Advice I wish I had before attending UMass Boston ABSN...

[MissM.RN, BSN, RN]

Hi everyone,

I thought I would share my experiences (thus far, 11 months to go) with applying and attending their accelerated BSN program. I remember debating the ABSN and here's what I wish I had known (and done differently). Hopefully it will be helpful to others, and I also wish the different programs would share more info ahead of time:

PRO's:

1. There are some great people working in the nursing department, including good teachers (that is huge). They really will try to help you if there's a problem, even with financial aid or scholarships.

2. The nursing lab space is great and there are almost always free tutors for whatever you're struggling with. The lab also has a separate computer section where you can take practice NCLEX exams, type your papers, or use nursing simulation software.

3. Cost is the lowest you'll find in Boston for ABSN, period. Forget MGH, Simmons, and Curry. Their costs are insane.

CON's:

1. The clinical placements are thus far not the best. They advertise having placements at Brigham, MGH, etc but those are for the traditional pace program. If you enroll, expect Whidden hospital/cambridge health alliance, VA West Roxbury, and Boston Medical Center (the last two being ok) but these places don't have UMB's dedicated education units. Again, those are advertised but they're really for the traditional BSN students. It would be better to have a placement on a floor that is committed to teaching. Also, the traditional pace students get more clinical hours than ABSN students do, in their fundamentals of nursing course.

2. Disorganization. Financial aid and admissions will lose anything and everything you send them. They will also miscalculate things, so you have to stay on top of them or else. I had to physically hand deliver my transcripts (after having them sent 3 times) to the admissions office and watch the girl credit my account with them.

3. Online courses. The pathophysiology and pharmacology course was a joke. Almost no one in our group learned much about the different drugs, and that is a real problem. I'm trying to study on my own (even though there's almost no free time!)

4. Pace. It's too fast for me.

Overall:

I would have gone to the traditional option. In boston you basically have to get a BSN to be a new grad candidate for jobs (that's different everywhere though). I'm not even sure there is a need for the ABSN program, since there really isn't a nursing shortage right now and most open positions require experience. This is just "my two cents" and I know there are many different opinions out there.

[caliotter3]

Thanks for providing this thoughtful input.

[NeoPediRN]

Hi BSN, I'm sorry your experience was subpar. We have UMB nursing students on my unit and it is quite clear how lost they are. The instructor is a flake and I feel very sorry for the students. It seems very scattered.

[SailorVee93, ASN, RN]

I am always so indecisive about applying to accelerated programs (mainly because of the pace and time) and you have just reaffirmed my decision to stick with traditional options and ADN programs. Also, I'm really surprised to hear about the clinical placements and your online pathophysiology and pharmacology course; that just really bugs me... Thank you for this information and I hope others get the chance to come across it too.

Good luck in the program and keep us updated on your progress :)

[pexx84]

3. Cost is the lowest you'll find in Boston for ABSN, period. Forget MGH, Simmons, and Curry. Their costs are insane.

One small correction: Curry College total costs for the entire ABSN program are pretty much the same as UMass. The last time I checked Curry was about $1500 more--$38K. Folks understandably assume UMass will be the cheapest which probably explains the crazy number of applications UMass receives. I can't compare the merits of the programs since I have only attended one of them (I had no complaints with Curry), but just wanted to clarify this point.