alg12

I am having a similar dilemma: my gut is pulling me toward midwifery, but my brain is worried about some practical implications. My question to any working CNM out there is: how many hours does "full time" end up being? I know this must vary tremendously by practice, but wondered - on average - what the weekly hours end up being. Is 40 hours (albeit odd ones, eg. with call and nights, etc.) full time? or something closer to 80?

Hi dgoldbe3 - I think I'm leaning towards Penn because with the financial aid and grant money, it's (surprisingly) not that much more expensive than Jeff. Believe me, money was an issue for me too, but when I write it all out, it seems like $30,000 in loans after I graduate will be about what I'm facing regardless of whether I go to Penn or Jeff. (I'm independent though, so if you're still considered dependent it might make Penn a lot more expensive.) And Jeff seems like they encourage students to take out private loans a lot more than Penn does. Anyone who knows better than my best research/guess work has allowed, please correct me if I'm wrong!

Thanks for the reply. I was not aware of the rankings, which are helpful to see. Nevertheless, most nurses I talk to say it doesn't really ultimately matter where you go to school. (Something I like about nursing...) Your post makes me realize I can't really go wrong. I had, I think a 3.7 something for my undergrad GPA, and I've been a mega-dork with my pre-reqs (4.0). I think that it's better to have a balanced life than a 4.0 but that's not really my strength. Thanks again for responding. Are you applying to these programs this year?

I was recently accepted to Penn and Jefferson's accelerated BSN programs. Penn offered some significant grant money, but even so, it is still a pricier option. I'm conflicted over where to go and would be eager to hear some thoughts comparing the two programs. Penn strikes me as well organized and excellent training. But people talk about how reputable Jeff is too. I think I'd like to ultimately work as a FNP, but honestly, I'll admit it - I have no real idea what type of nursing I'll do. One of the pros of Penn is that it is 18 months, a little more time to figure it all out, and gain confidence. The con is, I'm 31 and eager to have a job, a life, and be done with school! Any thoughts welcome. Thanks!