CapeJaz

Thanks, Julia & MassRN2B! I took the admissions exam last week and sent in my application yesterday.

MAnurseHopeful - where did you go to school for your LPN and where are you currently in school? Thanks.

I know a few people who swear by Keen's - the Newport H2 and Venice H2 lines. http://www.keenfootwear.com

Lay midwives are not illegal in most states... www.mana.org has a lot of information on lay & direct entry midwives

Do the LPN grads at Quincy go directly into the one year RN program or do they have to take time between programs?

The current issue of Boston magazine has articles on housing costs as well as "The Best Streets to Live On." Worth checking out for greater Boston. Unfortunately, public transportation is limited in Massachusetts, but there are plenty of private bus services.

yes, the cost is why I am looking at associate's programs, but then the waiting list factor makes them less appealing. Oh, well.

Eastern Massachusetts has a high cost of living, but the western part of the state is more affordable. Still, it's nothing like the south or midwest - it's all relative. The Pioneer Valley has a good mix of people, employment, cultural amenities, etc. The colleges/universities and proximity to cities (Springfield, MA & Hartford, CT) make the employment outlook solid. It's 90 miles to Boston, close to VT, NH, the Berkshires, and about 2.5 hrs to Cape Cod. So check out Amherst and Northampton, if the above sounds cool. Good luck!

Are you in the first class? What's your general impression of the program? Your clinicals? Thanks.

Thanks!

Anyone know about/have experience with UNH's direct entry program? Thanks.

Where do the Quincy clinicals take place? How is the job outlook for grads? Thanks.

Does anyone know of any accelerated associates degree program's for bachelor's prepared non-nurses? Miami Dade has a one year program, but I'm wondering about others. Thanks.

I just learned this helpful hint in my GRE prep class last week- the analytical scores are related to how much you write. Generally speaking, with basic writing skills, 6 paragraphs = a score of 6, 5 paragraphs = a score of 5 and so on. So really try to write six coherent paragraphs and you'll do fine. Good luck!

Thank you so much for your response!

Did anyone here attend, or know someone who did, Miami Dade College's accelerated RN program for college grads? Any thoughts?

Nashima- How did you like the program? Were you in the accelerated one? Thanks.

I knew of a midwife who worked in NZ...and others who volunteer with Doctors Without Borders and in Guatemala. As a starting point, I would do a web search and contact midwifery school prof's who oversee the student int'l academic/volunteer programs.

Both NYU and Columbia have holistic/integrative programs

There is also a program at Regis College

Emory's ERNP program has info online

Direct entry programs have been graduating qualified NPs for 25+ years. I have worked with people who have gone thru these programs and most are intelligent critical thinkers who are caring practitioners that practice evidence based medicine. There are some less than stellar graduates, but that's no different from any other field. No matter where a person goes to school - a hospital diploma program, community college, 4 year university, does an MSN thru distance learning, in a classroom, in 2 years or 5 years - they still have to pass the same exams, find a job (and keep it) and continue learning. Experience is the best teacher, but it always comes down to the abilities of the student. Just because someone worked as an RN for x number of years does not mean that they are good at their job. I wonder what the motivation is for the original post. It is a sad rant and I hope no one considering a direct entry program is discouraged by it - yet, it's actually very informative for those who weren't aware of the attitudes still present in nursing.