Cheapest online RN to BSN (2015)

[42pines]

There are threads here at allnurses.com on this subject but they all appear seriously outdated. It seems that a new thread would be useful.

I just took a new job and with one caveat: I must get a BSN within two years.

Now consider that I have a BS in Chemistry, and another BS in Safety Studies (both >3.4GPA) plus my ADN, and I hold specialized credentials in my sub-specialty so my perspective is that I really have enough BS in my life, but my hospital is considering magnet status and so, though I don't really think that I'll get a lot out of a RN>BSN it appears that I just may have to endure it.

This being said, I'm a great believer in you learn what you want to learn, therefore in my book any properly accredited college is likely good enough. I owe $28,000 in student loans already and I'm old enough to lie about my age, so taking out more student loans with a payoff date sometime in my eighties is not an appealing idea. Cheap is good and schools ought to be reducing costs due to the amazing nature of the internet.

Has anyone researched this? It seems that there must be many in the same boat that I'm in.

[MatrixRn]

Try WGU, it is good, online and cheap. And you definitely can finish in the time frame that you need....and based on your school history probably even faster.

[Libby1987]

I have a very well rounded articulate friend who holds 2 professional licenses in health care and is going through WGU.

[klone, MSN, RN]

This article was written less than a year ago, and has been updated less than a month ago:

https://allnurses.com/nursing-online-distance/affordable-online-rn-916995.html

[sp2014RN]

Looking into Aspen University's RN to BSN. They're recently accredited in Texas, but I'm reading some bad reviews overall for the school, that it's a "cut and paste" program with poor instructor contact and possible credit card abuse. The RN to BSN program is so new there are no graduates yet, to my knowledge. They offer a $250/month tuition with 10-week courses coupled with a 2-week break, so it would work budget-wise. The reviews are either glowing or terrible, so I don't know if it's legit. I already have a Bachelor's and an ADN, both with a high GPA, but I need the BSN soon.

[777RN, BSN, RN]

Hello!

Regarding the previous post, Aspen University is a for-profit school, most of which have bad reputations for good reason. Also, despite Aspen's CCNE accreditation for its RN-BSN nursing program, the school is not regionally accredited.

Many erroneously believe that national accreditation is of superior status than regional accreditation. However, when it comes to higher education, regional institution-wide accreditation is what matters most. Ivy League, Big 10 institutions, and other prestigious schools are regionally accredited, not nationally accredited. Just to clarify, national accreditation, such as CCNE or NAAB (for architecture), is important at the program (not the institutional) level. Nevertheless, as a for-profit institution, Aspen seems far less expensive than most of its competitors.

As others have said, WGU's pricing is hard to beat, especially if you work quickly and keep your enrollment to one year or less. However, Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is another really good option. As a previous bachelor's degree holder, all prerequisites are waived, so you'd only have to take five 6-credit, upper-division nursing classes to complete the program. I love, love, love SNHU's streamlined, no-BS approach. The University of Massachusetts–Boston has basically the same program structure, but it is more expensive. Also, at one time, it required local clinicals, though I am not sure if that's still the case. Your profile says you are from Massachusetts/New Hampshire, so the UMass clinical requirement, if still in extant, may not be a problem for you.

At one time or another, I think I've researched nearly every online RN-BSN program in the country. I plan to enroll in an RN-BSN or RN-MSN program by January 2016. For me, it'll be WGU or SNHU. I like WGU primarily for the cost and the possibility of finishing very quickly (if I put my nose to the grindstone). However, I love the idea of only taking SNHU's 5 classes (and it is still reasonably priced at around $10K)! Both schools are regionally and CCNE accredited.

Best wishes!

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

Another plug for WGU here. How much you spend is largely determined by how fast you finish, which in turn is determined by your own personal motivation. The program consists of six month terms at a flat rate tuition. How much you get done in that six months is up to you. It takes three terms to be the equivalent to the cost of most other RN to BSN programs. Most people finish in two. Many finish in just one.

[haunani, BSN, RN]

Can someone shed a little more light on how the coursework works for WGU? Do you just go at your own pace on predetermined subjects, submitting assignments in a specified order?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Can someone shed a little more light on how the coursework works for WGU? Do you just go at your own pace on predetermined subjects, submitting assignments in a specified order?

You're given the courses you need to complete. Yes, you do go at your own pace, submitting assignments. Each course has between 2-5 or so assignments you have to complete in order to pass the course. Assignments are usually papers, sometimes powerpoint presentations, sometimes exams.

[haunani, BSN, RN]

Are the exams proctored, our can you take them at home?

I started the Ohio University program, but since I took a break and I live in a state they no longer serve, I might have to find a new program.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Yes, they are proctored. You can either take them at an approved testing site, or they send you a video camera and you have remote proctoring. I just chose to go to the local community college for tests.

[haunani, BSN, RN]

Thank you for answering my questions.