Vanderbilt MSN 2018

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Hi! I'm starting a thread for Vanderbilt MSN Fall 2018. Anyone else applying too? Please comment!

I appreciate the info you're posting! I know you may not know too much but if you happen to have any other info of the online portion that would be super helpful! Like how much assistance is available, are classes at certain times online or are you just released to your own devices? I do so poorly with online learning because there's usually not a schedule and it's up to you to teach yourself everything. Thanks for any info you can provide!

What little I know comes from when I interviewed, so things might have changed in that time. I was told that you'll have clinicals 2-3 days a week in the specialty year, and what days those occur is dependent on the clinical site. Because of that, the online learning is not scheduled at a specific time. You work through it at your convenience as long as you meet the due dates.

Vandy regularly uses lectures that are pre-recorded in the pre-specialty year. We listen to them before class, and then class time is to solidify that information. I have heard it is a similar concept for the specialty year as well.

I've met several of the specialty year instructors across different specialties, and they all seem incredibly knowledgeable and supportive. They also teach some of the pre-specialty year courses, and have been very quick to return emails or offer to stay after class to clarify information.

If you are coming to the Open House, they usually have a panel of current specialty year students. That would be a great opportunity to ask for what difficulties they've had with the distance and block format; that might help you decide if you should consider another program.

Slightly off topic, but last year someone made a facebook group when acceptances were going out. There were way more people using the facebook group than use allnurses. We had some current students join ours and answered some questions about the pre-specialty year, so that might be another good way to connect with a current specialty student.

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I have a question for you too! What are the block sessions like? Do you mostly test during block sessions, or is testing done online based on the honor system or with an online proctor? Is grading based heavily on tests, or also on papers or any other assignments? I'll be ASN to MSN if I am admitted.

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I have a question for you too! What are the block sessions like? Do you mostly test during block sessions, or is testing done online based on the honor system or with an online proctor? Is grading based heavily on tests, or also on papers or any other assignments? I'll be ASN to MSN if I am admitted.

I imagine that they test primarily outside of the block weeks. Vanderbilt uses Remote Proctor, which is an online testing system, so both specialty and pre-specialty students test outside of class times.

When I see the specialty students on campus, they are having class as normal.

I can't say for sure how the grading is for the specialty year classes, but the trend in the pre-specialty is for tests to be about 80-90% of the grade, with 10-20% being quizzes, papers, or other assignments. I've heard that the first year of the ASN-MSN program is similar.

We've been warned that the specialty year involves much more papers, so I would think that would include a higher percentage of our total grade.

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Would you mind to post your typical schedule as a prespecialty student? For example: MWF- class from x-x time T/Th- clinical from x-x time. Sat/Sun- studying for x hours, taking tests for x hours...

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Would you mind to post your typical schedule as a prespecialty student? For example: MWF- class from x-x time T/Th- clinical from x-x time. Sat/Sun- studying for x hours, taking tests for x hours...

In the fall, it was class from 8-4 M-W. Thursday and Friday schedules were dependent on which day you had clinical, so one day was hospital clinical (6-4), and the other day was lab (8-3 or 4).

For the spring: We generally are in class from 8-3 or 8-4 on Monday and Tuesdays. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday are different depending on which community health placement you are in. One of those days is a half day reserved for community health clinicals, one of those days is a 12 hr day reserved for hospital clinicals, and then the other day is a "conference" day (half day) where you discuss your clinical experience. However, the psych rotation is different; instead of having 1 clinical day and 1 conference day like the other rotations, psych has you in the hospital both days but do a conference at the end of the day (each day being 8 hours).

Tests are taken outside of class time, and I usually take them on the weekends. I will study for maybe 4-5 hours a test, but some people study 30 hours a test; you just have to see what works for you. Each test is 2 hours each. We have a pathophysiology test every roughly every 2-3 weeks, and then a pharmacology test every 5ish weeks. The other classes this semester don't have exams, but we have out of class homework that I usually spend 1-3 hours a week on.

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This is so helpful, thank you!

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I don't mind answering any questions that you have!

It is possible to switch specialties. You can request a switch after the pre-specialty year, but it isn't guaranteed. I'd recommend putting in the request as early as possible.

The pre-specialty year has everything in person. You'll be busy M-F with either class, lab, or clinical. The specialty year is mostly online. Classes meet one weekend a month, so the stuff for the other 3 weeks of the month involve independent and online learning. This is true even for those that stay in Nashville for the specialty year.

I am still in the pre-specialty year, so I can't speak for how difficult the online learning portion is for the specialty year.

Thank you so much for this information!! Greatly appreciated :)

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Hey guys-

So I hope this Wednesday is the day..! I'm trying so hard to practice mindfulness this week, as I have my hopes set way too high. Vanderbilt's my number 1, and I thought my interview went well...I'm going to be soo crushed if I don't get in! And I guess my anxiety is fear of the pain from rejection.

Anyway...just here to vent. Anyone else anxiously waiting? And how likely do you guys think it is that those accepted will find out Wednesday?

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Hey guys! This is my first time posting on this thread and have only mildly been keeping up with it..so I'm sorry if this question has already been asked! Do you all know if the direct entry accelerated MSN program awards a BSN halfway through the program? I can't tell from the website. Hope you all aren't too anxious about decisions, remember everything happens for a reason!! :)

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Hey guys! This is my first time posting on this thread and have only mildly been keeping up with it..so I'm sorry if this question has already been asked! Do you all know if the direct entry accelerated MSN program awards a BSN halfway through the program? I can't tell from the website. Hope you all aren't too anxious about decisions, remember everything happens for a reason!! :)

Hello! I think you are asking about the pre-specialty entry for non-nurses with a different bachelors? The "direct entry" students already have a BSN and directly enter the specialty year. Based on my understanding no, they do not. I have a friend/mentor who went to Vanderbilt as an ASN to MSN student (she's to blame for my Vanderbilt obsession!) and she explained that although you will have enough credits for a bachelors, not enough of them are taken at their school for them to actually be able to award it. But she also said that as soon as you are an NP no one asks about your associates or bachelors, they only really care about the master's degree. Based on other posts it sounds like the specialty students are not awarded a degree at all after the first year, just at the end for everybody. I hope that helps, I'm typing tired and hoping my thoughts came out clearly :)

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Shoot that's what I figured. That is the most attractive part of the Northeastern program to me- that they award you a BSN mid way through so you can find a job with the BSN and do the MSN portion part time. I guess I need to figure out if it is more important to me- to finish the whole program quickly or gain more experience before I pursue the MSN...of course, I have to get into Vanderbilt first!! Thanks for your answer @jpolzien0 :)

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Ok guys...we're for sure going to hear back Wednesday right..? (PreSpecialty, that is)

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