Does anyone know how long the waitlist is as of now at Stark State??

Published

I understand while your on the waitlist you can get your pre-reqs done but how long is to long??:eek:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hiya, Hopeful! I don't know how long the waitlist is, but in 2006 when I was looking for a school, the wait list was 2 years. This was when the economy was still pretty decent. In a down economy, a lot of people go back to school to ride out the downturn and be ready for when hiring picks up again. So, I'm willing to bet the wait list is still 2 years or longer.

I guess how long a wait is too long is up to you and how you view things. Every year without your license is a loss of 40-50k earning potential. So, 2 years of pre req's and 2 years of Nursing program is too long in my book.

With that view, I entered Aultman's College of Nursing and Heath Sciences ADN program (no waitlist) and got to work on my degree. Started in Aug. 2007 and completed May 2009. The downside is this program is more expensive, I have 20k in student loans now, however, I weigh that vs. the 80-100k of missed income from waiting on the wait list for 2 years at Stark. I think I'll come out ahead ;)

The crap economy has thrown a wrench in my plan though because I got out of school and no one is hiring new Grads! So, back to school I am going while searching for a part time job. I'll be entering Kent States online RN-BSN program and should have the bachelors done in 12 months, about the time jobs will be plentyful again (I hope!).

If you have any questions feel free to hit me up. Goodluck in your school search.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Last time I checked, it was also 2 years. Why not go to Tri-C in Cleveland? Better program, lower cost, better hospital rotations, and no waitlist (first come, first serve - currently placing for Fall 2010).

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Hiya, Hopeful! I don't know how long the waitlist is, but in 2006 when I was looking for a school, the wait list was 2 years. This was when the economy was still pretty decent. In a down economy, a lot of people go back to school to ride out the downturn and be ready for when hiring picks up again. So, I'm willing to bet the wait list is still 2 years or longer.

I guess how long a wait is too long is up to you and how you view things. Every year without your license is a loss of 40-50k earning potential. So, 2 years of pre req's and 2 years of Nursing program is too long in my book.

With that view, I entered Aultman's College of Nursing and Heath Sciences ADN program (no waitlist) and got to work on my degree. Started in Aug. 2007 and completed May 2009. The downside is this program is more expensive, I have 20k in student loans now, however, I weigh that vs. the 80-100k of missed income from waiting on the wait list for 2 years at Stark. I think I'll come out ahead ;)

The crap economy has thrown a wrench in my plan though because I got out of school and no one is hiring new Grads! So, back to school I am going while searching for a part time job. I'll be entering Kent States online RN-BSN program and should have the bachelors done in 12 months, about the time jobs will be plentyful again (I hope!).

If you have any questions feel free to hit me up. Goodluck in your school search.

I actually was scheduled to take the asset test Nov. 4th but didn't go! I just can't afford 400 plys per credit hour!! I currently have about 15k in loans now and adding that much more just wouldn't work for me ;) Thank you so much for your comment though! Also, I really like how Stark State has a weekend/evening program. If I take about three classes per semester, pre reqs wouldn't quite take two years. Maybe about one year because I have two of the classes already done from my previous, almost degree!!

I really did like Aultman though. I went there in August for an open house and I really loved how small and nice it was!! Was I correct on the tution price for Aultman? And also, do students there get more of an "In" to job openings at Aultman Hospital?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Last time I checked, it was also 2 years. Why not go to Tri-C in Cleveland? Better program, lower cost, better hospital rotations, and no waitlist (first come, first serve - currently placing for Fall 2010).

Tri-C has a day program and an evening/weekend program. They start twice a year, no waitlist.

$72.87 per credit hour if you live in the county and $98.81 if you don't live in Cuyahoga County.

I've never understood why people wait 2+ years for other schools and pay tons of money when you can get your ADN so cheap as long as you have the 4 prerequisites and a 2.5 GPA without waiting or paying a ton.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Tri-C has a day program and an evening/weekend program. They start twice a year, no waitlist.

$72.87 per credit hour if you live in the county and $98.81 if you don't live in Cuyahoga County.

I've never understood why people wait 2+ years for other schools and pay tons of money when you can get your ADN so cheap as long as you have the 4 prerequisites and a 2.5 GPA without waiting or paying a ton.

That would be nice except I don't live close to there at all!! And Stark State is only 131.00! I know Aultman is abotu 400.00 something per credit hour! Trust me, Tri-C sounds awesome but unless you live near there $72 dollars plus gas and hours of driving probably isn't worth it. Kent Stark offers a BSN program but I want to go for my ADN first than to a bridge program into my BSN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Most nurses have told me that they wish they would have just done the BSN to start with instead of doing the ADN then RN-BSN. I'm doing ADN because it is faster/cheaper and I already have a bachelor's degree and I'm later heading to PA school so it doesn't matter.

I'm relocating from Columbus, OH to do Tri-C's program.... and hoping the fiance can transfer up there :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You are correct in the hourly cost at Aultman, its a tad over $400 an hour. You do all nursing classes and clinicals at that hospital and all academic course work at Walsh University. I can understand your trepidation in going too much further in debt...it racks up quick! 3 loans totaling $20k works out to be about $300 a month payments. The upside to going back to school is that your student loans can be placed back into deferment since you are a student again. That being said, I don't know off hand if there is a cap to how much you can borrow based on what level of degree you are pursuing? That may affect your decision as well.

As for hiring, no hospital in Stark County or any of the surrounding counties that I have contacted, are hiring new grads right now. I've been beating on doors for 2 months and have recently decided to take a look at LTC facilities in the hopes of getting some experience. Everyone seems to be looking for experienced people right now. There is a huge glut of nursing graduates in this area. I know of at least 6 schools pumping out nurses in the Canton/Akron area, with a few more up in Cleveland. So as far as having an 'in' with Aultman, as one of their students you do have a better chance than if you were one of Kent's new grads applying. However, they have been on a hiring freeze for 6 months now. We had a graduating class of 50, and the hospital had 24 part time or casual positions available for our class. Hence my retreat back into the realm of academia for my BSN.....something to do so I'm not hanging around the house all day wondering why no HR is calling.

One bit of advice I would give to you, that I wish I would have followed when it was given to me, is to get a job as an STNA in a hospital while your in school. This gives you some experience in the nursing field to put down on your resume, and gives you an 'in' on RN positions at that hospital since hospitals prefer to promote from within before opening jobs up to the public.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Be careful with the STNA while in nursing school bit. A girl on my floor was a nurse aide for 5 years before becoming a RN. Despite loving her, our floor refused to hire her back as a nurse because it would cause conflicts since she would be supervising the people she used to be on the same level with. Since she worked here for so long, she floated to virtually every floor and no one would hire her back for that same reason. I seemed to think it would make sense to bring her back as an RN, but at least here they won't. We've also been hiring like crazy at my hospital (Columbus, OH).

I work as a nurse aide and I don't think I will during nursing school. I get frustrated already not being able to work up to my abilities and I haven't even started nursing school yet!! Plus, I have my bachelor's degrees and all the nurses have associate degrees. It is frustrating to have double the years of post-HS education, doing twice the work, and getting 1/4 the salary. Not to dumb down the nurses - they are all amazing nurses and I've learned a lot from them... it is just a frustrating situation!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

As many new graduates as there are around here and many more each year, I wonder even if the economy does get better will there really be anywhere to find a job?

I haven't yet taken any pre-nursing classes but I was planning on it in Jan. Is it really worth all the hard work to not have a job? I just don't know what to do. I will be graduating from Stark State next Spring for Early Childhood Ed. And I already work in the field and honestly most daycares/preschools have teachers without a degree, so this is why I was considering my other love of a nursing career!

I have been going back and forth sooo much it just makes everything more confusing!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion