Ryerson v. Trent?

[anikarain]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum so I apologize if this is in the incorrect category!'

I was recently accepted to Western, Trent, and Ryerson's nursing programs (waiting on Mac) with an average that will get me quite a bit of scholarship money.

My ultimate goal is to get into medical school (but please spare me the lectures on how difficult it is- I'm aware of the challenges and am willing to work extremely hard), or some sort of professional school if med school doesn't work out (such as law school, NP program, etc.).

This would mean that I would be in as little debt as possible, and also maintain a very good GPA. However, I would also like the university experience that I have dreamed about.

As of now, it's a toss-up between Trent and Ryerson as to which school will give me the advantage:

-Ryerson is commutable from my home, and thus will save me living expenses (and thus less debt). However, I have heard quite a few things online about how the program (and faculty) has many faults, and should be stayed away from. Furthermore, there are no preferences on clinical placements, which may be quite discouraging if I want to explore a particular specialty. I also will not get my 'uni experience' because I will be living at home.

-Trent is 2 hours from home, which means I will be living on residence. However, with my avg I am able to get full tuition, and if I maintain a 4.0 (which I have to do anyways), I will continue receiving this scholarship. Trent is also known for their excellent financial aid- I will be able to get my university experience without paying as much. However, I am not very well-read on their program nor have I seen many reviews; can anyone who has been to Trent tell me what the program was like? Furthermore, I cannot drive so getting to clinicals will most likely be difficult.

I reaaaally apologize for the long post, but I hope anyone (partic. current nursing students) can give me some wisdom!

Thanks!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

You do realise that you're likely to be flamed for taking a seat away from someone who wants to be a NURSE when s/he grows up, don't you?

[loriangel14, RN]

If med school is your goal why would you waste time with nursing school? Nursing is NOT a stepping stone to becoming a doctor.And like jan said, you would be taking a seat away from some one that WANTS to be a nurse.

[anikarain]

Going into Nursing is my goal due to its ability to prepare me for patient-provider interactions. No other program will be able to to do that for me. Maybe I phrased the statement incorrectly, but I do want to become a nurse. I would like to work as a nurse for a few years, and save up some money for med school. In no way am I discounting the nursing profession as a stepping stone, rather it will be a good profession for me to enter to really experience the healthcare system. Furthermore, I really would not like to graduate with a BSc in Biology, $35,000 in debt and without a job. If I decide not to pursue med school, I can still remain in healthcare and have several career pathways unavailable if I were to go into Biology.

[poobearr]

a friend of mine loves Ryerson because of the city life, and she says her professors are willing to talk to you one on one if you need the extra help! I personally would choose Ryerson because the tuition fees aren't that high, and if you plan on living at Trent full time, the living costs will be the equivalent or even more than the tuition fees at Ryerson. #TEAMRYERSON!!!

but congrats either way!