Has ANYONE attended Everest University??

[horseygirl2rn]

Hi everyone!

I have spent the past year struggling to get into an Accelerated second degree nursing program. I was turned down by 6 different schools now (for various reasons) but have found that you need to have around a 3.75 in order to qualify for an accelerated second degree prgm.

I then began pursuing the CC colleges around here and found despite the 4 pre reqs I have already taken, I am still lacking in 4-6 more classes.

I then found Everest and Stratford University, both of which base admission on your TEAS and/or HESI scores as well as overall GPA.

I am at the point where I don't want to waste anymore time "waiting" to get in somewhere and just want to start, but there is a 20K price difference between the schools mentioned above and the CC.

I have a good chance of getting into both schools, but don't know what to do if I actually get in!!

[Red35]

if Everest doesn't work out, come talk to ITT Tech (Breckinridge +School of Nursing) in St Pete. They cost about the same. I'll be starting my second quarter there on Sept 17th and I love the nursing instructors. Plus it's only 2 days/week and in two years I'll be an RN. They use the HESI too so bring a copy of your test scores. I think they still have a few openings for the next quarter, or at least they did as of last Monday.

At Breckinridge you start right into the nursing classes in your first quarter.. for example in my second quarter I will have NUR 110 and A&P I and I think my elective will be either psych or sociology. I don't know yet for sure which general class I will be taking but both are part of the program. I transferred in a couple of English and Math college credits from a previous college, so I only have to take English 102 and Statistics later on.

Thanks! Actually ITT is closer..however, I chose Everest because they are in candidate status for NLNAC accrediation-I want to further my education so this was a factor.

However, how do you like the program? Do you feel you are receiving a great education? This also is important.

I attended another school ( which will remain nameless) for one day...the professor couldn't even pronounce the words in our textbook. Also, some of the students told me they have learned nothing and one even said " I'm afaid I'll kill someone." If I'm going to invest a huge amount of money I want the best.

[hgrimmett]

I'm really happy with all the nursing instructors and the program itself so far. The program director in particular is very dedicated and it shows. :) I plan to continue on with my BSN after I graduate at ITT- I will either continue there, or switch to Kaiser/Webster/Everest at that time. ITT's BSN program is entirely online, which I like, but I'm told the others might be slightly cheaper alternatives. Although if I can find an ADN-MSN bridge program that will take me (there's a few out there) I might skip the BSN and go straight for my Master's degree.

I can appreciate the NLNAC accreditation, definitely. I wish Everest's paralegal program had been ABA approved way back when I attended school 20 years ago (my former school is now part of Everest, but it wasn't in 1993. In the paralegal world, at least back then, ABA accreditation was rare and prized.. and my school did not have it.) Anyway. I am also of the opinion that the state of Florida is going to give me a nursing license as long as I pass the NCLEX, regardless of what schools I go to.. due to the fact that I'm older than most nursing students (I'll be 50 in December), I'm focusing primarily on getting my RN license in as short a time as possible. I definitely want that BSN/Master's degree because I want to work in either hospice or community health when all is said and done. :)

[Red35]

I'm happy for you!!!

I'm not a spring chicken either! I can't wait 2 years before entering nursing school...I was planning on finishing up my prerequisites at SPC. However, after speaking with the advisors, I was told my grade point average was too low ( I have a bachelors degree and graduated with a 3.42) my chances would be slim to none. I only need A & P I and II so I literally would take classes I don't need for 2 years before I may be selected for nursing? It's the same with USF and UT as well. So I'm going to pay more...a lot more and start now. I figure I'll be working until my 70's anyway and once I get out of nursing school work my tail off for three years ( OT work graveyard) I can pretty much pay or be close to paying off the debt.

After working for 6 months I'll also start on my MSN online ( since I have a bachelors degree, I can obtain my MSN online without the BSN).

Anyway, I'm glad ITT is doing well...I see on some other forums, people who are attending nursing schools absolutely hate the school and are not learning. That scares me.

One of my friends attended Keiser and she is doing well-works in a hospital, makes great money, and is planning on going for her BSN.

The only problem is Keiser I believe has a waiting list now ( at least Tampa does).

Are far are you into the program?

[hgrimmett]

I'm right there with you on the SPC/USF thing.. and I live close enough to SPC Clearwater to walk there too. Sigh. Driving to St Pete isn't bad, it's not too far. I have taken a few classes at SPC, but I didn't have as many prereqs as you do (3.4 GPA & only that paralegal AS degree so far) and it would have been just as long or longer for me, and to spend all that time just on a slim to none CHANCE of getting into the nursing program? Yeah.

Speaking of slim to none chances, I looked into the LPN program at PTEC too, thinking I could do that & then go to SPC. The 3rd (mandatory just to apply to the program) orientation at PTEC I attended had well over 600 people crammed into the lecture hall at PTEC. All wanting to compete for 24 open seats in the next fall LPN class. Pure random chance if you get in. It's insane. That's when I started looking for other options. ITT had just expanded the nursing program to St Pete from Tampa and I went to talk to them. Looked at Galen first.. said no. Heck no. I hear its a good school but I don't need that kind of insane stress at my age. No one does.

This will be my second quarter at ITT. I actually started last December, finished that quarter fine, then had a brain fart and left school 3/4 of the way thru the original 2nd quarter back in March. I'm calling this current quarter summer break So i thought hard about it, then went to talk to them about coming back; all they said was "we missed you and if you want to come back, it's fine, we have room for you - your loans will be more to pay back now due to leaving like you did but it's cool otherwise" & said "welcome back!" So Sept 17th I will have my butt back in class and I'm not stopping til I am DONE with my ASN in Dec 2014. (then the NCLEX and the BSN and etc :)

[Red35]

NICE! Everest starts October 15th-so not sure what I'll do until then. I'm taking an online class but it ends the first week of September...I quit my job to attend nursing school. Since I quit the other school after one day it's been hell. I don't do well when I'm bored.

Actually I did look at Galen, and personally I wasn't impressed-I spoke to a few people in the parking lot (people are more honest) and I'll just say let the expletives fly...

Wow! I was at PTEC too...yes 600 people at least. Someone told me it was close to 800..

Well I only have to take A & P I & II and Microbiology. I have taken statistics and I believe they will accept it for the math pre-requ. So I should graduate in July 2014-I took the test yeaterday and I was the only one that passed ( 10 people). I studied for two weeks....however, starting in January Everest will be switching to the TEAS V for nursing.

I'm happy for you...I think you can PM on this site so please let me know how you are doing.

[hgrimmett]

Sent you a friends request :) I'm on twitter, FB, and etc too if you like those. Good for you for having so many pre reqs.. that will make it so much faster for you to get your diploma. I am considering trying to test out of some of my general electives, like psych and sociology.. I figure the worst thing that happens is I still have to take the class if I don't pass the test.. but if I pass then I graduate that much sooner. :)

If you're bored, and have the money for it, maybe you should look into getting CPR or BLS certified or something locally while you're waiting for school to start.. (unless Everest provides that service for you. ITT does for CPR but not BLS cert.) If you have your textbooks already or can get them, start NOW with the studying. Especially with whatever textbooks they use for fundamentals of nursing and clinical nursing (we have Potter & Perry for both of those.) My A&P book is HUGE, 1200 pages. I've seen the med-surg and peds books and they're even bigger - I don't get those til next year though. :) Or start with medical terminology self study - that's certainly something that you will need. It's a whole new language. And iTunes has some free nursing related classes under iTunes U if you would rather listen to stuff than read.

if you buy no other book to study from while you wait, get the big yellow cover Saunders Comprehensive Review for the NCLEX RN book. You are going to want to get familiar with that book ASAP & use it the entire time that you are in nursing school, not after. NCLEX format questions are unlike anything else. We can do this!

[Red35]

I accepted your friend request!

Hmm maybe I'll look into BLS...or CPR. I would assume Everest will include this (isn't it standared, I need to learn CPR as a nurse)?

Maybe I will start studying the A & P..might as well or the medical term. book. I thought about working part time until October-but by the time I get hired I"ll have to turn around and quit....

Yes we can do this!!!! I have waited for 7 years and have saved and paid off all of my bills ( well almost)...

I have the interview still so I shouldn't count my chickens yet-did you have to do the interview? I have to write two essays as well...I have no idea-I'm sure one is: Why do you want to be a nurse....

[hgrimmett]

I don't know how people work even part time and go to nursing school. NS is a full time job and then some.

No essays at all for me, just an interview with the nursing director & the Dean. That and taking the HESI test. It was nice that I got my test results right away too - I took it right there at the school, then interviewed about 45 minutes afterwards - they managed to fit a number of us in for interviews (private, not group) so we wouldn't have to come back another day.. the folks who took the whole 3 hours to do their HESI had to come back the next day for their interviews, assuming they passed. A fair number of the 30 or so people who took the HESI with me did not pass. O.o One of the girls who failed the HESI is a CNA and has been for several years.. her SO, who knew almost nothing about medical stuff, passed and he got into the program.

I had to do a second interview with the same nursing director and the financial aid office when I went in to ask them about coming back to school after I'd bailed out mid semester.

No idea if Everest includes CPR - I would hope so. ITT just started including it here. Call up Everest and ask them! Make 'em earn their money

[Red35]

It's an awesome feeling! Again, please keep in touch and let everyone know how you are doing..just think in two years ( or less) you will have a new career-

:cheers:

[tamadrummer]

Everest does not include CPR. If you need it, I highly recommend you go to susan ruszin's school. I did both my BLS ( basic life support) and acls (advanced cardiovascular life support). She is the best in the area. Probably the beat in the state of fl. Her company is called ruszin healthcare. Search for her, she is worth it.