I think this is going to end up as a very long post (more like essay!) because I have so many concerns and anxieties floating around.
About a month ago I got accepted into the Samuel Merritt University Direct Entry MSN-FNP program. At the time I was happy because I really wanted to go into the direct FNP tract. However, I’ve been browsing these forums like crazy since then and have noticed that a huge portion of new grads can’t find work. Samuel Merritt tuition is roughly 110K without factoring in cost of books, rent, food and etc. The thought of spending so much money for an education that might not even yield me a job is scary. Additionally, other threads I’ve searched have advised against incurring debt as best as one can. So I just don’t know what I should do.
A little background about me and why I want to do FNP. I got my undergrad degree in psychology and was originally thinking about getting a psych.D at the time I declared my major. Luckily I didn’t incur too much debt because I went to a Public university after transferring from a community college. After graduating, I worked as a counselor in a housing facility for emotionally disturbed kids. It was a population that I wanted to work with and a field related to my degree. It was a great experience for me (well not emotionally I almost went mad myself!) cause I was exposed to kids with the worst kinds of upbringing. These kids had all sorts of mental and physical diseases.
However, I was unsatisfied with the exposure it gave me on the mental health industry and the work of therapists and psychologists in general – I just didn’t feel like I could be making a difference being one. The experience made me want to be an FNP in hopes of educating patients and providing family care in hopes to prevent physical and mental illnesses from starting in the first place.
So why did I choose Samuel Merritt? I figured I should just go directly for an MSN FNP since I already have a bachelors…although I have also started reading here about negative stigmas direct entry programs have. I live in the California bay area and want to stay as close as I can here so my only options for direct FNP-MSNs are UCSF and SMU. Even tho both programs are highly competitive, SMU seems more reachable to me than UCSF (I haven’t taken my GREs yet either). Additionally, I finished most of my pre-reqs in the spring and began my application in the spring which is for their sacramento campus and not their Oakland campus…so I didn’t get into the campus that I wanted either.
I have no doubt that a career as an FNP would be great for me, but now I am scared of the tuition coming back to haunt me in the future. The 110K tuition wouldn’t be as bad if I had gotten into the Oakland campus because I could save money on rent by living at home. However, I don’t know if I should forfeit my spot at the sacramento campus for the Oakland one. Cause if I don’t get in…that’s more time I’ll be losing. I just turned 24 and I’m already feeling really old and behind. I dunno, I guess maybe I just need to hear people’s opinions on what I should do.
renee9G
14 Posts
WillMak~
We applied to the same program. I dunno if you can message me, I would like to speak with your further.