Simmons Direct Entry 2019

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Hey guys! I thought I would start a thread for the Simmons Direct Entry 2019 program. Admissions told me today that they would be mailing decisions in the next 1-2 weeks!

I got accepted but live in California. I’m torn between doing an ABSN or doing the Direct Entry. I feel like everyone’s declining their admission and I haven’t read too many good reviews about Simmons. I wonder how many people applied. So financial aid won’t cover this program since it’s a BSN and Master’s combined, even though it is ultimately a Graduate degree that we’re earning. Decisions decisions...

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2 hours ago, DreamingFNP said:

I got accepted but live in California. I’m torn between doing an ABSN or doing the Direct Entry. I feel like everyone’s declining their admission and I haven’t read too many good reviews about Simmons. I wonder how many people applied. So financial aid won’t cover this program since it’s a BSN and Master’s combined, even though it is ultimately a Graduate degree that we’re earning. Decisions decisions...

I think you're confusing the online FNP program with the direct entry program. Also, they don't issue a second bachelors. I think Northeastern is the only one in the area that does that. I just attended accepted students day at Simmons. Only roughly 30% of applicants are admitted, and they have some of the highest NCLEX and FNP board pass rates in the area (much higher than MGH!). The reviews you're looking at are likely for the online FNP certification program for those who already hold a BSN. Seems like you need to decide whether or not you want the role of a bedside nurse or a provider. ABSN and DE NP are not interchangeable. It doesn't make sense to take on 130k of debt in an NP program if you want to work as an RN.

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Yeah, Simmons has a very good nursing reputation.

The regular programs, not online necessarily.

I would have chosen the direct entry at Simmons, but chose Boston College instead for various reasons (including I want to work with adults and they only offer FNP).

Also Simmons direct entry FNP program has the possibility to do a dual degree in public health with Harvard which is really cool, but you have to apply once you're in the FNP program.

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And yes, you can get undergraduate loans for the RN part, but not the master's part. That shouldn't stop you. You can get the graduate plus loans, and theres also scholarships you can apply for

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Simmons has a very good reputation around here (the direct entry program, not their NP online program). I got in, but declined in favor of UMass. I decided on UMass because it makes more financial sense for me, offers adult-gerontology primary and has a cardiac subspecialty that I'm very interested in. I also felt their interview process gave me more of a personal connection with the school. If I did not get into UMass, I would have happily gone to Simmons.

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I just got an admission offer, I was waitlisted, ready to admit to another program but Simmons is my first choice so I'm excited I heard back before making a deposit somewhere else.

Did anyone made a Facebook page yet?

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6 minutes ago, FutureAdultGeroNP said:

Simmons has a very good reputation around here (the direct entry program, not their NP online program). I got in, but declined in favor of UMass. I decided on UMass because it makes more financial sense for me, offers adult-gerontology primary and has a cardiac subspecialty that I'm very interested in. I also felt their interview process gave me more of a personal connection with the school. If I did not get into UMass, I would have happily gone to Simmons.

I second this! Simmons has a great reputation and faculty who genuinely care about their students. I have spoken to a couple of alumni who went on to great careers. Simmons also offered me a wonderful scholarship. But I ended up choosing UMass for the acute care track as well as the two subspecialties that interest me-onc and pall care. Financially it made more sense and to also complete a DNP vs an MSN. If it wasn’t for UMass, I would have definitely gone to Simmons.

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Specializes in Direct Entry FNP Student.
9 hours ago, GigiFNP said:

I just got an admission offer, I was waitlisted, ready to admit to another program but Simmons is my first choice so I'm excited I heard back before making a deposit somewhere else.

Did anyone made a Facebook page yet?

I will also be starting at Simmons in the fall. I have not seen that anyone has made a Facebook group yet. I’m happy to do so.

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Thank you guys for replying! I appreciate you telling me about their reputation and people you know who have gone there. That's what I needed to hear. Choosing that DNP program was a good idea meilia. I don't get why you can get financial aid for the RN part but not the Master's part. I guess I need to contact the schools financial aid department to understand it. I will also look into that dual degree of Public Health w/ Harvard. And, yes, I definitely want to be a provider and not a bedside nurse. I was just considering an ABSN I was accepted to because I was going to go there for a year and then maybe do the Simmons online FNP program so I can stay closer to home. So this program is 130K? Do we apply for the graduate plus loan on the FAFSA website? Do you guys know if the clinical hours we're required to do in school would count towards experience? Because then the ABSN would make more sense so that I could work as an RN and get experience while I'm doing the FNP online program. Sorry I'm trying to figure out whether I should accept this Direct Entry offer in a limited amount of time. A Facebook page sounds like a great idea too for anyone who wants to start it!

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Specializes in Direct Entry FNP Student.
1 hour ago, DreamingFNP said:

Thank you guys for replying! I appreciate you telling me about their reputation and people you know who have gone there. That's what I needed to hear. Choosing that DNP program was a good idea meilia. I don't get why you can get financial aid for the RN part but not the Master's part. I guess I need to contact the schools financial aid department to understand it. I will also look into that dual degree of Public Health w/ Harvard. And, yes, I definitely want to be a provider and not a bedside nurse. I was just considering an ABSN I was accepted to because I was going to go there for a year and then maybe do the Simmons online FNP program so I can stay closer to home. So this program is 130K? Do we apply for the graduate plus loan on the FAFSA website? Do you guys know if the clinical hours we're required to do in school would count towards experience? Because then the ABSN would make more sense so that I could work as an RN and get experience while I'm doing the FNP online program. Sorry I'm trying to figure out whether I should accept this Direct Entry offer in a limited amount of time. A Facebook page sounds like a great idea too for anyone who wants to start it!

Just to give a quick answer, you are expected to work after the first 16-months of the DE FNP program. That is once you complete the RN portion, so you will get RN experience while finishing the program. You will also have a small income. I think the amount you work is up to you, whether that be full-time or part-time. Per my understanding, if you work full-time, then you drop to part-time for the remainder of the program drawing it out to 3.5-4 years rather than 3. The cost of the program is around $133k no matter how you finish the FNP portion. I honestly haven’t looked too much into the different loan/payment options. You do have to complete the FAFSA no matter what. I’m not sure if you can get a Perkin’s loan to pay for the RN portion and use either direct plus or Stafford loans to pay for the FNP portion. I suggest reaching out to the financial aid office to answer that question.

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@futurednp0 Yeah that will be nice if you start it and share it with us. Thank you

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You should have no trouble getting graduate federal loans for this program because it is a masters program. The RN licensing shouldn’t make a difference. It only gets complicated at programs where a second bachelors is issued. There is a 30k cap on undergraduate federal loans. If you’ve already maxed this out on your first degree, a program that issues a second bachelors will be difficult because you won’t have access to more federal loans until the masters portion. Simmons is masters ONLY. They said at the info session that the most common ways to finance are the stafford loan (20k a year and almost everyone qualifies) and grad plus to cover the remainder. There’s also private loans if needed. The RN “portion” isn’t a separate degree. It’s simply a way Simmons has designated the pre and post licensure aspects of the program. And yes you are required to work as an RN in this program.

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