Direct Entry Programs- How hard to get in?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Thanks for all of your responses to all of my previous posts. As you probably assume, I'm evaluating all of my options including ADN, BSN, and Direct-Entry MSN. The direct entry programs look extremely appealing, but seeing that they are at the best of colleges, I don't know how easy they are to get in.

Does anyone know what the typical GPA, scores, acceptance rates of these programs are? Anyone have any experience applying?

I'm in MD, so I'd consider Hopkins, but Columbia, MGHI in Mass, Case Western, Vanderbilt, Pace, and Yale also look appealing.

Seeing as nursing traditionally isn't an "ivy league" profession, are the credentials required for these programs less than what a typical "ivy" student would need?

I'd love to hear experiences with any programs.........

I got an acceptance letter from columbia today!! I can't believe this is actually real. all the late nights working on those apps and nights spent praying finally paid off. thank you everyone for all your kind words and support the past few months. best wishes to everyone still waiting.

That's great news! I'm very happy for you! It will be worth it!

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:balloons: congratulations, Bruinlaura!! :balloons:

I am so happy for you! :p

will you be doing the Psych NP program at Columbia?

if so, please tell me all about it!

--Jupiter

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Hi, I was looking for direct entry MSN's over in CA... anyone here from one in CA? I just got in one (yay), and wanted to see what it was like, or if anyone has been admitted to one or in the process of...?

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Hi, I was looking for direct entry MSN's over in CA... anyone here from one in CA? I just got in one (yay), and wanted to see what it was like, or if anyone has been admitted to one or in the process of...?

Congrats! Where did you get in? The Direct Entry programs I know of the top of my head in California are:

UCSF (in San Francisco)- extremely competitive, #1 in the nation

USF (in San Francisco) - they no longer offer an NP option, so research carefully

U. San Diego (San Diego, not to be confused with UC SD)

Western University (Pomona)

Samuel Merritt (in Oakland, CA) - you can also get an accelerated BS, but they have a lot more pre-reqs to apply.

San Francisco State U - they offer a generic masters program and an accelerated BSN only (offered through through their Sequoia Hospital district in San Mateo - it is for people who already have their bachelors)

I got into USD and Johns Hopkins (Baltimore). So it depends on where you want to live, how many pre-reqs you want to fulfill, and how much debt you want to go into. Good luck! :wink2:

smile123

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The ones I know offhand are all in southern CA, I believe there are 5. There is Western University in Pomona, the one at San Diego Univ, Loma Linda university, CSULA, and Azusa, which is where I'll be.

As far as accelerated BSN's, I know of 2, which is CSULB and Mt St Marys down here. Both were strict as far as bachelor Gpa's... my problem was that back when I got my bachelor's it was mediocre, but my post grad work really high...

do you know which you are taking?

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Specializes in Postpartum.
I got an acceptance letter from columbia today!! I can't believe this is actually real. all the late nights working on those apps and nights spent praying finally paid off. thank you everyone for all your kind words and support the past few months. best wishes to everyone still waiting.

Yay yay yay! Congrats to you- you're on your way!

-Jess

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I got an acceptance letter from columbia today!! I can't believe this is actually real. all the late nights working on those apps and nights spent praying finally paid off. thank you everyone for all your kind words and support the past few months. best wishes to everyone still waiting.

Congratulations BruinLaura!!!!! I'm so happy for you.

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Specializes in Postpartum.

Hi all-

I went to an infosession at BC tonight and here are some things I learned about their Direct Entry program:

-Last year they had 310 applicants for 32 seats. The dean said it broke her heart to sign 120 of the rejection letters she had to send out.

-Most accepted applicants had GRE scores in the 600s for verbal and math and 5 or above on the analytical writing.

-Apparently they weight the GRE really heavilly at BC- because it is the common measure among all applicants- it is used to determine any scholorships or grants given and you are notified of those in your acceptance letter.

-They do not accept based on specialty- they accept the applicants they think are most likely to succeed in the program.

That's all for now- I'm going to MGH's info session later on in the month and I'll report back on what they say there too. I'm thinking I don't have a snowball's chance with either program- but we'll have to wait and see! :p

-Jess

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I'm still waiting to hear back from UCSF. I was a finalist, and to echo the sentiments posted here, a lot of what got me the interview seemed to be volunteer experience.

Now, the big question is, if I'm accepted, I ask if I can defer for a year, since I'm starting to stress about the move to SF from Seattle. My wife is a high school teacher, and she'd be done around the same time I'd be starting at UCSF. So that means we'd move down to SF seperately, which would be incredibly stressful. Eeek!

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I'm still waiting to hear back from UCSF. I was a finalist, and to echo the sentiments posted here, a lot of what got me the interview seemed to be volunteer experience.

Now, the big question is, if I'm accepted, I ask if I can defer for a year, since I'm starting to stress about the move to SF from Seattle. My wife is a high school teacher, and she'd be done around the same time I'd be starting at UCSF. So that means we'd move down to SF separately, which would be incredibly stressful. Eeek!

Congrats to getting to the interview stage at UCSF! You now stand a 50/50 chance of getting in. Usually, they don't allow deferrals. It's so competitive, I'm not sure if you would have to reapply all over again. They only have so many slots open to reserve for the master's portion, so that's the reason they are so strict about MEPN declaring a focus area upon application. I have heard of arrangements where people stop out for a year AFTER the 1st MEPN year, but I haven't heard about deferrals for the first year.

You'll really like it in SF. I lived in Seattle and moved down to the SF Bay Area. You'll have better weather and be in the middle of a great city! Seattle is only a couple of hours away by plane, so it won't be that bad if you have to be separated from your wife.

I guess the best thing to do is wait for your letter March 1st and see what the fates have in store. Good luck!

Smile123

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Specializes in NICU.
I got an acceptance letter from columbia today!! I can't believe this is actually real. all the late nights working on those apps and nights spent praying finally paid off. thank you everyone for all your kind words and support the past few months. best wishes to everyone still waiting.

Hey Laura! I'm going to Columbia too. Are you going to the visiting day in March? I screamed like a beauty queen when I opened that deceptively thin envelope and saw what it was, especially after getting rejected from both Penn & UCSF..

As far as UCSF, I also didn't get an interview, with a 740v/670q/5a GRE and 3.4 gpa, with experience in health education. I think they must have a strong weight on prior direct care experience, as I know a girl who went to Cal and graduated with a 3.9 (don't know her gre's) and didn't get an interview either. Weird!

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Specializes in CTICU.
Hey Laura! I'm going to Columbia too. Are you going to the visiting day in March? I screamed like a beauty queen when I opened that deceptively thin envelope and saw what it was, especially after getting rejected from both Penn & UCSF..

As far as UCSF, I also didn't get an interview, with a 740v/670q/5a GRE and 3.4 gpa, with experience in health education. I think they must have a strong weight on prior direct care experience, as I know a girl who went to Cal and graduated with a 3.9 (don't know her gre's) and didn't get an interview either. Weird!

Congrats!! I was practically in tears when I saw that thin envelope on the floor. When I opened it I screamed too and then misdialed my dads phone number to tell him. :chuckle I don't know if I'll be able to make the visiting day (I really want to go to it though) since I work on mondays, live in cali, and am already in sticker shock over the cost of the first year. I don't even have 10% of the cost in the bank yet. yikes!

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