Chamberlain vs. GateWay Community College...Decisions!

Chamberlain is a legit, accredited school and has a good reputation, but more expensive. In 2.5 years you will be done, but in debt.

The community college will get you out there about 6 months sooner, with an ADN vs BSN, & much less debt.

You may also have more difficulty finding initial employment with the ADN. You can talk to both schools and request job placement rates. But you better hurry, only a few days before they shut down for winter break

I would say to go to GWCC. Chamberlain has a pretty good rep in AZ and s properly accredited. But it is terribly expensive. Much more than you would expect to make in a year. Also, many hospitals do hire ADNs around here. In clinical, I would venture to say almost half the new grads I met had only their ADN. Some were going for their BSN and some were not. SOme were CNAs there, and some were not. So yes, you can still be an RN in a hospital with just an ADN. But it will help tremendously if you have a BSN.

To get your BSN would only take 1-2 semesters longer if going to gateway and be easily half the total cost. Through the MCCCD programs, NAU offers their RN-BSN classes startin block 3 as long as you are maintaining a 3.0 and passing your nursing core. There are 10 or 11 classes. You can take a couple in block 3 and a couple in block 4, you can even take them over summer. Then there are 3 that can only be taken after you have your RN, so depending on how many you complete while in the nursing program, you would have 1 to 2 semesters left after graduating. I know someone who took 2 classes in block three, one over summer, and 2 in block 4. She then took the rest over 2 semesters after graduation. Just something to think about.

Also, if you dont have your CNA, get it and try to work part time during the program. It does not guarantee a job after graduation, but it definitely helps and will at least usually get you interviewed for jobs. Good Luck

Oh, and like another said, hospitals all hire "RNs" because RN is a license not a degree. What you were trying to say was the difference between an ADN and a BSN trained RN. RN= Registered Nurse. Whether you are ADN or BSN, you take the same licensure exam and are and RN just the same. The difference is the amount of theory education behind your degree.

Well, I was accepted into two BSN programs and one ADN program. Personally, where I live in the Midwest they are no longer hiring RN's with just their Associates degree. They want RN's with their Bachelor's degree OR they will hire an RN with just their Associates and making them sign agreements they will complete their BSN within a certain time frame. Hand's down I did not go the ADN.. I chose Chamberlain for the BSN program.. the accreditation's they have and the fact that every hospital around here takes Chamberlain grads. My own personal opinion is to really think long and hard.. do you want to get your RN and be very limited who will hire you.. or just go in for the two years and be complete.

Tough decision when you are accepted for both programs. I'd say it should boil down to the financials. Chamberlain is very expensive, you will be taking on a huge student loan obligation. Look into the ASN to BSN bridge programs in your area, it might take a little longer to get the BSN than if you went to Chamberlain but it will be much more affordable. You can also fast track it a bit by taking more of the general ed and pre-reqs for the bridge program while going through the ASN program. Check with an advisor for the ASN program to see if they have an affiliated bridge program that makes the process easier.

Do you know if ASU and GCU offer the same program that NAU offers starting in Block 3? I will most definitely be looking into this! Thank you everyone again!

NAU, GCU, and ASU currently participate in the CEP program with Maricopa Community Colleges. I thought I heard something about U of PHX being added but don't know if that happened yet. GCU seems to be only the new MSN option though. Also mentioned in the link is Franklin Pierce University which I hadn't heard of before.

https://asa.maricopa.edu/departments/healthcare-education-at-the-maricopa-community/maricopanursing-programs/concurrent-enrollment-programs-cep

I have been lectured by my professors and classmates about applying to the right nursing school.

You have to be careful with what school you register. You need to look at the accreditation.

Many fly-by schools (schools that arent community college or university) have no accreditation or the accreditation gets suspended every few or so years because their new graduates nclex pass rate fluctuate too much every year because they basically accept anyone into their program and charge expensive tuition unlike the competitive community colleges and state unversities.

If i were you, Id apply to the community college because the tuition is cheaper or if youre going to apply to a fly-by nursing school like chamberlain, why not apply to a private legit university? the tuition is basically no different.

Just make sure you do your research. Graduate schools and some employers look at the accreditation of the schools an applying candidate came from. graduate from a school with Longer maintained, unsuspended accreditation = better chances of being accepted.