Frontier WHNP

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 22, 2015

I had a 4.0 and couldn't get in with three years of full-time NICU experience and L&D experience as well.

However, I think Frontier's applications have backslid. They used to close admissions for a class months in advance...from what I have heard from others, unless it's their FNP program, they haven't closed admissions in quite a while.

carlygh · May 22, 2015

Oh wow...when did you apply and was that for the WHNP?

- carly, RN, BSN

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 25, 2015

Yes it was. I applied back in 2012. I am usually a "go with the flow" in regards to college admissions but I was truly devastated at the rejection.

However, let me give you some more information. I am not bashing Frontier (for those that think I am), but this is the God's honest truth of my experience.

I probably shouldn't say that I got rejected, because I got wait listed, but my number was in the double-digits. I checked two weeks later to find out where I was on the wait list and found out my number had actually DROPPED...in other words, I was further down the wait list than I started. I didn't just drop a couple of slots, I dropped SIX SLOTS. I found out that they rarely pull of the wait list.

I am on this nursing message board and a couple of others (I used to have a bad problem with insomnia) and I know that several applicants here and on the other one was actually CALLED by Frontier and asked for additional information for their application. They were declined admission to one class and then they asked if they would accept admission to a future class, which they obviously accepted.

When I heard about this I called Frontier and they denied that they did anything like that because I told them I would be happy to be accepted in a future class. I don't think people come on this board and lie about things like that.

When I asked about being moved down the wait list, I was told, "Oh, we heard from several students AFTER the deadline had passed, so we went ahead and granted them admission."

I couldn't understand that either...you make an exception for a student who didn't even bother to respond on time versus another student that really wants in.

This is why God hasn't put me on an admissions committee. Because the morning of that deadline I would start cutting off people that didn't respond and would be sending out new acceptance letters.

I also called the day before Frontier Bound started...on the off chance someone cancelled, because I was going to be ready to go the next morning if I needed to. Nobody gave up their slot.

The other problem I had is this was the only application that I filled out that asked for the number of dependents I had at the end and my marital status. To me, that is none of their freaking business. I answered it because I wanted to be honest, but to me, that should be an illegal question. You can't ask how many children you have on a job application and you shouldn't be able to ask that on a college admission. I have no idea if it is like that or not now...I can only speak for when I filled it out.

I was going to be paying cash, I had things worked out with my employer, I had a job working in women's health, I even live in a rural area, we have FOUR WHNP'S in my region...FOUR. We only have two CNM's, I had a preceptor lined up. There is obviously a need in my region.

I still did not get accepted.

I saw people on here fresh out of school, no women's health experience, etc...post that they got accepted.

What they are looking for? I couldn't even begin to tell you. If someone on here is an instructor (you need not disclose it) or formally worked for Frontier, I would love to have some insight.

I just really felt that I had flushed $100 down the toilet and wasted a long time waiting. I have no shame in saying that I was very, very hurt.

Yes, it's a top school. I'm not going to bash their program because obviously the statistics disagree with me and know several of their graduates and I have great respect for them. However, it would be very interesting to see the demographics of who was accepted and if familial/marital status was a factor.

carlygh · May 25, 2015

Wow I'm really sorry that happened to you...that's really rough...I have no idea if it is based of of family and such...I haven't found many people that are in the WHNP program or that even applied... I don't know how many applications they get for that program...I'm really nervous about it though

- carly, RN, BSN

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 25, 2015

I could be off base, but I think their applications have pulled back because for a LONG time, people were getting off-the-wall rejections like mine. One girl that had very little nursing experience applied for the WHNP program and she posted on here that they called and asked if she would accept a slot in the CNM program instead. I think she barely had a year of experience.

Their admissions calender, used to fill up months in advance and they would frequently post that admissions were closed for a particular class.

I haven't seen that in a long time. So either they have stopped closing admissions or just stopped posting online that their admissions are closed.

I would still advise you to apply, because it's a crap shoot anywhere you apply anyway.

carlygh · May 25, 2015

Oh I definitely will still apply because there's no way to know if I don't at least try! I think my stats are pretty good but who knows!

- carly, RN, BSN

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 25, 2015

Oh I definitely will still apply because there's no way to know if I don't at least try! I think my stats are pretty good but who knows!
- carly, RN, BSN

I agree and ultimately you never know what any school is looking for. I would truly be very happy for you if you got in.

carlygh · May 25, 2015

Thank you! I'm keeping my fingers crossed! I don't really have much of a back up plan truthfully!

- carly, RN, BSN

Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 26, 2015

...but do apply to another program as a back up. You have to remember that Frontier has four starts a year for most of their programs and start at odd times. They only notify you about two weeks prior to Frontier Bound whether or not you have been accepted.

Yes, that is very last minute.

So, you can always turn down an offer somewhere else if you find out you get into Frontier. Most people do not know their acceptance notifications come that close to Frontier Bound. Knowing that, just plan accordingly.

mommy2anangel · May 27, 2015

Actually they notify you 6-8 weeks before Frontier Bound. My class was an exception and was notified at 5 weeks, but on the Class 139 thread, we actually calculated how far out from bound several of the previous classes had found out and it was consistently in the 6-8 week time frame. We have had a few accepted already off of the wait list.

carlygh · May 27, 2015

I've seen other places that it's usually 6-8 weeks before FB...makes sense for booking flights and such!

- carly, RN, BSN