Start over with WGU MSN or transfer credits to a non-RA MSN?

featherzRN, MSN · Jun 29, 2015

I answered you over on 'the other place' - I would not personally consider a NA degree - my employer does not see them as valid, so I assume others have the same policy.

WGU is fine as far as the program goes, but the concentrations just don't do it for me. I'm waiting for informatics. Or an employer that will help pay for it. :)

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jun 29, 2015

Sorry that the NP track is not working for you, but I certainly understand why. It is extremely difficult to work while engaged in NP clinical courses.

My MSN program was still the same. It is pretty much a rule at any school that you have to complete at least half of the coursework in that school. So, you would be unable to transfer >18 hours into another MSN program.

Speaking from the voice of educator experience, you will have a much better chance of being hired at a reputable nursing program if you receive your graduate/post grad education at a traditional program that requires a practicum related to your focus area (education). They are not keen on graduates of quickie or on-line programs because these folks have not been socialized in 'scholarly environment'. Just like any other specialty job, you need relevant experience in order to become competent. They will also look for education experience. So, if this is an area that interests you, it's a good idea to become involved in teaching right now - even if it's CPR/ACLS / TNCC instruction.

Best of luck to you.

featherzRN, MSN · Jun 29, 2015

ASU (the online, nationally accredited school) does allow 18 transfer credits and has a practicum. But I think that even if it were not online, the stigma of not having regional accreditation makes it a no-go. It's a good 'box checker' for someone who needs an MSN to keep a current job, but not much more. IMO. :)

I've seen several WGU grads (regional accreditation) get teaching jobs recently, although I don't know the schools well enough to know how decent these offers are. :)

Murse901, MSN, RN · Jun 30, 2015

I answered you over on 'the other place' - I would not personally consider a NA degree - my employer does not see them as valid, so I assume others have the same policy.
WGU is fine as far as the program goes, but the concentrations just don't do it for me. I'm waiting for informatics. Or an employer that will help pay for it. :)

I know it's a little awkward for me to cross-post my replies here and there, but I'm just going to cut and paste in case anyone else in a similar predicament runs across this thread.

I agree with leaning toward WGU, and also agree with the lack of excitement over the program options. I would also love to do an informatics concentration, but I can't afford to wait and see if WGU ever adds the option.

The NA is a real kick in the teeth, but the program *is* CCNE accredited. Honestly, I think that employers outside of academia being aware of NA vs RA are probably a minority. However, as in your case, there is the possibility that some employers will have that possibility, and I don't want to have to deal with that.

Also, in regards to the teaching issue and not being sure of "how decent these offers are" -- I don't think that I'll go into education any time soon. I'm thinking more about later on in life, if I ever get to a point to where I can retire (ha!). I'd like to be able to teach part time just to stay busy.

Murse901, MSN, RN · Jun 30, 2015

Speaking from the voice of educator experience, you will have a much better chance of being hired at a reputable nursing program if you receive your graduate/post grad education at a traditional program that requires a practicum related to your focus area (education).

If I ever decide to go full-time into academia, I will likely need and want to pursue a DNP or some other doctoral degree. However, I'm hoping that it wouldn't be as big of an issue if I were to just adjunct part time post-retirement.

RNRy · Jul 4, 2015

Much to my surprise, my employer, Catholic Health Initiatives, provides tuition discounts and reimbursement for students who attend Cal University (nationally accredited institution).

The tuition would have to be dirt cheap before I'd ever consider an NA school. ASU's tuition, in my opinion, is way too steep for an NA school.

RNRy · Jul 4, 2015

So, after dropping out of NP school for the second time, I've decided that I'm done with the NP path. It's just not working out for me at this point in my life, mostly because I cannot go to clinic and go to work every single day, and can't afford to take time off of work. Maybe I'll revisit the idea in a few years, but not today.
I have racked up 18 graduate credits with a 3.88 GPA. I've done really well at getting halfway to an MSN. I definitely want to finish my MSN, even if I'm not going to be an NP. But, here's my problem -- I have three options, none of which are ideal:
1) Transfer all 18 credits to American Sentinel University. I won't have to repeat any coursework, and the tuition is pretty affordable. It will cost me about $9,000 to complete, and I will probably finish in under a year. The downside is, ASU is only Nationally Accredited (in addition to CCNE). If I ever wanted to teach, I probably wouldn't be able to with an NA degree.
2) Enroll in WGU's MSN (Nursing Leadership option). None of my credits would transfer, so I would have to take a LOT of courses over. Seems like it wouldn't be a big deal, because I likely already know much of the content. However, what I've read on the new MSN curriculum is a little disheartening, with lots of students having problems. I could probably finish this program in under a year, because I'm familiar with the WGU model and have already completed a BSN and MBA with them. Which, by the way, creates another problem with academic incest. Again, not good if I ever want to teach.
3) Enroll in some other program and transfer, if I'm lucky, 12 credits. Would probably take 2+ years to complete, and would probably be nowhere near as affordable as WGU or ASU, due to the need to complete 24+ credits.
What are your thoughts? Is there a magical unicorn option that I haven't found -- an RA school that is reasonably priced that will accept all 18 of my graduate hours for transfer?

Have you considered Aspen University? I would definitely choose Aspen over ASU.

featherzRN, MSN · Jul 4, 2015

Have you considered Aspen University? I would definitely choose Aspen over ASU.

Unless something has changed, Aspen is also NA, not RA..

RNRy · Jul 4, 2015

Unless something has changed, Aspen is also NA, not RA..

It is also NA, but much cheaper. Hundreds of dollars per credit hour cheaper.

Grneyzrn · Jul 8, 2015

Oh no Murse901 I hate that you had to stop NP, a lot of your post were encouraging for me to continue on! I say go for WGU!!

klone, MSN, RN · Jul 8, 2015

It is also NA, but much cheaper. Hundreds of dollars per credit hour cheaper.

Since WGU's tuition is not per credit hour, I'm not sure how you can say that. Most WGU students finish in 2 terms, which is around $7000. Many finish in 1 term, which is less than $3500. What does Aspen charge, in total, for its RN-BSN? I realize they say the program is a minimum of 30 credits, but I'm curious how many students have to complete more that the minimum 30 credits.

WGU is regionally and nationally accredited. Aspen is not.