Pitt vs Penn State for Nursing

<p>Hi everyone, I got into the Nursing programs at both Pitt and Penn State. I'm 50/50 and I need to make a decision soon. I'll give you my thoughts... please give me yours!</p>

<p>I know that Pitt is a bit better academically for my major. But Penn State has a good nursing program too. I live about 3 hours from PSU and about 40 minutes from Pitt. I don't know how I feel about distance. Being close to home has its appeals and its drawbacks. I'm definitly much more comfortable on the Penn State campus. I'm a suburban girl, and even though I've grown up just outside of Pittsburgh my whole life, the city intimidates me. Although I've been told I could get over that quickly. But I love the completely college atmosphere that Penn State offers. I seem to have a soft spot in my heart for Penn State, but my head knows that Pitt is probably the better choice from an academic standpoint. </p>

<p>Also, my long term boyfriend is going to Pitt. I know that you should never "follow" a boyfriend to college, and I'm not. But I'm not sure if going to the same school would be a good or bad thing.</p>

<p>Please let me know what you think! I need HELP!</p>

<p>It sure sounds like you want to go to Penn State, but think that you should want to go to Pitt. There is a shortage of nurses, I don't think you need to worry about what program has the higher ratings. Go where you want to go, Penn State is a fine school and I'm sure you'll get a good education.</p>

<p>totallytorn, would you mind sharing your stats? How early did you apply to Pitt and Penn State?</p>

<p>D2 will be applying to schools for nursing next year, Pitt and Penn State are on the list. Since you were accepted at both, we can use you as a one-point comparison to see if she has a chance.</p>

<p>Can't really help you with your decision. I think that nursing majors at Penn State do one year at Hershey Medical Center. So that's one year you won't be living in Happy Valley. Does that sway your decision?</p>

<p>My D is currently a sophomore nursing student at Pitt. Her boyfriend goes to PSU. My D looked at PSU but never applied. One of the reasons she didn't apply to PSU was that once you start clinicals those are done in Hershey so you are really on the main campus for only 2 years and that's it. All the hospitals at Pitt are within a few blocks of the campus. They are moving Children's Hospital away from the current location so that one will be farther away starting next year (I think). My D was also from suburbia and I thought she would have a hard time adjusting to the big city, but she learned how to use the buses the first week of school and uses them to go shopping and to the airport. She's actually getting a job at one of the hospitals this summer so she'll be staying at Pitt. They hire a lot of student nurses as nursing assistance and techs. Anyway, I would definitely go onto both schools websites and see what you can find out about each school's nursing program. Pitt has 3 years of clinicals and I believe PSU only has 2. I could be wrong. It's been a while since we looked at PSU. Don't know if that was of any help, but good luck with your decision.</p>

<p>Thanks so much for all of the input. Keep it coming. I thought I had finally started leaning toward Pitt until I had a discussion with my boyfriend who thinks I won't like it there. So I'm back to being 50/50.</p>

<p>mrsref ---> I sent in my applications in late November. I heard back from Pitt by the end of Decemeber and had heard from Penn State by the end of January.</p>

<p>My stats ---> GPA: 4.1
SAT: 1980 with writing
ACT: 29</p>

<p>Just a side note... I know the rumors are that Penn State is all about SAT scores, but I have a friend who is currently at PSU Nursing who scored in the lower 1800s.</p>

<p>Both are great schools. I don't know much about the nursing, but Penn State UP's programs are normally very good regardless of major. I admit that I am baised, as I did go to Penn State UP. If you go, you will absolutely love it. There's just something special about Happy Valley. Pitt is also a very good choice, so you can't really go wrong with either.</p>

<p>totallytorn/stowmom- I am a junior in high school who is interested in nursing. I am considering applying to Pitt, Penn State, Drexel, and a few schools in NJ. Some schools require 3 yrs of hs math and others 4. Some schools require 2 yrs of lab sci (bio/chem) others recommend a 3rd like Physics too. I am trying to finalize my sr. year classes. I decided to take precalc instead of stat. Do you think that it makes a difference? I know that entrance into nursing programs is very competitive. Do you have any advice? What kind of stats are the schools looking for? How many schools did you apply to?</p>

<p>dancertda,</p>

<p>i applied to pitt, penn state, iup, villanova, allegehny, and u. of virginia. i got into all of them. </p>

<p>as for senior classes... im in stats now, but i took pre calc/trig last year. and im also taking adv bio. if i were you, id take a bio and a chem. even if one of the sciences has to be an elective. looking back on it, i wish id taken a little chem just so im up to speed for college.</p>

<p>thanks totallytorn... can you tell me anything about IUP's nursing program? I am not familar with Indiana Univ of PA at all. How does it compare with Pitt or Penn State. By the way, my brother's in Pitt engineering and love's it! My father went to Penn State but felt that Pitt was a better fit for him. However, Pitt is very urban compared to Happy Valley.</p>

<p>I don't really know all that much about IUP nursing. My dad went to IUP for criminology, but IUP was my backup school. It's pretty easy to get into and in terms of where it ranks against Pitt or Penn State... it's not even close.</p>

<p>I believe that Pitt has clinicals that are so easy to get to while Penn State does not. Also see when they start them at Penn state. Folks at Pitt told me that every year students from Penn State Transfer to Pitt for that reason.</p>

<p>I got my undergrad nursing degree from IUP and my MSN from Pitt. One of my best friends went to Penn State nursing.</p>

<p>All of these are excellent programs. Trust me on this one. There is not one of them head and shoulders better than any of the others. The truth about nursing school, is that you learn the very most your first 2 years ON THE JOB. Nobody is adequately prepared by diploma, associate, or BSN degree programs. That’s the nature of the profession. When med students graduate from med school, they also are pretty much totally clueless as first year residents. Nursing school starts the process of becoming a proficient nurse, but real bedside experience finishs it. </p>

<p>Go to whichever campus you feel that you fit best at. This is YOUR college experience, after all. Each program has good clinicals. Pitt’s clinicals are on campus because it is an urban school. You won’t have to get as early on clinical days since you won’t have to be driving to clinicals. But that isn’t really a big deal. </p>

<p>Go where you want to go. The nursing programs are good at Pitt, IUP, and PSU. </p>

<p>And you, not your BF, need to decide whether or not you like Pitt.</p>

<p>dancertda,
As far as classes to take in high school. I would recommend taking statistics and chemistry for sure. My D took chem and AP chem, AP bio and physics. Math-wise she took as far as AP stats. She didn’t go into calc other than a pre-calc class because she didn’t need it for her major. AP stats got her out of taking it in college. Most nursing schools want stats, but I haven’t seen too many that require calc.
Nice thing about Pitt is that it is easier to get a job at one of the hospitals. D is staying this summer because she landed a job at Presbyterian right there on campus. Clinicals are all close by where at PSU you go to Hershey for the last 2 years.
Don’t let the bf decide where you go. Don’t go to Pitt just because he is going there and don’t go to PSU or elsewhere just because he thinks you won’t like it. You have to live with the decision you make, not him.</p>

<p>did you end up making a decision?!</p>

<p>Im attending pitt in the fall for nursing, will you be there…haha</p>

<p>Hey! I am also a senior in high school. I got accepted into both Pitt and Penn State Nursing programs, and I’m from suburbia, so Penn State seemed like a dream come true compared to Pitt. After a few months of agonizing, I decided that even though Pitt had a more well known program, Penn State would be my future home. Maybe it was the ice cream that convinced me? haha I’m so excited! Maybe I’ll see you there?</p>

<p>I know this is a couple years later but if any of you girls see this can you tell me if you were happy with your decision?? Totallytorn did you pick psu or Pitt?? I am struggling with the same decision. I’m accepted into both Pitt and psu nursing. I love psu so much more but I know Pitt is the much better program.</p>

<p>Hi there. I dont know if you are still checking this site, but im a nursing student at pitt. Im a male and a freshman. Personally, I love it here. Please come to pitt. Its in the middle of so many hospitals and the nursing school is awesome. The schooling, however, is difficult. I study more than all of my friends (excluding another nursing student) and its not because im an idiot. When i went home, all of my friends told me they study a little more than high school, and didnt believe me when i said i spend probably 15+ hours/week doing school work. So its challenging, but worth it. Ive learned so much. Please feel free to email me so i can answer any questions u have.</p>

<p>do you think an 1870 and 3.79 gpa will get accepted into PSU main nursing?? or pitt! does anybody have friends that have similar scores who got accepted to either?</p>