Grand Canyon RN-BSN

designer-mommy, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2013

I have a few questions that I didn't find the answer to while reading this post. I am looking at starting GCU sometime soon. I really wanted to go the WGU route, but you have to be employed as an RN to get in, which I'm not and I probably never WILL be unless I have a BSN. So, here goes:

How much is the cost for each class? I saw something online where it was in the neighborhood of $700 per credit, but I think that's for traditional classes or something. I think I saw on this forum where someone said it was about $1100 per class. Is that correct?

How fast does the remainder of the grants/loans get paid out to the students? My last school was a nightmare and it was about 2 months after the start of the semester that we finally started seeing our deposits. I work about 32 hours outside the home and then another 25-30 at an online job from home each week, so I will have to scale that down quite a bit if I want to go back to school. I won't be able to work less unless I get some $$ back from financial aid. Also, since they're 5 week classes, how does that work? Do you get the money every 5 weeks? I wouldn't think so.

Also, you don't have to be working as an RN to get into GCU, do you? WGU has scarred me in that area LOL I just really, really need to start doing my RN-BSN SOON!

Speaking of getting in soon, how long is the enrollment process? If someone applies now in October, when do you think they would be able to start?

Thanks so much for all of your help!!!

gikg · Oct 26, 2013

Hi designer-mommy. I started at GCU last week and so far I like it. So to answer your questions....

1. Tuition for each class of 3 credits at $465 a credits. total per class = $1395 (if you are ANA member you get 10% off). So the total per class would be $1100 or so. For each class they will charge $110 for the book (which is an online version). There is also a one time $400 fee. So my total after 12 classes will be around $16000.

2. at the first week of your first class, they request the financial aid money. I was told it takes 30-45 days. They apply the money towards your tuition and the remaining is mail out to you.

3. Every week we have 2 discussion questions due (every wed and fri). all you need is about 3-4 sentences. Then q sunday you have an assignment. It can be a 700-1000 words paper or powerpoint. For the participation points, you need to answer 2 of the classmates questions in 3 different days ( a total of 6). The way I am organizing my work is on monday I post my answer for the wed and fri assignment. and answer 2 other posts. Then on tuesday I answer another 2 (which takes me 30 min or so). then on wed I do the last 2 posts. On thursday and friday I work on my sunday assignment. Then I have sat and sunday OFF

4. for the financial aid money, they request for 4 classes at a time. then when you are towards the end of the 4th class, they will request for the next 4 classes and so on.

5. And NO you dont have to be working as a RN. I am a new grad still trying to get my first job.

6. Their enrollment process is pretty quick. They have starts dates every monday. So you can start any time.

I found them to be very flexible. Ive been talking with my advisor and he as a HUGE help. I can give you his information. He is so nice!!! He called me on my first day to make sure I was ok and did not have any questions. I am very happy with them. You can also ask for a pre-evaluation (it is free) to make sure if you do not need any additional classes. It is usually 12 classes.

You can message me if you like to get more info or if you like the GCU advisor number. He can get you in pretty quick.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Oct 26, 2013

Hi designer-mommy. I started at GCU last week and so far I like it. So to answer your questions....
1. Tuition for each class of 3 credits at $465 a credits. total per class = $1395 (if you are ANA member you get 10% off). So the total per class would be $1100 or so. For each class they will charge $110 for the book (which is an online version). There is also a one time $400 fee. So my total after 12 classes will be around $16000.
2. at the first week of your first class, they request the financial aid money. I was told it takes 30-45 days. They apply the money towards your tuition and the remaining is mail out to you.
3. Every week we have 2 discussion questions due (every wed and fri). all you need is about 3-4 sentences. Then q sunday you have an assignment. It can be a 700-1000 words paper or powerpoint. For the participation points, you need to answer 2 of the classmates questions in 3 different days ( a total of 6). The way I am organizing my work is on monday I post my answer for the wed and fri assignment. and answer 2 other posts. Then on tuesday I answer another 2 (which takes me 30 min or so). then on wed I do the last 2 posts. On thursday and friday I work on my sunday assignment. Then I have sat and sunday OFF
4. for the financial aid money, they request for 4 classes at a time. then when you are towards the end of the 4th class, they will request for the next 4 classes and so on.
5. And NO you dont have to be working as a RN. I am a new grad still trying to get my first job.
6. Their enrollment process is pretty quick. They have starts dates every monday. So you can start any time.
I found them to be very flexible. Ive been talking with my advisor and he as a HUGE help. I can give you his information. He is so nice!!! He called me on my first day to make sure I was ok and did not have any questions. I am very happy with them. You can also ask for a pre-evaluation (it is free) to make sure if you do not need any additional classes. It is usually 12 classes.
You can message me if you like to get more info or if you like the GCU advisor number. He can get you in pretty quick.

Just to clarify, on some subjects in this post. :)

For the most part DQ's need to be more than 3-4 sentences. It depends on the instructor. Some classes you cannot even use the same topic, so you have to dig a bit to find a topic to use. Some can be very picky about references used in the DQ. Some classes want an actual clinical experience and if you don't write about it you get docked (use your clinical/school experience). Not trying to scare you, because the DQ's aren't difficult, but they can be somewhat time consuming. They range anywhere from 5 points each to 10.

Papers: Anywhere from 750-1500 words at this time, though according to friends who have gone the GCU route, this will eventually climb. Power points can be only 8 slides (they want concise and to the point) or a 25 slide ppt with at least 8 references and those aren't Wikipedia, lol.

Again, not to scare you. It starts out on the easier side and then picks up speed. Some classes expect two projects due on the same day, and others only once a week. I start Spirituality, and it's going to be very work heavy. The Professor even admitted as such under announcements.

Is it doable? Yes, it is, but it does cut into your social life just a bit. :)

Would I do it again? Ask me after I graduate, lol. I can't wait to have my life back! :bookworm:

morningland · Nov 17, 2013

I am going into my fifth semester this week and I can say that GCU is a great program. The admission process was beyond easy; I recall only requesting my transcripts and they took care of the rest. I was two years out of my nursing program and they still took all my pre-reqs so I only have to take the core nursing classes. The program consists of 12 or 13 five week classes and the whole program can be completed in a little over a year if you take them back to back. They thing I really like about the program is that it is so flexable; When each class ends, I can request up to two weeks off if I need them or even take a 2 month leave of absence twice a year, so there is not much risk if things get hectic in your life.

Also, the program seems very very easy to me. I struggled through nursing school but I am getting my fourth A in a row with this class. I haven't read any of the course material and just complete the assignments which are:

a. two discussion questions a week need to be answered. They should be at least 300 word answers with references

b. participation points - you get these by going online three days a week and commenting on two peoples discussion questions posts each days; these should be at least 3-5 sentences and add to the discussion

c. There is usually a 1200 word paper a week and one group assignment every class

The website works very well and I have never had a problem with it; everything is very clean and organized on the site which is a big help. Also the school is accredited which is very important. All in all, I am glad I went here; it is a pricey school but you get a good education that is very flexable.

PS... people should NOT NOT NOT stress themselves out about their RN to BSN program. We already paid our dues in nursing school, why keep doing that to yourself? Life is too short and there is no excuse for what nursing programs put us through. Just apply yourself, finish your assignments and stay on top of your work and don't worry about it. Just get it done.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2013

I am going into my fifth semester this week and I can say that GCU is a great program. The admission process was beyond easy; I recall only requesting my transcripts and they took care of the rest. I was two years out of my nursing program and they still took all my pre-reqs so I only have to take the core nursing classes. The program consists of 12 or 13 five week classes and the whole program can be completed in a little over a year if you take them back to back. They thing I really like about the program is that it is so flexable; When each class ends, I can request up to two weeks off if I need them or even take a 2 month leave of absence twice a year, so there is not much risk if things get hectic in your life.
Also, the program seems very very easy to me. I struggled through nursing school but I am getting my fourth A in a row with this class. I haven't read any of the course material and just complete the assignments which are:
a. two discussion questions a week need to be answered. They should be at least 300 word answers with references
b. participation points - you get these by going online three days a week and commenting on two peoples discussion questions posts each days; these should be at least 3-5 sentences and add to the discussion
c. There is usually a 1200 word paper a week and one group assignment every class
The website works very well and I have never had a problem with it; everything is very clean and organized on the site which is a big help. Also the school is accredited which is very important. All in all, I am glad I went here; it is a pricey school but you get a good education that is very flexable.
PS... people should NOT NOT NOT stress themselves out about their RN to BSN program. We already paid our dues in nursing school, why keep doing that to yourself? Life is too short and there is no excuse for what nursing programs put us through. Just apply yourself, finish your assignments and stay on top of your work and don't worry about it. Just get it done.

I never looked at the classes as semesters. What class are did you just complete?? Some classes have a two part group assignment which is a huge pain.

If you haven't had spirituality yet, good luck. I hope you don't get the same instructor that Pandora and I have. He is killing our grade point. He is picky on the references and APA format. One wrong thing can set you back a bucket load of points.

TheDude77 · Nov 17, 2013

I never looked at the classes as semesters. What class are did you just complete?? Some classes have a two part group assignment which is a huge pain. If you haven't had spirituality yet good luck. I hope you don't get the same instructor that Pandora and I have. He is killing our grade point. He is picky on the references and APA format. One wrong thing can set you back a bucket load of points. [/quote']
That is what is awful about GCU. Complete inconsistency with grading.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Nov 17, 2013

It isn't just GCU, it is acadamia in general. I have one college grad son, and two currently in college who experience the same issue. It is professor specific with some being more picky than others. My kids have all sorts of complaints about Prof's in their state colleges such as one kid who had to take mandatory class to graduate that had over a 60% failing rate. My dtr had a professor that had such a thick accent she had difficulty understanding him. One son had a horrible time with financial aide and it took over 8 months to get any of his grants paid to him. I could go on and on. They always look on ratemyprofessor.com to see who to take for their next class.

Overall, I have had some pretty ok instructors at GCU that are forgiving. This guy isn't and sadly that is his choice. If I make an APA mistake, then it's MY mistake. However, to take off 15 points because I had one spacing issue and the abstract was on the title page on a rough draft paper was rather over the top. But he can do what he wants and he did. I should have read up on APA abstracts.. :facepalm:

tokmom, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

I want to ask those of you who seem to have weekends off and only spend 7-10 hours a week on homework, how you do it? I know of two other people in GCU and we all spend double that amount of time on homework and paper writing, so what are we doing wrong? :whistling:

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Dec 5, 2013

I think a lot depends on ones professor!! I know some don't do much of the readings, just concentrate on what pertains to the DQ and paper!!

tokmom, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

I don't read everything, but most of the papers and dq has the information needed in the paper and some prof's want to see those referenced.

gikg · Dec 6, 2013

I don't read the book either. I just search the key word in the boon to use and see if applied to what I am saying so I can use as a reference.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Dec 6, 2013

The reading doesn't slow me down, it's the paper writing that does us in. We are super anal about them, maybe that is why we take longer. Seriously, I need to figure it out, lol. Of course I'm almost done, so I guess I can suck it up for another few months.