostomy care, catheterizations, administering meds, just got lucky after graduation and didn’t need a nursing degree)

300 medical scribe, 200 phlebotomist

volunteer: about 420 hours

obviously my GPA is lacking, but I’m hoping they consider a major directly related to the field and current experience. With all that good luck everyone!