Fastest & easiest RN-BSN program online?

Nursing Students Online Learning Nursing Q/A

I'm ready to enroll in an online BSN program. 

I was leaning towards Grand Canyon University, but I just chatted with someone who told me she had to write extensive papers almost every week. That seems like too much!

I understand nursing school is hard, I did the LVN-RN step-up program, and eventually want to get my Masters, but the program I'm looking at requires a BSN first.

Any advice is appreciated, I'm looking for as simple and fast as possible. Of course I'd like to have a reasonable cost as well.

35 Answers

I highly recommend UMass Boston's RN to BSN program. It is all online and the workload is very manageable. Best of all, it is also a brick and mortar school with a good reputation, so it doesn't scream "Internet degree". That being said, I am in no way disparaging online institutions - I do not have any experience with them. I would, however, strongly consider what future employers might be looking for or thinking about when reviewing your resume. UMass Boston also has a chapter of Sigma Theta Tau - I would make sure whatever program you attend has this since as well. Good luck!

Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

Kinda depends on what you consider 'easy' and cheap, I guess.

I'm going to WGU - it can be VERY fast (some have completed in one term - but not me, as I have too many non nursing classes to take) and can be very cheap @ $3200/term for all the classes you can fit in, but there's lots of paper writing and it's not 'easy'.

I'm not sure you can find the quick,cheap and easy in one package but good luck!

Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Psych, Addictions..

I am using Excelsior College. They aren't picky with prerequisites. It's nice that they don't tell you which prerequisites to have like some colleges in Texas that want you to have Texas government and Texas history etc etc. They give a military discount, so it costs me $250 per credit hour.

Specializes in Operating room..

I was very happy with Adventist University (formerly Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences) but I wouldn't say it's the easiest. It is inexpensive but there are many papers to write (such is a BSN program). I did it working full time while on the Open Heart team taking 20+days of call a month with 4 kids and a husband. I finished with a 3.9 GPA. Good luck to you!

Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

ditto what thenursemandy posted, I too went through Excelsiors BSN program. I took 3-4 classes each term, worked full time M-F 8-6 and have three kids and got a 3.8 by the time I graduated. There aren't a lot of tests, and there are a few papers to write for different courses, one or two has some group work/paper but we always got A's. learned alot, took me 16 mo start to finish. Chose my own pre-reqs other than the English, Stats, and Ethics course are required for all BSN students. There are some RN to MSN options at Excelsior, as well as other schools too.

Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

I too need to finish my degree RN-BSN. I was checking out United States University since I would only have to do nursing classes and not a bunch more pre-reqs.

Does anyone else know of a program that you only take nursing courses?

I've heard that U of P is easiest but costly

Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Fastest and cheapest, online RN-BSN

Best cheap, online RN to BSN programs

Specializes in Operating room..

I just graduated this May from Adventist University with a 3.8GPA...$300/credit hour...used to be Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences, very happy with it. They are accredited also.

I went to UCF in Orlando for my BSN and there is definitely extensive papers to write.

I just checked them out, but I don't think spring/fall admissions or an 84 hour clinical in massachusetts falls under fast or easy. is there any way around that?

Specializes in Outpatient/Clinic, ClinDoc.

Have you checked out WGU?

Specializes in Geriatrics, Home Health.

I considered doing my RN-BSN at UMass Boston because I still have my MA nursing license, and my community college nursing credits will definitely transfer, but I thought better of it. I have a prior non-nursing degree from UMass Boston, and I don't recommend the school. Undergrad tuition and mandatory fees are very expensive for a state school, though the online programs, part of Continuing Education, are cheaper.

The worst part for me was that unless you know which strings to pull, no one will tell you anything about anything. That's bad enough when you're physically on campus every day, it's a nightmare when you're only attending online. For that reason alone, I wouldn't recommend UMass Boston to anyone.

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