Question re: Grad School Admission

[Allison S.]

Has anyone gone directly from a BSN to MSN program?

While I have been an RN for several years, I am only now finishing my BSN.

The problem is that the MSN program that interests me won't consider my application at all this year, because I will not have the BSN until a few weeks after the deadline for the MSN application. It will be complete and in my hand well before the program actually starts.

I have heard that lots of graduate programs in other fields admit people in the spring of their senior year, conditional on their graduation. Arts & Sciences programs do this, as do law schools, med schools, and business schools. I don't understand why my situation is different.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

Thanks!

Allison

[suzanne4, RN]

Has anyone gone directly from a BSN to MSN program?

While I have been an RN for several years, I am only now finishing my BSN.

The problem is that the MSN program that interests me won't consider my application at all this year, because I will not have the BSN until a few weeks after the deadline for the MSN application. It will be complete and in my hand well before the program actually starts.

I have heard that lots of graduate programs in other fields admit people in the spring of their senior year, conditional on their graduation. Arts & Sciences programs do this, as do law schools, med schools, and business schools. I don't understand why my situation is different.

Has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

Thanks!

Allison

The school can set whatever time table that it wants. You will see this also with anesthesia programs, especially...............Remember that there are only x-number of slots per year, not unlimited openings do to teacher requirements, etc. They may be able to fill up their quota earlier, and get their budget allotted............makes sense to me...........

If you really need to start next year, then look at a different school......

[Allison S.]

Thanks for your comments, Suzanne. I suppose it's good to know that this is not an isolated situation.

I am wondering how they justify being the only department in a large multi-campus academic system to do it this way, however. Don't all other departments have the potential problem of admitting students who then fail to finish their undergrad on time? If the program is really so popular, they could fill any vacated spots from a waiting list like everyone else does.

As far as going somewhere else, this is the only program like it around. As it is I'll be driving an hour and a half each way. I really can't look anywhere else. Thanks, though.

Allison