Nurse2be2021
Member
-
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Thank you @queenrus! I’m sure you will too! When I attended Vandy’s virtual open house in the Fall, one of the faculty said once you are accepted you could email them with your clinical placement requests. I don’t remember which faculty member it was but I think it’s wise to jump on it early rather than waiting until they send out emails to students. My experience has taught me to reach out ASAP and tell them your specific goals/career vision so they can help you achieve them. Vandy’s faculty are awesome so I’m sure they’ll support you.
-
@queenrus I really liked Vanderbilt's faculty but I decided Yale's program is a better fit for me - smaller cohort, small college environment, and slightly more financial aid. Furthermore, I've already zoomed with my specialty director at Yale and have heard from current students and grads that she is awesome. One of my concerns about Vandy was the clinical locations that includes sites as far away as 150 miles from Nashville. I think both Yale and Vandy are incredibly supportive programs, and students who advocate for themselves will get what they want. But for the above reasons, I found greater attraction to Yale.
-
-
-
I put down deposits at both CUSON and YSN, but I will be choosing Yale. @Absnholder109 Tuition/loans: Yale is significantly cheaper (over 100K+ in tuition alone) to get to the NP level. Columbia's extra cost comes from the extra semesters to earn the DNP. Although I aspire to earn a DNP, I prefer to earn a doctoral degree when I have real NP working experience - not just clinical experience - to back me. Also, there's the possibility that my employer will help pay some of my DNP tuition. I also like that Yale's clinical DNP is part-time and online so I can receive a full NP salary while in the program and be doing the degree from wherever I want to live - not just in New Haven. Support: Every interaction I've had with YSN - from my program director to Admissions - has shown me that Yale is invested in students. I've spoken to current students and grads of YSN and everyone speaks so highly of their experiences. The conversations I've had with CUSON students and grads have always included their frustrations with the program. Even in this forum, it's noted that CUSON can feel like a degree mill. Plus, how disorganized has CUSON's second round of admissions been? For me, it's not a good first impression. Diversity: Columbia wins hands down. NY offers so much more than New Haven. My countering to this thinking is being in NY could be too distracting and expensive. With regards to clinicals, Columbia wins. However, I've heard from YSN students that if I wish to do clinicals for a semester/Summer in another state including NY, YSN will make this happen. My perspectives that I've shared here are shaped by my experiences and my needs, so the program that's right for me, may not be right for you. What has helped me the most in making my decision is reaching out to others - faculty, current students, and grads. I asked Admissions to help connect me to people. These conversations with others have provided the "evidence" of what really exists so I don't make my decision based on emotion but rather facts.
-
I've given up my spot for the ABSN-MSN AGPC. I am choosing a different program. I hope this helps someone on the waitlist!
-
@ForeverPsych Wow I love your pros and cons! Reading them made me re-think what I want/need out of a program. And I think I finally reached my decision... Thank you! Here's what I've come up: I need support. Yes, I am a self-starter and extremely motivated but I am also someone who benefits greatly with direction/guidance. Everyone at YSN has gone above and beyond - from Jana to my program director. I've been impressed! Additionally, I've spoken offline to YSN, Vanderbilt, and Columbia students, and both YSN and Vandy students are extremely positive in their reviews and highlight how supportive faculty are. Plus, there's flexibility to do either programs part-time should something come up or I want more RN experience. The CUSON grads I spoke to offline did not say they've been supported and are clear the program has its downfalls (disorganized; expensive; faculty are hit and miss). What also concerns me about Columbia is the CUSON grads I spoke to have not been connected to alumni in other cities where they want to practice. That worries me. I need diversity. Columbia wins hands down with its location. The access to so many communities and cultural activities are of great interest. But I think NY might get a bit intense 24/7 and could also be distracting. If I want to recharge/refresh with a hike, I can do it easily from New Haven or Nashville (of course with the added expense of a car). Although I do not want to live in New Haven for 3+ years, I've also been told there are options to do semesters elsewhere. One YSN student I spoke to went to her program director with her program goals and clinical location requests. She wanted to work in NYC. Her program director made it happen. During her second year she lived in Southern Connecticut and commuted to NY by train on clinical days and drove to New Haven for school days. She ended up with a job offer from her NY clinical site. I need financial viability. Vandy is the smartest choice for me. At the end of two years, I can earn a full NP salary and repay loans sooner. Yale is close behind because I can earn an RN part-time salary while in the MSN program, and therefore take out a smaller loan to get to the NP level, whereas Columbia only offers the DNP, which is a fortune. And, if I really want the DNP degree both Vandy and Yale's programs are online and part-time, allowing me to earn an NP salary, which again, equates to less money needed in a loan. Although I want a doctoral degree, it doesn't make sense to me to get it right away. It's not like a university will hire a new DNP grad with zero NP experience other than clinicals. Rather, if I wait and get the DNP degree later, there's the possibility my "down-the-road employer" will pay my DNP tuition, and there's a better chance that faculty will connect me with their university contacts that may be hiring. So, where does this leave me??? I've come to the decision today that Yale offers me what I need but also most of what I want. (I've written many pros and cons lists, read many other students' pros and cons list, and annoyed my parents talking about each program for weeks.)
-
@ForeverPsych Congrats on your acceptances! I am in the same boat as you with acceptances from Columbia, Yale, Vanderbilt, and Penn (although I will not be going to Penn). I am curious what your reasons are for choosing Columbia aside from the generous scholarship. Before Vandy's acceptance came in, I was deciding between Columbia and Yale. But now that I know Vandy is only two years with the option to practice in most states, I am completely torn. I've been most impressed by the support from faculty at Yale but wish the program gave two degrees like Columbia. I like that at Columbia I can exit/pause after a year with a Master's degree (albeit loose the seamless scholarship). Both Yale and Columbia have been pretty awesome with aid, and Vandy's been okay. I like that at Vandy we could be earning a full salary after just two years. Thoughts???
-
-
-
Does anyone know the cohort size?
-
@kesha111222 my acceptance letter did not list scholarship/aid info. I believe financial aid package letters will come next week. I only submitted my FAFSA. I did not see federal tax forms were to be submitted in December so I don’t think I’ll be getting any needs-based scholarship.
-
@aspiringkingscountynurseThank you for notifying us that decisions were posted! I didn't receive an email so I logged into the portal to see my decision. Happy to share that I've been accepted into BSN-MSN (AGPC)! Congrats everyone!
-
On October 30, I received an email from Admissions with the following: Admissions Timeline: November 2020 - January 2021: Applications are reviewed December 15, 2020: Financial aid application deadline (more info next week) Early February 2021: Admissions decisions notification available online June 2021: Accelerated Nursing Program Start Date
-