Ameritech Nursing ASN/BSN

[icecreamdreams, RN]

I'm hoping someone could share their experiences or knowledge of Ameritech's Nursing Programs.

On paper both programs seems great. They have a very high NCLEX pass rates, their ASN is ACEN accredited and their BSN is CCNE accredited.

The ASN is a rigorous 18month program during which they advise you do not work. If you do not pass each class with a 76 you can not proceed to the next semester. Although I feel intimidated by this standard, this strict policy surely contributes to their graduates success and their high first time NCLEX pass rates. The consumer info for the ASN shows a 92% on time graduation rate and a 95% job placement rate from 2014-2015. Clinicals are mostly local and I was told not to expect to travel more than an hour (one way) for clinicals.

The ASN-BSN is entirely online and they state it is ok to work during this program. The consumer info for the RN to BSN is from 2014-2015 and shows an 86% on time completion rate and a 100% job placement rate.

Ameritech is a PRIVATE college and so the program is very expensive. I was advised I could transfer in all the general education classes to save several thousand dollars. They advise filling out a FAFSA, applying for scholarships, and I was informed there is a student loan company they recommend for private loans.

They do offer job placement assistance, NCLEX prep help, and other things to help students be successful. Like I said the program sounds great, but I can't find any recent reviews anywhere. This seems a little off to me, but I also can't really find any for my local CC and I know they graduate 2 cohorts of nurses a year and they get employed locally. Honestly the Ameritech program sounds exactly like what I need. I'm worried there is something I don't know as I have read negative things about several career colleges. But then again I have read a lot of positive things about career colleges.

Would their credits transfer? I have also read that that is a large problem with private colleges. The college catalog states they have articulation agreements with other colleges but it doesn't list what programs or what schools. This is obviously something I would need to look further into.

Is it possible I just have a name bias? Ameritech sounds like a technical school. If they were called American College or something would I be as concerned?

Any thoughts or advise would be greatly appreciated. Any recommendations of a similarly structured ASN (no prereqs required prior to entry, graduation within 2 years, accredited, etc) would also be taken into consideration. I am willing to relocate for the right opportunity.

A traditional ASN won't really work for me as I am a non traditional student. I have no degree and no recent work history. I am simply not competitive enough to attempt to enter through a CC or university in a timely manner. Due to unforeseen family circumstances I must quickly enter the work force at a pay rate that will enable me to support 3 other people. I have always aspired to be a nurse and I do have CNA experience, however it is from over 10 years ago.

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

What is the price?

[icecreamdreams, RN]

Without transferring in credits it's over $50k!!

[CrunchRN, ADN, RN]

Run like the wind.

[icecreamdreams, RN]

But why? This doesn't seem to be a abnormal amount for similar private programs. And in fact if I were to do 2 years of prerequisites and two years of nursing school locally at my CC I would accumulate almost 40k in school costs but take 4 years to complete an associates degree. The increase in income by being able to work 2 1/2 years sooner would surely outweigh the increased debt.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

The school is NOT regionally accredited- which means ZERO possibility of transferring credits to another school. MANY employers require graduation from a regionally accredited school. And the 'job placement' rate does not really say how many of these grads got actual RN jobs. It only shows that have jobs (to pay back the crushing student loans they took out)

PLEASE do not spend $50k for this. PLEASE

[tnbutterfly - Mary, BSN]

Your thread has been moved to the Nursing Schools / Colleges forum where the other school specific discussions are. We hope you will receive additional responses in this new location.

[t3mama]

Hey icecreadreams, have you made any decisions about Ameritech yet? I'm seriously considering it, even with the high price tag. I do have quite a few generals to transfer in though, but not A&P. I also am not going to be back in Utah until December to go to the campus and ask questions that I can't find on here, like if Ameritech accepts excelsior exam credits, because I would definitely consider that option. However, I did see on here on another post that a few regionally accredited colleges accept Ameritech rn grads for their rn-bsn, but you would need to complete the prereqs for that. I applied at Weber a few years ago just as a student to take generals, and am still technically a student there, as in I could register for a class right now if I wanted to. Weber offers almost all the science courses and other prereq courses online, either semester based or self-paced-finish within 6 months of enrolling. I'm hoping to enroll at Ameritech as soon as I can with the generals I have already completed, save some money there, graduate as an RN, then take whatever courses needed to get into Utah's RN-BSN while working as an RN- 9 courses, but they allow 3 of them to be completed during the RN-BSN program (Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Elementary Chemistry, Elementary Bio-Organic Chemistry, Introduction to Statistical Inference, Nutrition Intervention, Human Development: Lifespan, Pathophysiology, Microbiology).

[StudentRN_1990, ADN, LPN]

Yes that is correct! But Weber state requires you to have a AS degree in general studies plus their prerequisites from a regionally accredited college if you have received your RN degree from Ameritech. I did my AS degree in general studies and all nursing prereqs online! I never went to class at all lol. I love online classes. Other than that, Weber, U of U, Utah valley, Boise state accepts RN degree from Ameritech! As long as general ed and prereqs are done at a regionally accredited institution. I am still debating where to complete my RN to BSN. I am leaning toward Weber state. But it is very very competitive! So we will see!