Boston College Master's Entry

NPMH2B82 · Feb 10, 2008

Hi everyone! I am planning on applying to the BE ME program in the future. Can you tell me how competitive it is? What were your qualifications for getting in? GRE scores etc? Any adive would be appreciated. Thanks.

nicks · Feb 10, 2008

Hi everyone! I am planning on applying to the BE ME program in the future. Can you tell me how competitive it is? What were your qualifications for getting in? GRE scores etc? Any adive would be appreciated. Thanks.

I believe the program's acceptance rate is less than or equal to about 20%, Somebody else may be able to give you a more precise estimate. As for myself, I was admitted to the program with a 3.6GPA(science major), had a 550 verbal 700 quant GRE scores and a Y chromosome(doesn't hurt here).

So far I have got into BC, Simmons, UMASS, Columbia, Univ Rochester and am waiting to hear back from Yale(interviewed there), Northeastern and MGH(all for the 2008-2009 start).

The best advice I can give you? Make all of your experiences on paper scream the idea that you have the potential to competently serve the clinical, educational and counseling roles prevalent to the Nurse Practitioner. Before I applied to any program, I had worked full time for four months as a medical assistant(checking vitals, administering immunizations, drawing blood, working alongside NP's). This helped demonstrate that I had initiative and passion for the clinical role of the NP. Furthermore, I had experience in teaching and research. This helped demonstrate that I had initiative and passion for the educational aspect. Lastly, I served as a crisis volunteer on the parental stress line for four months. This demonstrated that I had initiative and passion for the counseling aspect. Overall, I think what put me over the top (if you disregard the fact I'm a guy) is that I had rigorous patient care experience as a medical assistant and had observed NPs in the field, my interviewers were impressed with this fact. Lastly, on a logistical standpoint try to get all your prereqs done(if you have any), some schools will toss your applications aside if you are not complete. I took many of my prereqs at quincy college(if your in the boston area).

I hope this was helpful and I wish you the best. By the way, do you know any students in the masters entry program at BC? If so, how do they like it?

NPMH2B82 · Feb 12, 2008

Thank you Nicks for the reply. It has given me some insight. Congrats on getting in! I am sorry I don't know anyone who is in the program. Just curious, what is your top choice and why?

nicks · Feb 12, 2008

Thank you Nicks for the reply. It has given me some insight. Congrats on getting in! I am sorry I don't know anyone who is in the program. Just curious, what is your top choice and why?

Since I want to stay in Boston I limited my choices between MGH, Northeastern, BC and Simmons. BC is probably the most reputable name in the Boston area(debatable) and has the shortest program(21 months). Furthermore, BC is heavily entrenched in academia and as such, being associated to the school could potentially offer me some future opportunities in research. Some people are a bit squeamish about attending such a short program. However, I absolutely believe my future niche is in adult primary care and as such do not need the extra clinical rotations to cultivate skills prevalent in other specialities(3 year programs). Some people may argue that duration of the program is to short. However, my interests in nursing are well defined. So the short duration of study is ideal for my given situation. In short every program has its strengths and I believe it all depends on what you hope to get out of your experience. Hope this helps and good luck:up:

fibergirl · Feb 13, 2008

Since I want to stay in Boston I limited my choices between MGH, Northeastern, BC and Simmons. BC is probably the most reputable name in the Boston area(debatable) and has the shortest program(21 months). Furthermore, BC is heavily entrenched in academia and as such, being associated to the school could potentially offer me some future opportunities in research. Some people are a bit squeamish about attending such a short program. However, I absolutely believe my future niche is in adult primary care and as such do not need the extra clinical rotations to cultivate skills prevalent in other specialities(3 year programs). Some people may argue that duration of the program is to short. However, my interests in nursing are well defined. So the short duration of study is ideal for my given situation. In short every program has its strengths and I believe it all depends on what you hope to get out of your experience. Hope this helps and good luck:up:

I would agree that BC is the most reputable name. All the nurses (AP and RN) I know in the Boston area think very, very highly of it. I've heard both sides of the 'super-short' program and I really think it's a choice that each indvidual has to make. I do know one grad of the Master's Entry program at BC who graduated in 2005 and although took his NP board exams, has instead been practicing as a staff RN for the last three years, saying "I graduated with a MSN and had never spent one day as a nurse!" And even those with undergrad degrees from BC have told me that they felt their education was very academic and not clinical enough.

But I had a local NP tell me the other day, "Get through school and get out working, that's where you'll learn what you need to..." which is a very, very good point. Practice is where the real learning (and hell, EARNING!) gets done. But I have to wonder about the BC nurse I know who either 1) didn't feel ready to do that or 2) wasn't able to find a job as an NP coming out of BC. I also worry about BC's Master's portion being so short to prevent a student from really developing research interests if they do want to go on to a PhD. But to be honest, I'm pretty sure that in any program, you get out of it what you put into it.

Nicks is pretty clear on exactly what he wants to do and what population he wants to work with, and therefore, what he wants out of a program. For me, I think during my MEPN/GEPN year I want to get as wide a range of general nursing experiences as possible... so I think I'm leaning toward Yale. My gut is that Yale's curriculum and community is more of what I want and will make *me* a better nurse.

So, that's just two more cents from another Boston-area future nurse!

nicks · Feb 13, 2008

good points fibergirl! did you get into yale and are you going? i got in, but am not crazy about driving across the state of ct to get to my clinicals. furthermore, i am in love with the boston hospitals.

and npmh2b82, try to get some experience in the field if you can. i met two direct entry np nurses as a medical assistant at a primary care clinic and they have been extremely insightful about the pros and cons of some of the programs out there and have also allowed me to observe them in action with patients. my overall experience gave me some good mentorship and helped develop my passion for the field. at any rate good luck!!

fibergirl · Feb 14, 2008

thanks, nicks! i did get into yale. i haven't decided where i'm going yet -- BC offered me a lot of money and as you know, yale's finaid package won't be in the mail for a bit yet. i'm also first on the waitlist at UW, which was my original top choice. so i'm dragging my feet deciding.

i do love boston and especially MGH, but i kind of wanted to go somewhere new for grad school. New Haven obviously isn't the top of the locale list, but i did like Yale and all the people i met there. and seattle would be cool too, and Washington is a great state to be an NP in.

So are you set on BC? or are you going to wait for MGH/Northeastern? to send out decisions?

katester5249 · Feb 14, 2008

Fibergirl,

If you don't mind me asking, what is considered a "good amount of money" for grad school? I know grad school for masters lacks the funding available to PhD and BSN programs; ie I got 9 credit tuition remisssion from BC. Is that considered good?

Love to hear more:)

Katie

celle507 · Feb 14, 2008

Hi,

I graduated from BC's DE program and had the same concerns about the time frame as others on this post. However, I ended up choosing it because it was the least amount of credits (and thus least amount of money) than other schools. Also, it's possible to do the NP portion part-time (which is what I did and gained experience as an RN). Overall, the program is well-respected and I know several of my classmates who are actually working as NP's after graduation (without ever working as nurses first). If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask!

nicks · Feb 14, 2008

Hi,
I graduated from BC's DE program and had the same concerns about the time frame as others on this post. However, I ended up choosing it because it was the least amount of credits (and thus least amount of money) than other schools. Also, it's possible to do the NP portion part-time (which is what I did and gained experience as an RN). Overall, the program is well-respected and I know several of my classmates who are actually working as NP's after graduation (without ever working as nurses first). If you guys have any questions, feel free to ask!

Hey Celle507, How does the job matching process work after graduation? What are you doing right now? What should I do while I'm in the program to establish myself as the msot attractive job applicant possible? I would greatly appreciate any insight you could offer.

nicks · Feb 14, 2008

I'm set on BC, I have complete confidence BC, as well as the Boston area hospitals, will offer me great preparation. I just have to iron out some financial details. But I'm pretty much there.

katester5249 · Feb 14, 2008

Nicks...are you from here originally?

I am pretty sure I am going to BC as well; I have absolutely loved every person from thte program w.whom I have been in contact:heartbeat

What specialty are you looking at?