Is Going to a Non-Accredited School a Waste of Time?

[daishadee]

Would it be a waste of time to go to a non accredited nursing program? Or does it not make much of a difference. My plan is to get my ADN at a non accredited school because the school is not far and then get my BSN at an accredited school online. Bad idea? I’m almost done with my pre reqs 

[Nunya, BSN]

Yes, bad idea imo.  I don't know for sure but will an accredited BSN school accept you?  If I were the Dean I sure wouldn't as your education level might not be up to par.  

[RNperdiem, RN]

When the BSN school won't accept your classes as transfer credit and you have to retake the classes, it matters.

[Jedrnurse, BSN, RN]

I hope you are at least taking your pre-reqs at an accredited school. Then you won't have wasted your time and money.

Don't go to the unaccredited school.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

PLEASE do no make that mistake! I personally (as the director of an accredited program) have dealt with the fallout of this as TWO local non-accredited school closed suddenly- and their displaced students have been blindsided by the impact of having no transferrable credits. 

[guest874748]

Hondros' direct entry ADN program was really tempting. They count ANY 30 hour college experience and pretty much place you on the same level as an LPN. Plus A&P 1 and 2, math, english, were all apart of the program, not pre-reqs. I don't know, I added it up and it was going to be like 9 months/28 credit hours for me. Had I not gotten into a 16 straight month program with community college tuition, I would have gone there. From what I understand, as long as a program is approved by the BON in the state they operate, you can apply for licensure anywhere. I think the problem comes from not graduating with an associates, like trying to transfer to a prelicensure BSN program. 

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

3 hours ago, DMQ48 said:

 From what I understand, as long as a program is approved by the BON in the state they operate, you can apply for licensure anywhere.

The problem was that many of those for-profit schools were in trouble with the BONs for years. The issue for the graduates is that the education was so poor that very few graduates were able to pass NCLEX. Many had a 20-50% NCLEX pass rate. What ends up happening is that a graduate has a mountain of student loan debt and no possibility of a nursing job to pay it off. There are many stories on AN about graduates that are on their 5th, 7th, tenth time taking NCLEX.

[sleepwalker, MSN, NP]

DO NOT DO IT!  Point blank and period.

[guest874748]

I'm no longer thinking about it because I got into a community college program, but some of the 'BON-only' accredited were tempting because of their credit hour requirements. Hypothetically, if you graduated from one of these associate RN programs and were able to pass the NCLEX, what would be the issue? I know limited initial employment opportunities but I can't see a huge downside to it vs. going to PIMA, ECPI, Carrington

[sleepwalker, MSN, NP]

Most advance education programs and services re

11 hours ago, DMQ48 said:

I'm no longer thinking about it because I got into a community college program, but some of the 'BON-only' accredited were tempting because of their credit hour requirements. Hypothetically, if you graduated from one of these associate RN programs and were able to pass the NCLEX, what would be the issue? I know limited initial employment opportunities but I can't see a huge downside to it vs. going to PIMA, ECPI, Carrington

Most advanced education programs and education services require "regional accreditation" to ensure educational standards are met and maintained. State or "BON only" accreditation just means that the State is allowing them to operate...they may or may not be meeting educational standards...often they are on "probation" forever while they "attempt" to modify their programs and increase their graduation rates, NCLEX pass rates, etc.  

If the program does not have regional accreditation you're wasting your time, effort, and money.

[londonflo]

On 11/3/2020 at 3:14 AM, DMQ48 said:

Hondros' direct entry ADN program was really tempting. They count ANY 30 hour college experience and pretty much place you on the same level as an LPN.

Their LPN program is ACEN accredited and has okay passrates. The RN program is not accredited and has been on probation for low passrates for 5 years. I would ask 'why' the program does not get accreditation for it's RN ADN program? One of the problems with any success for ACEN is probably their passrates. That would worry me. Always gauge  the success of the program with sound passrates and post-graduation rates. That's the winning combination for your success!

 

16 hours ago, DMQ48 said:

I'm no longer thinking about it because I got into a community college program,

Congratulations! Good choice!

[Just Peachy]

I've never heard of a non accredited nursing school. Taking classes  at a non accredited schools sounds like the same thing as auditing classes at accredited school. They do not get credit for a audited classes.