Graduated from non-regionally accredited school and now cant get into NP school

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Specializes in CVICU.

Hello everyone.. so I have found myself in a mess and I have barely been able to stop crying and hating myself. I got my associates from a community college in 2016 then went back and did my BSN online through them. I knew they were CCNE accredited so I didn't think much it. Now that I am applying for grad school and looking to get a master's FNP I have been rejected by two schools because the college I attended though nationally accredited, it is not regionally accredited. I had heard this before but honestly I didn't pay much attention. VERY STUPID of me I know. I have worked my butt off so hard the last 6+ years to not be able to get in a grad school program and pursue my dream ? have any of you been through this? I think I may have to redo my BSN degree at this point. Anyone know of programs I could be accepted into? I am so devastated!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Trauma.

I don’t think the situation is as dire as you think. Breathe. Let’s talk through it. ❤️ 

Let me try and wrap my head around your post and see if I’m understanding what you’re trying to say. You have your ADN and BSN from a nationally accredited, CCNE accredited school. You now want to get your FNP, but the regionally accredited graduate programs you’ve applied to rejected your applications, because your previous degrees are from nationally accredited schools? If I’ve got that right...

... There are nationally accredited universities/colleges that have graduate programs and ARNP programs. I went to a nationally accredited vocational college for my ADN, accredited through ABHES. I had a difficult time getting local, regionally accredited universities to take me seriously, because of this. What few schools would talk to me said I would have to take a lot of gen-ED classes (ones I already took for my ADN at my school) before applying to their RN-BSN program. I applied to and was accepted by Chamberlain University for their online RN-BSN program. I’m at the point in my BSN where I’m thinking about bridging into one of their MSN programs. Either nurse educator or FNP. 

I don’t know what schools you applied to, but it sounds like you just need to widen your search pool. ☺️ Chamberlain, Walden, Western Governor’s, Keiser, Grand Canyon, etc... Nationally accredited schools. Check if your previous school has any articulation agreements with other universities. If you’re not sure if your credits/degree will be honored/accepted at a particular school,  e-mail the admissions office. “I have my BSN from *school name* and am interested in your FNP program...” The downside is that a lot of (if not all) nationally accredited programs are usually for-profit and can be more expensive. 

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Specializes in CVICU.
7 hours ago, OliveOyl91 said:

I don’t think the situation is as dire as you think. Breathe. Let’s talk through it. ❤️ 

Let me try and wrap my head around your post and see if I’m understanding what you’re trying to say. You have your ADN and BSN from a nationally accredited, CCNE accredited school. You now want to get your FNP, but the regionally accredited graduate programs you’ve applied to rejected your applications, because your previous degrees are from nationally accredited schools? If I’ve got that right...

... There are nationally accredited universities/colleges that have graduate programs and ARNP programs. I went to a nationally accredited vocational college for my ADN, accredited through ABHES. I had a difficult time getting local, regionally accredited universities to take me seriously, because of this. What few schools would talk to me said I would have to take a lot of gen-ED classes (ones I already took for my ADN at my school) before applying to their RN-BSN program. I applied to and was accepted by Chamberlain University for their online RN-BSN program. I’m at the point in my BSN where I’m thinking about bridging into one of their MSN programs. Either nurse educator or FNP. 

I don’t know what schools you applied to, but it sounds like you just need to widen your search pool. ☺️ Chamberlain, Walden, Western Governor’s, Keiser, Grand Canyon, etc... Nationally accredited schools. Check if your previous school has any articulation agreements with other universities. If you’re not sure if your credits/degree will be honored/accepted at a particular school,  e-mail the admissions office. “I have my BSN from *school name* and am interested in your FNP program...” The downside is that a lot of (if not all) nationally accredited programs are usually for-profit and can be more expensive. 

I was so emotional when I wrote that but yes you understood what I was trying to say. I graduated from a private college that is CCNE and nationally accredited, but they lack regional accreditation. Because of this Chamberlain was actually the first one to reject me saying they could only take degrees obtained at regionally accredited schools (even while my college is CCNE accredited).  Maryville and Walden told me the same thing. I've applied to Keiser and haven't heard back (though it specifically says on their website requirements that you must have a bachelor's from a regionally accredited school). So far I've only found WGU which had said they will take my credits. I know there are schools, It's just very frustrating. Makes the search very hard and narrows down the options a lot ?. I will have to keep looking around. Thanks for your response! ☺️

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Specializes in Med-Surg.
2 hours ago, DreaNurse said:

I was so emotional when I wrote that but yes you understood what I was trying to say. I graduated from a private college that is CCNE and nationally accredited, but they lack regional accreditation. Because of this Chamberlain was actually the first one to reject me saying they could only take degrees obtained at regionally accredited schools (even while my college is CCNE accredited).  Maryville and Walden told me the same thing. I've applied to Keiser and haven't heard back (though it specifically says on their website requirements that you must have a bachelor's from a regionally accredited school). So far I've only found WGU which had said they will take my credits. I know there are schools, It's just very frustrating. Makes the search very hard and narrows down the options a lot ?. I will have to keep looking around. Thanks for your response! ☺️

Hi, try Herzing University, Regis University, and Colorado Technical University 

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Specializes in Critical Care, Trauma.
4 hours ago, DreaNurse said:

I was so emotional when I wrote that but yes you understood what I was trying to say. I graduated from a private college that is CCNE and nationally accredited, but they lack regional accreditation. Because of this Chamberlain was actually the first one to reject me saying they could only take degrees obtained at regionally accredited schools (even while my college is CCNE accredited).  Maryville and Walden told me the same thing. I've applied to Keiser and haven't heard back (though it specifically says on their website requirements that you must have a bachelor's from a regionally accredited school). So far I've only found WGU which had said they will take my credits. I know there are schools, It's just very frustrating. Makes the search very hard and narrows down the options a lot ?. I will have to keep looking around. Thanks for your response! ☺️

I felt the same way you did when I was looking into schools for my BSN. I was just fortunate enough to have gone to a school that really stressed the fact that they’re nationally accredited, so I was somewhat emotionally prepared for my limited options. Like I mentioned before, check if your previous school has any agreements or partnerships with other schools. Schools that have graduate programs.  

Keep searching, there’s an accredited school out there for you. Since your previous school was still CCNE accredited there has to be programs out there that will accept your degree as part of entry to their graduate programs. ☺️

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Loyola University, Brenau University, St Josephs College are a few more options.

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