St Margaret SON Feb 2011 start?

PghRN30 · Jan 28, 2011

Do they let you know when you should start filling out for student loans and stuff? I have no idea why I am worried about that! HAH! I guess you probably got all of that information in your first meet and greet? GUHHHHH.....I can't wait to start!! I am on my last two pre-reqs! I have microbiology...had first class last night....WOW......not certain I am a fan of having a couple tests that are case studies. It's a whole new world than A&P which is what I was used to for the past year..and I even had the same teacher! So I need to find a new rhythm.....and I have Nutrition. Nutrition is online but crap is there a lot of busy work for it.
Good luck! Can't wait to hear your stories when you start.....so I am living vicariously through you guys until I start NS in June! LOLOLOL!!!

Ok pre admission day so some more info for you. The woman that handles financial aid is awesome. As far as loans and everything, just make sure you fill out your fafsa once you do your taxes. Loans, they do direct substadized and unsubstadized (I don't have the amounts in front of me, but MORE then enough to cover the entire tuition and then some if you need it.... 9500 first year total i think, 10500 second year....tuition is less then 8000 each year). If you choose to do them, on preadmission day she gives you the web site that you have to fill out 2 forms first, and a paper with the break down of how much is substidized and un substidized......you have to fill that out, how much you want to take out on either loan. Once you return that to her she gets things going and handles it all. She said it is only like a 2 week turn around from you having the things on the site filled out and getting her the paper and having the funds.....so if you need loans, just doing that between preadmission day and the start of school you will be fine.

I'm right now trying to figure out if I am going to take out a little in loans or due the tuition forgiveness program.....Tuition forgiveness would be the better deal, especially since i want to work in UPMC anyway, but it is only a better deal if there is a good chance of getting a job.....it just makes me nervous of maybe coming out of there and not being able to find a job in UPMC and having to suddenly pay that back.

Books, they did give us the book list. They do order the books through the school, though they do not sell them at the list price to make money......they just sell them at the price they get them for. They do give us the chance to look for them, in case we can find them cheaper, want to buy used, or can get them otherwise (friends) and then we can just select not to buy those through the school. I looked them all up on amazon......only 2 cost less on amazon because of being discounted, one by only $3, one by $12......most cost about $10-15 more. There is always places like half.com too.......most there new/good condition are not much if any of a savings on the ones i looked up.....and I'm very weary about buying new from there anymore because often books are misrepresented....sold under ISBN that should include a CD/code or such, and have that removed (so the seller can list it sepreately)...and I'm not sure yet which of our books have CDs/codes so rather spend the $5 more to know I am not losing something dealing with a shady seller.

tinamehler · Jan 28, 2011

Hi Jguy, I just wanted to tell you I think we will definitely be able to get jobs in UPMC after we graduate to work out the 2 years forgiveness. They are everywhere and building new places as we speak. I wouldnt worry about that at all. Even if you take a job in a doctors office in UPMC your okay.

PghRN30 · Jan 29, 2011

Hi Jguy, I just wanted to tell you I think we will definitely be able to get jobs in UPMC after we graduate to work out the 2 years forgiveness. They are everywhere and building new places as we speak. I wouldnt worry about that at all. Even if you take a job in a doctors office in UPMC your okay.

I do hope so. I do think there is a good chance. It does sound like St Margaret grads are desired, especially by UPMC hospitals....and thats from anyone I have spoken to, not just what they say at the school. Though I do still think I am going to ask her about past experience with people that have signed up for the program, especially more recently with the economy down and many places hiring less, and if most have managed to find jobs to fufill the obligation. It just makes me a little nervous.

PghRN30 · Feb 1, 2011

Tina, I went today to see Tracey to bring her some paperwork, and asked her about people that did the tuition forgivness finding jobs. She said there was only one time when it was hard for grads to find jobs in UPMC and that was when Braddock Hospital closed, since all the nurses that had been there were being placed in other hospitals.

tmow86 · Feb 1, 2011

I actually just got my papers for financial aid yesterday. It has the amounts for subsidized and unsubsidized.

It doesn't say anything about the tuition forgiveness? I am not sure how that program even works. It is something I want to look into since I also want to work at UPMC..hopefully ST. Mag's as i start there Feb 14th as a nursing assistant.

And Yes, that papers say a total of 9.500 for the first level. So if i decide to do forgiveness...how much do I take out....just the required? Can I just sign up for forgiveness take out a loan to pay the first level tuition and then if I get signed on at UPMC after I graduate then apply that money to my loan?

I am probably going to have to call her and ask.

PghRN30 · Feb 2, 2011

I actually just got my papers for financial aid yesterday. It has the amounts for subsidized and unsubsidized.
It doesn't say anything about the tuition forgiveness? I am not sure how that program even works. It is something I want to look into since I also want to work at UPMC..hopefully ST. Mag's as i start there Feb 14th as a nursing assistant.
And Yes, that papers say a total of 9.500 for the first level. So if i decide to do forgiveness...how much do I take out....just the required? Can I just sign up for forgiveness take out a loan to pay the first level tuition and then if I get signed on at UPMC after I graduate then apply that money to my loan?
I am probably going to have to call her and ask.

Ok, the way it works is you sign up (don't have to worry about it until after preaddmission day)....and they reduce your tuition bill. We have to pay 5000 toward the tuition. Split that up over 6 semesters and it is about 834 a semester we have to pay, instead of 1670 first semester, 3000 2nd-5th semester 1550 6th semester. They forgive our tuition upfront and take a loss on tuition as long as we promice to work for them. A lot simpler then us funding it, taking out loans, and them paying us back when we sign on. When we would start working they take a little out of our pay and put it in an escrow account for us. At the end of 2 years the tuition they forgave is taxable, and we will have that set aside in the escrow account for taxes, instead of having to come up with it all at once.

As for loans....we can take out whatever we want. Could take out the full amount if you want, even if have tuition forgivness and full grant amounts more then enough to cover the portion of the tuition we have to pay. Decide what you need/want to take out. Just more you take out, more you have to pay back.

tmow86 · Feb 2, 2011

Jguy....THANK YOU SOOO MUCH FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE PROVIDED ME. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! :hug:

tinamehler · Feb 2, 2011

Hey JGuy, I can't remember if we can get on Encore from home...do you remember if they said how to do that?

tinamehler · Feb 3, 2011

Nevermind about Encore....I read through my papers and we will get an email once we are registered telling us we can access it. Shoulda looked at it closer before I asked. Sorry

PghRN30 · Feb 3, 2011

Nevermind about Encore....I read through my papers and we will get an email once we are registered telling us we can access it. Shoulda looked at it closer before I asked. Sorry

Its ok, I was going to ask you the same thing. I know we wouldn't be registered for any courses on there until we get the email, but didn't know if we could get on to encore and see what it was like.

tinamehler · Feb 5, 2011

Nevermind about Encore....They will email us when we are registered. :)

tmow86 · Feb 7, 2011

Holy cow, did tuition jump! For the June 2011 start its a little over $17,000.00!!!!

We should start a facebook group for us 2011 starters!! I will be a semester off than most of you guys but we will be close enough!!!