Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) Spring 2020

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Hello,

I am starting this forum to see if anyone finished their application to the MCPHS Spring 2020 cohort yet?

I have a 3.06 cumulative gpa and a 3.21 gpa from the school I finished my bachelors in.

Does anyone know when we will receive admissions decisions?

I'm graduating in December. I highly suggest you DO NOT have high expectations for clinical, because then you will be dissapointed. It's likely that only a handful of students (if ANY) will get a preceptorship by the time you are in your last semester, they have fewer and fewer each year, and will probably get rid of entirely soon. Don't expect ANY kind of clinical experience in critical care, ED, trauma, ICU, or anything like that, it is VERY VERY VERY VERY unlikely. It will be med-surg 99.99% of the time. I know this must feel disheartening to see, but I didn't have anyone to warn me when I got into this program, so I was very unpleasantly surprised. Between clinical and nursing school, just don't expect too much. You cannot expect to be adequately prepared to go and work completely on your own after this program without some additional training/ orientation/ precepting. Clinical is 80-90% CNA work with 10-20% nursing skills sprinkled in (assessment, med admin, D/C IV's, foley's, etc). Unfortunately, nursing school is just to get you a degree and prepare your for the NCLEX. The reality is, the bulk of your learning of how to actually be a nurse and do "nurse things" will happen at your first job. When I got in, I had these big plans too, ICU preceptorship, first job in the ICU, then CRNA school etc. etc., but this year of school opened my eyes to the reality of what nursing school really is all about. Call it a shortcoming or not, but they are not trying to prepare a bunch of critical care nurses after graduation, they are really really just giving you the basics for "entry level nursing" - as quoted verbatim by what the Dean told us. If you have long-term goals and specific plans after graduation, I suggest you go straight into a new graduate/ residency program in your specialty of choice upon graduation, because honestly that's when the real learning begins. These next 16 months, they are just the basics.


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57 minutes ago, Tom92 said:

I'm graduating in December. I highly suggest you DO NOT have high expectations for clinical, because then you will be dissapointed. It's likely that only a handful of students (if ANY) will get a preceptorship by the time you are in your last semester, they have fewer and fewer each year, and will probably get rid of entirely soon. Don't expect ANY kind of clinical experience in critical care, ED, trauma, ICU, or anything like that, it is VERY VERY VERY VERY unlikely. It will be med-surg 99.99% of the time. I know this must feel disheartening to see, but I didn't have anyone to warn me when I got into this program, so I was very unpleasantly surprised. Between clinical and nursing school, just don't expect too much. You cannot expect to be adequately prepared to go and work completely on your own after this program without some additional training/ orientation/ precepting. Clinical is 80-90% CNA work with 10-20% nursing skills sprinkled in (assessment, med admin, D/C IV's, foley's, etc). Unfortunately, nursing school is just to get you a degree and prepare your for the NCLEX. The reality is, the bulk of your learning of how to actually be a nurse and do "nurse things" will happen at your first job. When I got in, I had these big plans too, ICU preceptorship, first job in the ICU, then CRNA school etc. etc., but this year of school opened my eyes to the reality of what nursing school really is all about. Call it a shortcoming or not, but they are not trying to prepare a bunch of critical care nurses after graduation, they are really really just giving you the basics for "entry level nursing" - as quoted verbatim by what the Dean told us. If you have long-term goals and specific plans after graduation, I suggest you go straight into a new graduate/ residency program in your specialty of choice upon graduation, because honestly that's when the real learning begins. These next 16 months, they are just the basics.


Tom thank you so much for this informative post. This is basically what I have gathered after speaking with several students at different stages. Although they said they enjoyed the program, everyone has different goals. My goals are on par with what you have describeD-trying to do nurse residency right away in a critical care setting and get into NP or some other graduate level position. You have confirmed my thoughts and I am glad to have that to take in for my decision.

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@hopetobenurse have you come closer to a decision yet? I just spoke with Northeastern counselor and their program sounds like a good fit for me... I will be rushing in an application as soon as I can. If I am lucky enough to be accepted, I believe I may choose it over MCPHS.

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4 minutes ago, smohammadi said:

@hopetobenurse have you come closer to a decision yet? I just spoke with Northeastern counselor and their program sounds like a good fit for me... I will be rushing in an application as soon as I can. If I am lucky enough to be accepted, I believe I may choose it over MCPHS.

I am visiting both next week and will see if I feel stronger for one more than the other. Northeastern is an amazing school from all accounts. I just like the fact that MCPHS has housing and also gave me some money which definitely helps. I am from NY and will have to find roommates and an apartment or house to rent if I attend Northeastern, I haven't seen much of anything affordable posted which is stressing me out.

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@hopetobenurse

When will you be there? I'm also visiting next week! I get to Boston early Thursday morning and then will be staying through the weekend to check out the area and places to live. I'm hoping to find a roommate though because rental prices are pretty high. I originally planned on doing the MCPHS housing until I learned that they were all dorm-like structured where you share your bedroom with another person and being 27, I feel like I'm a little old for that lol

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1 minute ago, dgaz13 said:

@hopetobenurse When will you be there? I'm also visiting next week! I get to Boston early Thursday morning and then will be staying through the weekend to check out the area and places to live. I'm hoping to find a roommate though because rental prices are pretty high. I originally planned on doing the MCPHS housing until I learned that they were all dorm-like structured where you share your bedroom with another person and being 27, I feel like I'm a little old for that lol

@dgaz13 So you are committing to MCPHS? Also, @hopetobenurse let me know what you think of both campuses! I live in California so I can't easily stop by but looking into Northeastern's, I am hearing people loved the program as well. I too will be finding off campus housing regardless of where I stay as I'm 26 and personally did not find dorm style housing appealing either lol

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1 minute ago, smohammadi said:

@dgaz13 So you are committing to MCPHS? Also, @hopetobenurse let me know what you think of both campuses! I live in California so I can't easily stop by but looking into Northeastern's, I am hearing people loved the program as well. I too will be finding off campus housing regardless of where I stay as I'm 26 and personally did not find dorm style housing appealing either lol

As of now, yes lol. I've only heard back from one other school, but I was waitlisted and I still haven't heard back from any of the other schools I've applied to (which btw, is driving me crazy considering its already November and MCPHS tuition is due on December 1st!?) So right now I'm moving forward with MCPHS in case I don't hear from any of the other schools in time.

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2 minutes ago, dgaz13 said:

As of now, yes lol. I've only heard back from one other school, but I was waitlisted and I still haven't heard back from any of the other schools I've applied to (which btw, is driving me crazy considering its already November and MCPHS tuition is due on December 1st!?) So right now I'm moving forward with MCPHS in case I don't hear from any of the other schools in time.

OMG I didn't know tuition is due December 1st since I still have until 11/15 to put down my deposit for MCPHS! lol now I'm panicking

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20 minutes ago, dgaz13 said:

@hopetobenurse When will you be there? I'm also visiting next week! I get to Boston early Thursday morning and then will be staying through the weekend to check out the area and places to live. I'm hoping to find a roommate though because rental prices are pretty high. I originally planned on doing the MCPHS housing until I learned that they were all dorm-like structured where you share your bedroom with another person and being 27, I feel like I'm a little old for that lol

Weds and Thursday. I get that, I am 23 but I don't see many people looking or many affordable options at all in the Boston our surrounding areas. I'm willing to do what I have to to get through the program.

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9 hours ago, hopetobenurse said:

Weds and Thursday. I get that, I am 23 but I don't see many people looking or many affordable options at all in the Boston our surrounding areas. I'm willing to do what I have to to get through the program.

@hopetobenurse if I leave my email can you send me pictures of both campuses? I would owe you big time. Also looking into northeastern, where the heck do people live to have access to the Burlington campus? I’m seeing literally 0 options for apartments nearby

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13 hours ago, smohammadi said:

@hopetobenurse if I leave my email can you send me pictures of both campuses? I would owe you big time. Also looking into northeastern, where the heck do people live to have access to the Burlington campus? I’m seeing literally 0 options for apartments nearby

Sure. Are you in the Northeastern group on here? I wonder if we can talk about housing options in there?

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2 hours ago, hopetobenurse said:

Sure. Are you in the Northeastern group on here? I wonder if we can talk about housing options in there?

I’ll try to find the thread and comment in there!

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