Puerto Rico school feedback?

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Anyone out there have info on the school in Arecibo, PR? It is a 24 month program that begins in August.

I'd love to hear anything, thanks.

zzzzzgirl

The previous few posts about the program and a little bit of knowledge I've learned might help. As far as I know, it's all taught in English - though you can't expect the clinical rotations to have only English speaking patients. Of course, that's normal in California (I'm in LA). You might want to contact Metro's

Professional Counselor, Coordinator

English Trimester and International

Students Support Services -ETISSS

International Relations, Office 127

Inter American University of Puerto Rico

Metro Campus, San Juan

Good Luck!

I just graduated from Inter Metro last May 09 with a BSN in nursing, and yes the classes in english are at night from 5-10pm, except if you have clinicals on saturdays. The spanish classes are during the daytime. Once you graduate

you can take the US NCLEX for which ever state you decide, and later if you decide to move to another state all you have to do is get your license endorsed by that state and you can look up the nursing board website for that state online to find out exactly the steps you need to take. Wish you the best!

Aphoris,

I am wondering if you can share what your schedule for clinicals was like. Did you have class from 5-10 Mon-Fri? How much free time did you feel like you had?

I am also wondering where most students decided to live. I need beach and waves to keep me sane, so I was looking at commuting from Luquillo possibly.

Oh and Midwest, I am still in the same boat as you. I am just getting started with the application to attend next August. I feel pretty confident, especially since I already hold a degree in Spanish and If I want will be able to take classes in English or Spanish.

So I e-mailed one of the program advisors and received some helpful answers to questions I had had about the program. I'll share the e-mail I received...

"The English Trimester option was an option designed to

satisfy the needs of those students proficient in English

as their first language. This option has being beneficial

(for more than 43 years) to military as well as a US and

International Students who prefer to study in the English

Language.

We do not have dorms. Most of our students live in the

neighborhood where there are many apartments or houses

to rent. Most of them at walking distance from our campus.

The next trimester starts on February 2010 then on August

2010.

Please let me know If you prefer to receive the application

on an e-mail attachment or if you want me to mail it.

Just let me know and I will give you further instructions.

In order for Admissions to consider your transcript make

arrangements with your former institution for an Official one.

Your class program depends on the amount of courses

transferred to this institution."

also, in a follow-up e-mail...

"the bachelor's include three Spanish (Second Language) courses"

Hope that helps anyone. Based on what some other people had said about getting info, I didn't expect to hear back from them so soon & thoroughly. But once I did it definitely put the thought of applying back on my mind. The price, for me, is excellent, and I definitely want to learn spanish, so having spanish language courses is a huge plus, not to mention the immersion of living in Puerto Rico. My only concern is safety. Can anyone in the program attest to their thoughts on the issue? The NY Times recently had an article talking about some pretty terrible things happening to tourists in Puerto Rico. Obviously I wouldn't be a tourist, but I wouldn't be a local by any means either.

Would YOU move to Puerto Rico (by yourself at age 22) to go to nursing school for 2 years? I'm very outgoing and adventurous, so in my mind I'm all for it, but then again I don't know much about Puerto Rico (....take that back...I know nothing about Puerto Rico).

Mike.chloe:

No, I didn't have class M-F, I probably had 2 days off a week depending how many general classes I took at that time. Some students lived at Condado, which is expensive because it's a tourist area and it's right by the beach, around 20 minutes from the university, but with the usual crazy Puerto Rico traffic, it can take up to an hour! But around the university there are apartments that are shared by students. I find this the cheapest and convenient because it's right by school. Then when you want to go to the beach you just drive there. Believe me when I say traffic is horrible. Now from Luquillo to school is about 50 minutes away, and traffic is not that bad in the afternoon, in the morning is another story. There are beaches 25 minutes away from the university like isla verde, condado, and El escambron where people surf. In Luquillo you only have "La Pared" beach for surfing( be careful with this beach, can be dangerous at times) and Luquillo beach with is really nice and quiet. Let me know if you have more questions

Aphoris,

Thanks again for taking your time to answer my question. I appreciate it!

Could you please tell me more about how clinicals are? Time, location, how often? Thanks.

I don't mind commuting as long as I can time it so I miss the rush hour traffic. Fifty minutes from Luquillo doesn't seem too bad, and it would be worth it to be able to wake up and walk to go surfing every day. The problem is that there isn't much good surfing around the Isla Verde/Condado area. The closest is west to Escambron and east around Loiza/Airport. My other idea was the possiblity of living in Vega Baja and commuting the other way to school. I also plan on spending good amount of weekend time on the West coast, so a quicker commute out that way may be my best option.

It seems that everyone has made note of how bad San Juan's traffic situation is. I'm not very thrilled about this. Can you provide a little more detail about the most problmatic routes during rush hour? I would imagine that commute in and out of Isla Verde would be bad as well?

I apologize again about me bombarding you with so many questions. I understand that most people would not want to go through hassle of commuting so far just to live by the beach, but for me it is what makes me happy. I will be moving to PR with only two objectives: Do well in school and surf as much as possible :)

Thanks again for the help!!!

Mike.chloe:

No, I didn't have class M-F, I probably had 2 days off a week depending how many general classes I took at that time. ...

Hello,

How many months did it take to complete the program? I have a BA degree and have taking bio, A&P, micro, chem and math requirements for other programs in the states. The amorphous time requirements "based upon courses transferred" is so vague as to be annoying. I'm really looking forward to applying to the program so please let me/us know if this is something you enjoyed and if you would do it again. IE. Do you feel that it prepared you well for the NCLEX and that the clinical experience was suitable? Also, what the average rent would be in the area local to the university?

Thank you.

I went to nursing school in Puerto Rico, Not Arecibo but San Juan. The entire course was in Spanish, no prerequisites,no entrance or exit exams. I came back to the US and passed the N-CLEX-RN on my first shot. Just make sure the institutions are accredited by the Nursing League of Nursing,which the one you mentioned is. The schools usually do not give you nclex-style questions for the exams like they do here. Overall I loved Puerto Rico.

06California

Are you planning on attending Universidad Interamericana August of 2010? I applied a couple months ago and still have to send my course catalogs.... I am just a little unsure about this program. I'd love to talk more about this.

I have seen a lot of positive, and negative things said about Universidad Interamericana on this website. I am just really not too sure what to think! I am debating on whether to go down there and check the school out.

Edited by traumarus: please don't include email addys in posts. Thanks.

nmcure-

I'm just as much in the dark as you are. I'm going to apply....and at least I should still have some time to decide. I would really also love to check it out, maybe I will plan a trip if I am seriously considering going (I am also applying to a school or two here in the states). I have also seen the mixed positive and negative reviews. I'm sure the adjustment will be tough at times, but I think after 2 years it will be a very rewarding experience. My only real concern is not getting robbed or something like that, but the police infrastructure in Puerto Rico. I believe it was the NY Times that posted an article about traveling in Puerto Rico, and how the police are very slow to respond, and often not helpful.

I actually just received the application today via e-mail :)

06California-

I applied a couple months ago and just got my first letter stating that they need my course descriptions which I just put out in the mail. They are on "Island time" which is great, just stressful when trying to figure out school deals. I talked with someone at the Metro campus and they told me that the school is not in the best area but it is in the most populated area in PR. I was looking into other schools today that have a nursing program in English. Do you know of any others? I talked to someone that is from Rio Piedras and they said that a car is a must because public transportation sucks. The trains are fine but the bus system is worthless. I find out a lot of good information to know about the city if you want me to pass it on. I am thinking of taking a trip down there to go check it out, that would really be the best way to know if it's worth it or not. I got accepted to a schools in Anchorage, Alaska but it would not start until the Fall of 2011 and I am not willing to wait that long.

I hope your application process is going smoothly!

It would be great to know someone from the states that is going there in the Fall.

If you want to pm me that would be great... I would but I do not have those privileges yet.

Hello my name is Tim. I would like more information on how to apply to nursing in Puerto Rico? Which school should i apply, i don't speak Spanish. I really want to go to nursing school. I just don't know where to start. Can you also provide information on how to apply for financial aid? I have finish all my classes, just want to go to nursing school that is affordable and not too hard to get in.

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