Lutheran School of Nursing

[StL_Momma27]

Has anyone heard of it? Been to it? Are they a good school?

[amy3812]

I am graduating next month from LSN. They are a great school, but they are hold their students to an extremely high level of expectation. Just as an example...the only way to miss a mid term or final and be allowed to reschedule it is if you are in the hospital and under general anesthesia....no joke (it's written into the student manual).You will have no social life. Working and attending the program, especially if you have children, is next to impossible. In first level, they consistently try to "weed out the weak" and you will feel as if you are going to go insane (this is normal). BUT when you graduate from there, you have more clinical hours and experience than any other school in the area will offer you and you are almost guaranteed to pass state boards the first time. Last graduating class had all but one student pass boards the first time. I would make sure you have your own computer though, as LSN is lacking in adequate technology and their computers in the library barely function at all. Look at the Missouri State Board's website for pass rates based on schools and it speaks for itself. LSN has one of the highest pass rates in the whole state and they are about half the price of some other area schools. Well...there are the pro's and con's for you!! I hope it helps :)

[NatashaCNA85, CNA]

Amy- How selective is LSN as to who they choose to attend?

[amy3812]

They are more selective than some other area nursing schools. You have to complete an admission essay, have references, and have a certain GPA before they will even consider letting someone in. Other area schools just require a certain GPA and then put you on a waiting list on a "first come, first serve" basis. Then, once you are accepted, you have to pass a background check, drug screen, and be BLS and CPR certified to actually start the program. All in all it is not really hard to get in, but it is a fairly long process with a lot of hoops to jump through.

[ASD3187]

how long is their wait list typically??

[amy3812]

I got right in with no problem. If you take some of your prereqs there, then you are more likely to get in right away than if you try and transfer in because they take students that are already there first for thier program. I've heard of some people waiting a semester or so if they transfer in straight into the nursing program.

[ASD3187]

is there a minimum gpa requirment??

[ASD3187]

im nervous that my freshman year of colleg gpa is going to ruin me. but that was 5 years ago and hopefully they can see past that

[amy3812]

In order to get in I believe the cumulative GPA requirment is 2.5 and you have to maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above (while in the program) in order to stay in the program and off of academic probation. For prereqs for thier pogram, they require a C or better (same as some other schools I know of) to be acceptable and not have to take them over. If your sciences are 5 years or some old, you have to retake them anyways, nomatter where you go usually.

[icurnedu]

This is a good program at least by word of mouth, however I caution you unless you already have a job as an LPN, which it sounds as if you don't. You may find it difficult to find a job w/ an ADN most organizations are looking for BSNs at minimum ASN rarely. There is NOT a nursing shortage out there and STL is over saturated with hospitals and nursing schools, GNs are having a very difficult time finding jobs, so please if you have the choice make yourself more marketable while you can.

[amy3812]

Actually, LSN has more clinical hours than most BSN programs (over 1,000 hours), and therefore is just about as marketable. I just graduated three weeks ago and already have a job at SSM through the futures program for GNs. I know of multiple other people that have positions at Barnes and SSM as GNs that I graduated with. Now I can go back for my BSN and have SSM help pay for it. You are correct in stating that there really is no nursing shortage in the STL area.

[amy3812]

Oh and LSN has a 96% pass rate for state boards which is higher than most area BSN programs. Not trying to knock BSN programs or anything, but Lutheran is very well respected and with this hard economy, I had to chose the school that fit my budget while still getting a very high level of education