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!

4 hours ago, Barbiegirl1229 said:

what initially made you pick Vanderbilt over Penn, Columbia & Hopkins? Just wondering.

I figured was the most cost effective (which might be true). Penn and Columbia’s NP programs are DNP, so more tuition and time before you can start practicing and at the time I didn’t think I wanted a DNP. Hopkins has an accelerated MSN, but it doesn’t include an NP specialty, so you basically end up working as an RN.

1 Votes
1 hour ago, jerseygirl14 said:

I figured Vandy was the most cost effective (which might be true). Penn and Columbia’s NP programs are DNP, so more tuition and time before you can start practicing and at the time I didn’t think I wanted a DNP. Hopkins has an accelerated MSN, but it doesn’t include an NP specialty, so you basically end up working as an RN.

Penns is very expensive and it’s three years but it is not a doctorate.

1 Votes

Please do not turn away from because of diversity issues. I am U.S.American Black (that means I'm Black "American"--acknowledging that there are other Americas besides the United States).

Vandy was my first choice and, except for missing my family back east like crazy and not liking my apartment, I am still grateful I was accepted here and glad to be here.

I was also accepted at Hopkins and Augusta.

If Penn is your first choice and you're in, then its probably a done deal for you. However, if you are seriously still giving Vandy a chance and you get accepted, ask Admissions to put you in touch with one or more students who reflect your identity(ies) and/or the lifestyle that is important to you so you can get some different perspectives on what its like to be a part of the Vanderbilt Nursing community. When I was accepted, I asked admissions for a student connection. Then, when I came to visit, I sought out connecting with people who reflect my identities and I made an appointment to see the School of Nursing Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, who is a black woman and she had time for me for a same day appointment.

I am from New York and lived in what may be the most liberal city in the south before coming here. I was scared to come to Vanderbilt and live in Nashville with our country's current national and local socio-political climate, especially after the Eugene Gu situation but the Dean spent time talking to me about the realities of 21st century life for a black woman in Nashville and at VUSN and I let my first choice school be my choice school.

5 Votes

Sorry in advance for the long post. But--diversity at : my PreSpecialty experience.

There are definitely challenges with various diversity issues but I would say that the percentage of our fellow students who are committed to helping to create racial equity in the world or social justice minded is parallel to that of the general public and the percentage of our faculty and staff concerned with racial equity and social justice is higher than in the general population. Vandy made a commitment to diversify the student body last year and it is reflected in my cohort. We have a very obvious representation of racial and ethnic diversity--Asian, black, and Latinx and a significantly vocal representation of socially diverse people.

Thus far, in my experience, in any class that I have had with more than 5 people, there is always another student of color in the class with me. This year we have a significant enough representation of black and East Asian students that it is common to have two or more people of each of these two "races" in the same class.

Just this evening after class, one of my fellow black friends here was saying that she was so surprised about how many black professors we have in our nursing program. I am too. Considering we are not an HBCU or MSI and nationally, the percentage of black women who are Nurse Practitioners is less than 7%, it is kind of amazing that Vandy has as many black professors (who, by and large, are advanced practice nurses ) as it does.

Off the top of my head, I can think of 7 U.S.American Black professors plus our Dean of Diversity and Inclusion-- two of whom teach me weekly and many of whom I communicate with often --like once a week; one of whom is the head of the FNP program--which is ranked number 2 in the nation. Just two weeks ago, she and I were talking about hair styles together and I am not even an FNP student.

So far I am also being taught weekly by an out gay male professor. I wish we had more Asian and Latinx professors. 8% of the Nurse Practitioners in the U.S. are Asian but I have only met one Asian professor here at VUSN--I met her yesterday and did not previously know she was here and I've only had a few conversations with the one Latina professor who I know we have. So, I do think Vandy, like all predominantly white nursing and medical schools, still has work to do and progress to make in retaining a faculty that reflects the U.S.American population. And, administration and the student body have progress to make toward consistent, universally demonstrated respect for all peoples.

There are a ton of legacy students here and white students from privileged backgrounds who bring their sense of entitlement into everything we do. There are also plenty of white students who are genuinely dedicated to learning what it takes to be culturally competent providers and culturally competent peers. But, things only change when we show up and because we are in the space, whether we are vocal advocates for our just treatment or just being ourselves in this space, because we show up, people have to step up and treat us with respect or recognize the hole in their soul for not treating us with respect.

I attended one of the most liberal, progressive PWIs in the United States for undergrad and still, the head of my department consistently called the only two black male PhD students interchangeably by each others' names and there were racist incidents on campus. If these things could happen there at my liberal, northeast alma mater, parallel things can happen anywhere. But I would say that on the spectrum of "safe places" to be a racial or social minority in the United States, VUSN, falls closer to "safe" on the spectrum than "unsafe."

Also, I think feeling like you matter to your professors and fellow students is an important part of the experience. It is very normal here for professors to know everybody's name, or try to, in classes of 30 or fewer students. Very parallel to the experience I have heard about at HBCUs, I have had faculty and staff notice I am having challenges that are not race related-- just life related and reach out supportively to me.

5 Votes

what specialty did you guys apply for

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2 hours ago, Barbiegirl1229 said:

what specialty did you guys apply for

I applied for FNP.

Vanderbilt is the last school I'm waiting to hear back from to make a decision. Anyone else in that situation?

1 Votes
Specializes in Psychology.
Just now, Happy Meow said:

I applied for FNP.

Vanderbilt is the last school I'm waiting to hear back from to make a decision. Anyone else in that situation?

Hi, I applied for PMHNP but Vanderbilt is also the last school I’m waiting to hear back from. Did anyone apply to University of Texas at Austin? Their deadline to accept is much sooner than other programs.

1 Votes
Just now, Happy Meow said:

I applied for FNP.

Vanderbilt is the last school I'm waiting to hear back from to make a decision. Anyone else in that situation?

Me too. But I already put down my deposit for Yale.

1 Votes
19 hours ago, eeens148 said:

Penns is very expensive and it’s three years but it is not a doctorate.

I think if you finish the MSN they count some of it toward a DNP tho (at least that’s what they told me I could do if I went).

1 Votes

I applied for the midwifery program.

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Specializes in Perinatal.

I applied to NM/ FNP. Also waiting for Vandey to decide but I may have to put down a deposit just in case...

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Does anyone know if admissions would be willing to tell me their decision if I called to tell them about my situation? Another opportunity I have needs a yes or no by midnight on the 18th, and I’m worried that Vanderbilt won’t release their admissions in time. Vanderbilt is my first choice, but I don’t want to pass up this opportunity in the case that I’m not admitted.

1 Votes
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