Grand Canyon University RN to BSN Reviews

Nursing Students School Programs Nursing Q/A

Howdy all, I bit the bullet and after much research, I decided on Grand Canyon! Wow, I did not expect BSN schools to be like used car salesmen--hounding me by emails and phone calls. Rather impressed on how Grand Canyon sort of left me alone, but at the same time kept in touch.

Commence my first class Sept 30th, excited, yet very nervous, as I'm not a big fan of school, LOL! I did extremely well on my Associate degree, graduated back in 2009 from Northern Virginia Community College. We shall see.

Would love to hear from past and present Grand Canyon RN to BSN students.

Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.
How long did you have to wait from when backed out of a class until the next one and what excuse do you give your advisor since mine said you can't pick and choose instructors.

I switched out of a class once and bluntly told my advisor that a friend had the instructor for the class and suggested I not go there. It is my money right, and if the instructor isn't suggested I am not going to waste my money. My advisor switched me and within 3 minutes I was in a different class.... It really wasn't a big deal.

Specializes in UR/CM, Managed Care.
Like others have said, most of my original discussion posts are 800-1000 words with at least 2-6 references. Some here have scolded me ...... Prism...... and told me that I am over doing it. These people are 100% correct, but I just can't seem to shake it. I feel it is more important to answer diligently rather than sleep at night, but if the instructor only wants 250-350 words than only give them 250-350 words.

One week last class I took Prism's advice and my two original discussion posts were under 400 words and I got the full 4 point credit.... I need to take her advice. What you are doing great with is having the discussion posts ready ahead of time. I had all of mine finished before Monday and am the first to post all the time. When people are scrambling at the last minute I am not even checking the forum.

HA! This is funny, you made me laugh on a day that I sorely needed it (work stinks, man). So yeah, my M.O. for DQs is I post only about half of what I wanted to write (cut it down to around 400-ish), and the extra points I was gonna make (that would have turned it into an 800-er), I write those little tidbits out on my never-ending-running-Word-doc and use them as responses to others later on. That way all my knowledge” still gets put out there, it's just broken up into pieces (and gathering those participation points later on) and I didn't waste all my fabulousness in one giant post. Or, sometimes for replies (participation), on Mondays I read others' posts, find 6 that I could comment on, copy them over to the Word doc, write out my responses, save it, and then every day I dole out two of them back into the forum. I'm done by Wednesday with everything (well, in theory, some weeks give me the smackdown and I'm scrambling, but not as a rule). Only once have I had an instructor tell me I had to post in both DQ1 and DQ2 (for participation), I usually do all 6 on DQ1.

Specializes in Cath Lab, Case Management.
No way! She graded your work? Shows you that nothing happens to those that cheat.

Yes! Of all the comments she left only one was correct. I didn't need an apostrophe in front of an s! She tried to tell me my cover was wrong I'm like wrong -not! I already got marked down for that one in class two missy! Of course she probably never got those picky marks because half her work was not right! I will not touch on her grammar. Let it go Winter...

Specializes in Cath Lab, Case Management.
Thanks for the welcome!

My DQ answers were at least 3 or 4 well written paragraphs with a citation and everybody else was posting these measly 4 sentence responses with no citation! My responses to other people's posts were thoughtful and of course substantive (haha). I also pose a question to the person I am responding to so it keeps the discussion going.

Well, then our instructor posts that people are not being substantive enough and to look at the posts that she gave the little ribbon symbols to and lo and behold people started copying the style of my posts and my DQ answers! Kind of a compliment to me but frustrating because I feel like I busted my butt and now when I read other people's posts and answers, I am reading work similar to mine. Oh well....

Only one week into this program and I am so over it! Plus, it is a lot of work. I have always been a good student but I question whether I can keep this up with so many papers and the dreaded group projects.

How do you guys stay motivated?

I like to kick things to the curb every 5 weeks. After you make it to research you have found a groove and the prize is in site. To be honest I think that first paper is one of the hardest. Learning how to write, just the oddness of being in school. I think I forgot to mention chocolate and potato chips. I've gained 15 lbs. after May 24 I will be calling the gym my home again.

Specializes in Cath Lab, Case Management.
It is a lot of work and it will get busier. I hate to tell you that, lol.

I was a crazed person through the fourth class and then I went into auto pilot.

Like Prism, I came to AN, and I was fortunate to meet a person on these threads and go through the program with her.

Your life will be different for a few months. Less fun stuff and more school work. I missed family events to write papers, and my kids thought I was glued to the couch. However I still worked full time and raised my family.

You have to keep your eyes on the brass ring. How bad do you want this? Knowing there is an end near makes it tolerable, lol.

Seeing my diploma in the mail made it worthwhile. It sure is pretty. :)

I agree! And if any of you here on this board start seeing others that are near where you are at try and pm each other and connect. Kwmom and I did and I have to tell you it has made my experience so much better. Having someone to kabitz with is awesome. Not to say about backing you up in a hairy CLC!

Specializes in Cath Lab, Case Management.
Like others have said, most of my original discussion posts are 800-1000 words with at least 2-6 references. Some here have scolded me ...... Prism...... and told me that I am over doing it. These people are 100% correct, but I just can't seem to shake it. I feel it is more important to answer diligently rather than sleep at night, but if the instructor only wants 250-350 words than only give them 250-350 words.

One week last class I took Prism's advice and my two original discussion posts were under 400 words and I got the full 4 point credit.... I need to take her advice. What you are doing great with is having the discussion posts ready ahead of time. I had all of mine finished before Monday and am the first to post all the time. When people are scrambling at the last minute I am not even checking the forum.

So proud of you Rob! I know I just don't read those long ones. When I started the school counselor went over rules and one rule was if a instructor does not specify length then DQs are to be 200-400 words and responses should be a minimum of 100 words. people get their points falling outside that range.

Btw :yes: You are going to be in hog heaven in Patho...from someone who has never gone over 500 I posted 900 word DQ. I was so embarrassed but saw no way to cut. :bag: I am hoping to not repeat that in week 3. I won't know til Thursday because I'm on a killer 5 day stretch at work.

So proud of you Rob! I know I just don't read those long ones. When I started the school counselor went over rules and one rule was if a instructor does not specify length then DQs are to be 200-400 words and responses should be a minimum of 100 words. people get their points falling outside that range.

Btw :yes: You are going to be in hog heaven in Patho...from someone who has never gone over 500 I posted 900 word DQ. I was so embarrassed but saw no way to cut. :bag: I am hoping to not repeat that in week 3. I won't know til Thursday because I'm on a killer 5 day stretch at work.

And there can be point to my long ones..people dont read them,lol In reality is a DQ--really no word limit..so why worry about a word limit when you do not have to..when 1 has to in papers...... I guess I trend not to worry about what others do....if what u are doing is working..then go with it

Welcome ro2878!! and hold on tight!

Hi All,

Have room for one more on here?!!

Just started GCU and completed Week 1 of Prof Dynamics.

Specializes in Dialysis, Facility Administrator.
Did you get your articles ahead of time?

Yeah, working ahead is paramount of you want to keep your sanity.

I surely did not :(

Specializes in Dialysis, Facility Administrator.

I don't much care for the prof of my Capstone. It's Thursday and she still hasn't posted our participation grade from last week let alone any of the assignments that we submitted. My first week's grades are always a source of stress until I find out how this individual prof grades.

Specializes in school nursing; pediatrics.

Ok, now I am frustrated and please allow me my first rant!

Week 2 and had 100%. Just saw my DQ #1 grade and 14.7/15 - I know I am a crazy and anal perfectionist but instructor wrote "Your response shows careful development and depth of thought. Nice work! Be sure to properly format your references." Here is what is making me mad - I called GCU librarian because I was unsure (after looking at APA site) how to cite a video we had to watch. Librarian asked me for course number and title of video and then put me on hold. She came back on line and said even conferred with another librarian and then told me how to cite. I am assuming when she asked for course number that she was going to pull up video.

Well, I even posted to instructor saying could she please let me know if how I did it was correct (explained spoke to iibrarian) so I would know how to cite in future. She writes back "author, date, title, year" and then says "fill in the blanks!" Duh, I get it - my whole issue was that there was no author or date and I thought maybe i somehow missed a title or credit page at end of video. I even asked librarian do we use GCU as the author and she said no and to treat as if there was no author and no date.

Then this afternoon (I guess after saw that nobody cited correctly) instructor posted correct cite, which was not what librarian told me! Of course instructor used GCU as author and called it a presentation as opposed to streaming video like librarian said to do.

i know I only lost .3 but royally pissing me off that even librarian did no get it correct - so are the librarians not reliable?!!!

Sorry for this but mad (and all the time I spent on this I could have been posting another total b.s. participation response! Haha)

Specializes in Dialysis, Facility Administrator.
Ok, now I am frustrated and please allow me my first rant!

Week 2 and had 100%. Just saw my DQ #1 grade and 14.7/15 - I know I am a crazy and anal perfectionist but instructor wrote "Your response shows careful development and depth of thought. Nice work! Be sure to properly format your references." Here is what is making me mad - I called GCU librarian because I was unsure (after looking at APA site) how to cite a video we had to watch. Librarian asked me for course number and title of video and then put me on hold. She came back on line and said even conferred with another librarian and then told me how to cite. I am assuming when she asked for course number that she was going to pull up video.

Well, I even posted to instructor saying could she please let me know if how I did it was correct (explained spoke to iibrarian) so I would know how to cite in future. She writes back "author, date, title, year" and then says "fill in the blanks!" Duh, I get it - my whole issue was that there was no author or date and I thought maybe i somehow missed a title or credit page at end of video. I even asked librarian do we use GCU as the author and she said no and to treat as if there was no author and no date.

Then this afternoon (I guess after saw that nobody cited correctly) instructor posted correct cite, which was not what librarian told me! Of course instructor used GCU as author and called it a presentation as opposed to streaming video like librarian said to do.

i know I only lost .3 but royally pissing me off that even librarian did no get it correct - so are the librarians not reliable?!!!

Sorry for this but mad (and all the time I spent on this I could have been posting another total b.s. participation response! Haha)

^^^^^That is a canned reply that I received once! I think we must have had the same professor!

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