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!

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!

Hey Stephanie,

I am currently at La Inter and I'm one of those people who chime in randomly like WorldTravelingYogi mentioned...lol.

I read through your list of questions, first I want to start off by saying that November start date is not guaranteed for all NEW students. A lot of things have changed since the very first thread because there is a brand new director on the scene. Last year (Nov 2012), my cousin was admitted to the school BUT for awhile she didn't know if she was going to be able to start the nursing program because of the confusion (One point they were telling her that they were only going to let students who were already present at the school start in November because they've been waiting---and then when she was admitted to the school, they let her begin the program. You will notice when you get to the school they flip-flop around--VERY FRUSTRATING). The Nursing department was CHAOTIC...so I honestly don't know how long they will let new transfer students in the nursing program for November start date. It may have happened in the past, but as things progress...I don't know how long that will last. So I pray they get things together in the nursing department so they can clarify things as far as November start dates, but just know that. I'm not trying to get your hopes up, but I just want you to know.

Accelerated program:

If you have a bachelors degree, you are automatically in the accelerated program. The most classes you'd have to take is Christian Faith if you've never taken a religion course. If you do not have a bachelors degree...technically your not in the "Accelerated program" because your taking other classes besides nursing---Pretty much, the admissions office will look at your transcripts and course description list and accept the classes they think that will fit the nursing class course list. So usually English 1101/1102, College Algebra, History, Art or Music history, Religion, Intro Computer, Humanities etc will get accepted. The most you'd have to take if you have all of those classes (and then some) would be Spanish I/II. While your taking general classes, if your GPA is a 2.5 your taking nursing classes with the general education classes as well. I have a previous bachelors so all I'm taking is nursing classes. My younger cousin started school in November. Admissions department accepted 15 credits from her previous school. She's taking gen ed classes and Nursing classes all together right now.

How many days will you need to visit to get everything taken care of?

I say max 3 days. Make sure you apply online, send in all of your paper work (Copy of ID, Social, Course description list, and transcript all in ONE packet. If you are under 21, Immunization forms...if not don't worry about them. Since you are in the Netherlands and live in Colorado, I'd make sure I'd visit probably a month and a half (maybe 2) after you send in all of your stuff--Only reason why I'm saying that is bc I have a friend who's on this site from Washington State...she visited the school and the admissions department sat with her for 10 minutes and told her to wait for her letter in the mail and that was that. I felt really bad because she spent MONEY on a plane ticket, hotel, car rental just to hear that. Granted she got to see the school and the area, but she could have came closer to start of school or spent the money to move etc (I know back in the day they used to get all of your stuff and type up your acceptance letter right then and there---they don't do that any more)

Hopefully I've answered all your questions, let me know if you have anymore questions.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

Hi, I also applied for the nursing program, but for the August start date. I am planning to go to PR in the first week of May just to take care of everything even though I sent all my paperwork back in February and got received by school in February 18. Since then, I haven't heard anything from school and that kinds of get me nervous about it. I live in California and after reading all the posts I am not 100% sure based on what i read that is an easy admission to the nursing program. Do you think May is a good time to go or should I just wait until they hopefully send me a letter? Also, is it possible to work while in the program, if so, how difficult or easy is to obtain a job? I am a LPN nurse in California, do you think I could endorse my license in PR?

Thanks in advance.

Thank you, tmp25! I was hoping you would chime in, I read all your posts on the threads about the schools :)

How do you like the school and PR now that you're there?

The info you provided was very good to know, tmp25! I was wondering if it would be possible for you to send me the course sequence for the accelerated BSN program. The only course sequence I can find is for the regular associates program. It'd be a big help, something tells me it would take quite some time to get it from the school, though I am trying! I have to purchase my ticket from the Netherlands to CO and from CO to PR four weeks in advance so I need to get my stuff together as quickly as possible.

Thanks for your help!

Can you provide us with the address you sent your papers to.

Thanks

Thank you for the wealth of information!!!i really appreciate that.

Do you think May is a good time to go or should I just wait until they hopefully send me a letter? Also, is it possible to work while in the program, if so, how difficult or easy is to obtain a job? I am a LPN nurse in California, do you think I could endorse my license in PR?

Thanks in advance.

It is very easy to get accepted into the school however they are NOT efficient in any way. ANd you find this EVERYWHERE on the island. Things start driving you crazy. You love and hate the island at the same time.

So as long as everyone on here that is applying has above a 2.5 GPA which is super low, you will get in. However admissions when send the letter whenever they feel like it. I applied in Jan or Feb and it was driving me crazy. I was lucky enough that I had a client and her company's client was the school. Her colleague would travel to the school about twice a year. So she spoke to her contact at the school and she got on it so they expedited my acceptance letter.

It is a pain but that is how it is on the island. If you are not used to island life then there are many laid back things that will drive you batty.

And yes you can definitely work as an LPN/LVN. The NCLEX supersedes the PR boards so there is noting to endorse. You will definitely need to be fluent in SPanish to get a job as an LPN but you can most certainly find a job. I'll warn you though I had a Puerto Rican friend in my program that was an LPN and he made 8.50 an hour. The pay is awful, truely awful. I think Starbucks at the beach pays the same as that.

Specializes in Geriatrics.

It is very easy to get accepted into the school however they are NOT efficient in any way. ANd you find this EVERYWHERE on the island. Things start driving you crazy. You love and hate the island at the same time.

So as long as everyone on here that is applying has above a 2.5 GPA which is super low, you will get in. However admissions when send the letter whenever they feel like it. I applied in Jan or Feb and it was driving me crazy. I was lucky enough that I had a client and her company's client was the school. Her colleague would travel to the school about twice a year. So she spoke to her contact at the school and she got on it so they expedited my acceptance letter.

It is a pain but that is how it is on the island. If you are not used to island life then there are many laid back things that will drive you batty.

And yes you can definitely work as an LPN/LVN. The NCLEX supersedes the PR boards so there is noting to endorse. You will definitely need to be fluent in SPanish to get a job as an LPN but you can most certainly find a job. I'll warn you though I had a Puerto Rican friend in my program that was an LPN and he made 8.50 an hour. The pay is awful, truely awful. I think Starbucks at the beach pays the same as that.

Thank you very much for your words. And it's scary the pay rate As an LVN.. OMG that Is the minimum in California for someone with just high school or no high school..

Thank you very much for your words. And it's scary the pay rate As an LVN.. OMG that Is the minimum in California for someone with just high school or no high school..

Depends where in CA. The minimum wage in San Francisco is 10.55 as of Jan 2013.Last year San Francisco minimum wage was 10.24 but it has been over 10 bucks for a while. Even then how on earth could you live on 10.55 an hour in SF.

Puerto Rico everything is cheaper except food. Food at the grocery store is expensive. But get a Costco card and you will be fine. All the students did regular Costco runs. It is the only way to afford food. And split the fee with another student as a card allows you to add a guest. And they NEVER look at the pic and they don't care so you can lend your card out or others can lend you there card. But for 25 a year it was soooo worth it to have a Costco card. And they were building a new one in Santurce wich is in San Juan and close to Condado. Before we had to drive to Bayamon or Carolina. Both of wich are close but when they finish Santurce I could ride my bike there.

OK end of off topic rant. :-)

I'm hoping someone can provide some input on how difficult the online gen ed classes are to complete over the summer? The sessions are only a month each. I just completed an online psych 101 course in 2 months and I felt it was pretty easy and do-able in a month. Does it seem easy to get good grades in the gen ed courses?

I'm hoping someone can provide some input on how difficult the online gen ed classes are to complete over the summer? The sessions are only a month each. I just completed an online psych 101 course in 2 months and I felt it was pretty easy and do-able in a month. Does it seem easy to get good grades in the gen ed courses?

Stephanie I don't think there are many people on here and there may not be any on here that did summer GE classes. But classes at La Inter are NOT in anyway difficult. NONE of the classes are difficult. The whole thing is pretty much a joke so I really would not worry about it.

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