Puerto Rico school feedback - thread #2

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Wow after 9 years and 1336 posts they closed our thread because it was too long.

The original thread and all the helpful posts can be found here:

https://allnurses.com/international-nursing/puerto-rico-school-28678.html

There are 134 pages in that thread but the last 130 pages were from 2010 and beyond and there is a ton of helpful info in there. Hopefully the current students will continue this thread as I graduate this month. Please try to read that thread at least a little bit before posting your questions here as it is very likely your question has been asked and answered on the other thread more than once.

Good luck on whatever path you choose!

I have another question for you, do you happen to know how much does a 13 hours trimester costs after the school fees? It`s hard to get any information from their website since it`s all in spanish.

Thank you again

I really don't remember. I graduated May 2012. I don't think they raised the rates since the economy is not so good. I remember paying about 3,300 a trimester with lab fees. You can get financial aid but basically it will cover the tuition and that is it.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

I don't know what "E"s capacities are these days. He works with international students and by the way since we are from the States we are considered International. Quite silly. I'll message you his email. I only have his email.

How long ago did you apply?

That was my biggest issue was to just get them to accept me so I could move on with plans. I had a client and one of her companies clients was the entire 13 (or 11?) campuses of Interamericana de Puerto Rico. So she spoke with her college who got intouch with her contact at the main campus and I had my acceptance letter within a week. But really it is not hard to get accepted but I know how you feel.

I'll message you his email.

Can you email me his address as well? I also call and they told me that they will start looking at the applications until April or may.. Honestly that is a short notice to make plans to move from the states to start school in August ! Can you help me with his email address? (E)

Thank you,

Can you email me his address as well? I also call and they told me that they will start looking at the applications until April or may.. Honestly that is a short notice to make plans to move from the states to start school in August ! Can you help me with his email address? (E)

Thank you,

You have mail!!

Yeah that is weird they say April or May. Most universities let you know around Feb or March for a fall start date. Certainly doesn't give a lot of time. And if you are accepted by other schools they usualy give a window of time to respond before you loose your spot.

Some of you guys should use that one. You have been accepted by another university and you have until March 31 until you loose your spot, or something like that. In PR they still may not give a rats butt, but it is worth a try.

Hi, everyone! I have read through both threads over the last few days and I'd just like to thank you for being so helpful and putting so much good info out there. I have even found it annoying when the same general questions are asked over, and over, and over... so I will try to avoid that ;)

If this post is kinda long it's just me trying to explain the details. I put my actual question in bold italics because I tend to throw a lot of explaining around them and they get kinda lost. I should tell you that right now I'm working as an au pair in The Netherlands.

In advance.... THANK YOU. Getting these answers will really facilitate my move. Thank you.

I would love to start at la Inter in November. I looked at the school's schedule of classes and the set of the first nursing classes are given at this time. Also, through the threads I've learned that with the November start date you can begin the nursing program and then take the summer courses and be caught up with the August start date classes. I have learned that a student can start the accelerated program if they have most of the generals done, not just if they have a degree. Designer-mommy talked about this with her husband, for example, and there have been other comments on it. I have college bio, english, psych, and some other general ed classes. I would like to start taking the rest of the generals like History of PR, Christian faith, and whatever else I can online now, so that I can start the program and have it only take 2 years. Can someone from la Inter PLEASE give me a break down of the required gen ed classes? This would be a HUGE help to me. Once again, PLEASE!!! I'm begging you, haha. I have searched high and low for it on the school's website with no luck so far.

So, like I said I am currently living abroad... I'm working as an au pair in The Netherlands right now. This really complicates working with the school because not only will I have to deal with their already s...l...o...w response time, I have to coordinate that with a large time difference and even longer shipping times for mail. Should I have my mail from the school sent to me in Europe or send it to my parents house in Colorado and enlist their help in informing me of what the school sends?

My plan is to take English 2 online from my community college in Colorado over the summer semester. Maybe sociology too, as I have seen that that is a requirement (but maybe for UMET?). And others if I believe they will definitely transfer. Wondering about a math class...? (Tips on which math I should take to have it accepted in transfer? What did you take?) *This is why I'm desperately wanting that outline of general ed classes* Then take the history, religion, and whatever else I need online through La Inter in the Aug-Oct block. I know the Spanish classes have to be taken on campus and I'd like to do that while in the nursing program. I am also planning on taking an intensive Spanish course over the summer here to improve my skills. I am studying Spanish a little every day (as it is my personal goal to become fluent) and hoping that I will be able to test out of Spanish 1 or possibly also Spanish 2 so that I wont have to take those.. would they allow this? I saw someone post about it but they were very vague and they were the only one I have seen talk about it.

I really need some advice on what to do to get registered and all this accomplished. I will apply online tomorrow (I feel like if I apply on a weekday when they are in the office they are more likely to take action..). Then I need to send them everything, blahblahblah... What I need advice on is if I will need to go to the school earlier than about 2 weeks before (when I hope to start) November. I have a feeling I will need to go to the school before I can register to take the Aug-Oct online classes. I'd like to avoid it because it's veryyy expensive for me, coming from Europe. I would have to take a few days out of my visit home to Colorado to go. Completely willing to, but like I said I would prefer to do everything online. Will they let me register for Aug-Oct classes online, without coming to the school in person? If they use COMPASS placement testing I could just have my CC send my placement test scores. I did that when I moved to Washington and the college was more than happy to accept these without hesitation. I know it may be a different story in PR. How many days would I need to allow myself in PR to get myself registered for school? I dont plan on securing housing while I'm there, just visiting the neighborhoods to get an idea. Will I be able to get my degree plan of me starting the nursing core in November agreed upon with the school ahead of time? This is very important to me. I'm not going to move there until next Aug if I can't make sure my classes will only be 2 years. I can't move in Aug because I have an obligation to the family I work for in The Netherlands. I am confident I can finish enough of the gen ed classes up to be in the accelerated program, but I just need to verify this stuff with the school so I know I should book a flight down there from Denver at the same time I am in Colorado late July. I'd like to agree with the nursing dept or whoever (???) that that will be my schedule, then when I visit in July, register for those classes in November too. If I can... Did La Inter send you a degree outline/complete class schedule for you when you were accpted in to the nursing program?

How can I get confirmation of my schedule for starting in November?? I dont want to invest all my money in moving there only to find out they arent going to let me register for the accelerated program with a start date in November.

THANK YOU, again. To the awesome people who have helped answer so many question and who have now graduated, I promise I will relieve you from your duties on this forum if I get this accomplished.. right now you're the only ones that can help me make this move! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Hi, again. Sorry for the long post above. It would have been much shorter had I found the class list sooner.. got it! haha. So you can ignore some of that stuff. Now a question I have are for those in the accelerated program, how many gen ed classes did they typically have to finish still? Please let me know about classes you had that transferred. Thank you!

Hi, again. Sorry for the long post above. It would have been much shorter had I found the class list sooner.. got it! haha. So you can ignore some of that stuff. Now a question I have are for those in the accelerated program, how many gen ed classes did they typically have to finish still? Please let me know about classes you had that transferred. Thank you!

Stephanie I wish I could help you more but 95% of our accelerated class already had a previos Bachelors so I have not idea about not having a Bachelors and doing the accelerated program. I know it is possible but I don't know how it works. Everyone in my class either had to take History of Puerto Rico or Christian Faith and a few had to take both. My undergraduate degree was in French with a minor in Religious Studies so I was exempt from Christian Faith. Others by a Bachelor in Poly Sci or History were exempt from History of Puerto Rico. Those are the only general ed classes we needed.

Remember there is NO OFFICIAL NOVEMBER start date. They flip back and forth on that. In 2011 there were only 2 accelerated students that started the program in November and both were not allowed to take classes this summer so when they could have graduated in May they will finish Oct 31. So it will be exactly two years.

I started in 2010 and there were a couple people that did things to start in Nov and because you don't have all the pre-reqs by the time summer arrives they end up in some lecture classes but they in the fall end up taking clinicals for all the summer classes plus the normal fall clinicals so they are taking 5 different clinicals. Anyway there is no guarantee they will let you start in Nov. They probably will let you start BUT they is certainly no guarantee that you will study for 18 month (example Nov 2013 to May 2015). It will most likely be Nov to Nov (Oct 31) for 2 years.

Stephanie I am sorry I can't help more. I don't think there are many people on here right now expect some new students and every once in a while a current or past student chimes in.

Let me know if there other questions I can answer. I appreciate you read everything. Yeah you can see how some questions would be asked over and over again. I was like a broken record sometimes.

And thanks ohio_2013 and stephaniemaried for the "likes." :-)

Thank you for that wealth of information, Yogi!

One thing I'm confused on is the difference in schedules between the non-accelerated and accelerated programs. Is the first year of the non-accelerated program all generals? or are there some nursing classes too?

I have decided if I can confirm it will only be 2 years until I finish my degree I will move there in Aug. (Wish I could move to PR now, ugh. Obligations are the worst :p ) I might still move there in Aug or Nov even if it will have to be 3 years (trying to avoid that.. I'm a wanderer and three years in one place scares me, haha. Even one year in one place is a bit frightening. At least it's a beautiful location. How did you like living there, WorldTravelingYogi?? I would really value your thoughts. I think we are a bit similar.. I saw on another thread you were thinking about working with Doctors w/o Boarders or the Peace Corps.. same here. I'm still debating my options for school- maybe in another US territory..? hmm...)

If I hussle, and the school allows me to take nine credits in June and July, I can can complete all the generals by November, besides two Spanish courses. I am fine with going Nov '13-Nov '15 instead of Nov-May, so maybe I wouldn't even need to take one or two of the gen ed courses because I could fit them in later... I have come to terms with needing to make a trip there in May to sort this out.

Do you know if I would be able to register for the online classes and start them without going there first?

stephaniemaried if you are OK going to Nov to Nov then you should be fine. And the accelerated schedule is very low on classes. There is one trimester that is only 10 units which is silly. They could very easily make the program 18 month. But in that case it would be easy for you to add a Spanish class. And yeah I have heard that some people test out but also you can take those course "on contract" which is kind of like self study and you have an advisor you meet with from time to time. I am not too sure how it works.

There is a girl that posts on here that did ALL her remaining generals online the year before she started the accelerated program. She is one of my Facebook friends so I'll tell her to look at this thread and contact you about how she did it. That would be a good option for you. Take summer classes and online class in the Aug to Nov trimester.

So I'll send her a message now. They are in Semanta Sana (Spring Break) right now until Easter is over so give her some time to respond.

OK I just messaged her.

Thank you for being so helpful, Yogi!!

I haven't been able to apply online yet because the school's admission page says it's down for maintenance....

I think I will go in April or May to try and get things done at the school. I need to get in to the online classes over the summer... When do you suggest I make the trip?

I was thinking that I could tell the nursing director or whoever decides my class schedule that I want to be on course for the 11 month associates option, but I may decide to get my BSN "depending on my finances". Because from what I have read on here the associates group takes the same classes the first year as the accelerated bachelor's group, right? Then I can just say "oh yay everything worked out" and by that time I will have my gen ed done and I'll just continue with the accelerated group.

Think it'd work? Good idea/bad idea?

Thank you for being so helpful, Yogi!!

I haven't been able to apply online yet because the school's admission page says it's down for maintenance....

I think I will go in April or May to try and get things done at the school. I need to get in to the online classes over the summer... When do you suggest I make the trip?

I was thinking that I could tell the nursing director or whoever decides my class schedule that I want to be on course for the 11 month associates option, but I may decide to get my BSN "depending on my finances". Because from what I have read on here the associates group takes the same classes the first year as the accelerated bachelor's group, right? Then I can just say "oh yay everything worked out" and by that time I will have my gen ed done and I'll just continue with the accelerated group.

Think it'd work? Good idea/bad idea?

I think April or May is good. Either should work and they won't tell you it is too early. I had one friend that did not apply in advance and though she could fly down and take care of everything. Well she could not apply AND register in the same trip. So apply in advance and send your transcripts, etc. Then when you visit bring your transcripts because they loose transcripts from about 1/2 the students. Well maybe it is not that high. But I sent all my transcripts from 6 schools together and I paid for return receipt. When I got the return receipt I could see they had the transcript 3 days after I mailed them. Yet they told me they were missing one transcript. Well they lost it because I sent them all together. The one they lost did not matter because it was for a study abroad summer program and it was French courses and I had way too many French courses when I finally graduated with my French degree. Anyway, apply in advance and then bring EVERYTHING when you visit.

It will not matter if you apply for the ADN or the BSN. There is a set program for both. The ADN in the accelerated program starts in Aug and ends with a summer course in pediatrics in June the following year. And they have had pediatrics as a summer course for years now. SO even though it is discussed on this thread if they will have it or not each summer. They have it and it has been many years that they have it. And yes students may have to sign a petition and get at least 30 signatures but usually 80% of the class wants it and they only have one class. It ends up working out because a few people get summer internships in various states or have other summer plans so no one gets turned away. Plus if you are staying for the BSN and take peds in the summer then your fall trimester will be less then full time (12units). Because peds is 3 units for lecture and 2 units for clinical.

OK so if you are in the accelerated ADN prog it is 11 months, which is Aug to June. But if you are on the non-accelerated track it is a lot longer. The BSN is 3 years and the ADN is about 18 months. You start in August, lets say August 2013 and then you finish with peds in Feb 2015. You can either do accelerated or non accelerated and if you have a lot of general ed but not all I don't know how that works because the gen ed classes in the non accelerated program are mixed in the curriculum.

So I did message my friend to check this board and contact you. She is out of town right now but she will and she is very helpful and a nice person. But she took her GE classes from home online and then started the program this past fall 2012.

Thanks! I am dying to apply but the website still says there is maintenance when I click on the application.

So how did you like living in PR? Were you anxious to get out of there when you graduated or was it a little bitter-sweet?

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