Credibility of Walden University

Specialties NP

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I am looking into FNP programs and have heard good things about Waldens program, but I am just interested in the credibility this University has when employers look at at your resume? I am tossing up Concordia University WI (which is completly online except a 2 week assessment course and you find all of your own clinicals. The cost is 570-620/credit.) and Walden Univerisity, which I am aware is entirely online and you find your own clinics. I am unaware of the cost of Walden, if anyone knows that would be great information too!

I personally don't really care about the training being online (though I do worry about lack of standards when you require students to find their own clinical training). I think for-profit schools are the true problem (online or otherwise).

By the way, many of the brick-and-mortar programs require you to find your own clinical preceptor. However, you have to turn in an extensive amount of paperwork in order for the site and the preceptor to be approved and this has to be done months in advance. That is great, that your school is doing it for you, but since you have no experience with setting it up yourself, then you shouldn't assume that schools that do are not reputable programs.

University of Cincinnati and UAB, are two examples, that are both affiliated with medical schools, and both programs require you to find your own preceptor.

I cannot speak for every program, but on this dear, you are 100% incorrect.

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Obviously your words and action contradict one another, for if you really felt it was pointless to "converse with me" then you wouldn't converse with me, but I digress. I realize that your point in many ways mirrors mine, I guess my biggest problem is with the terminology of "inferior". I do take offence when people say that on-line education is inferior, when they don't have anything evidence based or otherwise that proves that. It is all based purely on opinion and speculation. I do believe that some schools are better than other, but I also believe if a motivated individual really wants to succeed, that success will have very little to do with where they attended nurse practitioner school. There is an old saying, that states, "some things are better left unsaid", this can be especially true when comparing educations among professionals.

I didn't rally mean to single you out, but more to address this general concept that all online, or even all for profit university's are scandalous and inferior. This idea is not only not true, but it is ridiculous, and yes, insulting.

I don't think anyone finds online education inferior, as it works well for many class types and subjects. Many top schools have online programs, and people receive the same education. I, for example, sometimes learn better in online courses that I have taken as I get to take my time going through slides, rewinding lectures, etc.

The issue, however, is for-profit universities. A for profit university cares only about making a profit for as long as they can. Long term reputation of their graduates is of no consequence - the demographic they target is not the type to read USNews rankings, etc. They prey on people who have no other opportunity - they use flashy ads to get people in their program, and provide what little education they can get away with and stay accredited. It's not a good environment, for the most part. I understand that people get very insulted over this, but unfortunately that's life. You get what you work/pay for. In some ways, it's insulting to those who work hard and sacrifice to attend top programs when you tell them that your program is just as good and that your education is the same. The truth is, it probably isn't.

I've attended community colleges, online programs, and yes, Ivy League schools. There is no comparison between the education. It goes beyond the curriculum being accredited or the graduates being able to pass licensing exams. It's about being surrounded by intelligent, hard working students with diverse backgrounds. It's about learning from professors who are at the top of their field. It's about having world class libraries and witnessing cutting edge research. You just can't find that at a for-profit.

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It was a simple question requiring a simple answer.

If the standards are so low, then how are the graduates getting nationally credentialed at online schools?

Easy credentialing exam that a prep course can prepare even someone with no NP education to take..

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Easy credentialing exam that a prep course can prepare even someone with no NP education to take..

Can you prove that?

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Can you prove that?

Um, I'm quite sure there's no peer reviewed article claiming this, if that's what you mean. I went to a competitive BSN program where the majority of my friends went on for NP and almost all I talked to said the ANCC exam was extremely easy had very few clinical questions on it. The AANP exam, however, apparently does require more knowledge, but less people seem to take it.

As I said, passing the exam doesn't prove equality. If someone with a Bachelor's in Animal Science and a Veterinarian both took an exam on animal anatomy, chances are they would both pass. Does that mean they're now equal in animal knowledge? No, it means the bachelor's of animal science was sufficient for the exam. The veterinarian still likely knows more about animal biology, diseases, etc. It's the same with the NP exam - it doesn't test the full body of knowledge, and I'm willing to bet that graduates of top schools have experiences and knowledge that graduates of for-profit schools don't have.

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Um, I'm quite sure there's no peer reviewed article claiming this, if that's what you mean. I went to a competitive BSN program where the majority of my friends went on for NP and almost all I talked to said the ANCC exam was extremely easy had very few clinical questions on it. The AANP exam, however, apparently does require more knowledge, but less people seem to take it.

As I said, passing the exam doesn't prove equality. If someone with a Bachelor's in Animal Science and a Veterinarian both took an exam on animal anatomy, chances are they would both pass. Does that mean they're now equal in animal knowledge? No, it means the bachelor's of animal science was sufficient for the exam. The veterinarian still likely knows more about animal biology, diseases, etc. It's the same with the NP exam - it doesn't test the full body of knowledge, and I'm willing to bet that graduates of top schools have experiences and knowledge that graduates of for-profit schools don't have.

There is another, reasonable explanation...did you consider the fact the school your friends were well-prepared for the exam because of the program they went to?

Your learning is what you make of it. I work in an environment where we have residents and medical students present every single day...at the end of the rotation, you can tell very quickly who put the effort in and who wanted to skate by.

It's an untestable theory, mainly because unless you cannot take the exam unless you have graduated from an accredited program.

All not-for-profit schools are qual. I have a friend that took her NCLEX 7 times and has given up on nursing because she could never pass the exam, even though, ironically, she had excellent grades in school.

I know another that graduated from a top-notch NP school and passed her certification exam on her THIRD attempt.

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There is a national standard on becoming an NP. Schools have to have accreditation for students to sit for board exams, the clinical practicum hours have to be minimum of 500, and the class requirements are the same. There is no school that is not for profit, the not for profit status is a tax classification only with how the schools spend their profit being the difference.

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There is a national standard on becoming an NP. Schools have to have accreditation for students to sit for board exams, the clinical practicum hours have to be minimum of 500, and the class requirements are the same. There is no school that is not for profit, the not for profit status is a tax classification only with how the schools spend their profit being the difference.

Just wanted to chime in and say this is incorrect. A for-profit school is usually owned by a company, and is created for the sole purpose of raising money. The "profit" goes to shareholders and the parent company, and is not put back into the school. It is a business, nothing more.

A non for profit school is there for the purpose of education and research. It is not owned by a parent company, and there are no shareholders or executives getting "bonuses" from high tuition paying students. All money raised goes back into the school - improving buildings, paying financial aid, hiring better professors, and doing research. A non-profit school's purpose is not to raise money, but to contribute to society while educating future generations.

None of the top colleges and universities in the world are for-profit. There is a huge difference.

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Specializes in Certified Family Nurse Practitioner.

Not for profit schools spend their money on huge salaries for department chairs sometimes in the millions of dollars. I agree there is no real "not for profit school". If there was not money to be made, there would be NO schools at all. Education is a profit driven industry, as all successful industries are. As far as credibility is concerned, those who think that accredited for profit schools should not exist need to take their grievances up with the national accreditation boards themselves!

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Non profit schools with department chairs making millions of dollars? My only question is where!

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.
Not for profit schools spend their money on huge salaries for department chairs sometimes in the millions of dollars. I agree there is no real "not for profit school". If there was not money to be made, there would be NO schools at all. Education is a profit driven industry, as all successful industries are. As far as credibility is concerned, those who think that accredited for profit schools should not exist need to take their grievances up with the national accreditation boards themselves!

You should look up what professors, department chairs, and deans make in state universities. This is available to the public. Nobody makes the numbers you quoted. Even athletic directors in highly ranked college sports teams don't make that much. Are you talking well known private universities such as the Ivy League, Stanford, Johns Hopkins, Duke, Vanderbilt? even those places, I doubt department chairs make millions. Academia is not typically a money-making career with the exception of highly talented professors with patents to their inventions.

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Specializes in ACNP-BC, Adult Critical Care, Cardiology.

I take the athletic director comment back...apparently some do make millions, shame shame shame.

The 20 Highest-Paid Athletic Directors In College Sports - Business Insider

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