Will going to Nova hurt my chances for Duke?

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First off, forgive the rather silly title of this topic, but I am merely quoting what my former professor in essence told me when I asked for a referral.

Let me explain:

I am currently a staff nurse at a Level III NICU, with hopes of one day going into the neonatal nurse practitioner program at Duke University. This is a goal I am giving myself two or three years to achieve. At this point in my practice, I do not feel ready, experience-wise and skills-wise, to tackle the rigor of the program.

At work, however, I could earn an MSN (Nurse Educator track) completely free, thanks to a scholarship opportunity which will fund studies only at Nova Southeastern University.

My long-term goal and my idea of a perfect work setup is for me to one day work as an NNP and then teach one or two classes at a college or university. While earning valuable clinical experience in the next two or three years, waiting to be ready to apply to Duke, I would fully make use of my time by pursuing an MSN in Nursing Education.

Not a good idea, however, according to a former professor of mine, whom I had asked to be my reference for my Nova grad school application. "Having a degree in Nova could absolutely hurt you. It will look like you have settled, and when you apply to Duke, they will see your degree from Nova and it will look like you don't have your sh*t together."

I honestly never even thought of it that way. Education is education; admittedly, we all want the chance to learn from top-ranked schools, but to say any degree, even one you work hard at and learn much from, could work to your disadvantage is surprising and, frankly, disillusioning to me.

Curious to see what you all think of this. Thank you!

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

I really don't know but I do know professors do not always give accurate advice about careers, although they carry a bias of authority.

Maybe he/she is right.

But it's also possible that if you get good grades in a graduate program, it will show you can commit and do the work.

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Thank you for your reply, Nurse Beth. At this point, I think I'll let fate decide for me. If I get in and I get the full scholarship, I'll go to Nova. And then try for Duke when I feel ready in a few years. I was a teacher for a few years, and I absolutely respect students who apply themselves and never pass up an opportunity to learn more and be better.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

The snobbery inherent in that professor's advice is appalling. A FREE MSN that could catapult you to an NNP program? I'd take that in a New York Minute!

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I'm torn. It's a free Masters, but I've heard a lot of negative views of Nova.

A physician I worked with wouldn't even consider applicants from Nova. I've seen the same thing happen in the hiring process with applicants from U of Phoenix.

Why not actually call Duke and run it by an advisor or someone in the department you're interested in and see what they think?

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I'd like to preface my reply by saying that I have gone this exact route. I went to NOVA first before wrapping up my education at Duke.

I went to Home Depot and bought a U-Bend PVC pipe which I had modified to have one end on my mouth and another end on my ear. I then proceeded to yell as loud as I can, effectively rendering myself deaf on my right ear.

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The funny thing is she doesn't strike me as an intellectual snob in the least. While she did earn her doctorate from a top tier university, she spent many years working at the community college from where I earned my BSN. I got the sense she was sincere in her advice.

To quote from her message to me: "My feeling is that having a degree from Nova will hurt you at a really top-notch school for 2 reasons: (1) your own self-assessment of how difficult a grad school you could handle and so apply to; (2) you professional plans. If your future focus is going to be anything relating to NICU-NP, then that is what your MSN needs to be in. You can always get a doctorate in Education, although this degree is not thought well of at all in Nursing (even tho' many faculty members, especially older ones have it; the impetus now is to have all faculty with doctorates in NURSING). Going to Nova and then going into a NIC -NP program looks as though you don't have your s--t together. Don't do it. Keep racking up those 2000+ hours for further certification. Wait a year. Then apply."

I respect her professionally and personally, and this is why I'm still torn about what to do, even on days I feel like I should never turn down a free degree.

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I'd like to preface my reply by saying that I have gone this exact route. I went to NOVA first before wrapping up my education at Duke.

I went to Home Depot and bought a U-Bend PVC pipe which I had modified to have one end on my mouth and another end on my ear. I then proceeded to yell as loud as I can, effectively rendering myself deaf on my right ear.

Not sure what your reply means or the fact that you likely created your account just to post this reply. I've been reading posts on this site for a while before deciding to join, and for the most part commenters have impressed me with their empathy, insight and candidness.

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I'm torn. It's a free Masters, but I've heard a lot of negative views of Nova.

A physician I worked with wouldn't even consider applicants from Nova. I've seen the same thing happen in the hiring process with applicants from U of Phoenix.

Why not actually call Duke and run it by an advisor or someone in the department you're interested in and see what they think?

Thank you, Scottishtape! I just might do that.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.

I want to second Scottishtape on asking someone from admissions at Duke.

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