GMU vs NOVA vs Marymount

AgentR · May 3, 2005

Many, many people at NOVA already have Bachelor's degrees. Most people did not have the time to complete GMU's second degree program, since it is so intensive. I have no complaints about NOVA. PM me if you have any questions.

lexy3227 · May 4, 2005

Thanks for the response. I am fortunate to have parents who will support me financially so I will not have to work at all while i'm in school. If I had to work there is no way I could do GMU or Marymount. However, since I'm not working I feel like it would be better for me to go with the shorter program. Not working for a full 2 years is a long time!....but NOVA is also the cheapest! Oh well, first I have to get into GMU, but I would be very happy with NOVA, i've heard nothing but good things about their nursing program!

PedsRN2005 · May 16, 2005

Hi! I just graduated from NOVA this month and will be starting work tomorrow. I'm a single mom of three so 2 years was definitely the way to go for me. I did here, however, when out in clinicals, that many hospitals liked hiring NOVA grads because of the clinical experience they had.

Also, you can always go to NOVA and get a job in two years and then have the facility that you work at pay for your MS - most in N. Virginia do.

Good luck to you.

Timeforachange · May 22, 2005

Has anyone heard about how difficult the entry to GMU's nursing program is? NOVA seems to be relatively easy with rolling admissions. I have read about the long waiting list at NOVA but as of 5/10/05 there were still five places available for the 2005 fall class so hopefully that will not be a problem for next year. I will not be ready to apply until after the new year since I am taking A&P I now and plan on taking A&P II this fall.

Congratulations PedsRN2005 on graduating this month. I too am a single mom and think that NOVA's program may be better time wise for me also with a nine year old.

How did you handle the clinical hours with your children?

PedsRN2005 · May 22, 2005

Thanks Timefor, the clinicals were tough, and looking back, I'm not sure how I did it all knowing I had some clinicals i had to be at at 6:30am. I think I depended on the help of friends. For some of the times, my youngest son's friend's mom ran a day care and so she would take him in the am of my clinicals and get him to school. I had another friend that would take him after school on Mondays (darn short days). It seemed like it would never end. My two other children are older so after school they were able to come home for my youngest, but the mornings were hard. It seemed like it would never end. But you do get through.

NOVA still has 5 openings left? Is that their daytime program or evening weekend program?? When I applied in 2002 for an opening in 2003 it filled up by January and had quite a large waiting list. Maybe that evening program is opening some spaces for daytime people.

Good luck,

Gayle

Actually,

lexy3227 · May 22, 2005

When I went to the GMU info session I was told that they get 300 applicants for EACH of the programs--traditional and accelerated. They accept 120-130 people for the traditional program and only 70 for the accelerated program--YIKES!!! I hope to hear in the next few weeks. I heard that there is a long waiting list for NOVA and that's why alot of people don't apply...but I got in first try and no waitlist!! I seemed set on GMU but now I'm not so sure. If I do have a choice in where I go, I'm not sure what the deciding factor is going to be. I feel like I don't have enough info to make a decision! I hope NOVA's orientation session in June will help me decide...that is, IF I get into GMU. If not, then I'm NOVA bound! What schools are you applying to? Any one in particular you're leaning towards? I've been trying to look at the class schedules for both NOVA and GMU to try and get an idea of how it's broken down. Aaah, decisions, decisions....Good luck with your prereq's!

Timeforachange · May 25, 2005

Lexy,

I believe the difference between GMU and NOVA is in the Research and Community Health classes that are given at GMU. I am trying to recall this from NOVA's information session.

NOVA costs about half the price of GMU and the classes will be usually 2 full clinical days (ex: 7am - 3pm) and two other days with a class or two. Not too bad. This could allow for a part-time job. Classes and clinicals are offered day and night.

GMU has many more prerequisites than NOVA, I would need to take Nutrition and possibly Ethics. Plus I am not sure if my Stats class would be given credit after 20 years.

My thought is to continue on for the MSN (employer sponsored).

GMU's MSN degree requires 3 bridge classes after 2 years of RN experience with a previous alternative bachelor's degree. A graduate level stats class is required.

I like the idea of the accelerated program but that is a lot of work in such a short period of time.

Let us know when you hear from GMU. GOOD LUCK :)

VA-RN · May 30, 2005

I graduated from GMU's BSN program. Even though I got a good education there, I did not like the nursing professors and staff! They are very two faced!! Because the program is sooo stressful, the students started competing with each other and back-stabbing. The year I graduated was the last year they offered a nursing NCLEX tutorial at the end of the semester. It was very helpful, especially since Mason's nursing program doesn't teach towards the NCLEX like NOVA does! I heard since they stopped this tutorial the number of grads who pass the NCLEX after their first time taking it has dramatically decreased! If it wasn't for the BSN I would have probably switched schools!

lexy3227 · Jun 9, 2005

Well I don't need to worry about choosing between GMU and NOVA because I found out yesterday that I didn't get into GMU....oh well. I wasn't that upset. But I did get into 3 out of the 4 schools I applied to (NOVA, Marymount, Shenandoah). I think NOVA is the best choice for me...Marymount is just too fast paced and WAY too expensive!! I can't wait to begin school!! I'm a little nervous about it though...I hope I enjoy it and don't go totally crazy! :rotfl:

I graduated from GMU's BSN program. Even though I got a good education there, I did not like the nursing professors and staff! They are very two faced!! Because the program is sooo stressful, the students started competing with each other and back-stabbing. The year I graduated was the last year they offered a nursing NCLEX tutorial at the end of the semester. It was very helpful, especially since Mason's nursing program doesn't teach towards the NCLEX like NOVA does! I heard since they stopped this tutorial the number of grads who pass the NCLEX after their first time taking it has dramatically decreased! If it wasn't for the BSN I would have probably switched schools!

Timeforachange · Jun 13, 2005

NOVA has a great reputation and with your VA Tech degree you will only need a few bridge courses to begin your master's program should you decide to go on. That is my plan. Enjoy your summer and look forward to the beginning of nursing school.

I will be applying once I finish A&P I and A&P II, hopefully I will be accepted by Christmas.

Good Luck.

Works2xs · Jun 29, 2005

Been working toward a career change for a while. During that time, I asked around about what working nurses thought of the different programs. The NOVA program was always the top of the list. Even had a nurse supervisor say that she'd take a NOVA grad any day of the week and twice on Sunday. That said...

Being as I'm changing careers, I couldn't afford the time to get a degree from there (second degree student also) so I applied to the GMU program. I was accepted and begin this August. While I'm fully confident in my ability to complete the course, I was always a bit curious what the attrition rate for the program was. Anyone know?