Direct Entry Programs: MGH or BC

celle507 · Feb 10, 2005

Hi Jess,

I am currently in the first year of the BC program right now. It sounds like you have a good chance of getting into the problem as your stats are comparable to mine were when I applied. I think I heard from BC around the first week of March. If you have any questions about the program, feel free to e-mail me... I would be happy to answer any questions.

-C

nitsirk81 · Feb 12, 2005

Hi,

I've been a longtime lurker, and I just came across this thread. These boards have been really helpful. I applied to both BC and MGH, along with Northeastern, Yale, Penn, and U. Rochester. I got into Rochester and Penn and was rejected by Yale, but I'd really like to go to one of the schools in Boston (I'm from CT). Jess, I won't have a chance to attend the MGH info session, so post a note saying how it goes.

I have a question for celle507, the current BC student. Since the program is only two years, do you feel that you will have enough clinical experience and education to be comfortable/prepared to be an NP when you finish? I was thinking of doing the masters portion part-time so I can work as an RN to get more experience. Is this common with the master's entry students? What specialty are you doing? I am applying for the family NP track.

Thanks for any info. you can give me!! And good luck, Jess!

Kris

Jess RN · Feb 12, 2005

Hi,
I've been a longtime lurker, and I just came across this thread. These boards have been really helpful. I applied to both BC and MGH, along with Northeastern, Yale, Penn, and U. Rochester. I got into Rochester and Penn and was rejected by Yale, but I'd really like to go to one of the schools in Boston (I'm from CT). Jess, I won't have a chance to attend the MGH info session, so post a note saying how it goes.
I have a question for celle507, the current BC student. Since the program is only two years, do you feel that you will have enough clinical experience and education to be comfortable/prepared to be an NP when you finish? I was thinking of doing the masters portion part-time so I can work as an RN to get more experience. Is this common with the master's entry students? What specialty are you doing? I am applying for the family NP track.
Thanks for any info. you can give me!! And good luck, Jess!
Kris

Hi Kris-

Its funny you ask about clinicals, because Celine (cell507) and I have been chatting offline and I've beed asking her all about clinicals! Feeling confident clinically is a real concern of mine as well. MGH does have more clinical hours in the RN portion than BC but the NP portion is exactly the same. Did you get an interview at Northeastern? A friend of mine applied toBC MGH and Northeastern and he interviewed there last week. I'll defintiely let you know about the MGH infosession. DId you go to the one they just had at BC? I went to that one. They really stressed how competititve the programs was. Last year they had over 300 applicants for 32 spots. YIpes!

-Jess

nitsirk81 · Feb 13, 2005

Hi Kris-
Its funny you ask about clinicals, because Celine (cell507) and I have been chatting offline and I've beed asking her all about clinicals! Feeling confident clinically is a real concern of mine as well. MGH does have more clinical hours in the RN portion than BC but the NP portion is exactly the same. Did you get an interview at Northeastern? A friend of mine applied toBC MGH and Northeastern and he interviewed there last week. I'll defintiely let you know about the MGH infosession. DId you go to the one they just had at BC? I went to that one. They really stressed how competititve the programs was. Last year they had over 300 applicants for 32 spots. YIpes!
-Jess

Jess-

I didn't go to the recent info session at BC...but I heard about how competitive it is from one of the admissions people. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Do you know the acceptance rate at MGH? I've been thinking lately that I want to stay in New England, so one of those Boston schools would be great.

I haven't heard from Northeastern yet because there is a conflict with my GRE scores and I got my app. in just a week before the Feb. 2 deadline. I sent the scores way back in September, but they just sent me a card saying that they don't have them. I don't know what could have happened, so I will be contacting them on Monday. What does your friend think about the Northeastern program as compared to the other two? The built in co-op/internship seems like a good idea, but it's hard to compare the programs when they seem fairly similar.

Thanks for your reply.

Kris

celle507 · Feb 13, 2005

Hi Kris,

I'm not the best person to ask that question because I'm only in the

middle of my first year so I don't know yet if I will feel prepared to

work as a nurse or a nurse practitioner! Speaking to the 2nd year

students, many of them are working as nurses now and they told me that they felt BC prepared them well and that they knew as much as about any other new grad. Last year, about 1/2 went on to work full-time (and either

took a LOA or school part-time) and the other 1/2 continued studying

full-time. I am planning to take a LOA next year to work full-time and will probably continue to study part-time afterwards. I am not really in a rush to finish.

Also, after being in clinicals, it is really obvious to me how much

advantage an NP has if he/she has worked as an RN a couple years first but

I guess it all depends on one's comfort level. Also, I am in the

Family track myself so I think the broad scope of the track makes it more

difficult to dive right in as opposed to a track more specialized like

Psych or Women's.

Personally, I was worried about the clinical hours component myself and

was questioning all the 2nd years about feeling prepared to work as an

RN, which they all assured me they did. I was telling Jess that the

one thing I wished I looked into more before was the number of clinical

hours that the school's RN portion granted. The length of the BC program was what attracted me to it in the first place but I think taking some NP courses in the first year detracts from some of the RN clinical hours we would get in other programs whose first year solely focuses on RN licensure. I still debate back and forth whether it's long enough but ultimately, I have a feeling that the "real" training comes from the first job no matter how many clinical hours one has as a student.

Overall, I am happy with the program at BC - I don't regret my decision to go here. And to answer your question the best way I can: my feeling right now is that I would be ready to work as an RN this summer. I'm sorry I couldn't be of any more help to you regarding your concerns but I hope I was helpful to you in some way!! If you have any other questions regarding the program at BC, please let me know. I would be happy to answer them! Also, if you already know where you want to practice, I would suggest going to a school nearby. It really gives you more freedom to go to school part-time or take a LOA instead of hurrying through so you can move back home or away. Good luck in your decision!

C

Jess RN · Feb 13, 2005

Jess-
I didn't go to the recent info session at BC...but I heard about how competitive it is from one of the admissions people. I'm keeping my fingers crossed! Do you know the acceptance rate at MGH? I've been thinking lately that I want to stay in New England, so one of those Boston schools would be great.
I haven't heard from Northeastern yet because there is a conflict with my GRE scores and I got my app. in just a week before the Feb. 2 deadline. I sent the scores way back in September, but they just sent me a card saying that they don't have them. I don't know what could have happened, so I will be contacting them on Monday. What does your friend think about the Northeastern program as compared to the other two? The built in co-op/internship seems like a good idea, but it's hard to compare the programs when they seem fairly similar.
Thanks for your reply.
Kris

I don't know the specific numbers or atios for MGH- but a friend of mine last year applied to both bc and mgh and he got rejected at bc and wait listed at mgh. does that mean it's slightly easier to get inot? I don't know. Maybe they were looking for slightly different things. He interviewed at Northeastern and said the acceptance rate is in the teens there too- just like BC. Small class size- large number of applicants. I think he was fairly impressed with Northeastern- but he's leaning toward MGH (because of the hospital affiliation) and BC (mostly becuase of the name brand I think). The great thing about BC I think is the ease with which you can slow down the 2nd yea or take a LOA. It's not like they are doing you any special favors- because 1/2 the class does it that way, you know? It may be not as common at other schools- I'm not sure. My friend also got into Regis- which is 3 yrs and grants a second bachelors as well as a masters. The clinical hours for the RN portion of that program are 1500 and it is done in 18 mo. BC's is a little under 600 and MGH is a bit more than that. Of course you could alsways justtake a LOA and work to get more RN exp too. And Celine makes a great point about going to school where you want to live/work. It makes i much easier if you want to slow down.

-Jess

nitsirk81 · Feb 13, 2005

Jess and Celine -

Thanks so much for your help and advice. And Celine, you were more helpful than you think. It's always nice to get opinions direct from students in these programs instead of the just admissions staff and faculty. I also really agree with you both about going to school in an area where I'd like to live/work. That's why I'm leaning to these three schools (if I get in) rather than Rochester and Penn (even though Penn is a great school). I did my undergrad in Maine and I have some friends from college that live in Boston now, so it would be a nice place to move to. I'm also only 23, so I'm not in much of a hurry to get through nursing school, and I would be interested in working in the Boston area, at least for now.

I guess all I can do now is wait to see what happens, but if I come up with more questions, I'll definitely let you know.

Take care,

Kris

Jess RN · Mar 10, 2005

I jsut wanted to post back here that I was accepted at BC and MGH!!! I'm so excited- I have no idea how I will choose. Celine- thanks so much for all your help and information!!

-Jess

celle507 · Mar 11, 2005

Congratulations Jess!! That is a great decision to have to be making. If you decide on BC, feel free to ask me any more questions whenever you think of them whether it is this summer or next year! Good luck in whatever decision you choose!!

Jess RN · Mar 11, 2005

Congratulations Jess!! That is a great decision to have to be making. If you decide on BC, feel free to ask me any more questions whenever you think of them whether it is this summer or next year! Good luck in whatever decision you choose!!

Hi Celine! Thanks so much for the congrats! I feel so lucky to get to make a choice between two great schools! I will definitely email you with more questions as I think of them!

-Jess

celle507 · Mar 11, 2005

Oh, Jess, I also wanted to correct something I told you earlier! I told you earlier that 1/2 of last year's class went on to work as RN's first... I was misinformed when I told you that (or else I wasn't really listening!) because later someone else told me that only about 1/3 took time off. From my class, I think only about 6 or 7 are planning to take time off as well (out of 30). I'm not sure on the exact numbers but it isn't nearly as high as I told you.

I really apologize for giving you wrong information. I meant to tell you earlier but I just kept forgetting!! In either case, they really don't look down upon students taking the 2nd year slower.