RiaC

For the record and so others do not discount my experience, I did not graduate "years ago." I graduated less than 2 years ago in 2016. I have a voice as well, and you could stop replying to my posts with misinformation and assumptions about me that I then need to correct. For clarification, this is a thread which is a discussion and people post comments to add to the discussion. Anyone can comment with their thoughts, opinions, or contrasting experiences.

I am not contradicting myself. I commented because I wanted to share my positive experience which contrasts with your negative one. You are getting defensive simply because I disagreed with you by having a different experience than you did. Sharing different experiences provides different perspectives and more information for those who may seek it. My opinion as well as my experience are just as valid as yours. I would recommend to others that they research programs, compare and contrast reviews (both positive and negative), and speak with current students of the program in order to make a discerning decision. What is right for one person, may not be right for another, and there are various factors that may influence one person's experience of the program. Anyways, as this is a BMCC Nursing Program thread that started off with posters who were hopefuls for the program and many of whom are probably now in the middle of their first semester, I want to wish everyone a positive and successful program! Keep at it, support one another, find laughter where you can (even if it's in the midst of finals delirium), and you WILL get through! Best of luck!

There is no need to be rude or snide. You are perfectly entitled to your opinion just as I'm entitled to mine. Expressing my opinion/perspective on the points you brought up in yours does not prevent others from expressing theirs and offers a different take on the program. As I mentioned, I disagree with your comments but your opinion and perspective is neither less nor more valid then mine. Just different. It's okay to have different experiences and share them. Mostly, I wanted to ensure that those without a medical background are not discouraged to pursue the nursing program at BMCC by sharing. As you said, everyone has a different perspective. For instance, in my class two medical technicians and one EMT either did not pass or eventually dropped out in my class.

I disagree with @TheTruth2019. Most nursing programs are challenging as they should be. Many people have difficulties with the critical thinking style of questions on exams as they require integration of knowledge and not just regurgitation of information. Hard truth is, not everyone makes it and not everyone should. Nursing programs are intended to prepare people to enter a field where your actions can potentially kill someone and not everyone is cut out to be a nurse. I did not have a medical background and graduated from BMCC's nursing program with a 3.92 GPA. I was in the evening/weekend program and worked full-time during the entire program. I am also familiar with the professor you are referring to and I thought she was WONDERFUL. In my class, there were LPNs and EMTs that barely passed and people with absolutely no healthcare experience that thrived. For the most part, my professors were pretty decent if not great in some cases.

Found it! here's a direct link for everyone: Log into Facebook | Facebook

Thank you so much for your advice!

Thanks so much for your input FullGlass! Yes, they did mention the car bit to me which wasn't a problem since I have one. Were you able to work throughout your education with the rigorous curriculum? While I did get a small scholarship from JHU, I still worry about taking out loans to cover the cost of living (e.g. room and board) for 3 years. Columbia's tuition costs more, but not more than having to get an apartment and pay for food for the next 3 years. I know both schools have an excellent reputation, and you're right - can't really go wrong with either one. It's just daunting having to choose one...I haven't had to make such a big commitment in a long time so I'm having a hard time making up my mind lol

They actually don't recommend you live within the area of the school. Most students I believe live in a different neighborhood and take either the free JHU shuttle or the city bus or metro to get to school. I didn't mind the area too much. I loved the school itself, but I think I'm going to end up having to choose Columbia since I could live at home and save out on room and board...

Hi Everyone, I am trying to decide between Columbia and Johns Hopkins for the AG Primary Care DNP. Both programs have pros and cons for me. I love that Hopkins is a small school and really focuses on serving vulnerable and underserved populations. However, Columbia is more price friendly for me because I could live at home and save on room and board. I also like that Columbia offers subspecialties and there is the potential to obtain a paid residency during your last year. Has anyone had any experience with either program? Any advice or feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Hi Everyone! I visited JHU SON yesterday. The area around the hospital campus where the school of nursing is located is not the greatest. I don't think it's as scary as others have made it out to be, but then again, I work in NYC in Washington Heights so I may be a little desensitized. They do have security outposts surround the hospital campus and they mentioned that security escort is available 24/7 to walk you to your car, etc. They actually don't recommend students live in that immediate area unless it's in one of two buildings nearby and even then they said you shouldn't walk home alone (or even to your car) late at night without security escort. The school itself is all in one building, connected to a smaller building that houses admissions, registrar, and financial aid. It seemed like a small cozy school. They are in the process of starting a new renovation on one of the buildings which is expected to be completed in 3 yrs. They also showed me Florence Nightingale's wheelchair which some doctor found and donated to the school lol. Overall, I loved the feel of the school, the structure of their program, and the focus on increasing access to the underserved. I've been accepted into another great program, but JHU is still my first choice. Looks like it's going to come down to the cost of attendance for me and whether I can afford to go :-(

Hi Emmanem830, If you go on the website, under "Academics" -> "Academic Program Plans," there is a sample program plan. Looks to be about 74 credits starting and then if you want to do a subspecialty like oncology or women's health then it adds on credits because of the additional courses. The last two semesters are residency with like 5 credits each semester for the seminar course you have to take. When I went to the open house with the program director, he mentioned that it was possible to negotiate for a paid residency position but this was by no means a guarantee that it will be paid. They also could not tell me how common it was to get a paid residency position. Hope that helps. I'm planning on stopping by to speak with Financial Aid sometime this week as I also did not realize their financial aid deadline was in December. Hope that helps! If anyone has any additional info or corrections, let me know!

Hi @louismimi, To my knowledge, you have to complete all of the prereqs and then sit for the HESI exam. Is the HESI what you meant when you said Kaplan? I applied 2013 so it might be called something different now, but the HESI tests you on math, anatomy and physiology, reading comprehension, and then critical thinking. I think you take the HESI in your last semester of pre-reqs (the semester you apply) and there is a review book for it if you wanted to purchase one. If things haven't changed, I believe they evaluate you on GPA (for the prerequisite courses) and HESI scores. I think the critical thinking score was used as a tie-breaker. While the program is competitive, the 4.0 GPA thing is a myth. What they do is they rank all applicants until the spots are filled. So how high of a GPA and how competitive varies from cycle to cycle, depending on the caliber of the applicants you are applying with. Thus, you have to do your best to increase your chances of getting into the program. Hope that helps. Best of luck!

I'm trying to decide between Columbia and Johns Hopkins...it might come down to cost of attendance...

Hi everyone, I was accepted into the Post RN-DNP AG Primary Care program. Received an email last night notifying me to log into my application for the decision. Best of luck everyone!

I saw that the estimated cost of attendance with tuition, estimated room and board, health insurance, and other expenses is approximated at about $78,600 for the 2018-2019 school year...I think they adjust it (aka increase it) by like 3-4% each year...

Has anyone heard anything about scholarships or anything for the DNP program? The total cost of attendance for the program looks very, very expensive....

Hi se56, I went to their open house for the AG primary care DNP. It was mostly information on how to apply, the structure of the program, and addressing any specific questions people had. They did mention it was a very expensive program...

I applied and was accepted into JHU's DNP program. Waiting on Columbia before I make my final decision.

Hi MS1983, I believe it is fairly competitive as it is a top ranked nursing school. However, they do stress that they take a holistic approach to applicants so it's not necessarily all about GPA and academics. Also, I think different specialty tracks differ in how big the cohort size is and how many applicants they get.

I got the same email that my app was complete and is under review. On the website it said we find out in March. I think it's typically around mid-march.

I have a professional background in public health. After I obtained my RN license, the program I work for (non-profit, DOH funded program at a major city hospital) happened to receive additional funds to hire a nurse case manager and since I was already here and experienced with the program my boss asked me to stay. Essentially, my job has not changed much and it is still a non-clinical position which is the only reason the hospital HR agreed to it (BSN is required for all nurses at my hospital). I knew which 2-3 schools I wanted to apply to before I even started nursing school actually. I'm a 5 year plan type of person lol. It just happened that all three schools that I planned to apply to converted their MSN programs to DNP in the last year or two. So if I wanted to pursue an NP, the DNP was my only option unless I wanted to change schools. I'm going for Adult-Gerontological Primary Care DNP as opposed to FNP as I have no interest in seeing tiny humans clinically.

Lol...I believe nursing theory classes are supposed to provide a foundation and grounding for research and policy formation...affecting change on a systemic level and such... That's what I like about the NP role over PA. Besides the increased autonomy NPs have in many states, I think there is also greater versatility, especially with the growing number of NP post-degree residencies and fellowships as well as non-clinical and academic options like research and advocacy and policy.

Congratulations to everyone who was accepted! I graduated from BMCC's evening program a few years ago myself. Some advice, do all of your readings - yes ALL of them. Those who were looking for "shortcuts" without having completed the readings were the ones who had the most difficulty on exams and such. Don't get discouraged, especially by your first exam grades, because nursing school was harder than any other coursework I have completed previously and I have a prior BA in biology and sociology. That being said, I've heard others say that it doesn't matter what you get on exams as long as you pass. But for those of you who may be looking towards going to graduate school (like I was), your grades now impacts your academic options later.

Like you, I went into nursing with ultimate aspirations to become a primary care NP. I liked my experience as an RN, but knew I wanted to be an NP more. Clinical experience is required for CRNA and Acute Care NP programs, but not for primary care. I say don't get too caught up in the experience vs. no experience argument. What I've been told from program directors to professors to experienced NPs and admissions counselors is that there is no research or definitive evidence that suggests experienced RNs make for more competent or better NPs than inexperienced new grads. Your role as an NP will very likely be very different from your role as an RN anyway. I went back for my associate's RN as a second degree student (had a prior BA in biology and sociology) and then transitioned immediately to a RN to BSN online bridge program afterwards. Completed the whole thing in about 4 years while working full-time. I was just recently accepted into a top ranked DNP program and I never worked clinically as an RN. While some may not agree with this, I did not want to wait as I was afraid life would get in the way of my career goals and I'd never make it back to school. At the end of the day, everyone has their opinions and thoughts but you have to do what is right for you. I wish you the best of luck!

I probably won't be able to go until early March. I'll let you know how it goes!