Do NP schools care about where your BSN came from?

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 12, 2015

42pines,

Sorry, it is not always like this.

I did very extensive research of the subject due to my unique situation (part of coursework/credentials are foreign). FNP programs cannot care less where a candidate is coming from and how long he is working as a nurse providing he has worked the lenght of the time program requires where such requirement exists. Same is true about adults/geriatrics primary care and, I would say, 80+% of adult/geriatrics acute care programs. Only the very top places require experience in specialty. Peds, NICU, Women's health and especially CRNA programs are way more strict; the latter ones may want not just ICU experience but particular level of it. However many years in rural critical access place with 2 beds and "we do not do vents here" policy won't go.

Reg. GPA, while most online and ordinary campus-based programs have the basic requirement of 3.0 and ok with everything above it, it may or may not be so with higher-ranked programs and especially with ones where research component is emphasized or with clinicals done "in home" as opposed to those arranged by students. The place I ended in (high rank, heavy clinical component) has official cutoff of 3.2 but during mandatory meeting with advisor before applying it is said point-blank that they want GPA 3.5 and above, and that since GPA makes 70% of admission score, candidates with less than 3.5 may want not bother to apply. The mean undergraduate GPA of this program's students is 3.7. In addition to that, certain prereqs must be either from the same university or from a short list of state universities with timeline applied (done not more thsn X years ago). They do not care if you have their own diploma received 15 years ago with As for all those prereqs and was dutifully working all that time.

Lori215, RN · Jun 12, 2015

Thank you KatieMI. I was hoping someone who has recently been through the process would chime in.

So from what you are saying, do you think a BSN from a university would keep my options more open than one from a state college? Or is it strictly GPA and where you obtained your credits doesn't matter? In your program it seems like it mattered where your classes were taken. I know from personal experience that my grades have been much better at the state college level than at the university level, so if it is just GPA I will probably stick it out here.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 13, 2015

Lori215,

If you do not care that much where you want to go for your Master's OR you are not sure that, for whatever reason (academical, financial, moving away from family, etc., etc.) you will be able to keep up with university, then go to state college and be successful there.

If you really want to get into real top level program (not an online diploma mill outcrop of one), then go to university and do whatever it takes to be successful there.

In any case, strive for the best and forget the old agade that "the C is still a degree". GPA of top 5 % of your class will bring you almost anywhere in terms of graduate education.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 13, 2015

M
They make it very clear, though, that they do not accept Exelsior, some online BSN diploma mills and quite a few private schools with particularly bad reputation and low NCLEX pass rate. Certain pre-requisites must be either from a short list of state universities or approv ed by the program.

they do not accept a Bsn from Excelsior's Rn to Bsn program?

That IS strange,considering they are accredited.

What are some Rn to Bsn diploma mill programs on the internet that the school is referring to?

Calling (some) All- online Rn to Bsn programs diploma mills is interesting to me.

The only one i could think of is U of Phoenix.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 13, 2015

Smartnurse82,

When you apply, you need to give college transcripts from every place you studied, including your ADN. Then it is up to the school to consider your coursework or not. Accreditation of the school or lack thereof doesn't matter.

And, yes, top level graduate programs can be very picky. If University of Michigan has prereq of statistics for all its MSN programs and only allows this course from certain places, then it is what it is. You can either retake your statistics in college of their preference, or fill that course transfer petition form and hope they will accept it on individual basis. Or just apply elsewhere.

From the list I got, I only remember South university apart from Phoenix they do not accept flat out for BSN. There were also a few private schools with known low NCLEX passing rate, all of them accedited, of course. A nurse I work with wanted to apply the same program I did and was told that, although they were OK with her RN to BSN from state university, her ADN from Excelsior will be considered on "individual basis" reg. core curriculum. She did not bother to apply there feeling that she was not competitive enough.

smartnurse1982 · Jun 14, 2015

Smartnurse82,
Accreditation of the school or lack thereof doesn't matter.
.

see below- it DOES matter.

The below applies to regional accreditation.

Dec 6, '14 by meanmaryjean, MSN, RN

Regional accreditation is extremely important for this reason: You cannot transfer those credits earned at a non-accredited school to anywhere else, AND the degree you earn is unlikely to get you admitted to any further, higher education.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2015

Smartnurse82,
When you apply, you need to give college transcripts from every place you studied, including your ADN. Then it is up to the school to consider your coursework or not. Accreditation of the school or lack thereof doesn't matter.
And, yes, top level graduate programs can be very picky. If University of Michigan has prereq of statistics for all its MSN programs and only allows this course from certain places, then it is what it is. You can either retake your statistics in college of their preference, or fill that course transfer petition form and hope they will accept it on individual basis. Or just apply elsewhere.
From the list I got, I only remember South university apart from Phoenix they do not accept flat out for BSN. There were also a few private schools with known low NCLEX passing rate, all of them accedited, of course. A nurse I work with wanted to apply the same program I did and was told that, although they were OK with her RN to BSN from state university, her ADN from Excelsior will be considered on "individual basis" reg. core curriculum. She did not bother to apply there feeling that she was not competitive enough.

She was right.

Accreditation absolutely does matter. Woe to any folks who read that and think they don't have to worry about their "degrees" from ABC Tech. They will find out in a BIG hurry.

caliotter3 · Jun 14, 2015

If I were on an admissions committee for an NP program, I would be more concerned with your listed nursing work experience, than with the school where you obtained your BSN.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jun 14, 2015

Post deleted.