Moving To Puerto Rico For Nursing School at UMET!?

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  1. New School, New Major, New Location: UMET Puerto Rico (Bayamon)

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      Be able to say, "Been there, done that" so yea!
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      Too much of a hassle!
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      Too much lack of security!
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      Their Nursing Program sucks, you'll regret it.
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      Anything worth having is worth fighting for, struggle through it and help others along the way!
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      There's a better school in Puerto Rico than UMET, don't go there.
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      Better play it safe and stay enlisted in the Air Force
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      Do it! If you need any assistance, I'll help how I can. Add me as a friend :)

1 member has participated

I've read many different things on different threads on this site and it was very informative, by the way. Let me start by saying that I am an African American female in the Air Force (Active duty) and I'm researching the idea to apply to go into the Air Guard or the Reserves (Called Palace Chase). This entails finding a new "home base" and applying for the Guard or Reserve there. Since they don't have my job choices around my area I'm deciding to look into moving to a new location entirely. I'm currently about to begin my upper-level courses in Behavioral Sciences at Wilmington University in Delaware and planned on pursing my BSN with the nursing school in southern Delaware. Attending UMET would mean that I would/could skip the first BS in Behavioral Sciences all together and go right into Nursing. Nursing isn't ultimately where i want to end up in life but I love science and I love helping people and being useful, so Nursing seems to fit me naturally. I'm prepared to put in the work, especially in a "dream" location like PR. My Spanish is very decent, however I know i would do better in their English Nursing program. I'm really excited to get help from you guys on how to access the school. Hearing your stories and suggestions would be very helpful and motivating. I'm usually a very self-motivated person but after spending so many years doing everything on my own, it'd be nice to lean on some decent advice for a change! Help a sista out!! Post, message, email, send links, contacts, phone numbers, and I'll be doing my own research of course on my end as well. I'm always looking for an opportunity to travel, but it would be especially neat to live and learn in Puerto Rico, as Spanish has become my second language and I really don't have many people to speak it with to perfect it. I hate leaving things undone! So I've blabbed enough, hopefully I've painted you a pretty little picture of what I'm looking for. Ask and comment away... go! :) Bless ya.

For everyone evaluating both La InterAmericana and Umet. Here is what everyone needs to understand, many of the instructors and directors have and some still work at both institutions. They are both good programs with variances that only you will be able to determine fits your situation. At the end of the day you graduate from both with a BSN that's accredited. Now I understand that InterAmerican gets you the ASN/ADN RN and at that point if you want you seamlessly go on to the BSN I did not go there but thats what I understand. At Umet the bilingual program is only BSN unless you fluently speak Spanish. There is a catch at UMET though (they say you cannot in admin) but if you register in cupey for the associates in nursing there is nothing stopping you from going online and getting into the BSN english courses (if available) but you would have to be your own academics adviser and stay on top of your credits. If you change your major in the system to BSN there is no back tracking but if you go in Associates you can change to the BSN at anytime. Please know though that most U.S. and Puerto Rico hospitals are only hiring BSN nurses so consider this in your planning (I was ADN and Jen convinced me thankfully to do the BSN). The Associates however is dealt with at the Cupey campus and everyone is going to tell you you can't do that but I know of a couple who did. With regards to safety, it's no different than any major metropolitan area don't be stupid and you reduce your chances of being a victim this applies anywhere stateside or not. Now I was born in Puerto Rico and raised in the states and I do speak Spanish but many of my colleagues did not and we all stuck together and helped each other out they end up being your family away from family. Jen, my fiance (who I met at UMET), and I still reminisce about our awesome times there (and yes there like anywhere where frustrating days) but I would do it again in a heartbeat! The most difficult task for many was finding housing without a car. I shipped my car to Puerto Rico but could not take it back out (long stupid story for another day). I would save my pennies and buy a Mitsubishi early 2000-2004 (they are cheap, plentiful, good for the type of roads and conditions, and you can unload them quickly when your ready to leave). I believe the housing situation has more support at Inter but again it's what I heard you would have to confirm. The most difficult part was acclimating to the island time and way of thinking but once you get the flow of it you will have a blast and get to enjoy the island. Your going to have clinicals in Spanish civilian hospitals and so what if you don't speak Spanish write your notes in English because they are accredited by JAHCO and guess what the docs write in English anyways. Many hospitals have Puerto Ricans from New York who speak perfect English and for the most parts I found all of my patients on the island very chill and let you be a student with them. If you can do it financially I would run to Puerto Rico it's scary at first but everything falls into place miraculously there.

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You don't need the certificate at first at the UMET you will take your basic nursing course and once there find an address to use. Also make sure you have a passport and birth certificate as getting a PR license is a PITA. Make 20 copies of both yes 20 copies you need it just to get pretty much anything like that. Also, go ahead and get some passport pictures at walgreens to take with you when you have to get things like Antecedentes (criminal background), and I forgot the name but you will need to get one that says you don't abuse children or old people. The Antecedentes you have to get renewed yearly but it can be done online they will guide you through that at UMET don't worry about getting it now

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To get started here is the list of what you need.

Money

If your going to use the pell grant do it now online and use Universidad Metropolitana San Juan code (it's on the drop down when you look up school)

Have a temp place to stay until you get your feet on the ground and start running Puerto Rico does not work like the U.S. it's not online. You have to ask and talk and walk and find it but there are good apt rentals with utilities included (not A/C most of the time though) and alot of them are apts built by owner on top of their homes for extra income.

If you can financially I would buy a car $4,500 (mitsubishi's are the best on the island, cheap, everywhere, and resealable). With this understand PR is totally different than the US with regards to insurance is part of your yearly registration and only covers $4,500 hence why I say stick with that budget. I can write a post on the in's and outs if people want.

Have your passport (if your not changing your Driver's license to PR) and your birth certificate in a safe place and carry copies of them with you for anything dealing with the state government (antecedentes, etc). Also take some Passport photos from Walgreen with you too as you need them for the documents your going to get.

Take your unofficial transcripts and already have about two copies sent to UMET

Go to the English Nursing Department and talk to the director she is from Louisiana and very nice you will know who it is by her southern twang.

DON"T talk to a lady named ***** if she is still there talk to *** (even though she does not speak English well she will get what you need done with a smile on her face).

Then cross the walking bridge to admin this is where it gets really Puerto Rican and fun until you get a hang of it. First go to Ayuda Economicas (financial aid) there is a military guy who speaks descent English and is a great person to work with for your financial aid.

Then go to Colecturia get a paper showing how much aid you get what you owe etc (they do not take cash, and American ATM cards do not work in many places in Puerto Rico as they use the monopolized Banco Popular ATM card so make sure your debit card has Visa or Master Card logo and use it like a credit card).

Next Registraduria, they will "officialize" your credits for the term, basically they put a stamp.

KEEEEEEPP ALLL DOCUMENTS! MAKE COPIES OF ALL DOCUMENTS, MAKE 5 COPIES OF ALL DOCUMENTS, MAIL A SET TO YOUR FAMILY IN THE STATES. Trust me on this and keep all documents forever if you ever need transcripts etc. TRUST me on this seems a charge shows up after you thought you where clear and even when they stamped saying you where this is an all over Puerto Rico situation not just UMET.

Go to parking people and get your car registered for free secured parking.

Get ready to rush for your books and order them on Alibris for the fastest shipping to PR or Amazon

Sit back and take in the fact that you jumped to an island in the middle of the ocean and while scary at first it's going to be an amazing ride. If you want to celebrate go have a beer at the bar on the corner of where the schools is.

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Flrican,

I was able to get a lot of information from your post. I have similar experience with the UMET staff. Dr. ****, the director of the Nursing program, was very helpful.

I do have a question. Did you complete your program? How did you you find the NCLEX after your UMET BSN? Did you attend any review classes? Did you take the PR RN exam before NCLEX? Lastly, in what state did you get registration first?

I am enrolled/registered to start a few classes starting August. I still need to complete a few GE classes (History of PR, etc.) I plan on taking those online after I start the program.

Also, as I am new here, I cannot PM you. Is there another way to get in touch with you? I do have a few personal questions.

Thanks.

Rhina

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Hey Rhina,

I am trying to start in AUGUST for UMET as well. Are you starting the BSN program in english as well? I would love to exchange any info you are able to gather. I just sent over my transcripts and the dean is looking over them. I am calling her this week. But, she pretty much said "you are in", i stilll have so many questions!

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I'm not certain about UMET b/c I don't attend. But I know with Inter Metro - They only have an ASN or BSN program. I know somethings are transferable - but that's up to admissions/nursing dept.

Hi IstSmile,

INTER has anatomy, physio and micro built into the program, and they are not seperate. how does that effect me back in California when i try to go to Masters program for nursing?

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For everyone evaluating both La InterAmericana and Umet. Here is what everyone needs to understand, many of the instructors and directors have and some still work at both institutions. They are both good programs with variances that only you will be able to determine .

I spoke with the dean at UMET about the DUI on my record, she said she spoke with her higher ups and its not a problem for me to visit clinical sites. Yet when i contact Interamericana, they made me submit by info for the Puerto Rico police background check, i am still waiting for the results as it can take up to 2 weeks.

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Cali_girl2014

Yes. I am starting in August. I am planning to do A&P (at a California C C) during Summer. I am also taking History of Puerto Rico (online). I have some GE credits (perhaps an years worth) including Spanish CLEP credits. That should shave off an year from the program.

I like the UMET program better because it requires you to have some foundation unlike the U. Inter. But, U. Inter is a lot quicker than UMET.

I liked the director of nursing, who has a no nonsense approach. I expect to be in Bayamon area by first week of August. I have been told to find an apartment away from Bayamon because of the crime.

Too bad we can't PM you or post e-mails or phone numbers, etc. here. If you have any more questions please let me know.

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Cali_girl2014,

I have a close relative who is a lawyer. I just asked him about a prior DUI!

He told me that if you only had one, otherwise your record is clean, and you completed all requirements imposed by the judge (including probation) on your DUI case, then you can SEAL it. Once the judge orders it sealed, no one can find that out even the police. However, if you ever apply for a government job (Fed and State) you still need to disclose it, but you must indicate that it has been sealed.

You can do this yourself according to him as it is a simple matter of filing a form and appearing yourself. My relative told me that several doctors have gone through this process (even more than once).

Hope this helps! (Mind you, I am not a lawyer!)

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Flrican,

Did you take the Micro Biology and A&P at UMET? How was it? I have not found someone who took both at UMET yet!

Also, do you feel that UMET trains you well to pass the NCLEX? Or did you take a review class for NCLEX?

Thanks.

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Hey can you tell me more about the school and information, I just found it today and am confused and if there would be an option to start in august I would gladly go.

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Can you give me some information as well about this school? How long are your transcripts from?

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