The MEPN deadline is less than 2 months away, so I thought I'd get a thread started for us 2012 hopefuls!
I'm a first time applicant to the WHNP/CNM specialty, and feel like I've been getting ready to submit this application for so long! I've been working abroad for a public health NGO for the past couple of years and am a trained birth doula. I've finished up all of my prereqs and GREs, selected people for recommendations (including a slightly awkward visit to my undergraduate advisor...), so now I'm just drafting my essays. Does anyone even know what the application is supposed to look like this year? I'm just going off samples I've seen from previous years.
Some days I feel sort of confident about my chances, and other days I feel as though this is a total shot in the dark and definitely not going to work out!
Any other hopefuls out there? And anyone know when the application is actually going to open?
Actually they apparently LOST funding this year. At least they're not funding my specialty this year. They decided this after I had already applied. I wondered why they hadn't gotten back to me with a rejection or interview time. After stalking the admissions office they finally asked me for my cell no. and that the dean was to call me later that night. Anyway, someone from the Dean's office then called and broke the news that they had lost funding for my speciality and that "someone" would call me (why? not sure). Switching to another specialty was not an option. Bummer, UCSF!
I'm actually glad you brought this up - after I posted that response about funding increases I thought it might be misleading. What I had heard was that UCSF used to have a cap per MEPN cohort of 75, but that they received a funding increase a few years back and were able to lift that cap to about 90 students (not that they took 90, but that was the new maximum).
Then I went to an info session in spring 2011 and heard about their funding cuts and how they wouldn't be offering certain specialties due to those cuts. I actually have no idea what that means in terms of how many students they will be admitting in total this year.
California's budget crisis is actually something I'm pretty worried about with UCSF. As an out of state resident (at least for the first year of the program), the costs associated with the whole program would not be insignificant - something over $80,000, without factoring the cost of books or living expenses. But what if I were in the program and my specialty got cut? Or funding was cut drastically in a way that affected the school's ability to teach its students?
Even though UCSF is a vaunted program, this isn't outside the realm of possibility - it's already happened for certain specialties at UCSF, as anewnurse79 pointed out, and is happening particularly at state-funded nursing schools around the country.
Private universities may generally cost more than UCSF - but I feel a little more assured that those programs are still going to be around 5 years from now.
Anyone else worried about this? Maybe there's a tactful way to ask about this during an info session on interview day?
A woman I work with is a professor at UCSF and told me that a similar thing has happened with students who applied to certain specialties in the past. I believe when I went to the info session in 2011 Acute Care had been cut (and I believe it had been cut mid-application cycle for the prior cohort) and another specialty that I can't seem to remember. Anyway, I'm not the only one that this has happened to - which doesn't make it better, but it's something. I feel better knowing that I wasn't flat out rejected. And the person who phoned me made it sound as though I was a perfect candidate for the specialty, BUT.
I applied to the Leadership specialty. While I understand that the school is beholden to the state's funds, I would have expected them to have dealt with things a little differently. First of all, if you no longer have the program that I applied to, give me my application fee back. It's not really about the money, it's the gesture. I already spent $1k on a prep course for the GRE, not to mention the GRE test fee. None of the other schools I'm applying to required the GRE. Really the app fee is just a drop in the bucket. Secondly, if you tell me that someone is going to contact me from the school in a week (God knows about what), make sure they contact me within a week - two at the most (they still haven't contacted me almost a month later, fyi).
And yes, LookingAhead, this is going to impact public programs more and more. I was a little on the fence about USF because it's $30k+ per year, but when compared to UCSF - it's actually more economical. And shorter. I'm not looking to get into an NP program so my story may be a little different than the rest of you.
Education-related budget cuts, particularly in nursing drive me nuts, especially because of the long-term health and financial consequences of such decisions... Meanwhile, I'm supposed to be prepping for my interview, but alas, I am stalking allnurses.com and eating dark chocolate... which, as it turns out, is totally prepping for my interview. I don't know how the rest of you cope, but with all the excitement and nervousness, I need LAUGHTER (and chocolate).
anewnurse79-- i am so sorry to hear about that... I hope you can find another path toward your goal! good luck!
A woman I work with is a professor at UCSF and told me that a similar thing has happened with students who applied to certain specialties in the past. I believe when I went to the info session in 2011 Acute Care had been cut (and I believe it had been cut mid-application cycle for the prior cohort) and another specialty that I can't seem to remember.
So sorry to hear UCSF cut you off, and when you had already applied and gone through all the hoops... As far as I know they didn't cut out the acute care specialty because that's what i'm interviewing for. I hope I don't dress up for a fake interview!
And yes, LookingAhead, this is going to impact public programs more and more. I was a little on the fence about USF because it's $30k+ per year, but when compared to UCSF - it's actually more economical. And shorter. I'm not looking to get into an NP program so my story may be a little different than the rest of you.[/QUOTE]
Are you applying for the clinical nurse leader program at USF? I know someone that got accepted to that program this year and someone who just graduated. If you want to talk with them let me know. Best wishes!!
Thanks guys! I sound really bitter after re-reading my post, but really I think things happen for a reason. So I know things will work out.
@magallanes - I can't remember the other specialtise that were cut, but there were two that were cut a couple years ago. And who knows what dictates which specialties get cut or re-instituted, etc. For all we know it could be as arbitrary as a coin toss! I am applying to the CNL program at USF. I'm also applying to the ELMN program at CSULA (w/ concentration in Administration) and the MECN program at UCLA. Thanks for the offer - at some point I may take you up on it! :)
Looking at the paperwork I received at the last info session I went to it looks like they cut out the advanced practice perinatal nrsing specialty, and both cardiovascular CNS and Cardio nursing/genomics focus (CNS). Are you aware of other specialties they cut THIS year??
Hmm. Thanks for the info guys. I definitely plan on asking questions about potential tuition hikes, risk of my specialty getting cut, etc. during the interview. You'd think that if you were accepted to a specialty that may get cut in the future, that they'd at least allow those currently in the program to finish. However, the fact that they allowed people to apply to a specialty that has been cut without warning, no return of application fee, etc. is disheartening. Hmmm. Maybe going private is the way to go? I always thought UCSF would be my top choice over UPenn (assuming I am accepted to both, hehe, which is kind of a huge assumption). Maybe Penn would be a safer bet, though. During my interview I got the sense that they're rolling in money.
@magallanes - exactly. I remembered there were two that had been cut. Good to know I haven't completely lost my mind from application frenzy :) I don't know about any other specialties that were cut, although I know that there were a group of people who had applied that they were getting back to last - perhaps those who applied to the leadership program, potentially another program. It's anyone's guess.
@myelin - I'm guessing that if they cut a program you're in they'd at least let you finish. As for applying, that's another thing completely. I guess it's more of a worry for future applicants. A game of Russian Roulette if you will. The bummer is that if the specialty you apply to is cut, you can't be considered for another specialty that may ALSO be a good fit (because often times people have a number of interests and don't limit themselves to just ONE path...)
Incidentally, when I asked if I could apply to another specialty (because really, I could make a case that I'd be a good Public Health nurse - it would be a matter of slightly adjusting my goal statement) the person I spoke to said that no, I couldn't. Basically at that point the letters had already been sent out - so all of the spots for the PH specialty were already taken. Seems a little backwards personally, but whatever.
The person who was/is supposed to call me is to talk about an upcoming year long leadership program. Except, oh right, it's for RNs ONLY and not for entry level folks.
Oh, but that's all water under the bridge... :) I'm not bitter, I swear.
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university of california, san francisco: ucsf has a school of nursing that is geared towards students who want to advance their health care professional careers. students can enroll in a variety of programs tailored to fit the ever-changing needs of the healthcare market. additionally, students can benefit from many resources specifically made for nurse practitioner students.
LookingAhead
227 Posts
I'm actually glad you brought this up - after I posted that response about funding increases I thought it might be misleading. What I had heard was that UCSF used to have a cap per MEPN cohort of 75, but that they received a funding increase a few years back and were able to lift that cap to about 90 students (not that they took 90, but that was the new maximum).
Then I went to an info session in spring 2011 and heard about their funding cuts and how they wouldn't be offering certain specialties due to those cuts. I actually have no idea what that means in terms of how many students they will be admitting in total this year.
California's budget crisis is actually something I'm pretty worried about with UCSF. As an out of state resident (at least for the first year of the program), the costs associated with the whole program would not be insignificant - something over $80,000, without factoring the cost of books or living expenses. But what if I were in the program and my specialty got cut? Or funding was cut drastically in a way that affected the school's ability to teach its students?
Even though UCSF is a vaunted program, this isn't outside the realm of possibility - it's already happened for certain specialties at UCSF, as anewnurse79 pointed out, and is happening particularly at state-funded nursing schools around the country.
Private universities may generally cost more than UCSF - but I feel a little more assured that those programs are still going to be around 5 years from now.
Anyone else worried about this? Maybe there's a tactful way to ask about this during an info session on interview day?