Vanderbilt Pre-Specialty (for non-RNs) MSN 2013

hewoods · Mar 4, 2013

So does anyone have any good info to share from the open house?

vandydani · Mar 4, 2013

I just called admissions and my application is STILL under review. She said that she would email the director and let her know I was inquiring. Has anyone else run into this? My application was on time.

hewoods · Mar 4, 2013

Vandy dani- the same thing has happened to me. I called last week and they said I'd know by this Wednesday and then I called today and she said now its next Wednesday. She didnt say she would tell anyone that i was inquiring. so thats weird. Idk what the hold up is! I also applied on time to early admissions.

oau3 · Mar 4, 2013

Attending the open house really solidified (or amplified!) my desire to go to Vandy. The program seems very well organized and the student panel was really helpful in answering questions. Also, I had never been to Tennessee and LOVED Nashville-- very lively and fun, and everyone seemed to have a positive attitude.

worth11 · Mar 5, 2013

hewoods, a lot of what was talked about during the open house was geared toward those who haven't applied yet, but I have to say that I was impressed by the faculty as well as the student panel.

litchick91 · Mar 5, 2013

Same here! Seeing how well-organized even their open house was really confirmed my desire to attend Vanderbilt. Of course, they are trying to "sell" people on the school during these events, but it just goes to show how 'together' the rest of the academic programs are. The presentation/discussion on the pre-specialty year really emphasized how complementary didactic and clinical experiences are--since the program packs a lot of knowledge into such a short time, faculty have planned the program to maximize learning. I also got the impression that the faculty are very supportive. My specialty director in particular said that she had only had two students not graduate 'on time,' and both of these instances were due to extenuating life circumstances. It sounds like a great place to learn!

tadams22 · Mar 5, 2013

I'm confused as to how long the acute care NP track is. Counting the prespecialty year, is it 2 or 3 years total?

worth11 · Mar 5, 2013

It's two years total. Three semesters in the pre-specialty year, and three semesters in the specialty year.

tadams22 · Mar 5, 2013

I'm trying to decide between here and Yale, which is 3 years. What do people see as the benefits/drawbacks to this shorter program?

worth11 · Mar 5, 2013

I've spoken to a couple of individuals who earned their MSN degree at Vandy, and both of them felt well prepared. I think most people like the idea of being able to complete the program in two years, but I guess it depends on your personality and how you feel about such a fast paced program. You can also start searching for a job a year sooner haha, but on the flip side- you may have more time to get some work experience in while you're in the three year program at Yale (if that's something you're interested in doing). It just really depends on what you're looking for. Best of luck with your decision! Either way, you'll end up at a great school...obviously, I'm partial to Vanderbilt!

SunnyGirl321 · Mar 6, 2013

Just heard that the Student Admissions Committee meeting which was scheduled today was canceled due to spring break for those that were told they would have a decision today, it will now be next Wed., the 13th! No need to call today :-(

joshuajonmical · Mar 6, 2013

Perhaps Feld321 or someone else can answer this:

Does anyone know much about Vanderbilt's Pre-Specialty waitlist? In the past, has there been much turnover? Have many applicants generally gotten accepted from the waitlist? Is the waitlist usually long or short? (I'm waitlisted for Pre-Specialty PMHNP.)

Thank you.