anyone taking an accelerated BSN course?

Liz520 · May 15, 2007

I just got accepted into an accelerated program in CA. I start in January and will have my second degree 15 months later. I'm nervous about the cost, 30K for tuition plus I'll have to take out loans to live off of while in school. If you do go into one of these programs, you will not be able to work. I think it will be worth it though. My program in called EENAP through Azusa Pacific Univeristy. Good luck!

MB37 · May 15, 2007

I just started one in FL yesterday. Mine is also 15 months straight through. They recommend that we don't work, but I'm planning on trying part-time for the first two semesters at least - ours really speeds up in 3 and 4. So far I've read 185 pages in the last two days, I have an exam already on Monday (on 233 pgs) and have to do a weekly quiz and assignment in proper APA format for an online course. I'm excited though - the people I've met so far seem nice enough, even the instructors and staff, so I'm just ready. Also, mine is at a public university, so tuition is

Megsd, BSN, RN · May 16, 2007

I am slightly over halfway through my accelerated BSN program and while I usually feel slightly dazed and feel like I'm flying by the seat of my pants, I am SO glad I went this route. My classmates are all hard-workers who are fun to be around and our faculty is incredibly supportive. My whole program, tuition-wise, is about 15K for 15 months. I am not working at all but received financial support from one of the hospitals in the region that I wanted to work for anyway.

The one piece of advice I have is you need to find ways to stay motivated and not fall behind. This quarter we had 3 group projects and 4 papers due within 3 weeks. Two girls and I got together for two solid days (8-9 hour days) and hammered out all of our group projects weeks ago, so all we need to focus on now are the individual papers. Others in our class have yet to do their group projects and are panicking, but we are in much better shape because we budgeted our time so as not to get overwhelmed.

CityKat, BSN, RN · May 16, 2007

I'm graduating from an accelerated program on Monday:) Keep your chin up, don't fall behind, stay away from students who are involved in taking short cuts and copying others work (yes, it happens), keep in touch with your professor for feedback and lastly, find students after the first exams who are getting high marks and glue yourself to them through the program. They will be your life jacket when times are tough. Good luck!!

SoonToPassGas · May 16, 2007

I attended the University of Arizona accelerated 14 month program from May of 2003 - Aug of 2004. While it was a very intense program, it was every bit worth it. I personally don't have children, but had several classmates who did, including a newborn and we all survived. I would highly recommend an accelerated program as a entry into nursing practice for someone with your background. Just make sure you have all of the prerequisites, because those can add on quite a bit of time.

mafiamom · May 16, 2007

thank you all so much for your replies, i appreciate the info and the heads up!!!

renebean319 · May 16, 2007

thank you all so much for your replies, i appreciate the info and the heads up!!!

Thanks for asking this question:idea: , I still have 6 or 7 prerequisites to go before i start applying for programs and three of them are accelerated. It gave me a lot of motivation.

michar · May 17, 2007

I kind of am. I know that sounds strange, but it's a 4 semester program but with summers off. If we went through (and I wish we did) we'd be done in 16 months.

My biggest piece of advice came from an instructor "never let the things that matter the least get in the way of the things that matter the most"

Sometimes that meant I stay at home instead of going for a walk with my kids in the evening to study pharmacology. Sometimes that meant I rushed through med-surg assignments to attend parent teacher conferences. Sometimes that meant I did nothing that needed to be done and I sat and watched tv for an hour for me.

There is always something that will need to be done, dishes, homework, ATI exams, careplans, laundry, med cards, and playdates. It was hard for me to put all that aside occasionally and be me. I'm such a perfectionist, its bugged me this semester I got an A- in a class I could have gotten an A in if life wasn't going on at the same time.

I know I made the right decisions, it's just a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

MikeyJ, RN · May 17, 2007

I am in my first week of an accelerated BSN program. We were instructed to read almost 400 pages of text before classes began. We have weekly quizzes and modules in almost every class. Our patho/pharm class has an exam every 3 weeks. I am freaking a little, but I have ONE more chapter to read and I can proudly say I survived my first 400 pages of text.

After speaking with students a few semesters ahead of me, they said that the reading assignments are usually 400 - 600 pages a week throughout the entire program (obviously that is not always doable, but I am just focused on getting the main points).

Oh and our program is 4 trimesters, meaning it is "16" months long; however, when you include 2 week breaks between trimesters, we are actually down to a 14 month program.

mafiamom · May 17, 2007

I kind of am. I know that sounds strange, but it's a 4 semester program but with summers off. If we went through (and I wish we did) we'd be done in 16 months.
My biggest piece of advice came from an instructor "never let the things that matter the least get in the way of the things that matter the most"
Sometimes that meant I stay at home instead of going for a walk with my kids in the evening to study pharmacology. Sometimes that meant I rushed through med-surg assignments to attend parent teacher conferences. Sometimes that meant I did nothing that needed to be done and I sat and watched tv for an hour for me.
There is always something that will need to be done, dishes, homework, ATI exams, careplans, laundry, med cards, and playdates. It was hard for me to put all that aside occasionally and be me. I'm such a perfectionist, its bugged me this semester I got an A- in a class I could have gotten an A in if life wasn't going on at the same time.
I know I made the right decisions, it's just a hard pill to swallow sometimes.

see that is so TRUE!! LIFE is what makes the whole thing so much harder. it will certainly take discipline to do the most important thing at the time... my baby is gonna go into shock a bit i think! - thank goodness her gma will be watching her, it will take some of the sting out.

MB37 · May 17, 2007

Yeah, our "15-month" program also include 2.5 months of breaks between semesters. It's 2 10-week and 2 15-week semesters, plus finals. They said our final summer semester may need a few extra weeks added on at the end though, which is fine with me as long as we get to graduate on time.