Anyone know about Maryville's FNP program?

75495RN · Sep 3, 2014

I am a current student. I appreciate all this detail! I started in spring semester but, like you, sensed they admitted everyone. About half my class of 20 or so were illiterate--they could not string three words together without grammatical errors, they tended to be arrogant and lazy, and, when asked to do their share, hostile. I felt the coursework might be dumbed down. I was also concerned about plagiarism--two of my small group posted exactly the same post, word for word, and no one seemed to notice or care. I made a big deal of my concerns before I left for University of Texas at Arlington--big mistake, out of the frying pan and into the fire. UTA has basically no program; the pathophys instructor (I will not call him a teacher or professor, he is neither) is pretty much a Nazi, and the fail rate for that course is--I am told from MULTIPLE classmates--about 70%. Who has a weedout course at the master's level???? Oh, and the instructor is a close friend of the director, duh. The worst thing about UTA is you think you are at UTA but what you are really doing is a private, limited, expensive program--there is a very doable pathophys course which is completely online (or one section is) but "AP" students (the online program is really a private for profit money mill called Academic Partners) are barred from taking any course in the "real" university. I am working on pushing to get that changed, even though I am no longer there (UTA/AP doesn't know I've left, so shhhh, don't tell!). For the moment I am just being ignored but I have already been talking to Austin, and I don't think they are going to be able to continue this. Frankly, I'd like some compensation--they are a big bait and switch school..... at least the AP part is. The degree says UTA but you can't take UTA courses.... hmmmm.

Anyway, I like canvas and started with the other one, so it might be a matter of taste and habit. I'm not worried about getting clinicals, but I am not in a tiny state either and am close to Dallas. I don't think the state of Texas is too worked up about what constitutes presence, although I know several states are; I was told by my adviser that this is why they are mixing up the classes, but she told me that when we were discussing my worries about being stuck with stupid classmates for the whole two years. So far, knock on wood, I seem to be in a class of about 20, all of whom are pretty smart... I hope it stays that way.

Good to know about the testing situation. I do not mind not being able to see others' posts before posting my own, but for the moment (and maybe this is professor chosen), they say you can't edit your posts or replies, but I have been able to do so. The only thing that can't be edited is email. You can even edit your "announcements" on canvas (one of our group thought that was email, lol).....

I appreciate knowing that you completed the program--let us know how you do on boards! That's coming up soon, I'm sure....

Thanks for sharing in such detail and with such candor.

baldwina1015 · Sep 3, 2014

Thanks for the post. I appreciated what you said about the cohorts being mixed up, I guess because I was in a pretty good one I didnt get the bad experience you had then I would feel the same way as you so thats a good point. I did have a few people in my cohort who were awful writers as far as papers in regards to spelling and grammar as well as turning in their portion due the deadline, this could happen in traditional schools as well though. Maybe because I was so used to the original program they had I really hated canvas, most of my classmates agreed. Maybe also because we were using the blogs which you do bi-weekly based on your clinical experience that it became a big issue as the instructors found it hard to locate these (which was not our fault). I hope for your sake they do away with spicynodes as that was really terrible and time consuming, a waste of time. There are a lot of stupid assignments that are more like busy work and not helpful to learning the important things. I heard they changed to canvas in so they could eventually do proctored tests. Yes being in a small state competing for clinical time with some of the schools here was hard. but driving 45 minutes one way and sitting for class a couple of times a week was not in the cards for me. Maybe I will go back one day to get a post masters in FNP or something else. I only liked to see other posts on occasion because sometimes the assignments were vague and I would like to see what others posted to see if I had the general consensus of the assignment, but I could could do without it. On group assignments you can't see unless you post first too which is silly so I would post hi or something just to see the facilitators initial posting. I also hated that I could not edit, because on occasion I would make an error or find out the link did not work right as did others which led to multiple posting by people making it chaotic. But those are not huge issues. The presence thing was a huge issue for many people, but as long as your in a state like mine who did not consider it a presence then its not an issue. If I was allowed to go into MA then I may have found more preceptors so that was a bummer for me.

I am very worried about boards, I feel very not prepared!! So I am taking both in case I fail I will have another test date set up with a different type of test I may do better on. AANP will let you sit while your still in school (just an FYI) if all your clinical is complete. Someone in my class took it the day before the final! I plan on taking a review course and hopefully AANP at the end of the month. It will be awhile to take ANCC because they need your final transcript and a formed signed by the school regarding clinical hours. Many people in my class have already taken AANP and passed, so far no one has said they failed yet. You can start the process 6months before graduation, I recommend it if you want to test soon after graduation or completion of clinical. I last minute changed my major so I did not do it until the last day of school so I am still waiting on my permission to test. Will let you know!

75495RN · Sep 3, 2014

I wonder if you were licensed in MA if you could've gone there for clinicals? I hate that you weren't able to do what you wanted to do, but the idea of a post MSN certificate might be just what you need to be able to set up your clinicals and then start the coursework.

I'm with ya on the 45 minute drive and then sitting in a classroom! I wish the closest one would only be 45 minutes away! There are three, maybe four schools that offer the MSN, and they are all through the absolute worst traffic! (Like I need to crank up my cortisol and adrenalin!) I've been a believer in online learning for ten years--got my AASN from Excelsior, followed by my BSN through UTA online (it's not really UTA, but that's a whole nother issue!), and now this. I did start the MSN 6 or so years ago, but husband got sick (metastatic lung ca--survived and is fine now, just working on replacing all his lower teeth, lost to radiation and ... well, average dental hygiene is not nearly enough and he didn't believe he needed to be better about it til his teeth started rotting, and now, nearly 50 grand later... so I don't mind spending a little on myself for school). Anyway, back on track. I started this 6 years ago at Baylor. There were some classes that were meaty, organized, and from which one really developed. There were other really stupid, disorganized and goofy (at 2 grand an hour!!). Example: pathophysiology: "You are masters' students so I shouldn't have to stand up here and spoonfeed (teach) you." Assessment: arrived to a class exactly on time, but the clock was four minutes fast. Not a big deal but there was a "pop" quiz, the door was locked and we--four of us--were made stand outside and listen to everyone get 100% answering questions which, if they didn't know the answers, they could "ask a friend" (like some TV show? maybe that millionaire thing, I don'tknow, I don't watch that stuff). Everyone inside the room got 100. Everyone who was on time but not early, got a zero. Nice? Professional roles course--one student's presentation--we were teaching ourselves by dividing up the objectives, researching and presenting--one presentation consisted of "oh, we touched on that in (whatever the other course was) so you all know already..." and never answered the question. She was a charming woman, beautiful, from somewhere in Africa, melodic but nearly un-understandable accent: applause and 100%, so full credit for nothing. There's more but you get the idea....

I've so far found only a few of those inconsistencies like you describe. The instructor was kind of weirded out because only one person showed up for the interactive conference session. First, it wasn't announced, second, where she put it (in her introduction, which I actually read) she called it "office hours." So I was trying to find out if she'd post a schedule (because the conferences aren't scheduled and when you look it says there are none upcoming!). And that first conference, she just read the syllabus (12 pages or something like that??). Slowly. And she still had half an hour left after she finished. One student was there, but the prof keep muting her because she seemed not to know how to keep from getting loud feedback. So it was a little bit of a fiasco at worst, and nothing new at best.

Enough of my whine!!

It does sound like the M'ville program prepared you well, if so many passed boards. I am surprised you can get the permission to test before graduating, but...

Thanks for writing again--if you'll put how you do on boards (and any other little thing that might come up and be of interest!) on this thread, I'm subscribed. Not sure how to find your posts otherwise, since I am not a paying member. (Ads or fees but not both. And probably not fees either. rofl)

baldwina1015 · Sep 11, 2014

No I would have just got my MA license, that would have been no big deal. It had to do with the whole "presence" issue. MA would consider Maryville having a presence in their state and would require authorization and a fee paid by the school and the school was not willing to do that, its a long and pricey process that they already had to do for some people who were accepted that lived in states where this was an issue. I wish you the best !

angel337, MSN, RN · Oct 2, 2014

I am currently in the process of applying to Maryville Post MSN FNP-C program. I think what concerns me the most is do they prepare you to be a good NP. I am choosing this route as well for family reasons and that I work full time. My MSN was done online as well and I had no problem; however we all aspire to be providers..and hopefully good ones. After looking at several schools here in Illinois and weighing pros and cons of both online and on campus, Maryville looks good on paper for sure. I will keep you guys posted and I hope to hear from anyone that graduated, passed boards and has a job:)))

MelissaLandry14 · Apr 30, 2015

Have you completed the FNP program at Maryville? If so can you provide any feedback on their online program?

BelindaPate · Aug 28, 2015

I'm currently in the Maryville Adult Gerontology program. I have had one year and I do not have anything to recommend about the program. It is all pre-packaged online, one can see it is set up for any instructor to "teach" any class. The instructors vary GREATLY, they have different expectations. Online is online, few of them really make it more personable. The group work is very, very inconvenient. While they promote you can work at your own pace, it is very difficult to coordinate with 4 other persons to complete projects that have little to do with real life. The program is run with Discussion Board posts as the mainstay for each class. They require a detailed, cited response on three, separate days of the week. So, one cannot complete this on one day, you are forced to log in at least three times even if you have the work done. Some of the classes seem very repetitive. A class called Leadership seems like so much easy busy work, but then the following periods are followed by having two very important classes-Pharmacology and Pathophysiology, at the SAME time. Not a wise use of time. I have had ONE excellent instructor. The others were either forgettable or needlessly picky. For the money, I am disappointed. But, I honestly don't know if there really is a "good" online program.

FeliciaNicole02 · Aug 29, 2015

Hey ! I'm not sure if you still come on here . I was wondering how maryville is ? I am applying and I am nervous about the program

BelindaPate · Sep 17, 2015

I am now in my second year at Maryville doing the Patho and Pharm courses TOGETHER, no choice as they give NONE. I DO NOT recommend it to anyone. You do get what you pay for. No teaching, but hard tests. Literally, and I do mean this, NO teaching. You just read and they test you. A robot could do it. And if you don't do well, not their problem. They already have your money by now. Pay more and do yourself a favor. Don't be fooled by their promotions and student advisors who can do nothing for you. It's a sham. Real education has real teachers.

BelindaPate · Sep 17, 2015

See my post below. Don't do it, my friend, pay more for another program.

TeleRN01 · Nov 25, 2015

Do not choose this program!

First of all, they accept anyone. I have never heard of anyone getting rejected from the program. You apply and they send you a generic email within 12 hours saying you have been accepted.

Tuition is very high.

Recently the pharm class at Mercy has changed to "open book, open notes" because students complained it was too hard. For a graduate NP program, this is ridiculous. Boards is NOT open book.

Many NPs in the St Louis area will not precept Maryville students because of the poor quality of students. Plus, Maryville doesn't offer assistance with finding preceptors.

If you are in St louis, choose any of the other programs. UMSL is half the price and finds your preceptors now. SLU also has an excellent program. Although these programs will accept way less students than Maryville.

OklahomaRN2016 · Mar 28, 2016

Avoid Maryville like the plague.

I was told this was a great school and wonderful program by one of my coworkers. I started the program in Fall of '14. Boy I wish I had done some research prior to this adventure. I would be transferring if I wasn't so close to being finished. FIND A SCHOOL THAT HELPS YOU WITH PRECEPTORS. I do think they are trying to make the program challenging. The tests are hard, they are proctored, but I am literally teaching myself everything. I have no idea if I will feel prepared when I am done, which is horrifying. If you choose to go to this program, start looking for preceptors at least a year in advance.