University of Pennsylvania Master's in Nursing (MSN/ MPN) - 2025

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Hi everyone, I created a group for UPenn's MPN/MSN program. Good luck!

honey_oolong said:

Here, I made one: https://www.facebook.com/groups/961282206145719/

I just requested to join. Not sure if there's something else I need to do

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I look forward to meeting you all!  I just signed a lease at the Paloma. ❤️

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Patrick Spaulding Ryan said:

I look forward to meeting you all!  I just signed a lease at the Paloma. ❤️

That's so exciting! Congratulations!! I'm unfortunately still looking for some affordable housing

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MissCloo510 said:

@Patrick Spaulding Ryan Thank you so much for taking the time out and providing your perspective! Those are certainly points I've considered. I think one of my main considerations was family life in Philly. Many folks have mentioned that Boston would be a better city to live in and explore compared to Philly. So for me, it's mostly family life vs academics purely. Thank you again.

Hello, congratulations on your acceptances! I've lived in the Boston area for the past 5 years, and I agree that it's a nice, safe city to explore. Very walkable, right on the water, and a great environment! However the cost of living in/near Boston is very high, so financial factors might weigh into what your family life would look like. 

P.S. I've never been to Philly, so I can't compare the city vibes—though I've noticed the rent seems lower there!

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MissCloo510 said:

Hello! I'm just wondering, for those who have been accepted - have any of you also applied to Boston College and was accepted for their direct-entry MSN/NP Program? I'm having a hard time debating which one of the two to attend now after doing some more thinking. Would love to hear some thoughts if in a similar boat. Thank you! 🙂 

Hi! I am actually in the same exact situation. congrats on your acceptances. I am leaning towards Boston College. I love the city of Boston and the area is super pretty. I really like the small cohort size. I know that Upenn is highly ranked, but their program is so expensive! Boston college would be more affordable for me. The way I see it, as long as I pass my NCLEX, the school I go to isn't as important. Boston college had a 100% pass rate in their graduate program last year. Both are highly ranked schools, so I don't think you'll go wrong. Are you planning to attend BC's admitted students day this weekend? It might give you a better sense of where you can see yourself thriving. 

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Thanks so much @lunarswan for your input! The Boston city vibe is definitely what's the compelling factor, given that the program will be 3+ years. UPenn is such a great school though!!

@yara28 Congratulations to you as well! Certainly a good problem to have right? 🙂 Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the in-person student weekend since I'm in CA. Will you be going? Would love to hear your input if you do! 

I also agree with the smaller cohort and the 100% NCLEX pass rate. I think the prestige and the networking can't be surpassed at UPenn. However, after speaking with some fellow nurses here, their input is that your experience is what matters in the long run. My perspective is that Boston has so many world-class hospitals that there's higher chances of placement into one of them post RN licensure. When I spoke with the admissions
POC, she mentioned that all their students were able to secure a per diem role after licensure. Can I ask what your specialty is?

I'm also debating between BC and MGH because of specialty. BC doesn't unfortunately have an acute-gero specialty whereas MGH does. Did you also apply to MGH?

Thanks in advance!

 

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yara28 said:

Hi! I am actually in the same exact situation. congrats on your acceptances. I am leaning towards Boston College. I love the city of Boston and the area is super pretty. I really like the small cohort size. I know that Upenn is highly ranked, but their program is so expensive! Boston college would be more affordable for me. The way I see it, as long as I pass my NCLEX, the school I go to isn't as important. Boston college had a 100% pass rate in their graduate program last year. Both are highly ranked schools, so I don't think you'll go wrong. Are you planning to attend BC's admitted students day this weekend? It might give you a better sense of where you can see yourself thriving. 

I agree that the school you attend doesn't matter as long as you pass the NCLEX. However, the networking and research opportunities do differ. I was accepted into programs in both Seattle and DC, significantly cheaper. My only caveat is that these programs are for a second bachelor's degree.

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@petunia_2025 Congrats on all your acceptances!! I think the best path depends on your career goals. If you want to work as a bedside nurse, a BSN is a solid choice. But if you're aiming for leadership roles or specialized practice, an MSN may be a better option.

I'm interested in acute care, but it can be more challenging to enter as a new grad without experience. I've also heard hospitals tend to prefer BSN graduates for acute care positions over MSN-prepared nurses. Though I'm not entirely sure how widespread this preference is.

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MissCloo510 said:

Thanks so much @lunarswan for your input! The Boston city vibe is definitely what's the compelling factor, given that the program will be 3+ years. UPenn is such a great school though!!

@yara28 Congratulations to you as well! Certainly a good problem to have right? 🙂 Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it to the in-person student weekend since I'm in CA. Will you be going? Would love to hear your input if you do! 

I also agree with the smaller cohort and the 100% NCLEX pass rate. I think the prestige and the networking can't be surpassed at UPenn. However, after speaking with some fellow nurses here, their input is that your experience is what matters in the long run. My perspective is that Boston has so many world-class hospitals that there's higher chances of placement into one of them post RN licensure. When I spoke with the admissions
POC, she mentioned that all their students were able to secure a per diem role after licensure. Can I ask what your specialty is?

I'm also debating between BC and MGH because of specialty. BC doesn't unfortunately have an acute-gero specialty whereas MGH does. Did you also apply to MGH?

Thanks in advance!

 

Thanks for sharing! You're right that the healthcare opportunities in Boston would make for a great job market post-licensure. I will be at the admitted students day, and I can certainly let you know how it goes! I am in the registered nurse track, so I can't speak to the specialty aspect of your situation. I didn't apply to MGH, but if they have the exact specialty you're looking for, they may be the better option. Does BC have a comparable program? 

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@yara28 If it's not too much to ask, that would be wonderful if you could share your perspective from the admitted students day. Thank you so much! 🙂 Gotcha, no worries. MGH has the acute specialty, whereas BC has the primary specialty. I am interested in both but I suppose more so in acute. I'll need to marinate some more haha. Thanks again!

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Hi, do you all plan on taking out loans for the program or something else?

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Hello, I have a silly question. For the MPN portion of the degree, are we conferred a Bachelor's of Science or a Master's of Science? Thank you!

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