Columbus State On line Nursing Program

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 17, 2006

I just graduated from the very first class of the online program so I'll do my best to answer your questions.

Pros: Relatively little time on campus required. If you are a self learner, it will be right up your alley. For instance, even in college at OSU I rarely went to class but preferred to learn by reading my textbook, so this program was perfect for me. I do not get much out of lectures so I preferred this style of learning. They do have online lectures but I found them to be relatively limited and really just an overview of the material. I sometimes didn't listen to them at all and I graduated with a 4.0. On the other hand, some of my classmates found them very useful.

Cons: If you like lots of contact with your instructors and classmates and prefer to learn in a live lecture where you can ask questions, this is not for you. Your teachers are available to you by e-mail and probably by phone and appointment (I don't know because I never tried to contact them in this way), but you really won't "know" your teachers and they will not "know" you. Even by the time I graduated I didn't know most of my teachers by sight nor did they know me. It's a relatively new program (the second class is going through right now and is in their 4th quarter) so there are still bugs being worked out--nothing major, just annoyance type things with the material posted online sometimes being unclear, etc.

If you have any specific questions about pros and cons, feel free to post them and I'll answer you. I'm completely finished now and it's amazing how quickly you just forget things.

All clinicals are, of course, off campus and begin with your very first quarter. Most clinicals are one day a week. I believe my third quarter we did two 4 or 5-hour days rather than one 10-hour day but I suppose they might allow people to do one 10-hour at some point--they didn't think we were ready for that long day yet. The rest of the time clinicals were only once a week except for the last quarter you have to do 144 hours of clinical time which ends up being more than 1 day a week just to get it done in time. Labs are only the first three quarters. I believe the first quarter was only one day a week and fell on the same day as my clinical day so I just went to lab and clinical every Saturday. The second and third quarter require lab and it was again offered on my clinical day, which was Saturday. However, the pharmacology class required 2nd and 3rd quarter also required lab once a week and the days varied. I think most of us went Thursday or Friday evening.

Clinicals were always the same day each week until the final quarter at which time we all had preceptors (although I don't think that will continue because the 2nd class is much larger than mine) so I'm not sure how the clinicals will work in the last quarter for them.

Definitely possible to work full-time or part-time. I worked full-time through the entire program and the first 2 quarters I still had some non-nursing classes to take--those were very tough quarters because of that. I think the folks with kids found it very hard to continue the program full-time and many ended up dropping back to part-time and are now finishing up in the second group going through the program.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I'm forgetting something. Feel free to post any specific questions and I'll do my best to answer them. There is no way I could have worked full-time and gone through the traditional program so this online program has been wonderful for me. I also just passed the NCLEX on my first try so the program seems to have been a good one!

cakesbyjess · Jul 18, 2006

newohiorn ... Congratulations on passing the nclex!! I am beginning the CSCC online nursing program in September, so it's nice to meet someone who has been through the program! We just had orientation on Friday, and it really got me feeling excited about the whole program!! I just wanted to say hi and tell you congrats! :)

katzchen, good luck with your application to the program! :)

rntoben2008 · Jul 19, 2006

Hello,
I'm new to the forums and am looking at going back to school to become a nurse. I graduated from OSU with a BA, and thus am very interested in the CSCC online program. I have several questions and was hoping that someone here could help me with (the advisors have yet to return my numerous calls!)
What were the pros and cons of the program?
How many days a week did you have to go to campus for clinicals or labs?
Where the clinicals the same days each week?
Do you think it would be possible to work full or part time during the program if you only had nursing classes to take? (I will be finished with all of the non nursing courses by the time I finish the program...)
Thanks!
Kate

Is this an RN program with Associates Degree? or is it LPN? I live in Michigan and our nursing schools are just swamped with people and waiting lists. I have heard our university programs are not as full, but I cannot afford that. I have family in Columbus and a cousin taking another program at Columbus State. How does this program work? Is it expensive?? I need to find a program. I am ready to graduate here in Michigan with an Associates in Science and I have all of the pre reqs that are generally required for any nursing school done. This sounds like an awesome alternative either way for students to use. I wish you luck on your journey.

KatzchenLSW · Jul 19, 2006

Is this an RN program with Associates Degree? or is it LPN? I live in Michigan and our nursing schools are just swamped with people and waiting lists. I have heard our university programs are not as full, but I cannot afford that. I have family in Columbus and a cousin taking another program at Columbus State. How does this program work? Is it expensive?? I need to find a program. I am ready to graduate here in Michigan with an Associates in Science and I have all of the pre reqs that are generally required for any nursing school done. This sounds like an awesome alternative either way for students to use. I wish you luck on your journey.

The CSCC Online program requires a BA or a BS for admission. However, they also have a traditional classroom based program that will be accepting applications later this year. The prereq's for this program are an STNA class, a class in patient care skills, and biochemistry.

Tution is 175 per credit hour for out of state students, and does not include books, lab fees uniforms or supplies.

Info on the Columbus State Program can be found here:

http://www.cscc.edu/nursing/noverview.htm

Other nursing programs you may want to look at in central Ohio are:

Mount Carmel School of Nursing (BSN)

The Ohio State University College of Nursing (BSN)

Otterbein University (BSN)

Good luck!

newohiorn, BSN, RN, EMT-P · Jul 22, 2006

I believe Capital University also offers a BSN and I think Central Ohio Technical College offers an ADN as well.

The original plan with Columbus State's online program was to extend it out to Dayton's community college (Sinclair, I think) and I think another community college in Hocking. I think the idea was that those students could do the same online course work and then do their clinicals in their own area hospitals. I don't know if they are still considering this but it might be worth looking into for folks trying to get into a program.

sassy7cassy · Jul 29, 2006

I'm debating between the classroom and online tracks for the RN program. I'm a quarter away from graduating from OSU with my BA but I'm switching to CSCC for a couple quarters to finish my pre-reqs.

Also, I think CSCC's online track has some connection with Owens in Toledo.

rntoben2008 · Jul 30, 2006

The CSCC Online program requires a BA or a BS for admission. However, they also have a traditional classroom based program that will be accepting applications later this year. The prereq's for this program are an STNA class, a class in patient care skills, and biochemistry.
Tution is 175 per credit hour for out of state students, and does not include books, lab fees uniforms or supplies.
Info on the Columbus State Program can be found here:
http://www.cscc.edu/nursing/noverview.htm
Other nursing programs you may want to look at in central Ohio are:
Mount Carmel School of Nursing (BSN)
The Ohio State University College of Nursing (BSN)
Otterbein University (BSN)
Good luck!

Thanks for the tips. I am finishing up my Associate of Science degree now. Does anyone know much about the nursing schools in Toledo? I have heard good things about going there too. Are the nursing schools in Ohio just as swamped as they are here in Michigan? Like three hundred or more applicants per opening??

cakesbyjess · Jul 30, 2006

I have heard that all of the nursing schools in central Ohio have waiting lists of about 2 years. It's crazy. I'm guessing it's like that everywhere else in Ohio, too.

sassy7cassy · Jul 30, 2006

Apparently the waiting list rumor is.....well.....a rumor. I was talking to a gal on here who applied last winter for this fall's class (first time applying) and got in! If there was a waitlist, that would not have been possible.

futurepeds · Aug 1, 2006

Cassy I am the gal you speak of. And it is true that I applied in the Winter and got in for the Spring not the Fall. Some of my friends were told they had to reapply though because they have the Fall 06 and Spring 07 classes filled so they are at least booked for those. Meaning the next time anyone would be able to get in would be Fall 07. But yeah like you said not quite the wait that many of us were told.

luvmyguys · Aug 1, 2006

Hey! I, too, was admitted into the spring of 06 class at CSCC. I was wondering if you had any info as I have some questions about it-is the program consecutive? Meaning will we be attending during summer quarters? I was told that there was a wait too, and I applied for the first time in Jan. and got in. The only thing that sucked for me is all the pre-req's. And, that there is only a certain time to apply-thats what took me so long. But if anyone knows anything about it-please let me know!!