South University FNP MSN program???

freedomrn1 · Feb 22, 2014

Don't go. It's a "canned" program with many third rate instructors masquerading with degrees in edication. The administration allows indescretionary grading differences among instructors. There is no consistency among teaching and grading methods. Overall, the school is like going to a sketchy department store where your passed from one person to the next, when trying to resolve a problem. Finally, you just give up. Bottom line: spend your good money somewhere else. This school is third rate at best.

Crt2rn · Feb 22, 2014

I did like one thing. I kind of would like to know for sure I am accepted before doing it.

cardnation · Feb 23, 2014

I agree totally, lhflanurse is awesome!!!! I'm in week three of my first class an South. I was apprehensive after some of the reviews I seen but was still interested because the programs design fits my very busy lifestyle. lhflanurse took the time on here and email which sealed the deal for me! I've already completed 3 short APA papers, ugh : ( I soooo hate to write. Although I knew going in this was going to be writing intensive. My instructor answered my email the very next day and very active in the class room. So far I have an A but I'm only half way through the class.

bulldurham6 · Feb 23, 2014

Freedom can you elaborate on your negative feelings towards this program - are your feelings a product of research that have led you to this conclusion or is it from a personal experience? I'm seriously considering starting in March. Meanwhile I am waiting to hear from Walden - if accepted or not. I really appreciate your thoughts and input!

bulldurham6 · Feb 23, 2014

Thank you lhflanurse - I read some of your other posts and it looks like you started school while working but because of a death in the family you had to quit work. Just wondering the time comment for school. My admission councilor said about 10-15 hours/week were required if taking one course. Do you find this true?

Cardination what about you? How much time are you putting in per week so far?

JMHanna · Feb 23, 2014

I started south university in February. I find my instructor very helpful and fair at grading. I do spend about 10-15 bourse a week working on my assignments. I also work full time and have 4 children all under age 7. I hope all of the classes continue to be this doable, but only time will tell. I do utilize the online tutors for my written assignments, which are helpful.

bulldurham6 · Feb 23, 2014

Thanks JMHanna - That's what I was looking for, just someone who is in the program and wow sounds like you have your hands full. I know someone that is in Walden's online FNP program and find it very doable and said its easier than nursing school so far for her. She spends about 10 hours/ week and works full time, but does not have 4 kids under 7!

cardnation · Feb 23, 2014

bulldurham6,

I would say about 12 hours. If I was comfortable with APA and writing maybe a little less. Again, I'm just 3 weeks in the program. I work 40 plus hours and a busy home life with husband and 2 children. I'm far from computer savvy but have managed the classroom just fine. I'm sure I'll have heartaches along the way but if this is any indication of my next 2 years, I feel good about everything. Please reach out to lhflnurse, she can give you way more info and is very positive and upfront about her experiences.

freedomrn1 · Feb 24, 2014

Okay, so this is going to be my final post on South University's MSN-FNP program because I withdrew from this program. I was in the program for two course, and because the school is on the quarter system (and most schools are on the semester system), my courses did not transfer. But that is okay with me. It is worth it. For the last two months, I've been beating my head trying to figure out what was wrong with the Masters of Science in Nursing program at South University. Something wasn't clicking...the instructor(s) and advisor(s) seemed uninterested, aloof and not engaged. I'm a serious student, I'm passionate about furthering my nursing education. But I just couldn't figure out what was wrong. I mean the recruiter was so very cheerful. I just couldn't figure out what was wrong. Instructors seemed to be working absent any direction. The grading criteria changed at the whim of the individual instructor. The grading was based on minutia, a comma here, a wrong indentation, unusual and non measurable grading. And the instructors know this. The e-learning platform was more than robust; it was a high intensity, incredibly demanding and confusingly written. A canned content rich, maze of a program by Pearson E College. And I could never get a straight answer from anyone. And that was just the first class. I figured the second one couldn't be as unpredictable. I was wrong. It was worse. More of the same--and then some. But this time I ran into a rogue instructor who made up the rules as she went, grading harshly, and not using the published grading rubric. And no matter what I said, not matter what I evidenced, no one, not the instructor nor the advisor would help, resolve or correct. Or listen. Or care. And I still couldn't figure out what was wrong...Until I got a chance to read the Wikipedia site for South University. Now I know people out there say Wikipedia is not always accurate, but I referenced what was written and it was all factual. Then everything fell into place. Because it is apparent to me that student success isn't the object of South. Student enrollment is. Initial student enrollment is. And don't confuse enrollment with competition or graduation. In my humble opinion it's all about getting their hands on free money: student loans...on the front end. Why would no one care if the learning process was chaotic (at best)? Why would the school not care if students were dropping out like flies? Follow the money...Again, in my opinion they want students to drop out. They want students to get frustrated with the (lack of) educational controls and just quit after obtaining their student loans and the school(s) getting their money. They get to keep disproportionate amount of the student loan. They charge by the term, only 4-6 weeks long and if you don't withdraw after only 3 days from the start of the course, they get to keep a large portion of the funds. Think about it. At first when I read the Wikipedia post, I didn't get it. Until I re-read it. And there it was: South is owned by EDMC (Educational Management Corp)...which is almost half owned by Goldman Sachs. Last time I looked Goldman Sachs is about as far from higher education as it gets. But it's not that Goldman Sachs is involved. It was the drop out rate for EDMC's entire portfolio: a whopping 62 percent. The national average is 42 percent. But there's no way to deny that EDMC's schools have a really high dropout rate. Read the Wikipedia post. There are multiple federal lawsuits and whistle blowers who came for the to call attention to EDMC practices. In January 2014, EDMC was among several for profit schools approached by approximately a dozen attorneys general for information in an investigation of their practices. So what is in it for South to have such a large drop out rate? My guess and this is only my opinion, is that they are betting on federal loan money on the frontend It's a numbers game for them. So as for me, and maybe you, after all my hard work, my commitment to professionalism, I really do not want my name associated with a degree from this school But as the old Chinese proverb goes...A dozen attorney generals can't be wrong.

Road2CNO · Feb 27, 2014

WOW freedomrn1.....sounds like you had an atypical experience at South compared to many students. I am currently in my 3rd class and find all of the instructors very helpful and grading according to the assignment rubric. Also, the students I am in class with have started a FB page and I find none of these complaints from any of my cohorts. Each student much do what they see fit but I haven't seen any other negative posts regarding this school.

shortcourt321 · Feb 28, 2014

APA sucks, but yes I am transferring to South from Stockton College in NJ and I felt like I was worrying too much about proper citations rather than learning from assignments. It is a new era of plagiarism "head-hunters" and turnit in is not very reliable which freaks me out. Saying this, to aid my nerves I investigated TONS of APA programs and can highly suggest PERRLA for paper formatting, intext citations, etc... I have a brain that goes 200 mph so it makes it easy to not "forget" a citation. It cost $34 for a year subscription. I also purchased Easy Bib and find having that resource available is useful as well. I also tried writecheck, the program offered to students through turn it in and do not find it useful AT ALL.... University of Maryland has a program called dustball that is fairly priced, I believe $9 a month and it will scan your entire paper and in addition to highliting familiar text it will provide you with the source it suspects it to be from, allowing you to be compare it to your in text citation and stay organized.

Unfortunately the whole issue of common knowledge gets me scared but all in all plagiarism has been blown out of proportion and I feel like teachers hunt for it. ugh now I am nervous!!!

lhflanurseNP, APRN · Feb 28, 2014

On a side note...I know a police captain who does online teaching. I was talking to her about APA and TurnItIn. She said she has many students who blatantly plagiarize their assignments. When she grades them, she uses the TurnItIn results to support her grade. There are times when a paper may have more references to help support a paper, and here at SU, as long as the total is kept under 25 you are okay.