Indiana State University LPN-BSN, Recommended or not??

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Can we please chime in as to whether indiana state is offering a viable program for LPNs to BSNs?

How about responses from current students?

Specializes in HH, Med/Surg, SCI Rehab.

I have 2 more semesters at ISU and have not had any problems finding a clinical site or preceptor. I did locate the facility but ISU did all the paperwork & negotiating for the contract. I was also given names of facilities that other students had used in prior semesters. I would have to disagree that ISU does nothing to help you find a clinical site/preceptor.

ISU may cost more from Excelsior, but some states do not accept Excelsior because they do not have clinicals. My total cost will be around $23,000 including clinical fees, tuition, & testing fees. However, I will have a BSN when I have finished and this is completely worth it. My cousin just paid a private school close to $62,000 and all she has is a RN and cannot transfer any of her classes to a university to receive a BSN she must continue and this overpriced school!!!!

ISU's distance program is definitely not for everyone!! If it was that easy then everyone could do it and that would not be good for the patients were are caring for.

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Hello...Im a new LVN grad and am looking into different options to obtain my BSN. I have the choice of continuing at my community college to get my ADN by next December, work as an RN and then go to University of Phoenix for my BSN which is like $25,000 or going straight through Indiana State University while working as an LVN...not sure which would work better...dont have any kids and I do like the classroom but then again I'm still not sure which would be a better option....help please... :-)

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Hi sparkle, can you pleas tell me a little bit abou it. I just stat phase one. How long it tooku to come this long? How many classes can u take per sem when u start phase 3? Pls I need help.

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I have 2 more semesters at ISU and have not had any problems finding a clinical site or preceptor. I did locate the facility but ISU did all the paperwork & negotiating for the contract. I was also given names of facilities that other students had used in prior semesters. I would have to disagree that ISU does nothing to help you find a clinical site/preceptor.

ISU may cost more from Excelsior, but some states do not accept Excelsior because they do not have clinicals. My total cost will be around $23,000 including clinical fees, tuition, & testing fees. However, I will have a BSN when I have finished and this is completely worth it. My cousin just paid a private school close to $62,000 and all she has is a RN and cannot transfer any of her classes to a university to receive a BSN she must continue and this overpriced school!!!!

ISU's distance program is definitely not for everyone!! If it was that easy then everyone could do it and that would not be good for the patients were are caring for.

how long it will take before you graduate with a bsn

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Specializes in Ambulatory (Urgent care) & Home Health.

Hi Tasha, I googled ivy tech and there's Alot of school under that name do u have anymore info??

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Specializes in Maternal Child, Ortho, Med/Surg.

Hi,

I am interested in the LVN-BSN program through ISU but want to know if anyone around my area is on this program. I am in northern California, in San Joaquin County. Just want to make sure that this program is legitimate and if it is not hard to find clinical sites. I have read some previous posts that they are having a hard time finding a hospital to do their clinical. I just want to make sure that I will not have a problem with that once I need to start clinicals.

Any information will be greatly appreciated.

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Di you go through the College Network? How much did the program cost you? Is ISU a seperate cost? Are clinicals extra?

The tuition is listed on ISU's website. It ends up being about $13,000 with all the fees. Clinicals are $500 each and total another $3,000. So about $16,000 without College Network materials or testing fees included. That would add on another $4-5,000. You can use financial aid to pay for ISU tuition only- such as Pell Grants, Cal Grants, or scholarships. Whatever the balance is you can also get a Stafford loan.

A local hospital where I did clinicals gave me a scholarship which will cover almost the entire amount of the challenge exam fees (about $1,000).

One way to keep costs down is to do the prereqs at a community college instead. In CA I get a tuition waiver and so all I have had to pay for is my books while attending LVN school and doing all my prereqs the past 2 years.

The TCN materials are helpful to prepare for the exams but you can find them used instead like I did. It is definitely a more focused way to study than buying and reading a lot of books covering each subject.

I used them to study for 2 weeks for the first 2 challenge exams and got A's in both.

Good luck!

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Specializes in homecare, rehab,sub acute.

I signed up with this program thru the college network( I don't like them) 2 years ago but I live in Illinois where you not only have to set up your own clinicials but find your own MSN prepared nurse to precept you also. I don't know anyone who is going to volunteer there time to me like that for some many clinical hours needed to complete this program. I decided that program was not for me and decided to do EC's ADN program and get licensed in Indiana ( I live right across the street from the indiana state line) and work there for 2 years and endorse back to Illlinois . ISU's program was not for me because in Illinois there are a lot of things you have to go through with this particular program. Good luck

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Hi Cindarent, what books did you use in place of TCN guides. I have an appointment with a TCN rep next Wednesday and don't want to sign up with them if I can find the books elsewhere. Also I have about 10 classes already done, I only need to Clep out of two clases and take the 4 entrance exams before I start phase 2. Do you think that there were alot of hoops to jump through to get started with this program? I would like to start this coming fall

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i heard its expensive

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Hi Cindarent, what books did you use in place of TCN guides. I have an appointment with a TCN rep next Wednesday and don't want to sign up with them if I can find the books elsewhere. Also I have about 10 classes already done, I only need to Clep out of two clases and take the 4 entrance exams before I start phase 2. Do you think that there were alot of hoops to jump through to get started with this program? I would like to start this coming fall

Good for you! It sounds like you are really on your way.

I started to read Therapeutic Communication to study for the Mental Health exam but then got the TCN study guides instead. PM me or email me at [email protected] to discuss materials.

When I first saw all the requirements for ISU it seemed overwhelming. I was still in LVN school but started working on the requirements one by one (lots of summer classes). I was most worried about how hard the challenge exams would be, but I found the TCN guides a great way to prepare. I took the practice tests until I got 100%. Then I took the exams and got A's on both.

You have to be very self motivated to do an online program, that's for sure- it is just you responsible for you.

I definitely had to be proactive to make sure I had everything in the works like sending in my high school transcript to get foreign language credit and sending over course descriptions to ISU to make sure they would transfer etc.

To me, the advantages of an online program far outweigh any extra work involved. No more driving to theory 2-3 days per week, no more boring lectures. Now I can study when it works best for my family and be in my own home- hurray!

Any nursing program has a lot of hoops and paperwork, you just have to make sure the program is right for you and your life

right now.

My goal is to be a teacher one day, so this program is very important to fulfill that dream.

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Cindarent:

Sounds like you are doing great! very encouraging! Can you tell me how long it will take, or you think it will take for you to complete the actual nursing portion of the program? I have heard that it is self paced? Do you believe this to be true, or have I been misinformed? I would love to hear any insight you may have to offer!

RainCityNurse

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