UI Chicago GEP Spring 2012

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Anyone planning to apply to UIC's GEP for winter/spring 2012? (http://www.uic.edu/nursing/prospectivestudents/gep-about.shtml) The application opened on January 15 and is due March 1.

I just finished the primary application and am waiting to receive the secondary application to send out recommendation requests. Their application cycle is a bit odd and inconvenient, since most other places that start in the fall require deposits by late March into early April, and UIC doesn't inform you of your status until late April. But in the end, it's still a great program and worth a shot.

Annagw,

I believe if you search UIC GEP in facebook you will be able to find the page. My UIN number was the same from when I last attended, to my surprise I still remembered it..:)

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@one phoenix rising -- thank you for providing such hope and encouragement during this very tough process! i was hoping you could share some more information that you've gathered on other psych np programs (especially online/hybrid or near chicago) as this is very much the field i am interested in! your help would be much appreciated! thank you!!!!!

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So I am new to this, but just have a few questions. I am applying to the 2013 program and I understand that it takes 15 months to do the RN portion of the program and is approximately 42,000 overall for this portion. Does anyone know how much the program costs overall specialty program included and will it take 3 and a half years to finish full time? I cannot get an exact answer from anyone at UIC and figured ya'll may know since several are beginning in the spring! Any help would be appreciated. My plan is to go Full-time if I go and enter into the Psych specialty if I get in. My 2 schools I am looking at are Vanderbilt and UIC as of now.... and how did people do on the GRE? I did so so and am getting my official score in November. ANyways, I hope this message sends out properly! Thanks :)

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@ gthang Vanderbilt has a great Psych program :) I know it is not Illinois or Chicago, but it has an awesome program and I work with several of the NP's who went there!

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Specializes in Accepted...Master's Entry Program, 2008!.

I don't know if AnneP is still checking this thread, but here's your answer. I graduate with my M.S. from UIC in May. Be warned, you are NOT getting M.S.N. You are legally getting a M.S. degree with a focus on nursing (can't explain why, them's the rules).

It takes roughly 3 years to finish the program after 15 months. While there is nothing legally preventing you from going "full time" you will find that the class offerings prevent you from moving any faster than 3 years. In addition, anyone that tries to become an NP without working as a nurse is shooting themselves in the foot. I've been through the program, and you'll find yourself completely lost without some nursing experience to build on (which is why I wouldn't recommend even trying to move faster than 3 years).

The bad news is, despite what you've been told, the additional 3 years will cost slightly more than the first 15 months. I paid for my summer semesters (all 4 of them) at roughly $4,000 a semester (which isn't easy with a wife, a mortgage, and car payments, and several hundred dollars worth of books every 4 months), and I will still end up with roughly $100K in debt. Shocking considering the salary range of NPs in Illinois. Had I know this was going to cost more than 1/2 my home, I would have thought twice.

Finally, be prepared...NO ONE at UIC will give you a straight answer. On Monday you'll be told A and on Tuesday it will be B. In fact, pretty much everything I've written should be taken with a grain of salt because by tomorrow the information will be outdated and/or changed.

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Hi, not sure if any of you still check this thread. I was just accepted to start in Jan. and was wondering if any of you have any experience applying for scholarships? Any help would be much appreciated!

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@one phoenix rising - I saw an old post of yours offering recommendations of other psych NP programs you'd found - do you mind sending that my way? thanks in advance for any help!

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Specializes in Mental Health.
I don't know if AnneP is still checking this thread, but here's your answer. I graduate with my M.S. from UIC in May. Be warned, you are NOT getting M.S.N. You are legally getting a M.S. degree with a focus on nursing (can't explain why, them's the rules).

It takes roughly 3 years to finish the program after 15 months. While there is nothing legally preventing you from going "full time" you will find that the class offerings prevent you from moving any faster than 3 years. In addition, anyone that tries to become an NP without working as a nurse is shooting themselves in the foot. I've been through the program, and you'll find yourself completely lost without some nursing experience to build on (which is why I wouldn't recommend even trying to move faster than 3 years).

The bad news is, despite what you've been told, the additional 3 years will cost slightly more than the first 15 months. I paid for my summer semesters (all 4 of them) at roughly $4,000 a semester (which isn't easy with a wife, a mortgage, and car payments, and several hundred dollars worth of books every 4 months), and I will still end up with roughly $100K in debt. Shocking considering the salary range of NPs in Illinois. Had I know this was going to cost more than 1/2 my home, I would have thought twice.

Finally, be prepared...NO ONE at UIC will give you a straight answer. On Monday you'll be told A and on Tuesday it will be B. In fact, pretty much everything I've written should be taken with a grain of salt because by tomorrow the information will be outdated and/or changed.

MS instead of MSN? How strange. Thanks for sharing your experience. I won't be applying to IUC. Doesn't sound like a good program.

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Specializes in Psych.

FYI for anyone reading this post- RE: University of North Dakota (UND) PMHNP program -It has had significant changes and is having some challenges. There's only 1 primary professor for most of the psych NP classes who is also the director - with no accountability. Also, they do not provide everyone with clinicals as they advertise. Hopefully, the program will improve, but at the moment, they are not the first program I would recommend. Very poor communication, no support for students and you need the mentality that you will be teaching yourself.


Also, we just learned that the rates for the University of North Dakota - UND are skyrocketing to $827 from ~$480/ credit. >800 is comparable to other schools, but not when clinicals are not easily provided (instead they are currently patchworked together and you need to find your own if you are in another state). In the state of MN, many universities have priority with local hospitals/ facilities/ organizations -so, UND has great difficulty competing with clinical placements. So, you may need to find your own clinical preceptors and clinical sites.

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