Mount St. Mary's College LA - Accelerated BSN 2010

[BNice74]

This is a new thread for anyone that has applied to the Mount St. Mary's College Accelerated BSN program in Los Angeles for 2010 entry.

This is my second application for admission since I wasn't offered admission for Fall 2009. Did anyone hear anything back yet for Spring 2010? Is there an interview process? I have read conflicting information on this topic. I also applied to Samuel Merritt in the Bay Area (also turned down twice to 2 programs for Fall 2009 entry). They wont be sending out admission offers until February for March start dates!! Would love to hear from fellow nursing school hopefuls )

Good luck to all you!!

Betsy

[princessandraya]

I was thinking of three with a lab coat and maybe a fleece jacket. I am always spilling on myself and better safe than sorry.

[jake620]

Just heard back, and confirmed for Thursday.

I'm confirmed for Thursday also.

[jake620]

I was thinking of three with a lab coat and maybe a fleece jacket. I am always spilling on myself and better safe than sorry.

I'm with you on the fleece jacket b/c I'm always freezing. Hope we can wear a long sleeve white t-shirt under our uniforms, if not, I'm in trouble.

[skyrocketer]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this site and never know that this exists. I just wanna share these things to you guys specially for those who were denied, deferred acceptances and even for those who were waitlisted.

I, myself too, deferred my acceptance because I have just realised later that there is a better program out there. After interviews with graduates of MSMC ABSN of the previous cohort, it made me realize that this program is not really for me. It is really a rigorous program that will me at risk later on, on top of paying $53k for the entire program and if you failed some classes due to their 75% pass proficiency rate, they will put you to the next cohort and pay another portion of tution fee will amount you to $75k to $80K just to graduate( this is based on my personal interview with one of the ladies who failed the Advanced MedSurg just to find out she just missed a point away to 75%, sounds ridiculous!!!!!)

I have searched a lot of programs within the area, and so far the best program I have ever known is exactly the same program the MSMC is offering, THE ABSN PROGRAM OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY IN IRVINE.!!!!!With the fee of $29k for the entire program, I wont hesitate to wait to turn in my application for Spring admission. It is a big difference of $34k from MSMC and the good thing is, there is no hassle for that BIOETHICS requirement because it is incorporated in the program, a very organized program as Ive herad from my cousin who is a graduate of that program and a very high passing NCLEX rate.(this looks very enticing and ineteresting!!!!!) and the good thing from that, expectation level for all the classes is only 70% unlike the horrible 75% of the MSMC).

One good thing also that made up my mind to defer my acceptance which I wont regret it later, is the , higher probability of getting in into CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY because they will be opening two groups per cohort in the next admission. So for those all of you who are waitlisted, I know one of you will get my spot or you still have a better program that awaits for you, just in case you're not invited for this Fall. For those who deferred or denied, same good things out there and for those were accepted, THINK IT SO MANY TIMES, "WILL IT BE WORTH IT TO TAKE THE RISK AND PAY $53K OR JUST WAIT AND REALIZE THAT WAITING IS WORTH AT THE END"

Just my humble opinion for everybody especially during this economic downturn.

[kkinla]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this site and never know that this exists. I just wanna share these things to you guys specially for those who were denied, deferred acceptances and even for those who were waitlisted.

I, myself too, deferred my acceptance because I have just realised later that there is a better program out there. After interviews with graduates of MSMC ABSN of the previous cohort, it made me realize that this program is not really for me. It is really a rigorous program that will me at risk later on, on top of paying $53k for the entire program and if you failed some classes due to their 75% pass proficiency rate, they will put you to the next cohort and pay another portion of tution fee will amount you to $75k to $80K just to graduate( this is based on my personal interview with one of the ladies who failed the Advanced MedSurg just to find out she just missed a point away to 75%, sounds ridiculous!!!!!)

I have searched a lot of programs within the area, and so far the best program I have ever known is exactly the same program the MSMC is offering, THE ABSN PROGRAM OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY IN IRVINE.!!!!!With the fee of $29k for the entire program, I wont hesitate to wait to turn in my application for Spring admission. It is a big difference of $34k from MSMC and the good thing is, there is no hassle for that BIOETHICS requirement because it is incorporated in the program, a very organized program as Ive herad from my cousin who is a graduate of that program and a very high passing NCLEX rate.(this looks very enticing and ineteresting!!!!!) and the good thing from that, expectation level for all the classes is only 70% unlike the horrible 75% of the MSMC).

One good thing also that made up my mind to defer my acceptance which I wont regret it later, is the , higher probability of getting in into CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY because they will be opening two groups per cohort in the next admission. So for those all of you who are waitlisted, I know one of you will get my spot or you still have a better program that awaits for you, just in case you're not invited for this Fall. For those who deferred or denied, same good things out there and for those were accepted, THINK IT SO MANY TIMES, "WILL IT BE WORTH IT TO TAKE THE RISK AND PAY $53K OR JUST WAIT AND REALIZE THAT WAITING IS WORTH AT THE END"

Just my humble opinion for everybody especially during this economic downturn.

I should preface this by saying that I am currently in the ABSN program at MSMC, so my opinion is unavoidably biased.

Honestly, there is no perfect nursing program out there. Everyone is different and so are the options we have for our nursing education. A program that may be a great fit for one person could be a horrible fit for someone else. Yes, the ABSN program at mount saint mary's is rigorous, but they're not in the business of failing nursing students. They accept people who they believe can succeed in the program, so congrats on your acceptance! They believe in you! :)

Mount Saint Mary's was actually the first school in California to offer a BSN program, and has the longest running ABSN program in California. The nursing programs have an excellent reputation, which is one of many reasons as to why I chose to invest both my finances and my education with them. In the grand scheme of things though, it doesn't really matter where we get in or where we end up. Our paths will meet in the end when we become nurses

Wow, that sounded really corny! Guess it's time for me to get some sleep! Best of luck to everyone!

[rocky16]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this site and never know that this exists. I just wanna share these things to you guys specially for those who were denied, deferred acceptances and even for those who were waitlisted.

I, myself too, deferred my acceptance because I have just realised later that there is a better program out there. After interviews with graduates of MSMC ABSN of the previous cohort, it made me realize that this program is not really for me. It is really a rigorous program that will me at risk later on, on top of paying $53k for the entire program and if you failed some classes due to their 75% pass proficiency rate, they will put you to the next cohort and pay another portion of tution fee will amount you to $75k to $80K just to graduate( this is based on my personal interview with one of the ladies who failed the Advanced MedSurg just to find out she just missed a point away to 75%, sounds ridiculous!!!!!)

I have searched a lot of programs within the area, and so far the best program I have ever known is exactly the same program the MSMC is offering, THE ABSN PROGRAM OF CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY IN IRVINE.!!!!!With the fee of $29k for the entire program, I wont hesitate to wait to turn in my application for Spring admission. It is a big difference of $34k from MSMC and the good thing is, there is no hassle for that BIOETHICS requirement because it is incorporated in the program, a very organized program as Ive herad from my cousin who is a graduate of that program and a very high passing NCLEX rate.(this looks very enticing and ineteresting!!!!!) and the good thing from that, expectation level for all the classes is only 70% unlike the horrible 75% of the MSMC).

One good thing also that made up my mind to defer my acceptance which I wont regret it later, is the , higher probability of getting in into CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY because they will be opening two groups per cohort in the next admission. So for those all of you who are waitlisted, I know one of you will get my spot or you still have a better program that awaits for you, just in case you're not invited for this Fall. For those who deferred or denied, same good things out there and for those were accepted, THINK IT SO MANY TIMES, "WILL IT BE WORTH IT TO TAKE THE RISK AND PAY $53K OR JUST WAIT AND REALIZE THAT WAITING IS WORTH AT THE END"

Just my humble opinion for everybody especially during this economic downturn.

concordia just started their ABSN program and i believe it's less than 3 years old (they started in august 08 and barely got accredited in october of that same year) whereas MSMC started their program over 10 years ago (early 90s).

yes, MSMC is expensive.

yes, MSMC has a HIGHER standard than concordia (75% is not "horrible") and even then, shouldn't that be ENCOURAGING anyway? it just says that they expect more out of their students, if not the best.

yes, MSMC has a very rigorous ABSN program but what else would anyone expect? they crunch 3 years of nursing into 1 year so of course it's going to be rigorous, challenging, and sometimes a bit crazy.

overall, MSMC still continues to hold one of the BEST nursing reputations out there with a high pass rate.

i was like you and did think about applying to concordia but i didn't because MSMC has so much more to offer, has had the ABSN program for several years, and like i keep reiterating, MSMC has one of the best nursing programs in the country.

everyone is entitled to their own opinion and i'm sorry you feel that way towards MSMC. it's an awesome school. i'm actually in the May cohort right now and they have been extremely supportive of our entire class. they really do everything in their power to help you and make sure you succeed. faculty, staff, and classmates will soon be your second family and i don't know any other school who is like that.

seems like you're really worried about the cost of tuition...but regardless, if you want to BE THE BEST, you have to HAVE THE BEST and MSMC IS THE BEST.

[rocky16]

I'm with you on the fleece jacket b/c I'm always freezing. Hope we can wear a long sleeve white t-shirt under our uniforms, if not, I'm in trouble.

FYI on that blue fleece jacket...you can't wear that during clinicals....the people who sell you the uniform will say you can wear it during clinicals, which is why everyone in our class got it, but during orientation for clinicals, the instructors said we weren't allowed to wear it during clinicals at all. so you can get it but can only wear it to school or on your way to clinicals but once you're on the floor, take it off! oh..and that goes for the white hoodie also.

:)

[jake620]

FYI on that blue fleece jacket...you can't wear that during clinicals....the people who sell you the uniform will say you can wear it during clinicals, which is why everyone in our class got it, but during orientation for clinicals, the instructors said we weren't allowed to wear it during clinicals at all. so you can get it but can only wear it to school or on your way to clinicals but once you're on the floor, take it off! oh..and that goes for the white hoodie also.

:)

thanks for the heads up. guess i need to develop a thicker skin quick. i'm the only one who wears long sleeves under my volunteer uniform in the summer. :)

[kkinla]

thanks for the heads up. guess i need to develop a thicker skin quick. i'm the only one who wears long sleeves under my volunteer uniform in the summer. :)

oh you can wear a white long sleeve shirt underneath, don't worry :)

[BNice74, BSN, RN]

It's kind of scary that Concordia asks future RNs to only pass class with a 70%. The required 75% to pass MSM's is pretty generous considering the schools in the Northeast (Connecticut, NY, NJ) expect their nurses to have an 80% pass rate. Nursing school is not easy and it shouldn't be. We are training for a very demanding profession.

Before I chose a nursing school, one of my main concerns was money but that was right up there with the end result: how many graduates of this nursing program actually pass the NCLEX when they graduate?

If you look at the Board of Registered Nursing website, you can see the NCLEX results by school. In 2008/2009 MSM's pass rate for first time test takers was 85%, In 2007/2008: 77%, 2006/2007: 89%, 2005/2006: 84%. Since Concordia's program just began, there are no results available yet so you can't measure the success of the program.

Before I started at MSM's I was thinking of applying to a newer program at a school in Nevada. The school's ABSN program was only 2 years old, so the NCLEX results were only available for one year - the first graduating class had a pass rate of 52%. So I never bothered to apply. That school's tuition was half of what MSM's was charging, but what good is that if the program is not putting good nurses out there.

My next question would be, what are the clinical experiences like? MSM's has been around for over 10 years, therefore they have established relationships with excellent hospitals in area and are able to get prime clinical placement for their students. For example, our cohort is in UCLA for the summer. Our first rotation of clinicals included 7 weeks on the Neuro floor, or Cardiac, or Liver transplants. Each of us gets 2 days in the OR and several other rotation opportunities. To be placed in a magnet hospital such as UCLA is a valuable experience for a student nurse. And many Mount graduates work there as RNs.

I am not saying Concordia is a bad school. I can't say that because I do not go there and I have nothing to base it on. But for those of you that are on the fence, I would wait to see what the first graduating class scores on their NCLEX, before I gave $30K to a school that hasn't established a reputation yet. I would also ask about clinical opportunities.

Money is tight for all of us. But spending money on education is never a bad investment. You want to make sure you get the education you need to secure a good job when you graduate. Nursing jobs are not as easy to get anymore. You should always find out what relationships your potential school has with the hospitals you are interested in working for. Never choose a school on how cheap tuition is or how much "easier" the classes or prerequisites are.

You get what you pay for.

[Pauliwankenobi]

So you're saying, "i only want to do the bare minimum to pass nursing school.." please don't ever be my nurse.

It's like the old pilot saying, "I only need to land seven out of ten planes today!"

[GoogleyMoogley]

Goodness Gracious!!! This thread and even the one that was recently pulled by admin regarding the cancelled SDSU ABSN program is just full of whiners with attitudes not conducive to a nursing career!

First off, people should not put a school down to make another school sound better. That is just plain immaturity and a lack of professionalism. Each school has different advantages than others and regardless of which one you choose, you make the best of it. You will very rarely get to pick your patients in the field...are you going to be constantly whining and complaining as a nurse? Same thing goes for MSMC's Bioethics requirement and the "rigorous" pace of their program. Geez! Just suck it up and do your best. And complaining between 75% versus 70% passing requirement? Boy oh boy...what a dismal expectation. Focus and strategize how you will maintain straight As and not what it will take to just pass the classes.

RELAX because it is what it is! It’s like buying a car. Take for example Mercedes and BMW. They’ve dominated the luxury car market for decades and created great reputations. Then along comes new kids on the block like Lexus, which is a powerhouse today. Each manufacturer offers different options, appealing to different audiences. At the end of the day, you gravitate towards one model more than another, recognizing that there is always the risk and potential regret of your decision. But ultimately, the responsibility is on your shoulders to take care of that car to make it perform (i.e. don’t try to be cheap with 87 octane when it says to use 91).

So think of colleges as cars…

20 years ago, you could easily buy new cars for $10-12K. Nowadays, even basic compact cars are twice that. Unfortunately the price of going to college is not immune to the trend. Keep in mind that colleges and universities are a business, and businesses require money to operate. As for the cost of the program…again, it is what it is. Not everyone has $54K just lying around, but be resourceful. Complaining about it between now and Aug 23 isn’t going to change a thing. And if there is just no way to afford it right now…well, some of us have to continue driving 1985 hoopties because we can’t even buy a simple “regular” car these days.

Just remember the bottom line regardless of which school/program everyone decides on…it’s really up to you. Some schools have great teachers, some hospitals will offer great clinical learning opportunities, some are cheaper, some have an outstanding reputation, etc. etc. But after graduation and passing the NCLEX, those schools won’t be at your side showing you how to insert an IV into someone’s arm or to calculate dosage for a patient’s meds. At the end of the day when it comes time to perform, it’s all on you.