FNP Walden

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Mar 14, 2014

Your question is whether Walden is a reputable university. Although a certain degree of subjectivity lends the question to a variety of responses, you can answer that question a few ways:

1. Acceptance rates - schools with a high degree of selectivity in accepting students tend to be those with a better reputation than most. This could mean the school makes faculty to student ratio a priority and that a certain degree of individualized attention is achieved in teaching. Research Walden's acceptance rates against other options you have as far as FNP programs.

2. History - has the school been around for a long time and does it have a long history of producing nurses in all levels of practice. Schools with a long history of educating in a professional field of endeavor have alumni that support the school's continued success and provide a wealth of networking possibilities to students and new graduates. How long has Walden's FNP program been around?

3. Number of full time faculty with expertise and the highest degrees attained in their field - this is quite hard to assess in schools offering NP programs. Faculty rosters usually include nurses with PhD's and DNP's but which ones have actual and substantial NP practice can be hard to determine. You could certainly ask Walden what the strong points of the faculty are.

4. Word of mouth - can be least reliable in my opinion but sometimes public opinion can be right. You are in Michigan and you and I know that University of Michigan Ann Arbor is well regarded in that region if not nationally. Some schools just have that name recognition.

futureeastcoastNP · Mar 14, 2014

Please, when doing research, just a word of caution: DO NOT rely on the admissions counselor at Walden for your facts. They are actually sales people and according to a US Senate investigation, have been known to fudge the truth a bit to enroll students. They are paid based on how many people they enroll, so they have incentive to get you to go there.

Mark Hill BSN · Mar 14, 2014

There will be numerous people on this sight who are devout Walden haters (present company included) based solely on the schools profitability status. These people have not attended Walden, and really have no idea about the curriculum, program rigor, or quality of NP graduates. These people will sight a multitude of anecdotal scenarios about "questionable" recruitment practices, and throw out a gambit of other unfounded accusations. They will do all they can to sully the reputation of Walden based on their opinion and not on facts about the effectiveness of the academic program. You will have to base your choices of schools on what your needs are, and if the school will meet those needs. I am also convinced that trying to glean factual information about Walden on this sight will be very difficult, if not impossible, due to the plethora of contradictive information you will receive...I suggest you do you own research, and not take anyone's word for anything.

futureeastcoastNP · Mar 14, 2014

There will be numerous people on this sight who are devout Walden haters (present company included) based solely on the schools profitability status. These people have not attended Walden, and really have no idea about the curriculum, program rigor, or quality of NP graduates. These people will sight a multitude of anecdotal scenarios about "questionable" recruitment practices, and throw out a gambit of other unfounded accusations. They will do all they can to sully the reputation of Walden based on their opinion and not on facts about the effectiveness of the academic program. You will have to base your choices of schools on what your needs are, and if the school will meet those needs. I am also convinced that trying to glean factual information about Walden on this sight will be very difficult, if not impossible, due to the plethora of contradictive information you will receive...I suggest you do you own research, and not take anyone's word for anything.

Mark, I understand that you love Walden and do not like when people post facts about the school that look bad, but future students deserve the right to know. I will not post anything about Walden that does not have facts backing it up, but you shouldn't hide facts that make the school look bad just because you don't like to hear the truth. If I were a future student looking for info, I would want to know the good AND the bad. You shouldn't cover up things and potentially hurt future students just because you're biased. It's unfair.

The OP asked about Walden - they deserve the truth. To the OP, please research Walden's failure rates, student spending, and the US Senate investigation (available here: https://chronicle.com/article/A-Damning-Portrait-of/133253/). I will not post my own opinions, but simply tell you where to look. Hopefully that at least is allowed.

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Mar 14, 2014

The OP asked about Walden - they deserve the truth. To the OP, please research Walden's failure rates, student spending, and the US Senate investigation (available here: https://chronicle.com/article/A-Damning-Portrait-of/133253/). I will not post my own opinions, but simply tell you where to look. Hopefully that at least is allowed.

July 30, 2012

[h=1]Senate Report Paints a Damning Portrait of For-Profit Higher Education[/h]

[h=4]Praise for Some Colleges[/h] Still, Senator Harkin singled out several institutions, including Strayer, Walden, National American University, and American Public University, as companies that are, in fact, doing a good job of educating students. He also cited Kaplan, DeVry, and the Apollo Group as companies that had "very serious shortcomings in the past" but are making improvements.
For-profit colleges disproportionately enroll nontraditional students from disadvantaged populations, Senator Harkin said, but "if that's who they're going to recruit, they have to build into their system decent support services to help those students."

futureeastcoastNP · Mar 14, 2014

July 30, 2012
Senate Report Paints a Damning Portrait of For-Profit Higher Education

The actual data in the reports show Walden to have a drop out rate of over 30% and they spend more on marketing than student teaching. Overall though, they ARE better than some for profits, but that's not a very high bar and their numbers are still way below not for profits.

OCRN3 · Mar 14, 2014

This report actually praises Walden as doing "a good job". So then how is your argument against Walden even valid?

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OCRN3 · Mar 14, 2014

If a drop out rate is high, at least we know they are not handing out diplomas. I'm not for or against profit or non profit, public or private. Here in California community colleges and state colleges are barely letting people in. A couple years ago the state colleges would not even accept students unless they had some community college credits, no freshmen allowed. Don't know of that's still the case, but from first hand experience trying to get exercise classes at a community college, they had me wait listed last fall? That is absolutely ridiculous. So if a for profit school is willing to take you in then so be it. I would not want to be waiting around for Berkley to call me in.

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allnurses Guide · Mar 14, 2014

It is hard to draw any conclusions about the quality of a program from the dropout rate as this could be secondary to a myriad of factors including poor quality, admitting substandard students, financial burden, etc.

It does make me worry tax money is being spent on too many dropouts but that isn't the crux of this argument.

In my opinion, NP programs are selective in admissions because it helps control the quality of the product. It's scares me a little when those standards for entry drop.

futureeastcoastNP · Mar 14, 2014

If a drop out rate is high, at least we know they are not handing out diplomas. I'm not for or against profit or non profit, public or private. Here in California community colleges and state colleges are barely letting people in. A couple years ago the state colleges would not even accept students unless they had some community college credits, no freshmen allowed. Don't know of that's still the case, but from first hand experience trying to get exercise classes at a community college, they had me wait listed last fall? That is absolutely ridiculous. So if a for profit school is willing to take you in then so be it. I would not want to be waiting around for Berkley to call me in.
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California has a huge oversupply of nurses as it is. It is a GOOD thing that the not for profits there are barely letting people in. It is in the best interest of the profession to try to control the supply when the demand falls. For profit programs taking anyone with tuition money is not a good thing at all - it will further oversaturate the market for both RNs and NPs.

Contrary to popular belief, I don't think becoming a nurse practitioner should be a "right." There are half as many medical school seats as there are pre-med students applying - should they open 50 lackluster for profit programs to handle the ones that don't get in? Of course not, they simply try again next year, and the supply of physicians stays low enough that they never have to worry about jobs or salaries. The same cannot be said of NPs. Eventually this mentality that anyone who wants to should be allowed to become an NP will leads to hundreds of thousands more NPs than this country actually needs. Limiting the number of students accepted to school would help prevent that.

NurseMeco · Mar 14, 2014

I attended and recently completed Walden's program. Sitting for exam soon. The program by no means is a 'cake walk' so I never felt as if I was being given an education. If I didn't do the work, my grade reflected that.... If i half-assed the work, my grade reflected that.... And when I put the time in and and did an excellent job, my grade also reflected that. Bottom line is, some things are ultimately up to you! If you don't like taking open book exams, Heck, you 're home, CLOSE the book. I'm in Atlanta. Since you have to arrange your own clinicals, start early. Many schools, not just Walden, put this responsibility on the student. I work at a big teaching university. I was privileged to have been precepted in a clinical with othe NP students, PA's and medical students. These debates about how 'Walden' is viewed, really amuse me. I know MANY nurses that opted for Walden and other online schools and receive their clinicals (which in my book is where the real learning takes place), and are challenged and show that they are equally as good as the next. No one seems to care where I went to school. The MD's that know I've finished school sends me their "congrats, I know you're glad that's done". I've been on four interviews, have two offers, and a second interview scheduled. Now, with all that being said. I did have problems with Walden. Not on the educational side but the admin side. I don't believe their is a program out there that's perfect. And sadly, it's seems that 'us' nurses are more critical and bashing of 'our' profession than others. I don't regret my education (I'm now great at research and can write a heck of a paper, as we'll care for those in my community with confidence). I could go on and on, but there is no need. I hear negative crap about the local schools all the time. I know some that stopped online and b&m schools for whatever reason and some that continued. DO YOU!!! And I wish you the very best..

Mark Hill BSN · Mar 14, 2014

Future, you continue to make statements of which you have nothing to back them up. I love Walden because it is a good school, and I got a good education from that school. If I had not received a "good" education from this school I would say as much. I have not tried to hide any facts about Walden from anyone, I have simply given people a glimpse into MY experience. I am simply not interested in the financial practices of any school, as it does not effect academics, and there are many schools every year that have "questionable" practices on some level. Would you decide not to go to USC because they have had questionable recruitment practices of athletes, Michigan because they paid their basketball players some years ago.....NO it would have no bearing on your decision to attend that school...and yes those practices are just as "questionable" as any other. Is Penn State a bad school because they knowingly employed a child rapist for many years and covered it up?....of course not! You don't like Walden because you think it is a bad school based on you opinion of its "tax" status, but you don't have any knowledge of its curriculum, organization, support, quality of instructors, or anything else. I'm sure Walden does have a high attrition rate for its FNP program (I know this for a fact because I interviewed one of the creators of their curriculum), because it is a very difficult program, that requires significant time management skills. FYI, my recruiter was never aggressive, she never pushed me, she called me back when she said she would. She told me right out of the gate, that this program would be very intense, and that I would need to be willing to commit 15 - 20 hours per week, per class for study, research, and writing. I was never once lied to, nor was coerced in any shape, form, or fashion. I did however, work very hard, and stay ahead of my work. I did the 574 hours of required practicum, then added another 500 hours of "self-imposed" residency at the clinic where I currently work (which my preceptor was happy to provide). My boss (former preceptor) was so impressed with my commitment to my education, and my knowledge base that he offered me a very lucrative position at his rural health clinic.... My point is, you don't know anything about this school, its students, or its graduates, yet you continue to do all you can to tear Walden down.....Why? Bitterness maybe?