GMU vs Georgetown

[Anonymous]

My DD wants to go into nursing, with a goal of becoming a PMHNP. She is a rising senior at Oakton with a GPA of 3.9.

She is looking at local colleges like GMU or Georgetown.

Does it matter where one gets their nursing degree if they are hoping to pursue grad school?

[Anonymous]

It matters exactly zero.

[Anonymous]

Go to the cheaper ones.

[Anonymous]

For a career as a nurse, no. If she thinks she wants to be a floor nurse for most of her career . . . .

If your DD might be interested in management/ hospital administration/ the healthcare industry more broadly over time, a more prestigious degree *might* help. Not sure it will be worth the cost differential, though. If she might consider a doctorate in nursing, so that she could be a nursing professor or public health administrator, the more prestigious degree could also be helpful.

If you are (relatively) rich and your DD would prefer the social opportunities at an elite private, well . . .

[Anonymous]

Weird question, because these are very different schools. George Mason is a large public school in the suburbs and Georgetown is a private Catholic school in the city. George Mason tuition is $14,220 and Georgetown Nursing tuition is $71,698. But Georgetown might offer generous financial aid.

https://finaid.georgetown.edu/undergrad/aid-for-undergrads/

There are other Catholic universities with nursing programs in the area, including Catholic University, Marymount, Loyola, and Notre Dame of Maryland. There are many other Virginia and Maryland public colleges. If you are considering Georgetown, then you might also consider out-of-state schools.

Undergrad degree is unimportant if she gets into graduate school. But college is about a four-year experience. Your education depends on professors, classmates, and classes outside your major. Your daughter might change her mind. The whole point of college is to learn and grow, not to pursue a narrow path you thought of as a teenager.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weird question, because these are very different schools. George Mason is a large public school in the suburbs and Georgetown is a private Catholic school in the city. George Mason tuition is $14,220 and Georgetown Nursing tuition is $71,698. But Georgetown might offer generous financial aid.

https://finaid.georgetown.edu/undergrad/aid-for-undergrads/

There are other Catholic universities with nursing programs in the area, including Catholic University, Marymount, Loyola, and Notre Dame of Maryland. There are many other Virginia and Maryland public colleges. If you are considering Georgetown, then you might also consider out-of-state schools.

Undergrad degree is unimportant if she gets into graduate school. But college is about a four-year experience. Your education depends on professors, classmates, and classes outside your major. Your daughter might change her mind. The whole point of college is to learn and grow, not to pursue a narrow path you thought of as a teenager.

Save the money for graduate school and go to GMU. Sure, if money isn't an object, a fun 4 yrs undergrad is great. But, most people don't have that luxury to have that fun experience at a pricey undergrad and have enough money to go to grad school.

Not having a loan after graduation >>>>> fun 4 years.

[Anonymous]

Pay more attention to the nursing program particulars…for example how students are admitted to the program (vs to the college or university). Also look at NCLEX pass rates.

[Anonymous]

I manage a large surgical practice and have interviewed and employed hundreds of nurses throughout my career.
I barely pay any attention from where a nurse graduated. Experience trumps college brand name every single time.
If a nurse has experience in the area I’m looking for and has a good clinical sense , I’m hiring her ( as long as she is a good fit with the rest of the team)
Definitely go with the cheaper school.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown is cheaper than GMU (lower net price) for household incomes under $75k.

So yes, go to the cheaper school but only OP can figure out which is the cheaper school.

[Anonymous]

My good friend is a nurse anesthetist, and we went to a mid-rated public university for undergrad. For grad school, she was choosing between full pay at Georgetown and almost a full ride at UNC Charlotte. She picked UNC Charlotte for exactly the reasons mentioned above - no one in nursing cared where her degree came from.

[Anonymous]

Based on what I know about the faculty/staff at GU, I’d pick GMU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Based on what I know about the faculty/staff at GU, I’d pick GMU.

But do you know the faculty/staff at GMU?

[Anonymous]

For nursing it doesn't matter. But if she ever wants to switch from nursing to another field outside healthcare, where she went for undergrad could matter