Vanderbilt 2020 Pre Specialty

Nursing Students School Programs

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I am making a post for all programs I am applying for that I have not seen thus far. I have been going into rabbit holes of previous year's posts for schools I am applying for. Vanderbilt has been my top choice since I decided to go into direct entry nursing the end of my sophomore year of college, so it seems only fitting to make a post for it. I am applying for the PMNHP specialty and look forward to reading posts and getting to know everyone!

Do you know if letters of recommendation from a physician will be accepted? Or is it only from professors

This is directly from the website in regards to recommendations

All applicants must provide three letters of academic or professional reference. References should be from faculty members, professional colleagues, or work supervisors who can evaluate your potential for success in a graduate program. It is required that at least one of your recommenders hold a master’s or higher degree. Recommendations from family, friends, other students or co-workers are NOT appropriate. Applicants to the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty are required to have one reference from a neonatologist and one from an NNP who can evaluate the applicant’s clinical practice. While only three references are required, the online application system will allow you to provide names of up to five recommenders.

I always go by if they have very specific requests so in this case I would get both an academic and a professional one. I personally believe if you can get one from a physician that would be even better, it would be awesome if it was in your specialty. However, if it's not it should be fine as long as they demonstrate they know about your abilities from a professional standpoint and you've worked in some capacity together.

Thank you!

26 minutes ago, laurynd said:

This is directly from the website in regards to recommendations

All applicants must provide three letters of academic or professional reference. References should be from faculty members, professional colleagues, or work supervisors who can evaluate your potential for success in a graduate program. It is required that at least one of your recommenders hold a master’s or higher degree. Recommendations from family, friends, other students or co-workers are NOT appropriate. Applicants to the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner specialty are required to have one reference from a neonatologist and one from an NNP who can evaluate the applicant’s clinical practice. While only three references are required, the online application system will allow you to provide names of up to five recommenders.

I always go by if they have very specific requests so in this case I would get both an academic and a professional one. I personally believe if you can get one from a physician that would be even better, it would be awesome if it was in your specialty. However, if it's not it should be fine as long as they demonstrate they know about your abilities from a professional standpoint and you've worked in some capacity together.

Hi, I am applying to the psychiatry/mental health track too. Thanks for starting this thread!

Hi! I applied to the FNP program last year and was waitlisted. I was accepted to Emory University's AMSN program, my second choice, and deferred my acceptance to 2020 in order to reapply to Vanderbilt PreSpecialty.

I am really hoping to get in this cycle, but luckily I have another good option if I don't. I was still in my senior year of college when I applied, so I don't mind taking a gap year to make money (these programs are sooooo expensive...). Anyone else reapplying?

2 hours ago, future.fnp said:

Hi! I applied to the FNP program last year and was waitlisted. I was accepted to Emory University's AMSN program, my second choice, and deferred my acceptance to 2020 in order to reapply to Vanderbilt PreSpecialty.

I am really hoping to get in this cycle, but luckily I have another good option if I don't. I was still in my senior year of college when I applied, so I don't mind taking a gap year to make money (these programs are sooooo expensive...). Anyone else reapplying?

Although I am not reapplying, I am also a senior student in college, which is kinda similar to your previous experience! I believe I will do the same thing as you if I don't get into my target schools.

Good luck to all of us in this cycle!

Hello! I'm applying to the PNP-PC program for Fall 2020. I am so close to being done with my application. Good luck to everyone applying!!! :)

Good luck everyone!

Specializes in Psychiatry.

I am applying to the PMHNP program; I'm already an RN (ADN) on track to graduate with my BSN in May of 2020. I have two psychiatrists who I got recommendations from as well as my ADN supervisor. I was thinking of getting one more psychiatrist. Anyone here going to get more than the minimum of 3 recommenders?

11 minutes ago, PsychNurse94 said:

I am applying to the PMHNP program; I'm already an RN (ADN) on track to graduate with my BSN in May of 2020. I have two psychiatrists who I got recommendations from as well as my ADN supervisor. I was thinking of getting one more psychiatrist. Anyone here going to get more than the minimum of 3 recommenders?

Although I also applied to PMHNP program, I come from a different background (BS in Biology and Psychology) instead of nursing. For the recommendation letters, I think the website said "Applicants who have been in school within the last 5 years should have at least one academic reference." So maybe you should get one more from your professor or instructor who can evaluate your academic performance.

Because I don't have any experiences in nursing, I get my recommendation letters from my professors and my research lab's principle investigator.

Nevertheless, I think the letters from psychiatrists are super cool and should be a great add-on to your application!

Specializes in Psychiatry.
13 hours ago, ACoolGoose said:

Although I also applied to PMHNP program, I come from a different background (BS in Biology and Psychology) instead of nursing. For the recommendation letters, I think the website said "Applicants who have been in school within the last 5 years should have at least one academic reference." So maybe you should get one more from your professor or instructor who can evaluate your academic performance.

Because I don't have any experiences in nursing, I get my recommendation letters from my professors and my research lab's principle investigator.

Nevertheless, I think the letters from psychiatrists are super cool and should be a great add-on to your application!

Thank you; I have been checking the website obsessively for the last year, and I know I read what you quoted about getting an academic reference if you have been in school the last five years recently, but when I went to look for it specifically today I could no longer find it. I asked two academic professors for references, and they both declined based on they don't know me well enough. I am in an accelerated RN to BSN program and my courses are 7 weeks long. Both professors said they usually only give academic references to the students who come to their brick and mortar classes as they felt they couldn't get to know me well enough to provide a reference. I was a bit disappointed in this; I have taken half the classes I need to complete the program and have straight As so far. I've had no issues in the online classes and the professors have been complimentary. So I didn't pursue any other academic references as I graduated from my ADN program in 1994; so that is not helpful.

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