tlm424

For easier elective classes, check out the name of the professor and go to ratemyprofessor.com - thats the most useful tool i have found for avoiding really difficult classes. I have not heard anyone say that nutrition has been difficult. For research the rumor is that prof. gilson is incredible! I know there are two professors teaching it next semester and i dont know anything about the other one. Also the current Health care delivery systems prof is not a fave for many, but I personally like her. She makes it a hard class, and its only two units so that is a tad frustrating, but you do learn a lot - with that said she isn't teaching it next semester so I don't know anything about the new prof. Its not really hard, but you do have to take it seriously - and the amount of reading she expects is laughable! Impossible for anyone to achieve unless you are hellbent on driving yourself crazy. She gives a study outline, which i followed for the exam and I did well on it. But you don't have to take her if you sign up for it next semester since she isn't teaching it. If you have to take theology... be careful about what you pick. This is where a lot of people got stuck in really difficult classes. Nutrition, HCDS and research all apply to nursing so those will be fine.

Hi Poppys mom - you have to do the MSN portion part time. WHC will pay their employees 10k per year if they seek an MSN. I am definitely taking advantage of this!!!! Its a great teaching hospital. I may be wrong, but I think they make direct entry students wait 1 year after completing the BSN portion before beginning the MSN portion....

Hi Gentle Giant.. In a typical week, I go to school 4 days, including my clinical so I have Fri-Sun off which is great. As far as studying goes, I am one of those last minute people, so I just study right before a test... I do not continually study all throughout the semester. I also hardly read at all... Lectures are always given on power point so I just study those. As a result, I have periods of really stressful times where all I am doing is studying for 3-4 days, take the test.. and then I'm done till the next time. Gtown does make it sound like you will have zero free time and thats not true. You do have free time, but not enough for a job. Luckily I have met some great people, so I utilize my free time by enjoying being social and seeing new parts of DC. I make a point to have fun when I can because there are moments when school is just not fun at all.. so you have to keep a balance. Pathophysiology for me is the hardest. The professor is awesome, but he lectures at the speed of lightning. Luckily he records his lecture and you can listen to them at your own time and pace, but its the most amount of material I have EVER had to study. Its incredibly useful for your education... but it is the most stressful and takes up most of my study time. The cool thing is that patho and clinical are the most challenging - clinical is FUN though! - but its challenging, you have a lot to learn. So your other classes aren't as difficult. Your first semester, try and take an easy and enjoyable elective if you can - some people got stuck in really difficult elective classes, and the fact is all your focus is on nursing... so if you can have a fun, easier elective class, you will be good to go. With that said... for me, working is not an option.. I would have done much worse this semester if I had attempted to work... so I have time for work and little play, which you need for the semester. :) Overall I love it! We just finished the two hardest weeks of the semester - it wasn't easy, but its doable.. you just have to do it.

Hi Natalie! I am extremely happy to be at Georgetown! Yes, you start clinicals about three weeks after school starts and we just finished up our first semester. WHC was awesome, I really enjoyed it there and all the clinical instructors from WHC are wonderful to learn from. I moved from the west coast and i did not bring my car. I live about a mile from school and I walk everyday - being close to school is definitely the way to go - otherwise you have to rely on the metro and the bus because Georgetown is not on the metro line.. Being close to school will make your life SO much better. Also, getting to clinicals on public transportation isnt bad, but if you live near campus, there is usually almost always a carpool you can rely on. Plus you only have one clinical day at WHC a week and you are on campus the other 3 or 4 if you have friday classes. So getting to school easily 3-4 days a week is much less stressful than trying to get to whc one day a week. Things to remember: Your experience depends on your attitude, Georgetown has a 100% nclex pass rate (so they know what they are doing), You have the scholarship so your tuition is reasonable and you can pay it back, the program IS stressful and fast paced but none of us want to be in school forever so you have to suck it up and just get it done... Don't let the negative people bring you down, b/c there will be negative ppl talking crap about the program, but the problem lies with them... not Georgetown. That is my personal opinion... I was so excited about this opportunity and its everything i wanted it to be.. I'm stressed like crazy b/c its almost finals, but its worth it.

I'm definitely not a plant in the program - I'm in my first semester and I'm a WHC scholar. There are options for tuition repayment because I looked into all kinds of options when I was applying to schools. There is even the National Guard which is a 3 year commitment but they pay a significant portion of tuition. Granted a lot of these programs are in areas that may not be desirable (ie. Detroit) , but honestly, it may take some work but there are options. Perhaps a lot of them have gone away recently b/c of the economy, who knows. My main point is that yeah the economy sucks and yeah it might be stressful trying to find a job but it will happen. Who said any of this wasn't going to be stressful??? Yes.. school is stressful. I am studying for patho right now and I hate it. But its part of being a nurse, something we all chose to do. People get stressed and unhappy and then they blame the program.. its comical. Every single person knew what they were getting into when they agreed to go to Georgetown and when life gets stressful they blame the program, as if it was going to be easy....

Cynical and miserable about what? Just curious... I can see how the program grinds you down.. its not easy, but I don't think it should be. Plus, being accelerated students means we all have a lot of school behind us and most of us are just ready to be out making a paycheck and having a real life. True, its not easy to be a student again, but we all chose to go after a new profession, which means you have to pay a price for choosing an accelerated program. Aren't all seniors burnt out and tired at the end of ANY degree? Of course.. school work blows, especially when we are all at an age where we are ready to be employed and making money. I just have a hard time hearing people bash the program - the program itself is great... having a Gtown degree carries a lot of weight. Think about it - WHC is willing to pay 80% tuition for NEW Gtown grads.. that means a GU degree is marketable and can set you apart from other new nurses in the job market. Maybe the economy seems bleak, but the fact remains that there is a shortage, and when things turn around, and when old nurses start retiring, things will only get better for the profession. I myself have been worried about where the profession is headed in terms of jobs and the economy... most experienced nurses say we need not worry. Things may be tough now, but they will get better. Also, I hope all new grads remember to negotiate tuition re-payment when getting hired on. It is possible, and tuition re-payment programs are out there. The medical industry doesn't work without nurses....

I would like to know what they mean by "disorganized".. I mean, did any of them who said that give any examples? I would personally say the opposite. Gtown has been on top of everything and the staff/professors are all very receptive and supportive. My opinion is that a lot of people think things should be done a certain way (their way) and if GU does something different, GU gets labeled "disorganized"... In regards to mental health at WHC, the mental health floor is actually not run by WHC directly. They have hired a seperate company to run it, in the hospital. So while the mental health floor is in WHC, its not owned or run by WHC.. that could be why you have heard mixed things about it. As far as I know that could be an issue with opportunities to work there.. but that is speculation.

Hi there! After my interview I felt so weird about it. It was so short, and they didnt ask a lot of questions... I thought I blew it. HAHA.. i was wrong! I got accepted. I personally think its designed that way so they can get a feel for who you are, how you speak, how you present yourself in a professional setting. I was the last person to go.. and it was the longest wait ever. Good luck! I am sure you did fine!

gkvegan - You aren't isolated at all. And you make friends easily within your cohort. Plus, you are so busy you do focus on the program, which is what you are there to do anyway. :) good luck! its awesome!!

St Marys is really close to Epicurean, Leavy Hall.. and its a short walk from the medical library and the center of campus in general. Why would a second degree program be integretated with the traditional one? Its a seperate program on purpose. All in all, I walk all over campus all the time, and very easily as well. I don't feel isolated in the least... its close to everything and a short walk to M street where you can go to happy hour with your classmates - haha, you will all need to get in on the happy hours!!

A nasty place to work??? Wow.. the people who have clinicals there really like it from my cohort.... lol

Hi! Just wanted to let you know that I moved all the way across the country from home and I am so happy I did. Its a great life experience and I love DC.

I just have to say that I disagree with LITERALLY everything in this post... funny how people can have totally different experiences...

Hi 2010 candidates! I attend Georgetown, and I LOVE It. I am a WHC scholar, and I love the program all around. I read that some people have heard a lot of negative things about the program, and my personal opinion is that it is all BS. From my experience, I have approached the program with a positive attitude and have been very open to the experience in general. I have found that there are a lot of negative people in the program who complain A LOT!!! And frankly, it is ridiculous. If you are a positive, happy person, and if Georgetown is where you really want to be... its awesome. I moved from out of state, and am committed for 3 years to the scholar program and I am fine with it. Its all a personal choice... WHC will work with you if you have to break the commitment, but being a new grad, they will give you all the experience you need as a new nurse so that you can end up in your "dream" field. Yes - the interview is short and can leave you feeling perplexed, but Georgetown knows what they are doing and it is designed that way for a reason. So anyways, I am sure a lot of people talk smack about the program but I personally love it - it depends on who you are. Keep in mind... Georgetown is NOT a weeder program.. they provide a ton of support while in the program... AND they do have 100% NCLEX pass rate.. its a good program, depsite what some current students might say...

i really think it is worth it. If I had not had the WHC scholarship, I still would have come here. However, not a lot of people feel this way. I was SO excited to be a part of Georgetown, that paying for the name and experience was ok with me. It is a personal decision....