Feel like a college may be taking advantage of my friend...

minniebrown · Sep 25, 2013

That is one of the downsides of nursing school. They admit a lot of people that they don't believe will graduate. I would let your friend make his own path. He may fail or he may rise to the occasion. He could even choose another field completely. He is an adult, so he has to make his own choices. You can care and be supportive, but let him figure it out on his own. This may be the challenge that he needs.

nuse2b · Sep 25, 2013

Who are you to judge?

I barley graduated high school, was in special education classes, and have a learning disability.

That was 1987, so many people judged me and didn't believe in me. Math made me cry, I was a bad speller......

In 2007 I decided to try nursing school (LPN)

I was one if 40 people, we only graduated 14.

I was valedictorian, and I'm a very good nurse.

Thank you very much.

I found Nursing to be my true calling, wish I had someone to encourage me when i was younger, it's never to late.

I am now in an RN program, and holding a 4.0.

I say be a true friend, and encourage your friend to follow there dreams.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Sep 25, 2013

You are right to be concerned, especially if your friend is dealing with a commercial (for-profit, investor owned) school. They are likely to be much more focused on tuition revenue than the academic success of their students. Once he is enrolled & attending class, they have the tuition locked in. Even if he cannot complete the course, they still keep the tuition, and he is saddled with the loans.

Commercial schools are very appealing because they have much lower entrance requirements. I am not referring to GED - two of my RN, PhD colleagues started out with GEDs... but to the lack of any significant benchmarks that would be indicative of the academic ability needed to complete nursing education & achieve licensure. Take a look at this(College, Inc. | FRONTLINE | PBS) it is a Frontline documentary on for-profit colleges.

PhillippaX50 · Sep 25, 2013

Take a look at this(College, Inc. | FRONTLINE | PBS) it is a Frontline documentary on for-profit colleges.

Thanks for the link - I watched the whole thing! A good friend of mine attends university of phoenix and just informed me that she's graduating this year with her BA (in business) and going straight into their MBA program. The thing is, she has only been going there for 2 1/2 years. Every time I ask her how classes are, she tells me that she "tests out" of them (clep?) so she can graduate faster.

She's literally tested out of half her classes. When I asked her how that works, she said that she just takes a test and doesn't have to take the classes - classes like english, math, sociology etc. - all of the foundation classes required for any regular degree. As long as she makes a passing score, she skips the class.

This just doesn't make sense to me. She just got her GED a few years ago, and now she's able to get her MBA without any work experience, entrance exams, or core classes under her belt? In the article included with your link, one of the teacher's that was interviewed said that she has students who cannot write at the college level, and they don't even know APA. My friend doesn't even know how to do an APA paper, or proper research - I know this because I once asked her for help and she didn't know what I was talking about.

I love my friend, but she's convinced that all she needs is the degree and that will be enough. What about actual skills and knowledge? She said she'll gain that when she's working in the business world, and she'll get a job because she has connections through her teachers. Uhhhgg. I hate to be negative, I just don't see how she's actually learning anything.

OP: I know how you feel. Sometimes we just have to sit back and let our friends/family learn life's lessons on their own. Maybe your friend will do well, who knows? :)