I attend Resurrection University -- Ask me your questions!

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Other threads about Resu applications had a lot of questions for me and other students about the program that are more personal, not technical, such as what it's like, the difficulty, etc. Rather than derail an existing thread and going off topic, I started this thread so you can ask me your questions.I just started at Resu in the daytime BSN in fall 2012. I love it! It's a lot of work but so far it's about what I expected. Please keep in mind I won't have all the answers right now because I just started my program, but over time hopefully I can help you even more.So let's keep this conversation going with your questions or concerns, and hopefully another present or past student will drop in as well!

Yes, I was planning on doing that, was just looking for some unbiased opinions about the BSN since the school will "talk up" their program.

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I think it's a good program overall. A BSN in 16 months has its benefits. The pace is fast but doable. Some of the instructors are fabulous, some are just OK. But that is the same no matter where you go. The program definitely weeds out the weak and non-committed. It can be quite vigorous at times, and ATI testing is mandatory throughout the core curriculum, but the standardized testing, while hard and stressful at times, will no doubt prepare you for taking the NCLEX. The pass rate indeed is 100% and you can verify that with the state. At least that is an honest stat, not a lie like some other schools in Chicago.

Role transition in your final 2-month term will allow you to network and make relationships with people at the facility you're placed in, and many people are offered jobs for after passing their boards. Placement in jobs for a BSN RN are favorable, moreso if you apply at places that like hiring new grads, are realistic about your "dream job," and are willing to be flexible about where your first job is. There are no guarantees after graduating from any program, but you know that.

I like that ResU is very small, and because it is only a nursing school, you aren't lost among the shuffle of a large university system. It is intimate and you can form strong relationships.

I know it's hard to make the right choice for you, but only you know what that will be. You can get a real sense of a place by the people that are there, the campus, the curriculum, the cost, how accessible you find the faculty and staff, the feeling the school elicits in you when you are visiting or leaving from your visit. Know what I mean? The only way to get a sense of the school is to visit it though. I'm sure you have the smarts to discard what you perceive as "talk" and keep what you find genuine. Am I right? I don't feel I was ever "sold" on Res. I just liked it, liked how it felt to me, liked what I saw, who I met, etc.

If you have more detailed and specific questions, fire away.

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That's great to hear! I am not too worried about the "weeding out" difficulty, as I've always been a good student throughout my first Bachelor's and even have taken some graduate-level non-nursing courses successfully. I'm currently not living in Chicago, but it's my hometown so I'm considering going back there for nursing. The only thing that concerned me about Res is the guaranteed admissions. It's obviously a good thing that I qualify, but I've never seen a nursing program do that before, and the minimums for guaranteed admit seem a bit low compared to the competition I've seen at other schools. I'm applying to some universities that are so competitive that students with 3.5 and above GPAs are being denied since there are so many strong applicants. (It's kind of the same mentality where people are wary of buying something for cheap just because it's inexpensive, regardless of its good quality - they need to think of something wrong with it because it seems too good to be true)

Thanks for the input!

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I know that the admission criteria is starting to become more competitive... In my opinion, I wouldn't be surprised to see the criteria get more stringent over time. ResU is a relatively new school, born from a diploma RN college (WestSub)and transitioned to a bachelor's level only in the past few years, with a name change, new 'ownership,' has overcome some accreditation issues in the past, and has had to iron out many kinks, and now has a new location. I think that from that perspective, ResU really is still in its infancy. So perhaps some of the lower GPA admission criteria is a reflection of trying to build from the ground up? Build its numbers of graduates and let its repuation speak for itself? Who knows. It's one theory. I think that it won't be long before it's more competitive to get in than it is now.

Don't confuse the lower admission criteria with the school being shoddy. You still have to pass the same NCLEX, and Res grads apparently do.

In the end, I'd rather get my BSN in 16 months than to fart around trying to impress aschool with why my 4.0 is better than someone else's 4.0.

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That's an interesting perspective on why the minimum admission requirements are lower that some other programs. I agree that the NCLEX is what really matters, and Res seems to have a large network of hospitals in the Chicago area so that may help with job placement, eventually. I'm saying this assuming they would likely hire one of their own grads over another applicant if both were equally qualified. I appreciate your thoughts, and will likely apply because I want to have as many options available for my BSN as possible, and it seems to be more affordable than Loyola Chicago's ABSN or DePaul's MENP. I plan to schedule a phone interview with their admissions staff, since I probably won't be in Illinois again until after the application deadline passes.

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Pop in again when you have questions (and you will)!

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Thank you!

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Hi PTTU, Now that you are further into your career at Resurrection U, how do you like it? Classes/Staff/Peers/Difficulty. Are Graduates getting jobs easily? Thanks.

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I think it's a good program overall. A BSN in 16 months has its benefits. The pace is fast but doable. Some of the instructors are fabulous, some are just OK. But that is the same no matter where you go. The program definitely weeds out the weak and non-committed. It can be quite vigorous at times, and ATI testing is mandatory throughout the core curriculum, but the standardized testing, while hard and stressful at times, will no doubt prepare you for taking the NCLEX. The pass rate indeed is 100% and you can verify that with the state. At least that is an honest stat, not a lie like some other schools in Chicago.

Role transition in your final 2-month term will allow you to network and make relationships with people at the facility you're placed in, and many people are offered jobs for after passing their boards. Placement in jobs for a BSN RN are favorable, moreso if you apply at places that like hiring new grads, are realistic about your "dream job," and are willing to be flexible about where your first job is. There are no guarantees after graduating from any program, but you know that.

I like that ResU is very small, and because it is only a nursing school, you aren't lost among the shuffle of a large university system. It is intimate and you can form strong relationships.

Hi Thesis Major, As you can see I recently addressed the classes/staff/peers/difficulty in a post two weeks ago. Nursing school is more difficult for those who have a hard time applying what they learn or using critical thinking. It is also more difficult for students who are holding on to the notion that they can go party on weekends or have an active social life. The program requires commitment, and if you put in the time, the coursework is completely manageable. I don't have a problem at all, but you don't know me, so that really means nothing. Some people find this program to be super hard and are barely scraping by. Overall, I am happy with my choice to attend ResU and looking back, it's amazing how much I've learned since starting in August 2012.

I dont know what the placement rate is. As I stated in my earlier post, it depends on the person and their mindset. I think it is hard to know if graduates get jobs easily without knowing what kind of work that person is putting in to a job search, what their search parameters are, how flexible they are, etc. If a person is only willing to work in a certain specialty at a certain hospital, their job serach may turn out to be very long with possibly no interviews or eventual hiring. There are definitely facilities outside of Chicago (some commuting required) that love to hire new graduates. Res grads do pretty well with getting jobs. Some get hired on by Res/Presence health facilities. Having the BSN definitely helps for jobs at magnet hospitals too.

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Thanks. I read your other post. I was just wondering if your opinion had changed since then. I presume you took your first round of finals and are starting your second semester. There was a rather pessimistic post in the fall '13 thread about Res not listening to or helping their students very much. You seem to disagree with that view. It is probably someone who expected to coast through school. I don't know if you would know this but do many people who went to Res end up working for Presence facilities? There are a ton of Presence facilities so I imagine it wouldn't be too far fetched to be hired by one .

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Hi PTTU Now that you are further into your career at Resurrection U, how do you like it? Classes/Staff/Peers/Difficulty. Are Graduates getting jobs easily? Thanks.[/quote']

I've heard that new grads are able to get jobs a little easier than other bsn new grads at res/presence hospitals. I don't think that's completely true. These days, nobody wants a new grad. It's the harsh honest truth. And I'm living it.

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I've heard that new grads are able to get jobs a little easier than other bsn new grads at res/presence hospitals. I don't think that's completely true. These days, nobody wants a new grad. It's the harsh honest truth. And I'm living it.

May I ask you, where are you applying? How many apps have you sent out? Do you follow up by phone? How far are you willing to travel? Did you have any health care experience before entering nursing school? Did you get a BSN or Associates? I need more information from you to get a clear picture.

How long did you wait to take the NCLEX after graduation?

I just saw a graduate nurse program in the suburbs that is taking 20 students and applications are available now. I believe it was the Adventist system.

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