1923

Hi bringinit247, I'm happy to share but sorry in advance to everyone else for monopolizing the board. Without a cosigner: For variable rate loans (15 years, no repay or the $25 a month deal, also a lot of these loans drop the rates by 0.5%-2% after you graduate and most offer 0.25% for setting up auto payment). Wells Fargo health: 6.00%, Suntrust: 8.99%, Discover health: 5.75% However, with a cosigner Citizens got me down to 3.99% variable (and 8.25% fixed). I am still waiting to hear back from Citi and Chase at this point but the banks all give you 30 days to decide if you want their loan.

@bringinit247 --- I did not need a cosigner for all of the loans but I felt that the rates I was getting on my own were just absurd (though this is my first time with taking out student loans so maybe i was just naive) and after 3 banks turned me down without a cosigner I gave in and asked my dad to cosign. These banks approved me (at a higher rate) without a cosigner: (1) Suntrust custom choice, (2) Discover health professionals (w/cosigner my rate actually only went down by 0.25% though), and (3) Wells Fargo health professionals. Also, just as a general heads up to anyone from Mass, you may want to look at Student Savings, Loans & 529 College Plan | MEFA - Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority for loans, I just moved out of Mass but MEFA's fixed rate at 8% seems significantly better I can find through normal banks. However, I'm still really torn on the issue of if I should go with a variable or fixed rate loan.

Hi all, For those looking at private loans, I've been applying all day to see what the rates are like: So far, I've been approved for the best rate with Citizens (the variable rate loan, I'm still waiting for approval on the fixed loan), then Discover's health student loan and next Wells Fargo's health loan (2% less at Citizens vs. Wells Fargo). Discover's loan is based on the PRIME rate though and im not sure it is as much an apples to apples comparison as two LIBOR based rates but i dont know a lot about it. To be honest, I was shocked I need to have my dad cosign as I have really good credit (well i did before today, now it may be knocked down by applying to 9 loans but hopefully I wont hate myself for that). One bit of info I found helpful was learning that if you want to apply for multiple loans from one bank (for example you might want to apply to both the health professions and the undergrad or the fixed and variable rate loans) then you should apply for the loans on the same day or at least the same week because then the banks will agree to just pull your (and your cosigner's) credit report once and use it for all the loans you apply to. Best of luck to everyone looking at loans and please let post where you get the best rates if you dont mind so we can all be sure to apply to the best banks possible.

Hi bringinit247, I am female but I am 27, nearly 28, and have been out of school and working for a number of years. I suspect that we will all bond and our different backgrounds/experiences will be good for all of us.

So this is getting ahead of things but I was looking at the email sent out regarding orientation and the supplies ("You are required to submit the attached Supply Order Form by March 15 with a check or money order for the proper amount, made payable to Steele Supply Co."). Just as a heads up, the stethoscopes seem to be significantly marked up through Columbia. Online, the same stethoscopes (cardiology III) are ~$40 less with free shipping and free name engraving (the reason I looked online to begin with as an MD friend recommended the engraving).

hi ny nurse, i'm hoping to ask for a little advice. i am thinking way ahead here as i wont start school for my bsn (accelerated ~1 yr program) until this summer but i was wondering what your process was for job hunting? how long did it take you and how did you find the market in nyc? i am really looking to work in l&d in a hospital in the nyc area but am worried that i will graduate with the clinical rotations (through school) as my only experience and i dont know if finding a new grad job in l&d in nyc (without experience) is like saying i would like to win the lottery. any thoughts/advice you have are greatly appreciated!! thank you

Hi i.am.a.nurse, I am thinking way ahead here as I wont start school for my BSN (accelerated program at Columbia) but I was wondering what your process was for job hunting? How long did it take you and how did you find the market in NYC? I am really looking to work in L&D in a hospital in the NYC area but as I will graduate with the clinical rotations (part of school) as my only experience I dont know if finding a new grad job in L&D in NYC is like saying I would like to win the lottery. Any thoughts/advice you have are greatly appreciated!!

I friend of mine who has done the program said that the midwifery program frowns on working and also its schedule means it is basically not possible. However, I'm still trying to get a handle on just is it possible to get a job as an RN after the first year -- for example, I would Love to be able to work on a labor and delivery floor as an RN (maybe take a year off to do so) but without experience i dont know if thats like saying I would like to win the lottery.

to etp alums: i was wondering if anyone would respond to this thread with their thoughts on the job market for working as an rn after the first year (i was accepted early decision and i hope to work as an rn and go to school for the np component at the same time during years 2 and 3). i spent the morning calling a number of the major hospitals in the nyc area to ask them about general job prospects. i was pretty much told that most new nurse residency programs and new grad nurse positions hire through a hospital's nurse extern program (which etp students would not be eligible for because of the timing of the program). i am very worried that i'll be stuck in a position of not being able to get a job as an rn after the first year because i dont have any experience yet.

Good luck to all of those waiting to hear back this week!! To ETP alums: I was wondering if anyone would respond to this thread with their thoughts on the job market for working as an RN after the first year (I was accepted early decision and I hope to work as an RN and go to school for the NP component at the same time during years 2 and 3). I spent the morning calling a number of the major hospitals in the NYC area to ask them about general job prospects. I was pretty much told that most new nurse residency programs and new grad nurse positions hire through a hospital's nurse extern program (which ETP students would not be eligible for because of the timing of the program). I am very worried that I'll be stuck in a position of not being able to get a job as an RN after the first year because I dont have any experience yet.

Hi LookingAhead, I am also doing CNM and was wondering if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your impressions from that conversation. Thank you! Michaela

Is anyone else just not going to be able to fill out the FASFA today? I just got back from vacation but I definitely do not have W-2s from my 2 employers from last year. I'm trying to contact them to get the info but I am not sure I'll know exactly how much I made in 2011 by the end of the week much less today... I feel like they should have given us a heads up that we would need this info so soon months ago. Also, does anyone know what program we should say we are attending after we say we are 5th year undergraduates? (Im not sure if its 2nd BA or Masters program)

Hi all, I remember Columbia saying ED applicants would hear back in early to mid Dec. in an info session but I was reviewing their twitter feed in which they say mid to late Dec. Just wondering if anyone has asked the admissions department recently and if so what they said. I'm dying to know/certainly hopeful it will be the 15th but a friend who is in her 2nd yr of the program suggested I not get my hopes up for the 15th as she said that although the administration is great it is not in her opinion very speedy (she said to think along the lines of before Christmas).