what have you heard about LIU nursing program?

ms_sheesh · Apr 22, 2009

I can totally relate to your frustrations Had2, because that is exactly how I felt while I was in the program. But I'm telling you, once you graduate from the school and have an opportunity to compare yourself to other new grads from other schools, you will see a difference. Yes, tuition is amazingly expensive. But everyone knows this when applying to and attending LIU. That was actually my driving force. I refused to leave that school owing 40K in loans and having nothing to show for it. And just to let you know, most RN programs are similar in that they don't make it easy.

Had2dawg · Apr 23, 2009

You could relate but u cant anymore. I am in the new curriculum started Fall of '09. I will try to get more people who are there now to post so you guys can really see LIU's true colors. I saw the med math exams they used to give you guys. Cake. The med maths we get now they are still teaching seniors to do some of the problems. There are seniors who have take the med math exam 14 times and haven't passed it. Will there be a big difference between LIU nursing students and Columbia, NYU, or even a CUNY program? I highly doubt it. The only difference might be the amount of care & compassion one shows to their patient & that really can't be learned. Either you love your job or you don't. I definately love and appreciate the little bit of clinical experience that we get [another big problem with that program (too much theory, not enough practical)]. Even if there is a so called difference at the end of the day, we will still be working in the same place with the same job. I have heard plenty of nurses at my clinical rotation in the Hospitals say that LIU nurses are book smart but those from the associate RN programs who spend more time in the hospital are much better prepared for actually working and take of running, while we need time to catch up. The tuition is one thing but not showing me where my money is going, is my main concern. They might as well make the classes online the way the lectures are done and how some professor read straight from the slides. The way most of the exams are made with 2 right answers per question. Ridiculous. Its almost as if they wait to get the scantrons in then say ok the one that most people picked will be the incorrect one. If no one gets higher than an 85 in approximately 12 of the 20 exams we take all semester there is a problem. Either its with the teaching or the test making or maybe even both. My thing is there is too many things the school does to try to fail you or just not allow you to progress. They hardly ever do things to try to help you or teach you instead. If they would spend as much time teaching Nclex test taking skills instead of make a new or harder obstacle to fail people, then maybe their Nclex pass rate would stay as high as they want it to be. Laguardia Community College has a higher Nclex score than LIU for the past 3 consecutive years & Community College is approximately 1/4 the price of LIU. For the $ that we pay they just need to focus on teaching the students instead of focusing on one of the many obstacles that they have put in place to hold us back. This in turn will pay more dividends for them because their Nclex pass rate would increase, thus making more students want to attend their program. It will also benefit us in that we will get a better education that we feel we deserve and in turn will be better, more knowledgable nurses.

ms_sheesh · Apr 23, 2009

Well, its obvious there is a difference of opinions (which each of us are entitled to). And while it certainly has been a few years since I've graduated, I do have a friend currently attending the school who has complained about professors and med math exams (just as you are and like I did when I was in school) but still states she would recommend the school to other people wanting to become nurses. According to her, she learned a lot. I'm sorry your experience is not/has not been the same but I do wish you the best of luck in your studies.

Had2dawg · Apr 23, 2009

Your opinion is definately the minority. I have learned a lot. I learned a lot from my the studying I do myself and the work that I have put in the books myself. There are a few professors that I have learned much from. However, I wouldn't even recommend this school to my worst enemy. Thanx for the luck, me and my classmates will definately need it. :banghead:

Riles241 · Apr 23, 2009

This is ridiculous. I really have no choice, it's either I go to LIU this fall or nowhere at all, and I'm so incredibly sick of waiting to start school. How is the curriculum different from last year? The website has had the same curriculum posted for as long as I can remember.

HawtRN, BSN · Apr 23, 2009

I sent in my admission deposit last week, so i'm officially going to LIU! I got rejected from SUNY Downstate and after doing a cost analysis of LIU and NYU (it seems to be about a $13,500 differential roughly) I picked LIU. I know its longer, but at least here I'll have the opportunity to do an externship during the summer if I choose to. Just gotta get one more Chemistry class done this summer!
If anyone has any questions about the HESI let me know, I took it March 28th, scored a 95% using the Evolve book they recommend, I didn't think it was difficult after studying from that. Better than the NET for sure.

I got accepted into the program. Hopefully, if I decide to still go to LIU in Fall 09, I will see you there. Is there a deadline to accept your admission for the Fall 09 session?

Riles241 · Apr 23, 2009

On my letter it said May 1st.

Had2dawg · Apr 24, 2009

This is ridiculous. I really have no choice, it's either I go to LIU this fall or nowhere at all, and I'm so incredibly sick of waiting to start school. How is the curriculum different from last year? The website has had the same curriculum posted for as long as I can remember.

Congrads on ur acceptance and I wish u the luck. Its different in many ways. One pharm class, one patho, 2 med surge classes in our senior year. the main difference is the med examination test that they are giving us is way harder then the ones they used to give. Another one is most of the teachers are new.

guiltysins · Apr 24, 2009

The only thing I can say is wait until you get in the program and see for yourselves. A lot of the confusion as far as registering goes is because they just started registering online. So there is an adjustment they have to go through. From a few people that I know that are currently in it, they say it's frustrating but it's worth the headache. Of course all of these students are LIU students and not transfers so again, maybe that also makes a difference of opinions.

I am having second thoughts though, I am finishing off pre-reqs and am having thoughts of transferring depending on what my gpa looks like.

vlh2001 · Apr 25, 2009

I am at the end of my first semester of nursing at LIU. I have to say that the semester so far is okay, however, I have to agree with some other posts, that there is some improvement that needs to be done with the program. I feel the integrity of the program is questionable when they accept over 100 students for every semester knowing that ONLY about half of the class is eventually going to fail. I feel its a way to get 13k a pop from students, and its not right. There is a reason why other nursing programs are competitive and only accept maybe 50 students--more than likely, 50 students will graduate. I have learned early on, that there are some proff. that want to help, and others let you know that you have to do for yourself because that is the nature of this program. There is no compromise in this program, passing is a 76.45, and I have seen someone fail for .02 of a point---- whats that about? So, would I recommend LIU? Depends on your level of independence, because you WILL have to do alot of learning on your own. It is doable, but you have to play your cards right in this program.

Had2dawg · Apr 25, 2009

I am at the end of my first semester of nursing at LIU. I have to say that the semester so far is okay, however, I have to agree with some other posts, that there is some improvement that needs to be done with the program. I feel the integrity of the program is questionable when they accept over 100 students for every semester knowing that ONLY about half of the class is eventually going to fail. I feel its a way to get 13k a pop from students, and its not right. There is a reason why other nursing programs are competitive and only accept maybe 50 students--more than likely, 50 students will graduate. I have learned early on, that there are some proff. that want to help, and others let you know that you have to do for yourself because that is the nature of this program. There is no compromise in this program, passing is a 76.45, and I have seen someone fail for .02 of a point---- whats that about? So, would I recommend LIU? Depends on your level of independence, because you WILL have to do alot of learning on your own. It is doable, but you have to play your cards right in this program.

You r so right, I agree wit eveything u say. Funny that u realize all this already and your in your first semester. I am finishing my second and I have seen it all. I am glad you realize how they steal so many peoples money and think its okay to fail them out after they fail 2 nursing classes or can't pass the med admin with 100% every semester. The saying at LIU Nursing School is "Easy to get in, hard to stay in." They give too many people false hope by excepting almost 200 people then by the end of the second semester less than half are left. I have too seen people fail a class by .02. This is peoples life so at the end of the day it's up to the individual to decide if he wants to take a risk with so much $ and not to mention the time vested in the program.

guiltysins · Apr 25, 2009

This is why so many people transfer to LIU. Everyone hears how easy it is to get into the program which is one of it's flaws since they obviously don't have the same amount of space once you start to progress through the program. All in all I do believe it pays off in the end, but the point is you have to make it to the end. I've always been one to learn on my own and since LIU is really the only school that accepted me, I've got to just put all my eggs in a basket and hope for the best. I don't start clinicals until next year, so I'm hoping things will get a little more organized by then. LIU thankfully was very generous with the amount of financial aid I got so the money isn't a concern for me.