How Good is Chamberlain School of Nursing

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I am considering Chamberlain College of Nursing, and I was wondering if anyone is a Grad from there. I love the fact you can get your BSN in 3 years, I am 33 and I have 2 kids to support I want to continue on to become a Nurse Practioner. I have heard the NCLEX pass rate is horrible at this school and then I also hear it's a pretty decent school it's new and a little disorganized but it's a decent school and you can pass the NCLEX just like every where else. I am really confused. I cannot afford to mess up. Can some seasoned nurses give me some good advice here and also if there are any Nurses who graduated from Chamberlain in St.Louis where I would attend how was it. I dont expect it to be the best Nursing school on earth I want a decent education and I am willing to work hard towards my degree. Thank You!

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I don't know much about it personally but i have a friend who has just finished up her 1st year and she likes it. but to put it in perspective for you, she is 19, no kids, works part time, at home with parents, and spends a great deal of all of that free time studying. Smart girl too, graduated HS with like a 3.3 or 3.5. Im not at all implying that you aren't smart enough or you don't have the time but i hate when ppl. just say it was WAY easy or WAY hard and neglect the explain the circumstances in which they went to school. Im also getting a BSN in 3 yrs, 2 yrs full time at STLCC and doing the accelerated BSN program at UMSL which is 15 months.

BESTEST WISHES!

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Here is a list of MO schools of nursing and their pass rates:

http://pr.mo.gov/nursing-schools.asp

Please be sure to look under the proper heading for the type of degree you are interested in -- ASN, BSN, etc.

I didn't look at their pass rates. I have heard varying things about their program. The main thing I would throw out there is to watch your costs. Your post doesn't really say whether you are a single mom or not, but regardless, it may not be cheap to get your degree that route.

I also don't know what your educational background is, but Libra sounds like she's thought out her direction very well and very economically. The community colleges are always a great way to go for as far as you can and save a lot of money while getting an excellent education. The CC's here also have a great reputation for their nursing program should you decide to pursue that route. If not, get your prereqs done as much as you can at that level, then transfer on to a local university to complete the BSN. (You would want to talk to a counselor at the university you are contemplating to determine what you can take at the lower level and what must be completed at their campus).

Just some suggestions to throw out there. You'll also want to be cognizant of the time required in classes. A program like the STLCC will allow for a lot of flexibility for a mom with younger kids; perhaps you can get out there and get working, obtain your BSN AND experience needed for a NP program at the same time, then continue on after that. The majority of the BSN programs can be very intense time-wise, particularly if you have other commitments.

However you decide to continue, I wish you the best!!

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Thank You So Much for the advice. I was thinking about Stlcc and then transfering to UMSL I did not know I could get the BSN in 15 months Though! That is such good news! So I will basically be getting my degree in 3 1/2 years! Yes that is the route I want to take as it was my original choice. I thought I would have to do another two years after say Flo-Nursing. I am currently a PCT at a big Medical facility I wanted this job so I could make sure I had a good idea what Nursing is all about. I have learned a lot on my unit. I know I love nursing and the career is my calling. I just wat to get my BSN and start advancing. I have so many goals I just want to make smart and economical choices. Thank You so much WDWpixieRN and Libra 8 you have helped me solidify my choice. I am going with STLCC and UMSL 15 mo. program!

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I attend Chamberlain now (taking a few pre-reqs) and I don't like it for the money. I think if you don't have any problems paying for the education then it may be okay. But, if you need financial assistance, they do not help you (or at least me) at all. The STL campus is inside of an older hospital so it's not the most convenient, per se. It is very small so the instructors really get to know their students and vice versa. The gen-eds are taught through Devry (if you attend evenings only, I think) and they are pretty easy, just expensive. So, I would get those done at a CC if you haven't already. I had roughly 70 credits and they only transferred 43 because they have "specific" courses. For instance, I took Interactive Psych and they want Intro to Psych. Like I said, if you will not have financial issues then it should not be a problem. I know a couple of graduates that really liked it.

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.
I just want to get my BSN and start advancing. I have so many goals I just want to make smart and economical choices. I am going with STLCC and UMSL 15 mo. program!

I think those sounds like smart, sound decisions. I want to be sure you don't spend any time or money taking classes or doing things you don't need, so as a caveat to that, please PLEASE make sure you are working with an advisor at each campus to ensure that you are taking the classes you need to both meet the requirements for the ASN program at the community college and that whatever you are taking will fit in to the needs of a transfer to UMSL's 15-month program. I am not personally familiar with that program, so either ask Libra for more info or who you should contact at UMSL to ensure you meet their requirements. There may be a way to take a lot of the lower level courses @ the STLCC and then transfer in to UMSL's nursing program without having to stop for an ASN first; I honestly don't know. There would be some advantages if that is possible such as skipping some of the community college graduation requirements for a phys ed course, going on the wait list for the community college, etc. Only by talking to an advisor at UMSL can you determine the feasibility of doing something like that. Again, hopefully Libra can pop back in here with his/her experiences/knowledge.

THAT will be the most intelligent way of making sure you are prepared and set for each program as you progress.

Again -- best of luck and don't hesitate to come back to ask questions!!

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the program that i am refering to has 62 credit hour prerequisite. ill list those at the end but it is not at all neccesary to get in or even qualify for the nursing program at stlcc. your merely doing all of your non-nursing courses needed for a bsn at the cc, which actually houses all the prerequisites for the stlcc nursing program if you change your mind. its kinda like a build in back up plan, which comforts me a great deal:rolleyes:.

now, if you are planning on recieving fin. aid there are more loops to jump through, as they require that you follow a degree program, which in turn means that you may have to come out of pocket for a few classes as i did, but all that can be worked out later, there are transfer advisors that actually work for umsl at the cc that can help you but ive never been the type to trust anyones advise about this topic. i make my own plans and then "check" with them, bc honestly, no one cares more about your education than you do. i found it very helpful to list out my 4 semesters of cc in hs (yeah i know, im the weirdest 19 yr old you've ever meet :D, i embrace it!), to ensure that i have time for all the classes and that i dont end up with a lot of hard classes in one semester. but im rambling now so here are the classes you need, if you have any more questions ask!

[color=#990000]bsn accelerated prerequisites

required prerequisites (62 credit hours)

american history or government (3)

anatomy & physiology i & ii (8)*

college algebra (3)

economics (3)

*english composition (3)

english composition-junior level (3) (waived if bachelor’s degree has been earned)

general psychology (3)

social science elective (3)

human growth & development (3)*

chemistry (4)*

humanities (6)- 2 classes

philosophy elective (3)*

interpersonal communication (3)*

microbiology (3)*

human nutrition (3)*

statistics (3)*

* prerequisites to nursing courses

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Also its very important to consider that you have to come up with roughly 30k in those 15 months / broken down to 4 semesters.:no:

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Specializes in Med/Surg <1; Epic Certified <1.

Libra:

You're only 19?!?!? Wow, I'm impressed and good for you!!

You pretty much straightened out what I was thinking you meant in your original post. So for Angela, costs aside @ UMSL, this would be a GREAT strategy. You save a boatload of dough at the community colleges, have some flexibility in scheduling since you have kids and may have childcare needs, then can transfer directly in to a BSN program without spending the time at the CC then transferring in with an ASN. And as Libra points out, you can still apply for the CC program once the prereqs are met and have that as a backup Plan B.

The majority of nursing programs have one set schedule -- THEIRS, and this plan affords the ability to do some self-scheduling while you're working through prereqs. I will advise you STRONGLY to get ALL prereqs and coreqs completed prior to beginning a nursing program. The courses within a program are intense enough without needing to finish up that last history or English or whatever class. We had a few people who had to do it and all I could think was "Thank HEAVENS that's not me". Even if it means an extra semester along the line, just do it!!

Thanks Libra for your insightful input! And best wishes to YOU, too!!

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Your welcome and Thank you!

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