Anyone thinking about Frontier in the near future??

MorningLight · Feb 18, 2011

I graduate with my BSN in less than a year, but I definitely want to go to Frontier at some point in the future for midwifery. It is less expensive than Emory and was the first midwifery school in the country... but then again you could get tuition paid from something like the national health service corp:

https://healthcareheroes.hrsa.gov/extranet/application/nhsclrp/login.seam

KellyCCRN · Feb 19, 2011

Hey there! I am in my first quarter of the ADN-MSN/FNP program at frontier. So far I really love the program! If you have any questions just let me know :-)

Kel

NAURN · Mar 8, 2011

Hi Kelly! I do have a couple of questions if you don't mind. Are you working during the program? If so, full time or part time? Do you plan on doing the program full time after the bridge year? How is the online learning format? I have not done an online class but consider myself pretty computer savvy.

I have applied for Class 92 and am very eager to hear whether or not I will be accepted. I meet all their criteria, and have 5 years RN experience so I am hoping it's enough to get a spot!!!!

NAURN · Mar 8, 2011

MorningLight- I also looked at Emory and although it would be a great experience, I can not justify 17,000 a semester when Frontier's whole ADN-MSN program is going to cost me around 30K. I believe Emory is an excellent school, and if money was not an issue, I would probably go there, but since cost is an issue for me (and I don't want to be tied to a job for loan repayment... been there done that.) and Frontier just seems to have that "something" that other programs don't have. I am not sure what it is, but there's something. I hope you apply! I have applied for class 92 to start in Fall so I hoping to hear soon if I have been accepted.

NPvampire, MSN, RN, APRN · Mar 16, 2011

Yeah, I have a question: where are all yall Frontier students able to do your clinicals? I'm at another online school and I am searching hard for ANYWHERE that will take me 'cause most of the hospitals are already stuffed with Emory and GSU students for FNP.

NAURN · Mar 16, 2011

I live in North GA so there are not a lot of universities saturating the options up here. At Frontier, you arrange your own clinicals, and have them approved by the school. I know some Drs and NPs in my area that would precept me. I also will focus more on the clinic setting, as that is where FNPs are most widely used.

KellyCCRN · Mar 27, 2011

Sorry it has taken me so long to reply! Things have been crazy lately :eek: I just finished up my first term with frontier!!! As for you questions, yes I am working while in the bridge year....right now I work full time at one hospital and PRN at another. I also have 2 young children! I do plan on going full-time after the bridge year but I will only be working one job at that point :-) The online format is great....I have found it to be very user friendly.....as long as you are computer literate you should do fine. I have been really impressed with the school so far and feel that they really do try to set you up for sucess. I managed an A and a B this term with my hectic schedule so it is definitely doable! Good luck on getting into class 92! If you have any other questions just let me know!

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2011

Have you heard anything about their midwifery program? I'm interested in going to Frontier after I complete my BSN which will be in less than a year. I've heard nothing but good things about the school and I would like to learn as much as I can before I apply. How do their tests work? Are you going to school part time or full time?

NAURN · Jun 15, 2011

I plan on working and going to school full time to start out. You are allowed to change your status once, so if it gets to be too much I will cut back to part time.

As far as their tests, from what I could tell in their catalog they are all done at home on a secure browser, some open book, some closed and you sign a honesty statement at the beginning saying you won't cheat. The tests are timed at about a minute per question from what I have heard so there's not much cheating that could be done anyways.

I did read (and I may have read it wrong) that there a final exam at the end that you take at a testing center and that you have to pass it to graduate. I read it a few times to make sure I understood it and that's how I understood it...

I don't know much about their CNM program, just that that's what Frontier was originally founded for... its what it's known for.

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Jun 15, 2011

Thanks so much NAURN for you speedy response. The only thing that I'm worried about as of now is being able to find a clinical preceptor in my area. I live in south GA and really don't want to travel to far from home so that might be a challenge. Was it hard for you to find a clinical site? Everything seems to be so positive regarding that school and I look forward to applying in the near future. Good luck with your schooling :up:

NAURN · Jun 15, 2011

I don't have a preceptor in stone yet.... I haven't been officially accepted yet (will find out in a couple of weeks) but I do have some leads. 20% of your hours can be with an MD, and I have an MD that has already expressed interest in precepting me (she likes to teach) and there are some nurse practitioners in my area. This was a concern for me, and still is because I don't want to get to clinical time and have everyone say no! There is an NP in the hospital that I work at that I am hoping to get some time in with. There are a certain amt of experiences that you have to fulfill during your clinicals... so not just the amt of hours... but you have to have x amount of ped visits newborn visits, adult visits, antepartum, etc... and its different with the CNM.... its more tailored to pregnant visits and births. So I have just been more aware of who is around me and have a mental list of people to ask when the time is right. I am still 2 1/2-3 years out from needing a preceptor so I think its a little bit jumping the gun for me to ask now. Also, from what I can tell, Frontier even pays the preceptor a monetary gift for their precepting... not sure how much or anything, but its in their catalog as well (as I heard of this but didn't quite believe it) So there is even an incentive for someone to precept YOU as opposed to someone else that may not offer any money.