Considering a non - accredited school

cookiemonsterpower · Aug 16, 2013

If you are considering to move back to Cali or any where else after you are done you should not go to PCC. If you have no problem staying in Florida( locally in Pensacola not anywhere else) for several/many years then go to PCC. Since the school is not accredited by the former NLNAC now ACEN, NLN and CCNE non-local employers will not even look at you.

Plus if you consider moving on to get another degree your credits might not transfer since the school is not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools . Basically unless you stay in Pensacola and near by areas where the school has a reputation any other future employers/companies not in the area will not look at you. Why take you when there are other countless nurses pumped out every year from accredited schools .

F.Y.I Florida is just as bad as California. It is hard to get a job if you are a new grad.Of course some areas are better than others. So if you are looking for place to go Florida is not the way. Its too cluttered with old/new nurses alike. And if you haven't read things are just getting worse .

Any way look at this link: I live in Miami (So Orlando is still closer to Pensacola than Miami)

http://www.change.org/petitions/orlando-health-stop-nightshift-differential-cuts-to-nurses

If you like the Pensacola area and/or have reasons for moving there family/friends/significant others etc.... why don't you try University of West Florida nursing school? or Pensacola State College?

I have a friend that got a full ride to UWF and she loves it.

You have a better shot at these schools because they are accredited if moving back to Cali or any where else is your goal.

cookiemonsterpower · Aug 16, 2013

I beg to enlighten all of the other posters. My oldest daughter is a PCC nursing graduate. They are fully NURSING accredited- she passed NCLEX (in Indiana) over a decade ago and is a WOCN for a major hospital system. The college itself is not regionally accredited, (for religious school reasons) although they have alternate accreditation which allows their grads to enter prestigious law, medical and other graduate schools. A friend of hers here works in a Level One trauma center with her PCC BSN.
This is not a fly-by-night for-profit school. Their grads are in demand in the local areas of FLorida because of the academic rigor of their program.

Things are different than back then when there was a "nursing shortage". (I don't think it ever existed its more of a myth.) and actual hospital went to programs to recruit students and they even gave you bonus for signing on). Pretty much anyone that graduated before 2008 found a job fast. There is no such now(because of the economy and housing bubble) since everyone goes into Nursing thinking there is a nursing shortage and jobs are a dime a dozen.

cookiemonsterpower · Aug 16, 2013

There's an underlying issue here - WHY is the school not accredited? Were they previously accredited & lost it due to some serious problems? If so, this may signal a much more serious problem such as financial instability, unqualified faculty, lack of resources, etc.

Its not accredited because the college didn't want to be accredited.

"Until recently Pensacola Christian College has chosen to remain unaccredited as a result of a long-standing policy which it had held since its founding in 1974. In numerous publications, including its college catalog, the school explained that it eschewed accreditation indicating that an outside agency that didn't share its religious and moral distinctives might try to pressure the college to change or eliminate its beliefs. The college however changed course November 9, 2011, when the administration informed its students that PCC had been awarded candidacy for accreditation status, an accepted pre-accreditation status by Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS), which is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education"

Accreditation :: Pensacola Christian College News & Events :: PCC Accreditation Update :: Pensacola Christian College

applewhitern, BSN, RN · Aug 16, 2013

I haven't read all the comments, but I also live in the area, and would go there. I have friends who did.

cookiemonsterpower · Aug 17, 2013

I haven't read all the comments, but I also live in the area, and would go there. I have friends who did.

Yeah Its a good school with a good reputation. If the student were to stay in the area they would not have a problem. But unfortunately this particular student wishes to move back to California or some where else in the future. Even moving down to South Florida this student might have trouble finding employment .

Going to a non-accredited school would present problems for her. To avoid any unnecessary problems and scenarios it is best for her to go to an accredited school. As I explained in previous posts.

Gentleman_nurse, MSN · Aug 17, 2013

Bottom line it's your education. If it allows you to be licensed in your state, if it meets your needs and objectives, if it makes you the type of nurse you want to be, then consider it. Will it be harder to find a job? Maybe it will. It's a competitive market right now. Maybe it won't. Some don't places care so long as you have a license. Some places will want someone with your values. Will it make it harder to pursue advanced education? Again maybe it will. Maybe it won't.

Parakeet · Dec 2, 2014

I don't know when the last time you booked on here, but if you see this comment, I just want to say that PCC is the best college I've been to! I had to leave after a year because of personal health reasons, but have been mourning my lost opportunity for months. I say go for it! Besides, as of today, I believe that they are now accredited.

nurselover21 · May 18, 2015

I know this post might come a little late for the student asking about this school, but I will say this, maybe for others that are considering this school: Do not, I repeat, do not go to this school. This college might be approved for students to sit for the nclex but they are not accredited. Not only that, but the college itself is impossible to deal with as they have thousands of ridicule rules to live by that it is almost impossible to focus on your studies and God forbid that you break any of the rules, you may be kicked out of school for simply going to the wrong beach. Yes, they have a beach assigned to girls and another for boys. Also elevators are assigned by gender. Ladies may not use pants, or study in your dorm pass 11:00 p.m. or else. I know about this my son went there for one year and had to leave because life was unbearable. His credits never transfer because of the non-accreditation issues they have. Run, run, run from this school.