Any word-- Hampton University??

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2010

Now I don't know what to do. I've been accepted by Hampton as well, and I'm not too sure if I'll get accepted to the other nursing schools I applied to (I've already been rejected by one in my home state, Maryland). One school already wrote back to me & said they will not make a decision until they see my final transcripts at the end of May. The other one I applied to isn't a good school so I'm not considering that one at all. I really want to start nursing school this fall, but I don't want to make a costly mistake by attending a bad school. :uhoh3: :uhoh3:

Epona · Apr 19, 2010

Hello. This is Epona. I am the original poster of this thread. I did end up going to HU and graduated Magna Cum Laude with Departmental Honors. I am now a Registered Nurse! :yeah: :nurse: Sure. There were some areas in the nursing school that could be improved upon. But you will find that anywhere. Yes. The school has one of the lowest NCLEX passing rates, HOWEVER, it is up to the student to study and make it happen. Most of the professors do help you and they want you to be successful. You are given the tools there to be triumphant in your quest, but YOU THE STUDENT have to make it come to fruition. :idea: Their NCLEX score is low overall, but I am happy to say that my class had a NCLEX pass rate in the 80's. Most of my classmates took boards and passed their first time. They are all working as nurses today. One thing I will say, is HU is VERY EXPENSIVE.

I would not count HU out. I went there, among others, and we came out on top. We are proud RN's today!

Good luck in your decision! :redpinkhe

smn2010, BSN, RN · Apr 19, 2010

I hate to say it; but Epona has probably provided you with all the information you need. He/She said it best, " Yes. The school has one of the lowest NCLEX passing rates,..."

Anyone/Everyone attending a nursing program, realizes from the beginning that it is up to the student to study. Each and every person in school today knows this---it's common sense. A nursing program is not a "free" ride to a degree and new career; however, there is an expectation that the university will provide you with the information you need to pass the NCLEX and perform as a competent nurse once you leave the program. If you don't put in an effort--at any university--you won't make it. In this regard, Hampton University is no different than any other school because EACH student must invest time towards studying. The question is....WHY....is the HU passing ratio for the NCLEX-RN so low...?? One reason...curriculum. Another reason, the instruction being provided is not adequate enough.

As for the professors, yes there is a small number---that you can count on one hand---that are dedicated to their students. These professors are the ones that teach the Pediatrics/Maternity/L&D-->Growth & Development portion of the curriculum. All others are working at the school for other reasons. I personally heard a group of instructors who openly stated they were only working to prepare for their retirement--otherwise they would not be at HU. You can imagine the "shock" felt by the students that overheard the conversation. This negativity shows in the classroom.

Further more, let me state that the individual who started this thread really knows nothing about HU. I indicated this in one of my earlier threads. S/he did not even know that HU has an accelerated RN program. S/he believes the ATT portion of the nursing program is "new". S/he knows nothing about the past law suits, threats of current suits, threats to go public with HU on the local news by HU students. Because of this, I would not consider the originator of this thread to be a reliable source when in comes to HU. S/he only knows about his/her graduating class--and nothing else.

Also realize that Epona twice states that HU NCLEX scores are low but wants you to attend the school.... Yes, her class has an NCLEX passing ratio in the 80's. But, that's NOT GOOD ENOUGH! :down: Well, what about the other classes?? As s/he also states, "HU is VERY EXPENSIVE." Let me say that HU is the MOST expensive school in the area with the LOWEST NCLEX passing ratios. Suggesting that an individual attend the school knowing this information--does not make ANY sense at all???? I am an HU alumni and I would not refer my worst enemy to HU's nursing program until they fix their many problems. HU now has a new dean of nursing but it will take YEARS before improvement will be seen at the school. The current problems at HU will not be fixed overnight or in one or two semesters--or years. Please believe that.

2B1whosaves indicated in an earlier response that s/he transferred to another school after 2 years at HU. Noone has to rely upon what I have written; however, I would suggest you contact him/her (2B1whosaves) via PM as a means of finding out more about the HU program.

Good luck to those searching for a nursing program.:) This is not something that you want to rush into so take your time as you make your decisions regarding which program to enroll in. No one has money to waste.

As for schools...whatever your decision, enjoy your career as a nurse once you have completed your program. :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 19, 2010

I did end up going to HU and graduated Magna Cum Laude with Departmental Honors. I am now a Registered Nurse!

I just wanted to say congrats! :)

Epona · Apr 20, 2010

smn2009-

I am the originator of this post. Like you, I am an HU alumni. Never once did I state that YOU knew nothing of the program. However, I am a graduate of their program and you excuse ME of knowing NOTHING. Can you explain how I know NOTHING since I went there?? That makes a lot of sense. :bugeyes:

Every school has it's ups and downs. No school is perfect. The school has instituted several steps to increase scores and pass rates. My class was proof of that. So yes, scores have been low, but initiatives are in place to fix that and they are improving. So you know, the Dean and former alumni paid for EVERYONE in our nursing class to take the HURST review FOR FREE so we could pass boards with a bang. We did.

There are several professors there who are interested in helping the students, not just the PEDS teachers. One even took the time to meet with me and together we built a strategy to ensure I passed boards. I followed her advice and knocked it out of the ballpark! :w00t:That professor was one of the first I called when I passed and was officially a REGISTERED NURSE!! :yeah: :nurse:

It seems like you have a real bone to pick with HU. I am not sure why and I don't really care to know. Question- if you detested it so bad, why didn't you leave????? No one made you stay. You graduated from there and I am assuming, are better off today for it.

I say if one wants to go there, good for them. They too can be a RN! :anpom:

Epona · Apr 20, 2010

Thanks LunahRN! :clown:

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Apr 20, 2010

Epona may I ask: what year did you graduate from Hampton?

smn2010, BSN, RN · May 2, 2010

epona....

attending and graduating from a institution does not mean you know all about a particular program. some people just, "go to school" and completely disregard what may be going on around them.

i have indicated in previous posts that you are not familiar with the school you attended. for example...hu has an accellerated bsn program...you knew nothing about this. :down: hu has been utilizing the ati software program since 2003/2004...you knew nothing about this either. :down: hurst review for all graduating seniors began in 2009 and continues today. you obviously did not realize this either. :down: while the dean and former alumni made your graduating class feel "special" by making the hurst review available, for the first time. they knew an nclex review was a necessary entity to ensure the passing ratio of graduating seniors improved. the state of virginia (or appropriate organizations) has sent groups of people to review hu's nursing curriculum at least 3 times in the past 3 years. hu has, at least 2 times, been in a position where they almost lost their accreditation status. that is the reason why hu now appears twice when displaying their bsn program. the possibility of closing the hu main campus nursing program has been and continues to be an issue of concern. hampton now lists its nursing program at the hu main campus and hu-college of virginia beach (hu-covb). the hu main campus has been in trouble for some time; but, you didn't know this either. :down: because of the accreditation issue, hu has had to (...basically been required to...) make changes to their curriculum. hurst is one of the recent changes/additions. i won't waste this post to identify the other changes that have been made-->that you are not even aware of. :down:

i hope i have now provided you with an explanation as to why i believe that you are not familiar enough with hu to provide adequate information about their nursing program. you "attended" hu; but you are not familiar with hu and the concerns surrounding their bsn program.

let me also state that you obviously are not aware of universities in the area and courses involved in any core nursing program. you asked, "question- if you detested it so bad, why didn't you leave????? no one made you stay." i will identify this as a statement made out of ignorance. anyone currently attending or who previously attended a virginia university/college knows that core nursing courses are not transferrable. while pre-requisites courses are transferrable, all others are not. there is only one university/college in virginia that will transfer core nursing courses and they are located 4 hours from the hampton roads area. after i started the hu nursing program, transferring to this school--4 hours away--was not an option for me. because of the many students that were leaving hampton roads nursing programs and transferring their credits to this university, they are now requiring students to test out (at $350-500 per course) of each core nursing class that has been completed---in order to attend their nursing program. i completed my pre-requisites prior to my attendance at hu. all of my hu classes were core nursing courses. to suggest that i should have just left...is ridiculous.

i graduated from hu with a 3.9 gpa. my graduating class consisted of all honors graduates except for 5 (or 6) students. these 5 or 6 students missed the honors criteria by only .25 - 1.0 gpa. so, overall, my entire graduating class was above average. by the way, the dean and instructors told my graduating class that we were their best class/best group of graduating seniors from hu. go figure!!! i suppose they tell every graduating class-not just yours--the same thing!!! :rolleyes:

do i "detest" hu. not at all; however, i want to be sure that noone enrolls into a program (any nursing program) and makes the same mistake that i did based upon comments such as yours. i relied upon the comments of nursing graduates that made hu look like it was the "best thing in the world" only to realize that these individuals merely attended the school, they never compared curriculums with other universities, never investigated the inner workings of the university to realize the nclex ratio (and other aspects of the nursing program) were getting worse instead of better and much more. to this day, these same nursing graduates openly state that they realize they missed out on quite a bit in comparison to other nursing programs in the area.

so, i have no "bones to pick with hu." i have merely provided an honest opinion that includes quite a bit of factual information about hu. i hope that anyone interested in attending hu...(again) or any other university...takes the time to do "their own homework" before enrolling into any nursing program. they should evaluate the nclex passing ratios for every school they are interested in attending. one semester of "good" scores on the nclex should not be the "deciding factor" for anyone to attend a nursing program. yes, i agree, no school is perfect. yes, all schools have their ups and downs. i would suggest to everyone that you pursue a school that has shown continued sucess on the nclex; not a mere 80% here (as you have indicated about your graduating class)..or.. one good semester there...of nclex passing ratios. also review curriculum, financial aide, refund policies (semester starts in september...when can you expect a refund??....november/december??? :eek: ), instructor:student ratios for clinicals, actual number of hours in a clinical setting (...not sitting at a computer for days doing "simulated" clinicals/scenarios...) each semester, location of clinicals (go to these locations and speak to the nurse educators/nursing department to gain their insight about student skill set from a particular school--get their opinion of which students perform better than others), etc. before enrolling into any program.

in regards to hu....i have nothing to lose nor nothing to prove/gain with my comments. the comments i have made are my honest opinions. my goal is to make prospective nursing students aware of what they need to consider before enrolling into a nursing program.

so sorry to all for the long post. :smackingf

i will end by stating...

...regardless of which school you attend....best of luck to all who intend to pursue a degree in nursing. :up:

take care everyone!!! :)

smn2010, BSN, RN · May 2, 2010

...one more thing, before i forget... :uhoh3:

re: nclex ratios

we (me and several classmates went to apply/meet with the deparment) did review the nclex ratios prior to attending hu. we addressed our concerns regarding the current year's stats and were told by nursing department staff that the data was "incorrect" as it appeared on the virginia board of nursing website. they indicated that corrections were being made and would be reflected/updated "soon." of course, this never happened. :madface: a ploy used to get us enrolled into their program. i/we realized, too late, that what the state has posted for nclex passing ratios is-what-it-is!!! what you see... on your state board of nursing website...is what you get!! don't listen to anything anyone says about nclex passing ratios or what "one" or "two" or "a few" students from a particular graduating class (one semester/quarter) received. check for yourself and look at the big/whole picture--->>several years of correct statistical data located on your state board of nursing website.

take the time to do your homework and investigate all college programs of interest...

again, good luck to all those planning to pursue a career in nursing!!!

the end! :yawn:

HoneyGamble · Apr 13, 2011

Wow this forum was very informative. I'm looking into attending Hampton University VA Beach campus and I did check their NCLEX pass rates for the last 5 years (VA Beach campus) and their pass rate from 2006-2008 was in the high 70s however in 2009 it was 93.1% and in 2010 it was 88.89%. I plan on taking a tour of the campus and asking more questions. I'm a single mother and I have been working on my prerequisites for some time now and my plan is to start nursing school soon. The only programs I currently qualify for at the moment are Norfolk State's ADN program and Hampton University.

I know there are other schools to choose from however I would not be eligible to apply to those for several months and then I would not be starting those programs until late 2012 or possibly 2013. The competition is so fierce for these nursing programs and I dont' want to postpone starting my nursing education later for a school that I may not be accepted in to. It looks like I'm leaning more towards Hampton University and in the meantime I plan on getting alot of my general education/science classes out of the way so that cuts down on my time attending there and I could have my bachelors in nursing in about 2.5 years. Anyways, thank you ladies for the great information.

KimberlyRN89, BSN, RN · Apr 23, 2011

Wow this forum was very informative. I'm looking into attending Hampton University VA Beach campus and I did check their NCLEX pass rates for the last 5 years (VA Beach campus) and their pass rate from 2006-2008 was in the high 70s however in 2009 it was 93.1% and in 2010 it was 88.89%. I plan on taking a tour of the campus and asking more questions. I'm a single mother and I have been working on my prerequisites for some time now and my plan is to start nursing school soon. The only programs I currently qualify for at the moment are Norfolk State's ADN program and Hampton University.
I know there are other schools to choose from however I would not be eligible to apply to those for several months and then I would not be starting those programs until late 2012 or possibly 2013. The competition is so fierce for these nursing programs and I dont' want to postpone starting my nursing education later for a school that I may not be accepted in to. It looks like I'm leaning more towards Hampton University and in the meantime I plan on getting alot of my general education/science classes out of the way so that cuts down on my time attending there and I could have my bachelors in nursing in about 2.5 years. Anyways, thank you ladies for the great information.

I ended up not going to Hampton last fall, just because I was not comfortable with graduating with $90,000 undergrad debt. I am currently enrolled in a nursing program in Baltimore, MD & am experiencing a lot of difficulties with the faculty,etc.. I said that to say this: I think anywhere you go, you will run into problems. I doubt there is such a thing as a "perfect" nursing program (and if there is, someone point me in the right direction :icon_roll ). If cost isn't a factor to you, than maybe you should look into Hampton. Because, like I said, I think all nursing programs you will enter will have some things that you will not like. Good luck with whatever you decide to do :) :yeah:

BSUFeaver13 · Sep 23, 2011

Take it from somebody who went to Hampton, and transfered after two semesters because of how terrible their nursing program is. I was soo happy i got into HAmpton university " the school of excellence" well not in Medical majors! on top of tution being 30.000 plus, the nurising program is horrible. All the teachers are over the age of 50, and dont really know the new nursing knowledge, the program is actually about to be placed on probation if the class of 2012 doesnt pass the exam this year, they just arent passing. i transferred to Bowie State and that has been the best decision of my life. not only am i saving about $22,000 in student loans, but im going to a school were the students are actually passing. dont get me wrong, hampton is good for computer science, business majors, marketing. But for science purposes, i would avoid it. Expensive isnt always better!