Marian University-Online Accelerated Program

U.S.A. Indiana

Published

If you're interested in pursuing this program, beware that you are going into a program that will leave you scratching your heads as to how unorganized it is. Course content in pathophysiology and nursing care for the adult client lacks a lot to be desired and instructors disappear into cyberspace for a week at a time or more without any correspondence, if they even bother to return emails at all. Certain instructors are just coasting off of material available for previous classes and literally doing nothing to earn their paychecks. The bottom line is that some of the online instructors put virtually zero effort into enhancing the learning and then wonder why test scores are so low. We consistently have to ask for homework assignments due that aren't even posted and exams posted on the website in no way translates to what material exactly is being covered.

If you want to :banghead: a lot, this is the program for you.

I am also looking into Marian's online ABSN for St. Vincent Health. My question how competitive is it to get into the program? In other words, I don't have straight A's on my pre-reqs, so do they expect their students to straight As when it comes to pre-req grades?

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I'm also planning on applying for the accelerated online BSN program at Marian for fall. (I'm going to the applications session this week).

I'm just trying to decide between Marian and waiting to try to get into IUPUI's accelerated program.

Decisions, decisions.

Any feedback from people in the program or that have graduated, did you feel that your online classes prepared you for clinicals and the nclex? Is there anyway to go talk to the online teachers or get help at the nursing center/lab?

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Here's my take (and this is coming from someone who just completed the OA BSN program May 2012)-

I would only advise entering the online program if you have absolutely no way of doing it on campus. My cohort started with 23 students and a year later, the cohorts tripled in size. In my experience, the online instructors did a poor job of putting together course material and grading in a timely fashion for 23 students, let alone when trying to put 72 students into the program each term now.

I can't speak for the quality of IUPUI's program, but if you can boast a 3.8+ GPA for the pre-reqs, I would try for that first. It's roughly half the price, so that's the huge perk there. I can't help but think the IU Health network offers a lot more space for clinicals compared to St. Vincent Hospital. When I started at Marian, all you had to have was the minimum of a 2.8+ GPA to get in because they wanted bodies in the program. Now that they're filling the cohorts, I don't know how much that cutoff has gone up or not.

Most of the instructors were not the creators of the course content (powerpoint presentations/audios/etc-if there were any), so most of what they did provided absolutely no value to the class. You could certainly email the instructors if you had difficulty with the material, but whether they bothered to respond, and if so, whether it actually facilitated any learning, is an entirely different story.

Nursing school is what you put into it and if you're completely independent upon facilitating your learning experience, go for it. However, if you are the type of person that wants to ask questions along the way to help you get it, this is not the program for you. The online program is still a better choice than the Ivy Tech's, MedTech's, Harrison, Fortis, and all of these other no-name programs out there. (If you don't believe me, look at all of the RN jobs now requiring BSN or stating from an accredited school. There are plenty of Ivy Tech ASN from the Dec. 2011 class who are still looking for full-time RN jobs). But in terms of the value of what you get for $50k (online vs on-campus), I think the on-campus will provide you a much better learning experience.

I won't even get into how much of pain it was to get clinical schedules finished before the class began for my class size, let alone when they're scheduling 72 students.

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I am also looking into Marian's online ABSN for St. Vincent Health. My question how competitive is it to get into the program? In other words, I don't have straight A's on my pre-reqs, so do they expect their students to straight As when it comes to pre-req grades?

No idea how competitive it is now with the cohorts being full, but when I started in Jan 2011, it was the minimum 2.8 GPA. If it's not full, they'll take you. They have no problem accepting you, taking your money, and allowing you to flunk out. The program is evaluated on NCLEX first pass rate, not how many start and flunk out.

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forgop thanks for the info!

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does anyone know if you're allowed to switch to the on campus accelerated from the online accelerated during the program if you have problems with the online format? I feel like i've read something about switching on the marian website..

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Hi there,

I just read your reply. I am not sure yet if I am going to pursue the online program or not because I still haven't neither replied nor have been accepted into the program. However, I am very thankful to you for being so honest about your review.

My only other question to you is despite the challenges you have as a student, have you been able to get through NCLEX? or do you feel prepared enough take the NCLEX?

Also, are people finding employment after graduating?

Thank you very much in advance!

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Yes, you may transfer from online to main campus because I strongly considered doing it. I was told that once you switch to main campus, you can't switch back. No sure how truthful all of it was though.

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Honestly, most of us haven't done very well on the diagnostic Kaplan exams that I know of that we take in our final semester. You also take a Kaplan exam in most courses throughout that vary in level of difficulty. While I don't feel fully prepared to take the NCLEX now based upon my Kaplan scores this far, you are enrolled into Kaplan for about 25 hours worth of NCLEX test review strategies. If you follow their plans, the pass rate is very high. I heard from some that had they taken this course at the start of the program, they would have done much better in the program.

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Thank you sooo much for being so honest! I really appreciate it. I am from California, so I don't have much idea about the reputation of Nursing programs out in Indiana. However, programs here are very impacted, which is why I am considering the out of state option.

I am just being curious, what is the employment scenario? are people getting jobs after graduating from the program?

Thanks a lot!!

Bidisha

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There were 3 people in or cohort from California-2 are moving back, 1 is staying. Many of us have jobs already. My recommendation is to get a part time or supplemental tech/student nurse job after your first semester. Makes you that much more desirable when you're ready to start interviewing. I think 1/3 to 1/2 have offers and several more with multiple interviews I believe. There are a handful of places around here with nursing programs that are just associates programs or aren't even accredited, thus making Marian grads all the more desirable.

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I am so thankful to you for all the information you have provided so far! Since I don't know anyone first hand as a graduate from the program, it has been a great help to get an overview of what to expect. However, I have one more quick question, and that is after graduating from the program, do I get a transcript, which says that the courses were offered online? Or do I receive a transcript that would validate the courses as the on campus program? The only reason I am asking is because I would want to pursue a MSN degree further, and I am just apprehensive if grad schools would accept the online course format or not?

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