Best online RN to BSN program....CHEAP?

Nursing Students Online Learning

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I have been a RN for about 1 1/2 years now and am starting to look towards going back and getting my BSN. I need something online since I work full time and have children, but also something that is inexpensive. What has been your experience with getting your

BSN online? Do you have to do any clinicals and if so how does that work? Are there any programs to help financially?

Have a wonderful new year and thank you for your responses.:D

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

You're absolutely right. That's why it's good to come here and ask real students their experiences. I have no dog in this race. I don't get a cut when someone chooses to go to over somewhere else. But when I see someone posting erroneous info, I'm going to correct them (speaking about some of the things Truth was saying regarding GPA and such).

Specializes in Utilization management, psychiatric-mental health.

Would like to get more info on or any other schools that may be a bit better. thanks

Two of my coworkers have gone to . One finished it in 4 months (while working FT.) The other plans on finishing it in about a year. I hadn't seriously considered it until one of my coworkers talked to me about it. She's been in it since about June and she's never had any complaints about the program. I am looking at a couple other programs, but WGU still looks pretty good.

Specializes in Post Acute, Home, Inpatient, Hospice/Pall Care.

There are some good posts on here with curriculum information etc. But depending on what your degree is going in there may be a few pre-req's to take. There are 7 core nursing courses and then almost everyone gets stuck with biochemistry, and some get algebra if you haven't taken a higher level algebra, stats if you haven't done that and nutrition-those seem to be the most common. The down points are the 3.0 GPA scale, some don't like that it is individual and not cohort, that there are not professors per se, you can get a great admission rep or a tool, same with a mentor. There can be communication breakdowns as it is online based and not all the staff are with it. You could luck out and get a great experience. It is a crap shoot there I think, I have read a lot of posts on this forum and others about people who had a tough time with the staff as I have had. Others have sailed through. There is plenty of good and bad about the school. The good points include the price, the fact that you can go as fast or slow as you want, the competency based courses for those who are able to self pace. You can conceivably finish this course in months as some have-that is if you have the time to put into it. I read a blog about a guy who did it in 40 days. As some on here have said they know folks who finished in 4 months while working full time, but I don't know if they only had the core courses or a bunch of pre-req's. I have 4 kids, 2 who homeschool, work and a house to keep up, 2 dogs and a life so I know for a fact I will be closer to a year, but no more. If I hadnt had the pre-reqs tacked on (I was told I would have one then they gave me 4 they had my transcripts both times) so I had originally planned on 6 but I know that without compromising my home life that is not possible for me.

Some other programs that look pretty good are UT Arlington, Ohio, UL at Lafayette, there are a lot of good ones I have heard of, it depends what you are looking for. I have a few friends doing Grand Canyon university, St. Josephs online (also campus in Maine) as well as some others. Search around and see what suits your needs, good luck!!!

This sounds great... maybe unless one is planning to do a MSN program. I's LOVE to do a program I could get through quickly but advancing on is very important to me! Any thoughts.....

Specializes in Post Acute, Home, Inpatient, Hospice/Pall Care.

I plan to do an NP program at some point so I will have to explain about the 3.0 GPA or look for schools who will accept a 3.0 GPA. I had no idea about the GPA until I had already applied and paid!

Hey All,

I just enrolled in Purdue Calumet online RN to BSN. I was wondering if anyone has any insight or past

experience with the program.

Please let me know!

Thanks...

Hey All,

I just enrolled in Purdue Calumet online RN to BSN. I was wondering if anyone has any insight or past

experience with the program.

Please let me know!

Thanks...

Hi, Chicagomurse:

i want to enroll there, is there a clinical component that has to be done in your home area? I went to purdue's main campus a long time ago, but didn't finish it would be nice to finish off with purdue, but i don't have time for finding preceptors and arranging clinicals and such. i spoke to a rep and he said no clinicals but i saw a post on here that said something about clinicals there but it was an old post so I don't know.

I had applied to Purdue Calumet and after I sent my transcripts and spoke at lenth to an admission counselor, they sent me a letter saying that because I live in Georgia, I cannot attend the program. Not sure which states are allowed, it does not list that anywhere on the website. Sounds like a great program, loved the people I talked to, but beware. They did refund my application fees very quickly.

did u choose ju?

what were there other progrmas you were entertaining?

Just wanted to say I went to u of Wyoming and had no issues. I was the last class they required clinicals. Right now you get in state tuition , like 130 a. Credit next school year it will go up to 150 then the next fall up again as they are making their online programs have to meet residency requirements. So a major steal if you get in and finish In a year and a half or so. I had no trouble transferring every community college prereq in and. I think I had to take maybe 3 gen ed classes. When I applied you could start if you had graduated rn school but had not passed nclex yet. You do not have to be licensed in their state. No group projects. I did not want 5 week classes working 2 jobs and having 4 kids.

Good luck everyone ! Oh and I just got into grad school no issues !

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