NYU, SUNY Brooklyn, or Columbia???

U.S.A. New York

Published

: :p Hi!

Anyone on here wanna share their experiences or decisions about these 3 schools? I sent in my Columbia deposit for the ETP program, then found out I was accepted to the Accelerated BSN programs at NYU and SUNY. I just want to make sure I made the right decision!! If any of you has attended or is planning to attend any of these schools, how did you like it/what made you choose it?? I know SUNY is waaaaayy cheaper than the other 2, but I don't want to base my decision just on that....

Vicky :p

BTW I do plan on getting an MSN eventually, which is why ETP is appealing, but then, I figure I :p could always go to grad school if I went to NYU or SUNY, right??

From what I'm reading it sounds like I should have applied to Columbia too! I am excited to go to NYU though and I am hoping to talk to some other students in the division of nursing before I begin. Has anyone out there already completed their first year in the 15-month program? Or is anyone out there planning to begin in September? I'd love to hear any NYU nursing gossip to inside information about the program. Good or bad.

As a soon to be SUNY BSN graduate I agree with some of what you said about administrative issues there, but I still believe the program there is just as good as anything that either Columbia or NYU has to offer, and for far less $$$. I looked into both Columbia and NYU when I first thought about going to nursing school, both are excellent programs but their tuition is the sort of thing that can cause a heart attack.

Specializes in ICU, Cardiac Cath/EPS Labs.

Thanks Tony; Downstate Orientation is Tues at 8:00 a.m. If you have time, can I PM you re: your experience there? Particularly interested as I am a guy and wonder how much in the minority I will be...Thanks.

As a soon to be SUNY BSN graduate I agree with some of what you said about administrative issues there, but I still believe the program there is just as good as anything that either Columbia or NYU has to offer, and for far less $$$. I looked into both Columbia and NYU when I first thought about going to nursing school, both are excellent programs but their tuition is the sort of thing that can cause a heart attack.
Thanks Tony; Downstate Orientation is Tues at 8:00 a.m. If you have time, can I PM you re: your experience there? Particularly interested as I am a guy and wonder how much in the minority I will be...Thanks.

My experience at Downstate was a mixed bag of nuts. Yes, there were things about it that I didn't like, and some of it had to do with the fact that I'm a guy and didn't know what to expect in nursing school in the begining. Most of it had nothing to do with the school itself but with the petty and immature behavior of other nursing students.

Yes, you will find that you are in the minority because there are still far more women entering nursing school than men but its not that bad. Downstate is a pretty progressive place, and you'll meet other guys there in various stages of the program. I met quite a few over the years...mostly cops, firefighters, and paramedics. A lot of them were guys like me---married with kids and going into nursing as a second career.

I really have nothing bad to say about SUNY. Its not as pretty as Columbia or NYU, but my experiences were mostly positive. The tuition is cheap and the quality of the education you get is good in my opinion. Just be prepared to work hard and don't let yourself get distracted because everyone I know (myself included) thought that nursing school would be a cake walk. It was nothing of the sort. The program is challenging but if you take your work seriously you'll do just fine. :)

Specializes in ICU, Cardiac Cath/EPS Labs.

Interesting, Tony. Thanks. Maybe I'll meet you there as you are finishing up this August and I start next week...Actually, yesterday, I received my acceptance to Pace's program, which starts Sept.1, but costs $37,000 for 12 months tuition; without a sizeable scholarship, I won't go there.....

My experience at Downstate was a mixed bag of nuts. Yes, there were things about it that I didn't like, and some of it had to do with the fact that I'm a guy and didn't know what to expect in nursing school in the begining. Most of it had nothing to do with the school itself but with the petty and immature behavior of other nursing students.

Yes, you will find that you are in the minority because there are still far more women entering nursing school than men but its not that bad. Downstate is a pretty progressive place, and you'll meet other guys there in various stages of the program. I met quite a few over the years...mostly cops, firefighters, and paramedics. A lot of them were guys like me---married with kids and going into nursing as a second career.

I really have nothing bad to say about SUNY. Its not as pretty as Columbia or NYU, but my experiences were mostly positive. The tuition is cheap and the quality of the education you get is good in my opinion. Just be prepared to work hard and don't let yourself get distracted because everyone I know (myself included) thought that nursing school would be a cake walk. It was nothing of the sort. The program is challenging but if you take your work seriously you'll do just fine. :)

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I live in Astoria, Queens but I am living part-time in CT to finish up a ny cert program for massage therapy. I will say it is great to read from some of you guys who have the very same questions, even those of you who have chosen your school at this point and are just beginning either in June or September. What a supportive network here...

I got accepted to the fall nyu program--yay !--non-accelerated tho because i missed the deadline for accelerated. i am deferring my application to the spring because i was recently informed they are starting an accelerated program with a spring start date. But I am also looking at the accelerated Suny Downstate in Brooklyn (from what I've read it is a good program and my financial aid package from nyu is the pitts) I am planning to apply to the ETP Columbia for next May also.

I would love if you guys going to Columbia, NYU, and Downstate would keep me posted about your experiences. It is helpful, inspiring, and reassuring to hear from others in this i - dotting and t - crossing phase that seems to get bigger, not smaller as i try to get prereqs that will fulfill each and all, deadlines, etc...yikes!

Also, if anyone wouldn't mind sharing with me more about their financial aid packages from Columbia. I want to know if it really could be comparable to state school prices for me as Spaniel was saying. nyu definitely is not. With the loans and scholarship, it comes about 5,000 short a semester of meeting my needs. I dont know, given the availability of funds, which could vary from year to year, how much weight is given to any factor for scholarships and grants. My EFC is zero and my GPA was a 3.7 i think. I dont have any volunteering experience at hospitals but I am a massage therapist, so I do have client centered care experience also.

Ok, sorry for the long post, thanks-- Good Luck with school!

Specializes in ICU, Cardiac Cath/EPS Labs.

Hey, Welcome to the Board! The Board is awesome--now that I'm finally a REAL nursing student, I'm going to become a premium member on this board and help support it--it has been invaluable to the process (prereq's, school selection, scholarships, etc.). Re: volunteering, you can strat now--just several hours/week--and put it on your application--that was advice I got last year from this board and it helped---helped my applications AND helped me confirm my interest in hospital work...gotta go buy some used books for class--good luck!

Hello all,

I am new to the forum and wanted to say hi and introduce myself. I live in Astoria, Queens but I am living part-time in CT to finish up a ny cert program for massage therapy. I will say it is great to read from some of you guys who have the very same questions, even those of you who have chosen your school at this point and are just beginning either in June or September. What a supportive network here...

I got accepted to the fall nyu program--yay !--non-accelerated tho because i missed the deadline for accelerated. i am deferring my application to the spring because i was recently informed they are starting an accelerated program with a spring start date. But I am also looking at the accelerated Suny Downstate in Brooklyn (from what I've read it is a good program and my financial aid package from nyu is the pitts) I am planning to apply to the ETP Columbia for next May also.

I would love if you guys going to Columbia, NYU, and Downstate would keep me posted about your experiences. It is helpful, inspiring, and reassuring to hear from others in this i - dotting and t - crossing phase that seems to get bigger, not smaller as i try to get prereqs that will fulfill each and all, deadlines, etc...yikes!

Also, if anyone wouldn't mind sharing with me more about their financial aid packages from Columbia. I want to know if it really could be comparable to state school prices for me as Spaniel was saying. nyu definitely is not. With the loans and scholarship, it comes about 5,000 short a semester of meeting my needs. I dont know, given the availability of funds, which could vary from year to year, how much weight is given to any factor for scholarships and grants. My EFC is zero and my GPA was a 3.7 i think. I dont have any volunteering experience at hospitals but I am a massage therapist, so I do have client centered care experience also.

Ok, sorry for the long post, thanks-- Good Luck with school!

thanks for the advice, nyforlove. i definitely will check into volunteering locally. i would love to have the chance to work in different areas and get a sense of the inner workings ahead of time. your advice is just helping me bump this one up on the priority list. i agree--the support here is invaluable...

Specializes in NICU.

Hey livingston

Well, the first day of Columbia was good! I'll keep you posted. My financial aid package was about 28K in scholarships, spread over 3 years, with I think 13K this year and the remainder for the next two, a 5K federal loan, maybe one other loan, and a 52K private loan from Sallie Mae. The total tuition and living expenses are about 85K/year, but during the master's portion you can work. During the BSN phase you can't, at least not if you want to retain your sanity and pass classes.

hi elizabells,

I'm glad to hear your first day went well!

Thanks for the financial overview. That is so helpful for me. I finally got a better picture also from talking with someone very gracious with her time in financial aid there. these ballpark figures seemed scantily possible to aquire from nyu.. i had to wait to get my package to know much of anything and so i expected the same with Columbia. so, i was pleasantly surprised.

i just attended the info session on friday. wow. I am really excited. I am at a turning point now. I really feel Columbia is right for me. and what a feeling that is, after so much tossing and turning over so many facets and factors. the aspect of simply meeting financial need in loans and grants combined was a huge concern. and it sounds like this is common and possible. that sallie mae signature loan is a big one. and the ability to work after the first year. it sounds like it is even feasible and stay reasonably sane (depending on specialty) to work full time and go to school full time after the first year doing 3 12 hours shifts. that combined with the possibility of tuition benefits at places of work could really help out.

so good hearing from you. have you met the other people from these forums that were attending this year too? Victoria and others..you all sound like a fun group of people. i wish i was going this year (of course i have to get in first for next year :) )

feel free to update me on your journey anyway...

Hey livingston

Well, the first day of Columbia was good! I'll keep you posted. My financial aid package was about 28K in scholarships, spread over 3 years, with I think 13K this year and the remainder for the next two, a 5K federal loan, maybe one other loan, and a 52K private loan from Sallie Mae. The total tuition and living expenses are about 85K/year, but during the master's portion you can work. During the BSN phase you can't, at least not if you want to retain your sanity and pass classes.

Interesting, Tony. Thanks. Maybe I'll meet you there as you are finishing up this August and I start next week...Actually, yesterday, I received my acceptance to Pace's program, which starts Sept.1, but costs $37,000 for 12 months tuition; without a sizeable scholarship, I won't go there.....

You got Pace acceptance letter already (in late May, right?)? I was told that the process would not start until June 1st. I am anxiously waiting for the decision from them. I just called and they said that it would still take 1 to 2 days to 1 to 2 weeks (what kind of answer it is!).

Specializes in NICU.

so good hearing from you. have you met the other people from these forums that were attending this year too? Victoria and others..you all sound like a fun group of people. i wish i was going this year (of course i have to get in first for next year :) )

feel free to update me on your journey anyway...

I've met bruinlaura and mission, from the direct-entry thread over in the pre-student section.

my brain is melting out my ear. but y'know, come on down!!! :stone

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