I am actively looking into Nursing Schools in the Cincinnati Area. I am starting the application process at Hondros and was wondering if anyone had any feedback about their program, good, bad or indifferent. I know its a relatively new program but they have recently receieved their final approval so Im assuming they have worked out the kinks that were reported in blogs posted early last year.
I've been watching this post and need to address something really important about Hondros. I attended there and know from what I speak. I only wish someone had told me about these things.
Firstly, their school accreditation (not nursing accred) will only get you accepted to 1 school for your BSN - Indiana Wesleyan...the one they have an articulation agreement with. If you attend there for your LPN you will be locked in for the Hondros ADN program and then locked for your BSN with Indiana Wesleyan (and Indiana Wesleyan is EXTREMELY expensive too for BSN). This is because Hondros has a "national" accreditation and NOT a regional accreditation. They won't tell you this. You can't transfer your Hondros nursing classes anywhere that I have been able to find (even out of state ADN programs) and believe me, I've been looking and getting turned down flat (Sinclair ADN, Kettering ADN, etc.)
I had a BS in Business when I started at Hondros. They nit-picked every class I had taken as part of my degree and disallowed 1 of them because they decided that the coursework was too old and they wanted the "learning to be current" (direct quote); an English class of all things! In addition, I started hoping that I could then get my ADN and then go to Wright State to bridge directly into my MSN. Wrong! Again, the national accreditation that Hondros has is disallowed and none of their LPN or ADN courses are acceptable at Wright State (or Univ of Cincinnati). I even talked with the Dean of Indiana Wesleyan's nursing program to find out about their MSN program. They have 1 site in northern Indiana (and you must attend classes there) and even Indiana Wesleyan's MSN program won't accept Hondros credits because they're not regionally accredited. IW also doesn't have a BSN-MSN bridge program and, in talking with one of the IW West Chester administrators, they expect the total $$$ for their BSN program and probably won't accept your BS credits from another institution.
I believe this accreditation problem holds true for RETS also because they have a national accred.
One other thing about the Hondros program...1+1 doesn't equal 1+1 like they sell you it does. When applying for LPN, you will be led to believe that you will automatically be assimilated into their ADN program. Not true. You must re-apply and be re-accepted. We were told that this is because they want to decide whether or not they think you should be a nurse (our class was told this very statement by the Asst Dean of nursing there). At any rate, it's not as automatic as you will be led to believe and there are hoops to jump through (and you may not be at the same location for your ADN as your LPN).
I passed the NCLEX first try, but I don't know if that's because Hondros prepared me for it or because I studied my backside off and I had a medical background before I started LPN school. Their instructors took a lot of shortcuts with us (showed us a vest restraint and said "you'll never use this so don't worry about it"). The lectures and exams when I attended were created not by the individual instructor of the particular class, but by all of the facilities combined (so that the same material is shown/tested at all school sites) which IMHO didn't work very well because some of the instructors were pretty lazy about their lecture and didn't know their PowerPoint slides before they gave the lecture. (One instructor was actually surprised when a subsequent slide directly answered a question she was struggling to answer on a previous slide - quite unprofessional). We had questions on tests for material that we hadn't covered in our class because we had run out of time and/or the instructor just glossed over the slide and didn't cover the material.
Looking back, there were way too many inconsistencies between the Hondros stated philosophies and their actual practices. If I had to do it over, I wouldn't go the Hondros route. But, if all you are looking for is to get your LPN and/or ADN quick and dirty (and expensive), Hondros might be worth it to you. Just know what you want before you start and understand the accreditation problem. (And the real irony here is that Hondros won't accept credits from any school except one that's regionally accredited! Too funny). Go in with your eyes open.
Hi Timustang04 - Got your PM, but don't have rights to reply on PM. Don't know what I need to do to get that right, but wanted to reply to your PM to me. In short, I have no clue yet what I'm gonna do. I know I'm NOT going to throw any more $$$ down the drain with the H dead end. And IW is so expensive for BSN (and will make me take all of the GenEd again-even tho I have a BS already.) I'm talking right now with KMC to see if we can work something out. They're a private and have more leeway than some of the other public ADN schools do. Having my BS already is a huge plus in this discussion, but it still looks like I will have to re-take most of the core nursing classes again, which stinks. From what I'm hearing from WSU, Univ Cinn, and KMC, it seems that our Alma Mater takes too many shortcuts in how/what they teach (example: the Q1 self-taught "medical math" where we got the book but no instruction followed by a 20-question test...). Those types of shortcuts teach to the NCLEX instead of teaching the material according to the other guys. Same with all the material that's skipped in A&P (with no lab). Anyway - if I have any success, I'll let you know. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there not completely dazzled by them.
I just went to UC's website for their RN-BSN program and it looks like as long as you are licensed (RN) and completed an associate degree in nursing then you will be alright to get into their program. This is from their site:
Requirements for Admission into the Upper Division of the program include:
Documented completion of an associate degree or diploma program in Nursing
Registered Nurse licensure (within completion of the first quarter of the Upper Division)
i start class at the columbus locaton in january. i would recommed going in around the 1st of the year for the informational session. since you have to get things done with your doctor and transcripts. and also pass the hesi. good luck!!!!
So Ive been looking into this program for a few weeks and have been wondering... is anyone going through this program while keeping a full time job, and a couple kids?!
I HIGHLY do not recommend it. I have 4 kids and worked full time for the first 5 months. You end up crash studying and won't retain anything you studied for; which definitely won't help you when it comes time to take the HESI before you graduate. I maintained As and Bs the entire time, but its definitely is not worth it. Term 3 & 4 will definitely be difficult even working part time. I hope you have a ton of support from other family. If you have this, then it might be doable for you. My husband has picked up a ton of slack, and without him I wouldn't have made it. I wish you luck!!!
Thanks for the quick reply! I do have supportive family, and my husbands great with the kids and the house! Also, my job is full time but EXTREMELY laid back! ( most of the time I am very BORED ) So I was hoping that would supply alot of my study time. My biggest concern I think is the hours. About how many hours and days a wk are the classes?
Well, if you have plenty of time to study while at work, then that might be doable. I was able to do a little studying while at work, but I ended up still being exhausted and burnt out. I'm not sure what campus you are considering; I go to Westerville. First term was 3 days a week until the 5th week and then was 5 days. 2nd term ?? can't remember. Third term was 3 days a week, but the most difficult. Fourth term is 5 days a week, but one day is only a couple hours.
I agree--I think you will find it a challenge to work full-time while going through the program. I know some people who have done it, but I don't think I could. I don't even think it would be the studying that would be the problem, as long as you know how to study effectively. But, at least for the first 3 terms, you also have several projects/papers to complete in addition to studying (4th term isn't too bad with extras, because they know you need the time to prepare for HESI). At any rate, I think it is possible, but you are going to have to have some amazing time management skills, if you want to be able to spend any time with your family! Good luck! :)
WantToHideMyName
2 Posts
I've been watching this post and need to address something really important about Hondros. I attended there and know from what I speak. I only wish someone had told me about these things.
Firstly, their school accreditation (not nursing accred) will only get you accepted to 1 school for your BSN - Indiana Wesleyan...the one they have an articulation agreement with. If you attend there for your LPN you will be locked in for the Hondros ADN program and then locked for your BSN with Indiana Wesleyan (and Indiana Wesleyan is EXTREMELY expensive too for BSN). This is because Hondros has a "national" accreditation and NOT a regional accreditation. They won't tell you this. You can't transfer your Hondros nursing classes anywhere that I have been able to find (even out of state ADN programs) and believe me, I've been looking and getting turned down flat (Sinclair ADN, Kettering ADN, etc.)
I had a BS in Business when I started at Hondros. They nit-picked every class I had taken as part of my degree and disallowed 1 of them because they decided that the coursework was too old and they wanted the "learning to be current" (direct quote); an English class of all things! In addition, I started hoping that I could then get my ADN and then go to Wright State to bridge directly into my MSN. Wrong! Again, the national accreditation that Hondros has is disallowed and none of their LPN or ADN courses are acceptable at Wright State (or Univ of Cincinnati). I even talked with the Dean of Indiana Wesleyan's nursing program to find out about their MSN program. They have 1 site in northern Indiana (and you must attend classes there) and even Indiana Wesleyan's MSN program won't accept Hondros credits because they're not regionally accredited. IW also doesn't have a BSN-MSN bridge program and, in talking with one of the IW West Chester administrators, they expect the total $$$ for their BSN program and probably won't accept your BS credits from another institution.
I believe this accreditation problem holds true for RETS also because they have a national accred.
One other thing about the Hondros program...1+1 doesn't equal 1+1 like they sell you it does. When applying for LPN, you will be led to believe that you will automatically be assimilated into their ADN program. Not true. You must re-apply and be re-accepted. We were told that this is because they want to decide whether or not they think you should be a nurse (our class was told this very statement by the Asst Dean of nursing there). At any rate, it's not as automatic as you will be led to believe and there are hoops to jump through (and you may not be at the same location for your ADN as your LPN).
I passed the NCLEX first try, but I don't know if that's because Hondros prepared me for it or because I studied my backside off and I had a medical background before I started LPN school. Their instructors took a lot of shortcuts with us (showed us a vest restraint and said "you'll never use this so don't worry about it"). The lectures and exams when I attended were created not by the individual instructor of the particular class, but by all of the facilities combined (so that the same material is shown/tested at all school sites) which IMHO didn't work very well because some of the instructors were pretty lazy about their lecture and didn't know their PowerPoint slides before they gave the lecture. (One instructor was actually surprised when a subsequent slide directly answered a question she was struggling to answer on a previous slide - quite unprofessional). We had questions on tests for material that we hadn't covered in our class because we had run out of time and/or the instructor just glossed over the slide and didn't cover the material.
Looking back, there were way too many inconsistencies between the Hondros stated philosophies and their actual practices. If I had to do it over, I wouldn't go the Hondros route. But, if all you are looking for is to get your LPN and/or ADN quick and dirty (and expensive), Hondros might be worth it to you. Just know what you want before you start and understand the accreditation problem. (And the real irony here is that Hondros won't accept credits from any school except one that's regionally accredited! Too funny). Go in with your eyes open.