Question about direct entry programs/certain colleges

College Majors Nursing Major
1

<p>I'm a current highschool junior. My dream is to become a certified nurse-midwife but in order to do that I'll have to get my BSN. I'm a volunteer EMT-B and I love the medical field. I have no doubts whatsoever that this is my calling.
I've seen the posts here about direct entry nursing programs. I am confused about them though. When you apply to the school, you would check off a box that says 'I want to major in nursing' and then they would put you directly in the program so you wouldn't have to delcare a major later on? Can someone explain direct entry nursing programs to me in simple english, lol?
I live in New England and I would go to all of New England, (ME, NH, VT, MA, CT, RI) and New York and Pennsylvania but I don't really want to go further than that. I have a 3.7 GPA but I'm hoping to bring it up (and I was hoping my background as a certified EMT might help me get in!). I also don't want to go to a total party school, I
m kind of a prude, lol and I don't drink or smoke.</p>

<p>So basically, can someone explain what a direct entry nursing program really entails? These are the colleges I'm considering applying to:
UMass Amherst
Villanova
Fairfield U
U of Vermont
Boston College
Endicott College</p>

<p>If anyone knows anything about the nursing programs at those colleges I'd love to hear about it and if you think I could get in or if I would like them! And of course, more suggestions would be very appreciated!</p>

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<p>Direct entry is simply this: you apply as a freshman to a nursing program and are accepted as a prospective freshman to all 4 years of that program.</p>

<p>Non-direct entry is this: you apply to a college or university as a freshman as a nursing major. You take the required classes but then have to REAPPLY during your sophomore year to be accepted into the nursing program that begins junior year. It’s just a bit riskier to go this way because of the second reapplication process.</p>

<p>Both types of school will have similar four-year curriculums set up for nursing majors with science classes and other pre-requisites in the first two years, and mostly nursing clinicals in the second two years. Both types of schools will require that you take certain classes, maintain a minimum GPA, and get minimum grades in crucial classes (like chemistry) or you can’t continue to the next year. Both types of schools can be excellent, or just pretty good. </p>

<p>It’s important to know the details of each school anyway. Some non direct-entry schools require a standardized test as part of the reapplication. Some schools (of any type) have very tight curriculums with few or no electives. Some schools are more open. Get familiar with the details of each school you’re looking at so there are no surprises later!</p>

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<p>well i’m positive this is what I want to devote my life to, so I will be considering only direct entry programs. Thanks!</p>

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<p>Most direct entry programs have you starting your nursing classes and clinicals in sophomore rahter than junior year. That’s a huge plus!</p>

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<p>When researching each of the direct entry programs, check out the application process to see if there’s a separate application for the School of Nursing or if you can just designate School of Nursing on the broader application. My D applied to a few schools that required a separate supplemental application, but most of them were “check the box” types of applications. For a few schools, she got notice that she was admitted to the University and then the admissions letter to the nursing program came later. </p>

<p>Your background and GPA are impressive, and I think the nursing schools will recognize your commitment!</p>

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<p>Does anyone happen to know the nursing school application process for the schools I mentioned up top? </p>

<p>Neonzeus - Was it easy to find out that there needed to be a separate application? did her guidance counselor tell her or was it obvious?</p>

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<p>I don’t remember how D applied to U-VT, which is the only school that D applied to of the listed schools (free app). D’s Guidance Dept did no research on applying to schools. The kids were responsible for getting everything that was needed. The kids gave the guidance office their applications, fees, student-essay(s) if required, copies of any supplemental materials, and the mailing envelopes with postage. The H.S. then inserted the student’s transcript, the teacher references, and a write-up about the H.S. (list of accomplishments, Newsweek rating, students with national awards, percent going to college, etc.). </p>

<p>D had to do all of her own research. She got some answers at college fairs, and from college representatives who visited her H.S. The majority of her research was done on-line. In most cases, the Schools of Nursing had their own web-sites with application instructions. It took about 10 minutes per school to find those sites. D did call two or three schools. Frankly, it was like pulling teeth to get her to call any schools directly. Her preference was email, but some of the schools weren’t very responsive to emails. Since the nursing programs were competitive and D was worried about being admitted, D ultimately applied to about 10 schools to be sure that she had choices at the end of the day.</p>

<p>D’s biggest disappointment was SUNY Buffalo, which had been high on her list. They eliminated a nursing guarantee program for the year she was applying, going to a 2+2 program. They were taking a lot of heat from current students who couldn’t get into the classes and were in the middle of changing buildings, and the nursing department was very nonresponsive when D tried to get answers about the changes. She learned about it from a sibling in grad school there, who sent her an article in the student paper.</p>

<p>The 1st surprise was learning that a lot of D’s research (admission stats, visits, etc.) went out the window when it came to nursing programs. The nursing stats for admitted students were significantly higher and more selective than the published stats for the schools on D’s lists. Some of the schools published their nursing school stats, and some of them only released admitted student profile information during visits. This impacted scholarships, since it was not possible to assume that a school with lower stats would award a lot of scholarship money to a student with higher stats for the nursing program.</p>

<p>The 2nd biggest surprise was in the differences between nursing programs. Once D started getting admitted, she spent even more time researching the nursing programs themselves: required classes and prereqs, clinical hours, facilities, hospital opportunities, etc. She went back to visit nursing schools for admitted students days. She found that she loved some schools where she didn’t like the nursing programs, and visa versa. As she went through this process, one school’s nursing program stood out for her as a really comfortable fit. My 3rd surprise was that the school that D chose had been low on her list when she started the process and that she rejected the two schools that had been her dream schools at the beginning.</p>

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<p>Neonzeus - I did the same thing as your D: Reject my top school and go to a school that was pretty close to the bottom of my list at the start.</p>

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<p>SingDance - It’s a surprise when it doesn’t turn out the way you start out hoping it will, isn’t it? D really loves her school now. </p>

<p>D wanted a big university. She felt that a small school would be comfortable at 18 but she’d hate it at 22. (She also wanted options for picking up a minor or 2nd major, since she already had a lot of college credits earned through dual enrollment in high school.) D ultimately recognized she was going to have to deal with a small school “feel” in a nursing program wherever she went, since she’d be with the same 100+ classmates for four years. D thought she wanted a program with more science requirements. As she researched programs, she decided that some of the required classes in those programs didn’t match up as well to her long term nursing-career goals. She wanted a school with lots of sims and training opportunities, which not all of the programs had (some colleges clearly were investing more $ in their nursing school). She wanted a school where she would get to know her professors. In some schools she was unable to even talk to professors when visiting, they were rushed, or students complained that professors were inaccessible. (At the school she chose, she was shocked when two nursing professors remembered her first name months after she had met them during a prospective student visiting day!) She wanted a school where the existing students were happy. D also wanted a school where she felt that she could excel academically. She wanted a school where her stats would be closer to the top third than the bottom third of the admitted students’ profile. Her rationale was that she wanted to give herself every chance to do really well, to have more scholarship and grad school opportunities. She also considered where she wanted to work someday. Even though nursing jobs are available everywhere, D thought that she might want to take advantage of the hospital experiences and networking where she went to school.</p>

<p>As she weighed each school on her list from Jan to March of her Senior year, it was amazing how quickly the schools moved up or down based on her criteria. Her first choice school dropped to the bottom quickly. Her second choice school didn’t match up either. By March, there was only one school left that seemed to be a good match. Getting a decent scholarship sealed the deal.</p>

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<p>Wow! Would you mind sharing the name of the school she goes to? Sounds pretty awesome!</p>

<p>And thank you for all the information</p>

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<p>LOL - I’ll send you a PM!</p>

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<p>Neonzeus, would you mind pm’g me the school your daughter chose? My daughter is a junior and just beginning the nursing research.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>OP, D applied and was accepted to the 1st 3 schools you listed as a nursing student…Another school that has an excellent rep is U Pitt…What type of college are you looking for? Urban/rural/suburban?? Proximity to major medical centers are a big plus…</p>

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<p>If you’d like to be in Boston (with its many first-rate hospitals) you could consider Northeastern. </p>

<p>I’ve heard that UVM’s Nursing program is a difficult admit for OOS students. But with a 3.7 I’d certainly apply.</p>

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<p>I’m also applying to nursing schools with only direct entry programs! It took quite a while to compile a good list of schools that fit what I wanted, but it ended up looking very similar to your list. I applied to BC, Villanova, Georgetown, Fairfield, UVM, Catholic, Quinnipiac, and Belmont. I got into BC, Villanova, and UVM and got deferred from Georgetown. I’m waiting on the rest but I got into my two favorites already, so it doesn’t matter much anymore! </p>

<p>I’m also am EMT-B through my school and I think it definitely helped to mention it as often as possible on my application. It really shows early interest and dedication to the medical field.</p>

<p>A lot of girls in my grade are applying to nursing programs and I know that a lot of them have already gotten into Endicott and UVM. They also aren’t even as qualified as you are with your GPA and EMT, so you have a really good chance!
In addition, I’d recommend:</p>

<p>Northeastern (city)
Drexel (city)
Penn State (city)
Quinnipiac (rolling admissions, so you’d need to do your app soon before the program fills up)
Sacred Heart
St. Anselm
Temple
and Simmons is a women’s college but it has a fantastic program, if you wouldn’t mind the lack of men :)</p>

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<p>May I ask what your GPA is? I visited Georgetown and I like the campus but it’s so far away from me :frowning: I need to be able to drive home on weekends easily. Even Villanova is pretty far. Congrats on getting into BC and Villanova though! My town is one of very few with the EMT-B program for highschoolers. I’m so lucky to have had this opportunity.</p>

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<p>@brittybee93, did you visit Belmont? I’m curious about it since it’s known for nursing and for music production. I know my D would love Nashville, and they have one of the few remaining nurse practitioner programs (she’s a freshman now).</p>

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<p>WHat do you mean, greenwitch, about the few remaining nurse practitioner programs? Nurse practitioner programs are master’s degree level and there are plenty of universities that still have them.</p>

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<p>My GPA is a weighted 4.12. My school doesn’t calculate unweighted. About eight people from my school applied to Georgetown and only one got in, so they’re getting more and more selective. And I love the EMT program! Isn’t it just the most amazing opportunity?!</p>

<p>And I have not visited Belmont yet! Haha it’s the only school on my entire list that I haven’t been to. I live in New England, so a trip down to Nashville is a little out of the way. I love how it’s a Christian school, so if I get in, I’ll definitely visit.</p>

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<p>I’m looking at 4 year RN programs for my daughter. One aspect is what range of health care facilities are nearby. Some colleges only have one small hospital in the region, and they say every student needs a car in their junior and senior year to drive to clinicals. </p>

<p>Penn State U. Park says students have to spent a year in Hershey, which is not a bad place, but it kind of disrupts the college experience. </p>

<p>Just in case people are not familiar with it, check out the RN exam pass rates for each college. They are posted on the web for nursing programs in each state (except I couldn’t find New Jersey online). There are plenty of programs with first time pass rates of 88% or more (which probably means they were close to 100% after taking the test a second time). If a program has a first time pass rate of 70% or less, I believe it can start to also create difficulties in their accredition. Some of the pass rates are scary.</p>