Grand Canyon RN-BSN

PrismRN · Apr 5, 2014

oh yes--once I click on the syllabus it states a CLC project! I see on our roster list--we have NOT yet been put into groups....

Bummer on the verification. I’ve noticed that the groups are never assigned right away, it’s almost always a good 2 weeks into class. I have my theories on this, and I think that’s by design (I have no proof, of course lol). I think the instructors wait a bit to see how the personalities filter. It cannot be an accident that the groups always seem to turn out the same way: one (maybe two) strong personalities (aka control freak :eek: ), a couple in the middle that are definitely capable yet lethargic and seem to just not care (hardly ever post in the color forum, don’t respond to emails/texts, and turn in their portion on the due date), and one person who seems to be legitimately trying, but just does not get it at all and requires a lot of explanation and redirection from the other group members. If there were no science to it, why wouldn’t they just pick the first four on the roster, the next four, the next four, etc.? Or alphabetically by last name? Or by region/state? When we were doing Community Health, I asked if we could get 4 or 5 ppl from the same state (there were 4 of us from the same state, but we didn't know each other), wouldn't that make sense since we were doing a community project? The reply was no, that’s not how it’s decided. Hmmm. Not that the instructors actually have the time in their busy lives to focus on such minutia, but there must be a system involved, otherwise, simply by chance, wouldn't there be groups that had 5 bossy know-it-alls and others that have 5 people that have no clue?

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2014

Bummer on the verification. I’ve noticed that the groups are never assigned right away, it’s almost always a good 2 weeks into class. I have my theories on this, and I think that’s by design (I have no proof, of course lol). I think the instructors wait a bit to see how the personalities filter. It cannot be an accident that the groups always seem to turn out the same way: one (maybe two) strong personalities (aka control freak ), a couple in the middle that are definitely capable yet lethargic and seem to just not care (hardly ever post in the color forum, don’t respond to emails/texts, and turn in their portion on the due date), and one person who seems to be legitimately trying, but just does not get it at all and requires a lot of explanation and redirection from the other group members. If there were no science to it, why wouldn’t they just pick the first four on the roster, the next four, the next four, etc.? Or alphabetically by last name? Or by region/state? When we were doing Community Health, I asked if we could get 4 or 5 ppl from the same state (there were 4 of us from the same state, but we didn't know each other), wouldn't that make sense since we were doing a community project? The reply was no, that’s not how it’s decided. Hmmm. Not that the instructors actually have the time in their busy lives to focus on such minutia, but there must be a system involved, otherwise, simply by chance, wouldn't there be groups that had 5 bossy know-it-alls and others that have 5 people that have no clue?

I like your rationales! :roflmao: I bet you are right in many ways. They must sit back and watch some of the personalities unfold. Pandora and I did have all but two of our CLC's together. We were never denied when we asked, thankfully. However, one class was predetermined before we started, so we had two different groups for that class. What a shocker to see us already assigned! One CLC had two umm...rather strong, shall we say, people who drove us nuts. Way too many strong personalities in that group!!

Can you imagine if you wanted to jerk people around, you could arrange all those CLC's to be very, very bad, and then have a lot of fun!

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 5, 2014

In my previous classes (Im on #5 now, or it 6,lol) the groups had been assigned right away---as I am emailing everyone asap,lol Oh well, it is what it is.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2014

LOL, after stats, I would keep losing count of the classes left.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 5, 2014

Just curious of what made you all decide to chose GCU over other online programs? Many times, I see comments from other people on this website, discounting GCU and don't consider it a brick and mortar school, when in all actuality it is. It is often compared to U of P, which bothers me. I chose GCU because it has a ground campus, dorms and a real bookstore, lol, and is not strictly housed in an office building with a few classrooms somewhere downtown.

Some articles have gone onto say that an employer would most likely toss your resume in the circular file because it's not a 'real diploma'. How can an employer toss a resume from a brick and mortar school?

Maybe I'm hyper sensitive, but it annoys the crap out of me. My soon-to-be degree has already given me some opportunities for career advancement.

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 5, 2014

I chose GCU based on the price--very reasonable. Could be done 100% online, which I need as I am in Nicaragua, and off to Ecuador this summer. And the Enrollment staff were friendly and DID NOT hound me! I was surprised how other schools reps, were worse than used car salesman! Oodles of emails and phone calls! And they were fast about getting back to me on what classes transferred over.

PrismRN · Apr 6, 2014

It is often compared to U of P, which bothers me.

LOL, there's a U of P ad in your post :roflmao: is someone watching?? HA!

(Oh wait, it just changed to WGU!)

PrismRN · Apr 6, 2014

Just curious of what made you all decide to chose GCU over other online programs?

So many reasons. Zero clinicals had to be the top reason for me personally. That, and my research. I looked into my options for a solid 3 months before I made my decision; I researched online, did price comparisons (GCU happened to be more than many other options but I chose it anyway based on my final analysis), asked my state BoN, checked NCLEX pass-rates, asked around, and interviewed (albeit informally) many, many nurses who had taken different routes and attended many different schools, both onsite and online. For me, I had narrowed it down to UT Arlington, GCU, and the local “big name” top-10 state university that people come from across the country to attend. And yes, U of P alum were amongst my interviews. I learned a lot, and won’t bash anyone because it seems that no matter who you ask or where they went, they’re happy with their decision. It saddens me that people think it’s a diploma mill or that it’s a less than quality education, it’s been around since 1949 for Pete’s sake. My Director wasn’t about to let me “waste” my tuition reimbursement on a less than quality school (she has her PhD), she spent a week researching my choice before giving me the final go-ahead. She wanted to make sure it was properly accredited, transferrable, and had the reputation that would stand up if I chose to move forward with MSN, Phd, etc. I had already made my decision, but knowing someone far more educated than I had independently and thoroughly researched it confirmed my gut feeling that this was the place. Again, not bashing, but just who are these people that are tossing resumes? What is their educational background and on what are they basing their decisions? So now we have to not only worry about the degree not being high enough but what Carol in the HR office's personal impression is of my education? Sheesh.

Flames9_RN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 6, 2014

I thought the tuition was fair! Many others were in the mid $20,000 range, another was close to $50,000, so $17,000 didnt sound too bad, lol

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2014

Prism,

I guess I am bashing U of P, just a bit, but I'm using it more of an example of the comparison that GCU and U of P are the same, because U of P has an actual ground campus. I even got into a disagreement about that with a co-worker who swore a family member actually graduated in the U of P stadium on their ground campus. It's just that you see GCU tossed into the pile of diploma mill schools, whoever those might be.

Like you, it annoys me that someone who doesn't even know of the school has the control to toss my resume.

I chose it because they did not hound me, they were approachable, and I didn't have to take another 2 years of language, another nutrition course, 2 more math classes (college algebra and two years of stats) and economics. Also, toss in 180 hours of clinicals.

Those are the pre-reqs for two local colleges around me, who's tuition is 8k a year. I'm sure that is to support the football coach who earns more than the Govenor, but it's a non profit school, so that's ok. :yawn:

PrismRN · Apr 6, 2014

Prism,
I guess I am bashing U of P, just a bit, but I'm using it more of an example of the comparison that GCU and U of P are the same, because U of P has an actual ground campus.

Yes, let us strike the word “bash” from our vocabulary, I don’t believe you were at all (‘cause we’re not those kinda people). I think it came to mind because as I was recalling my interview experiences I remembered an awkward moment as I asked a U of P alum her thoughts. I must’ve made a face (? my bad) at something she said, because she got defensive and used that word. I told her I would never, I was simply fact-finding. She went on to tell me that not only did she love her education from there (BSN then onto a double Master’s), it is her goal to become an instructor. Knowing I had hit a sore spot, I made my exit. That’s where I was going with my comment that no matter who you ask, they’re happy with their decision. There seems to be a bizarre connection between GCU & UP, when one thinks of one they think of the other, and somehow conjure up the “fact” in their minds that they are the same. I certainly cannot speak to the UP education, but the differences in the physical schools themselves are vast. You’re right, one has an actual college campus exactly like the state universities: sports teams, dorms, etc., and the other has more a feel of large office buildings. The Univ of Phx stadium is called that because UP paid $154.5 million for the naming rights for 20 years (Wikipedia, 2014 lol). “The "University of Phoenix" name is applied as a corporate sponsor, and not as the home stadium of the University (which has no intercollegiate athletics program)”. They’re not even in the same ballpark (pardon the pun, as they do not have a ballpark) when it comes to similarity of institution. Perhaps my use of the word bash was an attempt at appearing impartial, knowing someday some UP alum is going to read my posts and rip me a new one on AN! :bag:

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2014

Yes, let us strike the word “bash” from our vocabulary, I don’t believe you were at all (‘cause we’re not those kinda people). I think it came to mind because as I was recalling my interview experiences I remembered an awkward moment as I asked a U of P alum her thoughts. I must’ve made a face (? my bad) at something she said, because she got defensive and used that word. I told her I would never, I was simply fact-finding. She went on to tell me that not only did she love her education from there (BSN then onto a double Master’s), it is her goal to become an instructor. Knowing I had hit a sore spot, I made my exit. That’s where I was going with my comment that no matter who you ask, they’re happy with their decision. There seems to be a bizarre connection between GCU & UP, when one thinks of one they think of the other, and somehow conjure up the “fact” in their minds that they are the same. I certainly cannot speak to the UP education, but the differences in the physical schools themselves are vast. You’re right, one has an actual college campus exactly like the state universities: sports teams, dorms, etc., and the other has more a feel of large office buildings. The Univ of Phx stadium is called that because UP paid $154.5 million for the naming rights for 20 years (Wikipedia, 2014 lol). “The "University of Phoenix" name is applied as a corporate sponsor, and not as the home stadium of the University (which has no intercollegiate athletics program)”. They’re not even in the same ballpark (pardon the pun, as they do not have a ballpark) when it comes to similarity of institution. Perhaps my use of the word bash was an attempt at appearing impartial, knowing someday some UP alum is going to read my posts and rip me a new one on AN!

LOL, Prism, your identity is safe with me. :whistling: ...I have been ripped plenty of times, so I will take the heat:cheeky:

I agree, where people go and why they choose their trajectory is up to them. I just find it sad, that nurses have to peck at nurses with ADN's over BSN then b/m school over those that offer online classes, and profit VS non profit.

By the way, I had to LOL with your Wiki reference.. Now you know that GCU frowns upon any Wiki!! :sarcastic: