LizzyBennet

Thanks for the update! I'm taking it at Wall St too. There were no dates at 34th St. Oh well. I'm a nut when it comes to tests. I'm just going to study and try not to stress too much. LB

It all depends on what you want. I've heard too many stories about ADN programs with near 50% attrition rates and a 60-70% first time NCLEX pass rates (not only from students, but programs trying to get you to go there!). I'm the first to admit that I am an education snob, but going to a school with ~5% attrition rate (started with 160 students last June and 152 of us graduated this May- + 2 babies!) and a 98% first time pass rate in the past 2 years (IIRC, the 1st time pass rate was around 95% before this) put my mind at ease that I was going to get the education I needed. I have no debt left from undergrad also, and plan to work with underserved women as a CNM, so there are many opportunities for loan repayment available to me. LB

Congrats! How was it? Where did you take it? LB

Yup. Don't forget that the first year at Columbia is 60 credits and tuition is $933/credit. The first year involves 10-12 credits towards the masters portion as well. Perkins is the one that is forgiven. Elizabells, you've taken the NCLEX already? Wow! You go! I'm taking it at the end of June and am totally nerve-wracked about it. :chair: LB

Take a long weekend and enjoy your new nephew! Have someone tape the lecture(s) you miss for you and listen to them when you get back. I did this for the Jewish holidays all year and still did quite well. Congrats! LB

Columbia is pricey and you do have to take out a large chunk in private loans... in NYC the only 'reasonable' (accelerated) program is downstate, but it is not a direct to ms(n) program. You have to do the accelerated BS and then work/reapply for the ms, which is not necessarily a bad thing... it depends on what you want. There is other scholarship available as well. On top of the $28k, I got a $5k alumni assoc scholarship towards the masters program plus a TA-ship that will earn me credits towards my fall tuition. When you continue into the masters program there is also a $1k advanced study grant awarded. Not much, but it is something. Since you want to be a CNM, there is the NHSC, if you are interested and there are lots of loan repayment opportunities out there for CNMs. Ivys in general are pretty notorious for their endowment-scholarships being need-based and not at all based on academics. The ETP program has changed a lot in the last 2 1/2 years since the current director took over and is continually evolving and becoming better (IMHO). The school did have some problems a while back, but I think the fact that most of my friends have easily gotten jobs at Cornell (mostly in ICUs and more specialized areas) before finishing or immediately following ETP, before they've taken the NCLEX speaks well for the program. If they turned out crappy new grads, their new grads wouldn't be so heavily recruited before getting licensed. The Midwifery faculty is awesome and I am totally psyched to learn from them. The head of the program was recently given the excellence in teaching award by the ACNM, a student-nominated award, which I think is very telling of her abilities and teaching style. The current midwifery students I've spoken with are very happy. Whatever you decide, you need to do what is going to be best for you. Going to a private school is pricey... and if you want a 'name brand' you are going to pay for it. Maybe go to a city/state school for the RN portion and then apply to a masters program like Yale or Downstate where you can go part time and work full-time as an RN. Many hospitals will give you tuition reimbursement towards your masters. Good luck, LB

Those are fine. Good luck to you all! LB

There is a place on 181 between Fort Wash & Bennet that sells them. It's a comfort shoe store. You can also order them online at zappos. LB

All white shoes are a must and they are being very strict about it this coming year. Get yourself a pair of white dansko clogs. They are unbelievably comfy and easy to wipe down and clean up when they get dirty. LB

Yup. Staying on top of Oscar is the #1 primo thing to do with financial aid. If you have probs with him, do not pass go, head directly to student financial services in the black building. LB

Summers at Columbia are definitely considered full semesters... especially in ETP when you are taking 20 credits! 6 credits is considered full-time in the summer and 12 for other semesters (for the masters), IIRC. Columbia utilizes summers as full semesters for all of its programs and financial aid *is* there. They know it takes time for summer loans to come in, and no one is charged late fees for that. No payment is expected until Sallie Mae pays up, and since the money is deposited directly into your university account, it is deducted from there. Whatever is left over is for living expenses and you must request a refund to get the cash. Hope this clears things up. LB

I wanted to add to Elizabells' comment... One day when I was feeling a little blue and a touch like an idiot, I asked my preceptor how long it was before she felt comfortable in her job as an L&D nurse...she said a year! So, now I feel quite a bit less dumb. LB

My insurance a the time didn't cover lab tests, so my titers cost me a small fortune. Unfortunately, covered or not, you've got to do them... they won't let you in the hospital without them and they'll put holds on your registration and account until they are done. The only thing that doesn't have to be completed when you arrive (but should be started) is the Hep B shots. I got my 3rd in December. Hope this helps, LB

Thanks for the info Elizabells, I will definitely try to hook up with her. I just talked to my preceptor and she was sooooo nice. I am super excited!!! :w00t: LP, I did my medsurg rotation at Cornell, it's a gorgeous hospital... nice, nice place to work, and everyone told me today that the nurses in L&D are great so I am really looking forward to it. :) LB

Wanted to add that if anyone is interested in a pair of white dansko clogs in good shape, size 38 (7 1/2-8) for clinical, or a pharm book, PM me. I'm selling both at a deep discount. :) LB

Yup. I'm at Cornell, days. I had been hoping for Allen, nights... but I feel lucky to have gotten L&D since there were only 10 spots for 16 people. :) Yeah, all those epidurals and lithotomy are going to make me cringe, I'm sure... but at least I'll get lots of experience starting IVs. Glad to hear the nurses there are nice, though. Good luck on the practice NCLEX today. I can't believe I'm awake right now... ETA: CHONY NICU rocks, what a beautiful place to spend the next 9 weeks. Congrats to you! LB

Is it worth the extra? It depends on what is important to you. (I admit to being a total education snob! ) Columbia is the fastest of the three progams, downstate, the cheapest (IIRC). Columbia you don't have to reapply for the masters upon completion of the bachelors, downstate and stoneybrook you do. I think the midwifery faculty at Columbia are wonderful. The prof who teaches OB nursing as Elizabells mentioned is also midwifery faculty and rocks... (btw, EB-- they don't have issues next year till the spring... aren't they lucky!) The head of the dept is a goddess and everyone I've talked to who's graduated in the last 5 or 6 years says she is the absolute highlight of the program. My friends and I are all extremely excited about learning from her. I haven't met the 3rd faculty member, but I've heard good things, and I have her for my case management seminar which starts in a couple of weeks, so I can update then. Also, something to keep in mind is that there are TONS of loan repayment opportunities for CNMs. Go where you think you are going to get the best education. Student loans can be refinanced and spread out with smaller payments over a longer period, if need be... or deferred in times of unemployment etc. Check out the NHSC and IHS website to get an idea of what is out there for loan repayment. Good luck with your decision! LB PS- hope this isn't too fragmented, I'm exhausted and totally loopy. Elizabells did you get your integration site yet? Of course mine is about as far from me as I can get, but at least I got L&D. :yelclap:

Before you decline, call the admissions office and the ETP office! I can't guarantee my info about admissions is 100% correct as I wasn't faced with this problem when I applied. There was a gal last year (not midwifery, but ETP-to-FNP, IIRC) who couldn't defer because she had an outstanding prereq upon application, and ended up leaving after about a month... however, she was basically told that if she reapplied next year, she'd get priority. I don't know if this was ever put into action or if she reapplied... but check it out before declining. If this is your dream, don't give up on it. :) LB

May_baby, IIRC, deferrment is only available if you have no outstanding pre-reqs... but call the admissions office to be totally sure. Are they still allowing online courses to be used for prereqs? If so, consider taking them online. I know your schedule may be crazy now, but it'll get crazier come June... this could be a great way to prepare yourself. Good luck! LB

Also, if ETP is not everything you fantasized it would be, don't let that get in your way because I can pretty much guarantee that it won't be. Good luck everyone! LB

I remembered what I wanted to say earlier and I'll answer your question Suzie... Someone mentioned the BS maybe not being awarded till the MS... that is not going to happen next year... in fact, even though the school has been talking about it forever, it probably won't happen until they move into the DrNP model which is still several years away. It could, but I wouldn't bet money on it. Also, one thing that many people have not been able to get into their head is that having the actual piece of paper awarded in October instead of May has absolutely no bearing on your ability to get a job. Here are the reasons: You are a bachelors prepared RN, with all of the requisite course and clinical work. You will be licensed AND you already have another degree. THAT is the kicker. Remember many of the schools that we all applied to and gave serious thought to attending (Yale and UCSF come immediately to mind) do not grant a degree at the end of the RN phase. I don't know about UCSF, but I think working as an RN while at Yale would be tough because you can't take the NCLEX until after the first semester of the masters program. This is nothing against either of those programs... both of which are awesome... I was *this* close to going to Yale, but ultimately made the decision for Columbia for a multitude of reasons. BTW, if any of y'all are Orthodox/Observant Jews, and are deciding between UPenn, Columbia and Yale I can help you out with what can be expected at these three schools. Also, many students have not enjoyed their experience at Columbia at all, for a variety of reasons that are too complex to get into. If you are coming from far away, really try to prepare for the culture shock of NYC. It can be extreme. This is also a school run by people in the "New York State of Mind." Be ready to take that on. Make good, positive friends during the summer. Try not to hang out with people who are negative all the time, it will only make you feel negative all the time too. A good support system is the most valuable thing you can create for yourself. I became very close with three classmates over the summer and we have been each other's biggest cheerleaders as well as go-to people for venting. We have a good balance and that helps. The academics can be a real challenge due to sheer volume of material that is taught. Be prepared for that and organize your time well. It is possible to have a very fulfilling life outside of school if you have very good time-management skills. Suzie, When you arrive in the summer, make an appointment with the head of the midwifery dept (I don't know if we can name names on the forums, so PM me if you want that info) and tell her you'd like to get on to the wait list and be sure to have your reasons why. :) Like I said before, at some point in the year, it is likely you will get in. 18 of us were originally accepted into ETP-to-midwifery and there are currently only 13 ppl officially in the midwifery program for this coming year, some of whom were accepted off the wait list. 2 people are taking a year off and will be joining y'all for the clinical midwifery year... but this is only allowed in extenuating circumstances. If you do midwifery, you have to go straight through... the masters portion is 4 semesters back-to-back with no break, so it is all but impossible to work. I would say about 1/2-2/3 of people in the other programs are planning to work full time and go to school either full or part time. At this point, midwifery can be combined with the women's health NP subspecialty and I think we are split about 1/2 and 1/2 dual and single program. I am currently thinking single program because it won't change my scope of practice for the moment and I have some issues with the other specialty which you can email me about privately if you want my input. I hope I've answered your questions. Please feel free (any of you) to PM me... I'll be happy to hand out my email address so that you can ask me questions at any time throughout the year. Oh yes, one last suggestion... don't spend too much time on these boards once you start school... I found it overwhelming and influenced me in a not so good way . Sometimes this much information (in terms of what can be found on all nurses) can just be overload. If you are going to spend time here, do it very judiciously. This is all, of course, MHO. I am sure some people find the info extremely helpful. :) I'll keep an eye on this thread, but can probably be more helpful off the boards. See some of you Tuesday! LB

Hey Y'all, Someone invited me over to this thread from another one and I wanted to post my comments for new acceptees. I have had an AMAZING experience at Columbia as an ETP student. I've worked my butt off and had some major stress outs, but I've had an awesome time and am looking forward to starting midwifery in the summer. For those who might be interested in MW, get on the waiting list ASAP. Chances are you will eventually get in. The director of the program met with us several times this year and every time asked us to seriously evaluate our commitment to midwifery and the activisim involved in the practice. (She considers midwifery to be 60% activism and 40% practice, just to keep the profession alive.) Many people have decided it is not for them. I have had only 1 5X5 prof whom I felt was terrible, but she is also VERY new at teaching and may improve. 2 were out of this world unbelievable and the other 2 were very good... though they started the year with extremely poor reviews, they've taken student comments to heart and been worked with by more experienced educators to become better teachers which was really apparent by the time I got to them this semseter. I am a student advisory counsel member, and I recommend everyone try to get involved in this. It is a position elected by your classmates and it truly effects change. The schedule and curriculum is currently being adjusted for y'all based on the committee's work. I think being a part of this is one of the reasons why I've had such a great year. A student government is also in the process of being formed, so get involved there if you can too. (Though SAC reps will not be able to be members of the SG because of conflict of interest.) I really, truly believe that the key to having a good year in ETP is GETTING INVOLVED. Don't sit at home and talk with your roommate about how much it sucks. If you don't like something, work to get it changed. The administrations listens to you! Another change coming is greater contact with current masters students, so you can get the scoop on everything you have to look forward to. Expect to meet with a group of student reps from the masters program at least 2 times throughout the year. We will also be available via email for any questions at any time. I have to agree w/Elizabells about our financial aid dude. You have to stay on top of it at all times. When in doubt, go to the CUMC financial aid office, which is the central office, in the black building. They'll get stuff done for you. Also, all private loans are credit based. I recommend going to myfico.com and buying their package. You'll get all your credit scores and they'll help you write letters to get them fixed if there are problems. As for the money. Yes, it cost a buttload, but remember that as an NP, if you are willing to work in an underserved area there are a lot of loan repayment opportunities out there. Investigate them thoroughly. Also, they're not much, but Federal Perkins Loans are forgiven for every year you work as an RN or APN (MP, CRNA, CNM). IMHO, the MS programs that are most together are anesthesia, midwifery, acute care and family, also the oncology subspecialty kicks butt and its director is amazing. I want to mention that we were the guinea pig year for some new profs and that did kind of suck, but by the end of the second semester with one, I saw such a marked improvement that I think y'all will really like her and I've personally had discussions with the other about how she is planning to improve that course for next year and I think it will be much better. She is unbelievably smart and knows her stuff so well, but just couldn't get it organized right last semester. For those of you thinking of midwifery, the faculty in that program is to die for, and I have worked with several grads as a doula and have been totally impressed. Some last words... one thing the director of the program has emphasized to us (the SAC) and we've tried to pass on to our classmates is that NO ONE graduates nursing school feeling like they can run out and be an independent nurse. She claims it takes about 5-6 months to really feel like a competent nurse upon graduation (and of course working!) from any program and that integration helps take a 2 month chunk out of that. That being said, I am a student ambassador on visiting day, and I look forward to meeting you. Please feel free to PM me if you want my real name so you know who to look for. :) ETA: There is something very important that I am forgetting right now, but when I remember I will post. :) LB

Hey nycacoustic, I know who elizabells is, though I don't know her well. :) I'll check out the thread. I am a student ambassador, so I may meet you on the 7th. LB

Hi Livingston, Just to put your mind at ease, everyone takes the same courses the first year, including a few master's classes. It's adding those classes that can push the courseload over-the-top. There are some changes being implemented for next year that should make it a bit more balanced over 3 semesters instead of killing you for 2 and less crazed for the 3rd. There will be opportunities to talk with program directors and, if you are interested in ac, you can shadow Dan for a day in the MICU. Dan will give you his schpiel several times and you can decide if that's for you. We are trying to arrange it so that next year's ETP students will have more access to the current masters students so that they will feel better able to decide on a specialty. In terms of jobs... you'll see lots of NPs working along side physicians in your clinicals, especially in peds but in all of the other areas as well. NYC may be different from other areas of the country, but I am not sure. I think that the main thing to remember about becoming an NP is that NPs were brought in to fill in the gaps in health care. As long as you are willing to travel, getting a job shouldn't be that tough. If you are rigid, it may take longer to find one. Come to the visiting day in March if you can and use all of the resources available to you when you get here in June. I've personally made the most of my experience here and had a great time. Some of the didactic teachers are phenomenal and some are just OK. But even those only OK ones have improved significantly over the course of the year due to student input. I feel like they really do listen to what we have to say. My experience with preceptors has been overall very good though I did get a real dud for one rotation. The biggest learning experience clinically comes in march after spring break with a nine-week integration where you work an RNs shift with her. We are all looking forward to this. Good Luck, LB

Both programs are well run. If you want to work through the masters phase, then FNP is the way to go. Libby, who runs the program, wants people to work full time and do the program full-time. OTOH, even though you can't work in the AC program (4 days/week of clinical), Dan Roberts runs that program with an iron fist and claims to have a 100% job placement rate upon graduation. You've got lots of time to decide... primary care and acute care are very different disciplines. Just remember to keep your eye on the prize during ETP, the crazed nature of the academics really got to a lot of people this year. LB