phnursestudent

I was never sold on BC and really only applied because I felt like only applying 2 schools was too risky and I knew that if I wasn't in NY I wanted to stay in Boston. The program just seemed way too short for my liking. And I had heard some not so great things from the staff at the hospital where I was working. I heard bad stuff about Columbia too, I would take all bad comments with a grain of salt. I think every school has issues, a lot of the same ones in fact, but the extent to which these will affect you really varies. I was really excited about Northeastern since they are one of few schools with the Pediatric Acute specialty. I liked the idea of working full time as an RN before starting the Master's, I liked being able to stay at the Boston hospitals, there was a lot going for it. But when I went to interview I left feeling underwhelmed. There wasn't any specific thing that was wrong but I just got strange vibes. Maybe it was the rainy weather or the fact that I interviewed during my lunch break , or that I had found out I was accepted to Columbia the day before the interview, but I left far less excited about the program than I expected. The interview questions were standard, the woman interviewing me just didn't stand out. Also, 24 people with only 5 or so in Pediatrics is so small! Why I chose Columbia: I am doing the dual program with the public health school so that was a big selling point for me. I think the program is maybe a little too big 170 or so people in my class but I would rather have too big than too small. When I came for visiting day I left excited, even if the campus isn't the most wonderful or bustling campus in the world it felt right. A big plus over the other schools in my mind is that Columbia is part of a medical center with 2 of it's own world-renowned hospitals, in a network of 5 or 6 others. There is also a medical, dental, PT, OT, and public health school all on the same campus. Right now the schools are fairly separate but there are a ton of opportunities available at all of the schools. And the faculty is working hard to create classes that bring together all of the schools which I think is amazing. I am doing the Pediatrics specialty and while it is/will be challenging I don't think it is needlessly so and I am excited to take it on. Columbia does not coddle you. They are not mean, in fact I think the staff are wonderful (others may disagree) but to thrive here I do think you need to be a more assertive personality. Take initiative, speak up, advocate for yourself. If you are timid you might not do so well. As for the application process, my best advice- and I'm sure this is nothing new to you- is to focus on the personal statement. During orientation they said they read and reread each and every one of our essays and I think that it is true. My fellow students have come from such a diverse background and have done amazing things. The beauty of a second degree program is the wide range of experiences people bring to the table. More than anything else Columbia seems to really take that into account.

Hey everyone, Just thought I'd wish you all luck with applications. I was in your shoes last year and remember how agonizing it was. But it was totally worth it and I'm loving my time in school (even when I feel like I am hating it). For what it's worth, I applied to 3 schools (BC, Northeastern, Columbia) and was accepted to the three, and ended up at Columbia. I definitely think I made the right choice for me. Feel free to ask questions if you have any and hopefully I can help.