Chamberlain

I am nearing completion of my RN to BSN at Chamberlain and it has been a very positive experience for me. NOTE: If you have been a nurse for several years you can do what they call a "portfolio" for your clinical classes and not have to do the clinicals. This was a deal sealer for me. I have been able to work full time and still do well in the program, which was a concern for me in the beginning. As far as RN to BSN programs go, I would highly suggest Chamberlain.

I have found the classes to be interesting and flexible, and most of my instructors have been great. I will finish in June, and wish that they had a Masters program that I could move into, but as of yet they do not.

That's great. Good Luck to you and your soon coming graduation.

NikNik....no not flexible with time, meaning you go when and where they say you do, the instructors don't allow alot of outside conversations during chat so I only get the first few comments about it like "but I have to work, or I have no sitter" and the instructor says to email her....I obvioulsy don't know if they change things around at all or not. But it looks like they put a group together so I would doubt that they would change things up too much. For a local student to St. Loius I am sure it is agreat program, or something like the previous poster who has a degree and did a portfolio...for someone at the mercy of the admin to get the right things in order to proceed, and is out town, it has been a nightmare....best of luck to you

Hi ladies-

I have a quick question for you regarding Chamberlain. How often does one have to go to St. Louis? It is required right? No matter what EVERYONE has to go for 4 day validations? Do you have to pay your own way, and for hotel expenses etc?

Also, what is the tuition? I've been trying to access that part of their site but it wouldn't load for me.

This school interests me, because I'm a military wife and have been sooo stressed out trying to plan pre-requisites when i have NO IDEA where we may be moving next! This College seems like it would really fit my needs. My only concern would be flying often to St Louis for a 4 day stay..wooowwee that would get pricey.

MaineRN2be, I did reply to your initial post but as for as the 4 day validations, you DO have to provide YOUR OWN transporation, hotel expenses, etc and the school charges a fee as well. Its around $800 or so. Tuition $520/cr hr .

YES, it will get pricey, even for a local student.

I was not aware of the school charging a fee, I thought the amount quoted on the 'price sheet' was an estimate of what one might spend...although I have specifically asked and not gotten any response.

Hampton Inn is a very nice hotel and is within walking distance, priced at 103 a night with a military discount ( I'm a military wife as well). There activities to do in the area for family-most are free!. You can stay in the dorms, but you have to take all of your linens etc and its a common bathroom. I took my fmaily with me last time for skills validations after Nursing Concepts and Skills, it was only for one day though...we spent around $1000 with gas, meals, fun for the family and the hotel for 2 nights, we don't take vacations so this was it. I live in Indiana and it took about 6 hours to drive.

I understand exactly where you are coming from with moving and such....but please, please beware....Chamberlain is having some issues with out of state clinicals and they aren't saying what they are, as a matter of fact they are almost completely incommunicado...emails and phone calls are not being answered at all. Intially they tell you that they will help you with yoru placement....and even when a student finds a place that will allow them to do clinicals there, the school has to send a contract, which they are not doing and not saying why they are not doing it. There are several students I know of with this problem and at $3000+ for LifeSpan, we really aren't sure if we will be taking the classs again....I was so psyched at the prospect of completling my degree this way, being military you never know when orders will be issued and what changes your family will have to make, I homeschool my 3 kids and really need to be home during the day, so this was perfect...except that now I am spending more time chasing down answers and anticipating what the school will do to 'fix' the problem then I am in studying....just FYI :)

Oh, maybe it is just an estimate and not a fee. Oops!!

Thank you both for all of the info! I'm still waiting to hear back from a few schools regarding getting my pre-req's done.

Kris- If I do go, I would be applying for the spring 2008 semester. Hopefully by then the kinks would be ironed out, if not then I'd have to pick somewhere else.

The worst part, is that we already know we will only be at our next base for 14 months. I love the military and the opportunity's it has given us, but things like this are so frustrating:trout:

Hubby's last deployment to Iraq really shook me up and I realized that it could be me who has to take care of the kids financially, so I decided that even with 3 at home that I school, I had to make it work. It's not easy, not even a little bit. But in the end it will be worth it.

I agree whole heartedly. And 3 kids at home with your hubby in the box, while attending school, I hope you're VERY proud of yourself!!

You have PM

Hi Guys,

I'm also a military wife and I'm here to tell you that if you want this degree bad enough it can be done :-) I graduated from Chamberlain in May 06 when it was still Deaconess College of Nursing and I did the entire program from Germany because that's where we are stationed. Yes it was expensive, clinical placement was a pain and I had to fly to St. Louis each semester and pay for it out of pocket, but now I'm a licensed RN and am working on my BSN at the University of Wyoming. The funny thing was that I was so used to going to St. Louis for validations and taking the ATI that when it was time for the NCLEX I went back there as well to take it and it worked for me :-) I'm so happy I did it because it was my only option and if I was starting now I would go the same route again. Good luck to you guys and stay strong!

LTNurse

Hi Guys,

The funny thing was that I was so used to going to St. Louis for validations and taking the ATI that when it was time for the NCLEX I went back there as well to take it and it worked for me :-) I'm so happy I did it because it was my only option and if I was starting now I would go the same route again. Good luck to you guys and stay strong!

LTNurse

Congrats to you, but what is an ATI? Is that part of the validation?