jonron1216

Hi Ryan, I am also concerned about the cost of the program at Duke. However, after much thought I've decided that it is worth it. With the tuition reimbursement program the cost is comparable to an a typical out-of-state public BSN program. However, I believe that the education and opportunities afforded to Duke students make it well worth the extra money. I am determined to do a BSN and continue on to Advance Practice nursing, so the BSN is my only option. I also know that many states are considering making it a requirement that all nurses obtain a BSN in the future. I think being the best nurse you can be should be a goal, and a great education is crucial in my opinion to achieving that goal. There are several reimbursement programs for nurses, if you don't want to stay at Duke, which are worth looking into. If you really want to go to Duke, I think it is doable. @Danceluver, The way it works at Duke is every students fills out a FAFSA form (which gives and option for a 5th year undergrad), and award money is allocated by the School of Nursing. You will receive an aid package showing what you can borrow in subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans, any scholarships given by the school (which there are Need Based ones), and what they suggest you take out in private loans. I am planning on doing the tuition reimbursement program with Duke Health Systems, and after getting some work experience under my belt I may want to go into Adult acute care with a specialty in orthopedics (at Duke of course! :-)). During Duke Days (an interview and informational day all ABSN potential students attend) they stated that ca. 60% of ABSN students took advantage of the reimbursement program. However, 95% of the students that WANTED a job at Duke received one. So, it seems that really it comes down to individual decision making and that Duke is willing to help you get a job if you really want one there. (Not that it is guaranteed, of course). If you have any other question PM me, and I can help with exact figures. I don't really want to put out for the public how much exactly I am taking out in loans and what-not but if you are curious I can help you with the process.

Piebird, Congratulations! I'M IN TOO! WHOOOOOOO!:w00t:

hey guys, i was just wondering if those of you who went to duke days on the 13th and 20th were also told that the admissions committee would meet this week, but that decisions are tentatively scheduled to be sent out on aug 6th?! is that right? after much hard work and dedicated creeping i saw that last year's spring cohort found out about admittance the tuesday following the last duke day. if trends continued that would be tomorrow... i'm assuming it won't be that soon because we were told at the first duke day that we probably won't hear til the 6th, but i figured might as well share what i discovered. also, does anyone know anything about scholarship essays? i vaguely remember some being mentioned but jet-lag had definitely kicked in by the time the financial aid portion of the day had begun, so maybe it was just hopeful delirium.

I am a current applicant for the Duke ABSN program, I absolutely think that Duke is worth the money. The program is fantastic, the instructors seem very personable and concerned with the students' success and the students are afforded many experiences one simply doesn't get from other universities. I would suggest that you attend an info session to see if the program is a good fit for you. There are many many options out their for tuition reimbursement. Duke offers a program paying back around 80% of the tuition in three years if you work for Duke Health Systems afterwards. (Which would be a great opportunity to get experience at one of the country's most renowned hospitals.) Other than that, there are several other tuition reimbursement programs offered through the government/state that are well worth looking into. Being rich is by no means a condition for pursuing a great education with the goal of being the best nurse you can.

Khan Academy is a great resource. It really helped me understand the immune system (a system I struggled with). I absolutely love endocrinology, and Khan makes it very understandable. He does a great overview with a faculty member from Stanford on youtube. Just search Khanacademy Endocrine System and it should pop up. Hope it helps :-)!

Ha, minus 1 point for not italicizing... ​Epulopiscium fishelsoni

I'm in Microbiology right now... currently trying to memorize appx. 100 types of bacteria for a test tomorrow and wanting to rip my hair out. I think the class is fascinating, but I am not a fan of memorizing latin and I think it is a little overkill to have us learn so many bacteria... I would have preferred to stick to the more important ones. I could care less that Epulopiscium fishelsoni lives in the guts of Surgeon Fish. !!!

Hey everybody. I went to Duke Days on last Friday and just wanted to say that I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the program. Duke has so much to offer its nursing students, and the faculty seem very kind and really into helping the students succeed. The facilities are outstanding and the campus is beautiful! As has been said here before, Duke days isn't something to stress about. Take the time to enjoy the day learning about the nursing program and all Duke has to offer (trust me, there is tons!) It was a blast meeting others who had applied. Best of luck to all those going this Friday!

I love this song. As a male going into nursing, the video definitely resonates with me. Thanks for sharing and best of luck in your career path.

Just boarded my first of three flights. I don't have tissues, but I'll know who to ask should my nose start running. :-) Excited to meet everyone tomorrow!

I just started packing for my flight, which leaves bright and early tomorrow morning! I'm excited to spend the weekend in Durham with a bunch of future nurses! Any last minutes tips on what to pack? Duke Days here we come!

Kat, I used to have math anxiety too, and in high school I was a terrible math student. (I got a D in Pre-Calc) I hated math with a strong passion. In college I told myself I would only do the bare minimum required for me to get by in math. I ended up in a calculus class (still not sure how that happened) but I gave it absolutely everything I could and I ended up not only acing the class but loving math. It became an obsession. I went on to multi-variable calc, limits and infinite series, linear alg, differential equations, I was a math addict. It is funny how something I thought I hated turned into a passion once I found the right professor and the right attitude. Don't let the fear of taking math stop you from becoming a nurse, who knows... you could end up like me. :-) Anyways I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors. -JonRon

I am in A&P II right now, and we started with the endocrine system. I have to say I absolutely loved the endocrine system (but then again I love chemistry and understanding how hormones react with our body's metabolism was mind-blowing) and it has been so helpful in understand the way the rest of our systems work. For me the the worst system was the nervous system from A&P I. Dorsal Root Ganglia drive me crazy!

@amo88 - I am from the Tri-Cities (Eastern WA). I lived in north Seattle for a brief period of time and know quite a few people from the Edmonds/Lynnwood area. Where did you get your undergrad degree? I went to Western. Cool to know I'm not the only Washingtonian here :-) (I would have sent this as a PM, but the site won't let me until I post a certain amount).

I decided on July 13th! The airfare worked out better than the other dates. Anyone else flying in from out of town? I'm coming from Washington State. I'm excited to meet you there DancingFree and anyone else coming on the 13th! :w00t: