WEEKEND TO DECIDE - MSN, CNL, Accreditation, ABSN OH MY!

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  1. SHU MSN CNL or UR ABSN?

    • 1
      SHU
    • 1
      UR
    • 4
      Neither/different route

6 members have participated

Hi all you helpful people!

I have to make a big decision this weekend!

I got accepted into 2 programs, University of Rochester ABSN (1 year) and Seton Hall University MSN CNL (2 year).

I am a NJ resident and was scheduled to move into Rochester, NY (6 hour drive) on Monday however I got accepted into SHU.

I want to go to school for DNP eventually so thats why I applied. The schools are literally similar in cost (about 100,000 total) and whatever difference is almost insignificant due to the fact that I would pay it over 2 years and not a swift one year. I am not eligible for private loans and have yet to have access to a worthy cosigner. In essence, whatever Im allowed to borrow better be worth paying back. With UR we are scrambling to make payments as soon as June, SHU doesn't start until August, so I have some time.

There was a rumor that Seton Hall was losing their accreditation. I checked on CCNE website and they are accredited until 2019 (I would still be a student but the review is coming up this fall)

I'm losing sleep because cost is not the main issue, it is the value of the degree and how far it will take me. Some of my questions are:

  1. What does it mean to be a student when a school is scheduled for accreditation review? What if they don't make it? Will I be without a job and have to retake courses to get my DNP?
  2. I know CNL portion is not really in use at first as a new nurse, Id still be entry level but does that mean the pay is different? Or that it increases more significantly after I put in years work?
  3. Is an MSN even valuable to DNP schools? Is it valuable to employers?
  4. With DNP being the direction of advanced nurse degrees, how do I know that in 10 years my MSN will be worth anything?
  5. Is it possible for a school to know if they are at risk for losing accreditation before they actually lose it? Where can I find this information!
  6. Do jobs fund MSN to DNP or is it only a ADN thing and I'm on my own?

My goals are:

  • Eventually earn DNP
  • Take least steps to becoming DNP
  • Apply for loans once within 10 years
  • Have creditors trust me to be able to pay back the loans
  • Get a good job, making the most I can of my degree
  • Be able to care for myself should I be on my own (I pretty much get one chance to ask for money from family)

Hope this helps you understand my situation.

Any Ideas will help, I'm literally sick over it.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Have you been unable to get into a state school or something? $100k for a BSN is ridiculous. And if you are worried about one/both of those schools losing accreditation but are still considering paying that kind of money... I literally don't even don't what to say to that?

What type of DNP are you looking at? The DNP programs I've looked at require a BSN not masters, and depending on the course of study the MSN could be totally useless. Furthermore you might still end up with prerequisites you need for the DNP.

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Have you been unable to get into a state school or something? $100k for a BSN is ridiculous. And if you are worried about one/both of those schools losing accreditation but are still considering paying that kind of money... I literally don't even don't what to say to that?

What type of DNP are you looking at? The DNP programs I've looked at require a BSN not masters, and depending on the course of study the MSN could be totally useless. Furthermore you might still end up with prerequisites you need for the DNP.

Yes I have not been able to get into a state school yet, I want to get started right away. I already lost 2 years of time due to a home fire. I didn't mention state schools because that is not my option at the moment.

I don't know if I can say for sure what type of DNP as who knows my mind might change. What do you mean by useless? If it may give prerequisites, is that completely useless? Can you please explain what you mean?

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Opinion: Clinical Nurse Leader as an entry-level degree is a waste. Who are you going to 'lead'? You will be a new grad just like thousands of others- and that MSN can actually be a barrier to hiring. I've seen it firsthand.

I would explore other options- because the decades of crushing student loan debt will impact every single thing about your future in a way that waiting for a more affordable option will not.

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Specializes in Mental Health.

I feel like everyone asks for advice when what they really want is someone to say they are doing the right thing. So if you're really comfortable paying $100k for a program that you've heard is going to lose its accreditation... I mean, what are you going to do if they lose it after you graduate even and are trying to get into a DNP program?

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I feel like everyone asks for advice when what they really want is someone to say they are doing the right thing. So if you're really comfortable paying $100k for a program that you've heard is going to lose its accreditation... I mean, what are you going to do if they lose it after you graduate even and are trying to get into a DNP program?

I asked, what IF they lose it and if there truly is a way to know beforehand. I feel like you can't be this frustrated when you haven't given me an answer to my question. I think it's a fair point that I did research to see if it was accredited and it is. And now I'm asking about clarification on the accredidation process, is it possible to know beforehand and what would one do in that instance. I bulleted my specific questions. I don't need judgement just guided advice. Excuse me for not wanting to make a major career move based on a rumor and not yet having a full understanding. I mean come on, I BULLETED MY QUESTIONS.

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Opinion: Clinical Nurse Leader as an entry-level degree is a waste. Who are you going to 'lead'? You will be a new grad just like thousands of others- and that MSN can actually be a barrier to hiring. I've seen it firsthand.

I would explore other options- because the decades of crushing student loan debt will impact every single thing about your future in a way that waiting for a more affordable option will not.

I see.. thank you for that insight. I'm well aware of CNL and not leading right away, I mentioned it in my post. Could I ask, how have you seen it firsthand, any examples would be helpful? What path did you take? Do you know if MSN nurses get paid more after gaining some experience or does it not really matter at all? And yikes loan debt is crushing, I'm years behind in the process and won't have assistance for long, so a more affordable option may still not be affordable with me funding school on my own. Is it always a bad idea to go to a private school? Thanks for your input!

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Specializes in Mental Health.

Trust me I'm not frustrated, your decisions have no impact on me whatsoever. If you don't want advice then ignore it and do what you're going to do. You wouldn't be the first person to make poor decisions r/t impatience.

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Trust me I'm not frustrated, your decisions have no impact on me whatsoever. If you don't want advice then ignore it and do what you're going to do. You wouldn't be the first person to make poor decisions r/t impatience.

Okay. I see that you may have not read my questions all the way. It's okay. I will take whatever advice you think you gave into consideration. Thanks!

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
I see.. thank you for that insight. I'm well aware of CNL and not leading right away, I mentioned it in my post. Could I ask, how have you seen it firsthand, any examples would be helpful? What path did you take? Do you know if MSN nurses get paid more after gaining some experience or does it not really matter at all? And yikes loan debt is crushing, I'm years behind in the process and won't have assistance for long, so a more affordable option may still not be affordable with me funding school on my own. Is it always a bad idea to go to a private school? Thanks for your input!

Four major hospital systems in my area. Three do no hire direct entry MSN. And no pay differential for having an MSN with experience above what a BSN with experience gets.

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Specializes in Neuro.
Four major hospital systems in my area. Three do no hire direct entry MSN. And no pay differential for having an MSN with experience above what a BSN with experience gets.

Everything MMJ has talked about on this post is exactly why I opted against a direct entry MSN myself when I was trying to figure out what path was right. Her insight is very sound.

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Imagine having all that debt and discovering that for whatever reason, nursing is not viable for you. The debt will not disappear should the dream dissipate.

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