Any Accelerated BSN at IUPUI Fall applicants?

awinfrey · Jul 6, 2009

Hi there! I will be going to IUPUI in the Fall to start the accelerated BSN program and am SO EXCITED! Will you be in the same class?? I was hoping the school had some type of forum to connect newly accepted students, but they said that at this time they do not have that resource.

Hopefully you got your acceptance letter and maybe I will see you in the Fall. Are you from Indiana? I am moving there from Oregon in a few weeks, and am going there this weekend to find an apartment.

My name is Anna Winfrey by the way. Hope you are enjoying your summer!

jennimarie79 · Jul 16, 2009

Hi Anna! Looks like we'll be in class together! I'm super excited and ready to get started!!! :) I am actually from Indianapolis, so if you need any help knowing your way around, let me know!

I'm sure we'll get to know each other a lot better quickly! :) It's amazing how fast August is coming up! Congrats to you and I'll see in you in a few weeks for orientation, etc. :)

My name is Jennifer (Jenni) Pierle

csab · Jul 17, 2009

Hey can I ask you ladies a question? For the accelerated IUPUI BSN program, I've looked at the pre-reqs and they have some pretty specific classes listed. Do you know if they give some leeway on some of the humanities/cultural diversity type cluster courses? For example in my prior degree I took a class called Social Anthropology, and I wonder if that could count as a Cultural Diversity cluster course even though they don't have one listed exactly like that. Or, a history course called Western Civilization. I'm currently planning on applying to Ivy Tech but keep thinking about looking further into IUPUI's accel. BSN. But, if they only take exact match courses, then I'd have so many to take before I'd finish all IUPUI's pre-reqs.

Did either of you find anything out about Clarian paying for some of nursing school in exchange for agreeing to work for them? A while back on this website, someone in the program said that Clarian will "front you some money because they know you will come work for them" and they like accel. BSN students because they have a reliable track record with already having a bachelor's degree in something else. I have a hard time getting past the cost difference between Ivy Tech and IUPUI, and getting an ASN from Ivy and then getting a job and having the hospital help pay for RN to BSN transition seems so much cheaper. I would not be eligible for need-based financial aid and don't want loans.

jennimarie79 · Jul 17, 2009

they did seem to be pretty flexible on the humanities aspect of it. I didn't take the exact classes that they had listed, and I didn't have to retake any of them. My pre-reqs weren't that much different from IvyTech except that I had to take Statistics. I would suggest meeting with an advisor and they can go through your transfer classes to tell you what you'll need. It was better than I expected! :)

I've heard the same about Clarian and the other hospitals. From what I have heard, someone from each of the hospitals will be at our orientation session to talk about the scholarships available (Clarian has a $15,000 one!) and other opportunities for working for them....so I don't have any info yet, but will after August 24th. I was torn about whether to do IvyTech or IUPUI, but I know I want to go on and get my Masters and a BSN will be required for that, so I may as well do it. I can get a BSN in the same or less time than an ASN....

Let me know if you have any more questions....again, I'll know more in about a month after orientation....

csab · Jul 17, 2009

Thanks for your reply Jenni! Yes I certainly would like to hear more after you go through your orientation. So who do I call to meet with to go over previous transcripts? Do you call just a general admissions advisor, or is there someone specifically from the nursing school and/or accel. BSN program to contact? Did you take statistics from Ivy or IUPUI? I was looking at Ivy's statistics class and it says there is a pre-req of math 120-or 130-something, but I've only taken math 118, although I did 'test into' math 136 on the Compass test.

I think I want to be an L&D nurse, so I don't know if would even need a BSN for that. I mean, I know they don't require it, but in this economy, it seems like a BSN would have a better shot potentially than an ASN, although I've heard that there is no pay difference. My thing is that I just don't know if I would need or want to go beyond ASN level, since both ASN and BSN can take the RN exam. What area of nursing are you interested in, if you know you want to get an MSN?

awinfrey · Jul 17, 2009

Hey there. I had the same experience as Jenni. They seemed to really work with your transcripts and what courses you've taken to try to help you out as much as they can. I was doing my eval over the phone and dealt with Michelle Piercy, who was really nice. She is an advisor in the School of Nursing.

I know how confusing it can be to decide what path to take in regards to nursing programs....so many choices and so many factors to consider. I was like you in the beginning, wanting to do an ADN program due to finances and the fact that you can still get your RN. I came to my decision to do an accelerated BSN because like Jenni said, it's a higher degree in a shorter amount of time. From my conversations with nurse recruiters, with the nursing shortage it does't make a huge difference in what type of degree you have, but with the economy and hospitals on hiring freezes, if they are going to hire, they might interview BSN applicants first. This could all change when the economy gets better, hopefully soon! Another reason why I decided to go for a BSN was because there are so many opportunities to enroll in programs that help you pay off your loans when you get hired (like the Clarian), or many state nursing facilites offere reimbursement programs, and most hospitals have sign on bonuses for nurses.

At the end of the day you have to do what feels right for you and what you see yourself doing long term. If you know what area you want to do and you know where you will be living, I would call the major hospitals and talk to nurse recruiters to find out what they require and if it would make a difference.

I wish you lots of luck!

csab · Jul 18, 2009

Thanks for your response also Anna. I wish you and Jenni the best of luck! If I decided to apply to IUPUI, I think the earliest I could start their program is May 2010. That would still get me done about the same time as doing Ivy's ASN program starting in Jan. 2010.

BNE103 · Jul 25, 2009

Hi everyone!

I'm currently in the ABSN program at IUPUI (graduating August '10), so feel free to ask any questions about the program! Good luck getting your acceptance letters!! :)

I highly recommend getting a BSN over an associate's degree if you can.

csab · Jul 25, 2009

Hi BNE103! Congrats on being in the program! Are you in your second semester of it? What is your previous degree in?

So can you shed some light on the story that Clarian/other hospitals are at orientation to tell about what they can do for ABSN students? I'm very curious to know what kinds of monetary help an ABSN student can get from the hospitals. The cost difference is the biggest reason by far that I have trouble forgoing CHEAP Ivy Tech's ASN and then having a hospital pay for a lot of going on for a BSN afterwards. I would not be eligible for any need-based financial aid, and have always thought I wouldn't do loans, but if the hospital will upfront say they will cover loans for ABSNs then that would change things. It just sounds too good to be true that they would do stuff like that before you even are through the program. Please give any and all info you can, I'd appreciate it!

Also, do you know if they will take your application even if you still have a few classes to get through? I would be able to have all the pre-reqs done by the end of the Spring 2010 term, and would want to then start the ABSN right away in their summer (May 2010) term, but that would mean that to apply by Jan. 15th, I'd still be in progress with probably 3 classes.

Also, so what makes you say that you recommend getting a BSN over an ASN? I've always heard that they make the same money starting out and as long as you pass NCLEX-RN you're good to go. . . but if you have some inside knowledge I'm all ears! I just have such a tough time getting past the program cost part. How do you like the program? Are the professors helpful and want to help you succeed, or do they make your life miserable? You know how you hear the gamut of things about nursing school professors and instructors so it would be great to hear some input from someone actually in the program like yourself.

Thanks for any info you can give.

BNE103 · Jul 26, 2009

csab: thanks! Yes, I'm in my second semester out of five (which is technically called 5th semester because they go by the traditional schedule), just two weeks away from being onto the next! My previous degree is in neurobiology and physiology.

I know for sure that Clarian and Community both give scholarships to ABSN students. When I started, Clarian gave a $15k scholarship with a 2 year post-grad job committment at the downtown hospitals...I don't remember what Community's was (I think a similar amount), but it had a 3 year post-grad job committment (as in, if you accept the scholarship, you agree to work there after you graduate).

At least with Clarian, the money is put directly into your bank account if you get the scholarship. They take taxes out and literally just shove it all into whatever account you want...so technically you could go buy a car or groceries with the money! (Though not recommended :) )

Most people in the program work a few hours a week/month somewhere. There's an opportunity to become a student nurse extern (SNE) that you'd be eligible for once you complete your first semester clinicals, which is where you work on a unit at a hospital (preferably one you have a scholarship with if you go that route) with the hopes that you like them/they like you well enough to hire you when you graduate. The hospitals are extremely flexible with your school schedule, and it's always nice to have some sort of income.

You can apply if you still have prereqs to get through as long as they're all finished (and you get a C+ or above in them) by the time you start the program. So it sounds like you're OK with that.

One thing I've also noticed about the ABSN program, and I'm pretty sure it's not just my class, is that everyone is very career-oriented. We're all at least a little bit Type A personalities. :) If you want to go on and get an advanced practice degree, you'll need a BSN first. For many of us, it was a feeling of "why not?"...why not do the extra stuff and get a BSN right away so that we won't have to worry about any sort of advancement we might want in the future? Based on what I've seen and heard so far, if you have the time and the means I think it would be best to start out as a BSN.

Overall, the program itself is great. If you talk to others in it, you'll probably hear that we run into a lot of little organizational/logistical glitches, which is true. Nothing major, usually related to scheduling, but things that get on your nerves at times. That's probably the only bad thing I can say about it. (Plus, as nurses we're supposed to be adaptable, right? ) The professors are very helpful and truly want everyone to do well. (That's not to say that sometimes you don't feel like they're making your life miserable with studying! :wink2:)

Anyway, I'd love to answer any more questions you have or elaborate more on what the program is like if you'd like to know! Good luck!!

jennimarie79 · Jul 27, 2009

Thanks BNE103! You made me even more excited to start next month! I agree with you about the being more focused part. I know that I want to go on and get my master's and maybe even my NP and if I can get a BSN in the same amount or LESS time than an Associates degree...why not?!

Thanks for all of your comments! :)