Simmons vs Northeastern vs MGH direct-entry nursing fall 2015 start

mac345 · Jan 7, 2015

Yep! I'm in the "hybrid" program. It sounds very convenient! The benefits are that you are not traveling anywhere for lectures. However - For clinical they will send you pretty much anywhere. They will say they take your geographical location into consideration, but that's not true. It's pretty much luck if you get somewhere that will take less than an hour to get to. You also have to go into Burlington every week for exams. Which for you - sounds like wouldn't be a big deal anyway since you are close. Labs are also in Burlington. I am actually close to the Northeastern Boston Campus which the labs originally took place - so I was disappointed when they moved them to Burlington. But again - that benefits those that are closer to Burlington.

As far as the online lectures - Hopefully they get better at the organization. There tends to be a lot of mistakes and discrepancies between what is in the lectures and on exams. This is due mostly to the fact that the people who do the lectures are not the people who create the tests. It seems like there is a lack of organization with a lot of things. Some of the teachers are very nice and make great lectures, some.... not so much. Some teachers will also take days to respond to emails.

I think if you are in Burlington that will help. It will also help if you go into the program knowing that it is sort of a mess at the moment. The program is new, but the problems they have should have been solved a long time ago. I have spoken with multiple people from prior cohorts that claim that the problems they complained about, never got fixed.

DYS NP · Jan 7, 2015

Eek! Lost my orig post. If it shows up again, sorry for the repeat.

Mac, that sounds VERY frustrating. I'm not expecting rainbows and puppies from any program, but, given the tuition, they should be able to ensure tests square with course content. Students should also expect that programs will make improvements based on feedback from prior cohorts. Isn't that just academic survival? I was initially hesitant about the hybrid program because of the limited specialties, but this information and other reviews here are red flags. Hang in there, and keep the end in mind.

Easyas123247 · Jan 11, 2015

Anyone hear anything from any of the schools?

windsurfer8, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2015

I had a friend who went to Curry College which is south of Boston. She loved it. I also knew people who attended Simmons. I would also look at where you will be living. Getting into Boston is a NIGHTMARE. Will you be living in the city? If you are commuting just be ready.

DYS NP · Jan 12, 2015

I hear great things about Curry but I don't think they have the MSN program (I have a BA and am going for an MSN). I worked at BMC so at least have adapted to the commute(!) but I had parking; worried about that cost at NE and Simmons. Not yet, though, since I haven't heard and don't want to count my chickens! :nailbiting: Applying to Regis for the 2/1 regular deadline. I took a combined chem prereq there (organic/inorganic in one! Hard but worth it), so I know there's free parking if you get there early.

ToTheStudent · Jan 16, 2015

I'm at MGH, I love it. Very happy with my decision to attend and I did select it over NE on site and a few other schools out of state. Clinical placement is excellent, you receive good instructors, scheduling can be kind of funky, but educationally wise it's been great so far.

hellobunnie · Jan 20, 2015

Hii!! I've applied to Northeastern too! Has anyone heard of any updates yet??

JenTheSchoolRN, BSN, RN · Jan 20, 2015

I was in the Direct-Entry program at Simmons. I ended up switching to their accelerated bachelors program to get my BSN after completing 2 semesters into the Masters portion, but that had nothing to do with the program, just my nursing career goals shifted a bit when I feel in love with school nursing.

Clinical placements are great (all the major Boston area hospitals and some very interesting community placements during the pre-licensure part and they do guarantee finding you NP placements though they may not be in Boston proper); as was my lab instructor for fundamentals, who later was my first clinical instructor. I really felt like I got a lot of hands on, quality experience. As someone above said, they do not spoon feed you the info - be prepared to work, but I feel it is like that in any nursing program.

I've had a couple of friends in the programs at MGH, BC, and Northeastern and heard mixed feedback from each. Really, a program can be what you make it. Take some tours, find what school environment is best for you. Personally, I hate online classes. I took a couple at Simmons, but I was never as productive or felt I learned as much from them as sitting in a lecture class (others found them awesome and loved the flexibility).

DYS NP · Jan 25, 2015

FYI for anyone who's applied to NE or Simmons DE MSN programs, both have said they'll notify re. acceptance in early-mid February 2014.

DYS NP · Jan 29, 2015

Make that 2015(!).

BlackSkimmer · Jan 29, 2015

Thanks for letting us know! I was worried I'd have to wait till last to hear from Simmons, which is now my top school. Now it seems I'll hear from all around the same time. Good!

DYS NP · Feb 2, 2015

So now it's officially 'early February.' Is anyone else obsessively checking and rechecking your application statuses?

Ergh, I'm not a good waiter, and I'm not talking tables.