LVN-BSN /West Coast University

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Are there any LVN-BSN students currently attending West Coast University in California ?

Im interested in this school but would like some feedback to how the program is structured, schedule, teachers ect. Would you recommend to prospective students ? Please help !

Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

I personally go to MSMC and the tuition for nursing students is nowhere near the $28-30k mark.

The tuition for my program is $710 a unit. Last time I checked the cost per unit for WCU was $1200 unit.

My personal situation was I applied with only the non science courses done. I am currently completing the sciences at MSMC will start the bridge portion in 2011 and graduate 2012 with a ADN. After that the BSN is an additional year if you choose.

My concern with WCU is you have to ask yourself what hiring managers in hospitals think of a college that primarily markets itself as the easy option.

I personally have met the owner of ACC/WCU a couple of times and he is primarily concerned with the amount of revenue that comes in. If you are behind on your payments even a few days they will hold you out of class until you pay. This is a company he bought for a $1 in the 70's and now it makes 60 million a year. For Profit College.

If you've only hear positive things then you need to listen harder. If you want to just give them $120k which you probably dont have then sure go ahead. I don't say this to be mean or discouraging but go in with your eyes wide open.

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My instructor for my LVN class went to MSMC and received his ADN from there. He stated he paid $60,000 for his tuition. Also, their website states their tuition as 14,000 a semester so perhaps that is wrong but I am only going by what I see on their official website and this is a copy/paste Tuition and Fees - Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles.

Tuition and Fees

Undergraduate Students (2010-11) Full-time (12-18 units/semester) $29,232/year - $14,616/semester Full-time (units in excess of 18/semester) $1,218/unit Part-time (less than 12 units/semester) $1,218/unit College Services Fee $450 (Full-Time) $115 (Part-Time) Nursing Fee (If Applicable) $275 Health Insurance Fee $511 (Fall Only) $883(Spring & Summer)

So that is great you are paying less and that perhaps this is a more viable option for more people who have trouble with cost of tuition.

And for the other comments, fortunately my situation is a lot different than most and the cost isn't an issue and I am not required to take out loans to pay for school nor am I too concerned about where I will work with my "bought" degree since I already work with a large company and will simply be bumped up.

Business is business. I don't see the big deal about them making a profit but I'll leave this subject alone in the future since we are going to get nowhere.

And ultimately, easy option or not, in the end aren't you sitting for and passing/failing the same exact boards? I do not see how it makes it "easier" but to each their own.

Much success to you in your future endeavors in nursing school and I wish you all the best. :)

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Well, any way you look at it, and for whatever the cost, I would prefer to put MSMC on my resume.

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.
My instructor for my LVN class went to MSMC and received his ADN from there. He stated he paid $60,000 for his tuition. Also, their website states their tuition as 14,000 a semester so perhaps that is wrong but I am only going by what I see on their official website and this is a copy/paste Tuition and Fees - Mount St. Mary's College, Los Angeles.

Tuition and Fees

Undergraduate Students (2010-11) Full-time (12-18 units/semester) $29,232/year - $14,616/semester Full-time (units in excess of 18/semester) $1,218/unit Part-time (less than 12 units/semester) $1,218/unit College Services Fee $450 (Full-Time) $115 (Part-Time) Nursing Fee (If Applicable) $275 Health Insurance Fee $511 (Fall Only) $883(Spring & Summer)

So that is great you are paying less and that perhaps this is a more viable option for more people who have trouble with cost of tuition.

And for the other comments, fortunately my situation is a lot different than most and the cost isn't an issue and I am not required to take out loans to pay for school nor am I too concerned about where I will work with my "bought" degree since I already work with a large company and will simply be bumped up.

Business is business. I don't see the big deal about them making a profit but I'll leave this subject alone in the future since we are going to get nowhere.

And ultimately, easy option or not, in the end aren't you sitting for and passing/failing the same exact boards? I do not see how it makes it "easier" but to each their own.

Much success to you in your future endeavors in nursing school and I wish you all the best. :)

If you had read my previous post which you obviously didn't I clearly stated that the tuition for the nursing program is LESS than that of the Traditional Undergraduate Students. Tuition for the nursing program is $710 not $1200 which is the statistics you posted above.

Enjoy your McDegree. Was trying to save you from a costly mistake but obviously you just want us to give approval to your decision so I even wonder why you bothered posting your debate to a public forum since obviously you have already made your mine. I have a friend in the last LVN-ADN class for WCU and she wished she had gone somewhere else and employment looks grim.

I know for a fact HOAG and the VA will not hire WCU grads.

You say money is no object? Are you paying in cash?

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I am currently enrolled for the January 31st 2011 start date. The tuition with books is 116k for the lvn to bsn. You're saving 16k or 20k, I can't remember the BSN tuition off the top of my head. I am not taking out private loans and opted to make payments monthly after FA. It may not be much of a difference but I was planning on just doing the straight BSN program and this was a pleasant surprise, especially when paying big $ out of pocket. I wasn't even aware they had an LVN to BSN program but they literally got approval last week or so and I got lucky. I've been trying to get my LVN to ADN done at PCC and after a year or so of not even getting any of my vital pre-reqs done, I've decided that a CC is not for me. By the time I would've been done with just my pre-reqs I probably will already be working as an RN with a BSN by going through WCU.

Hey JBEYE, I'm also planning to start January 31! are you going to the Anaheim campus?

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I really don't understand all the negative remarks about WCU. It's actually pretty competitive with other private schools tuition wise.

JBEYE, I think that WCU is not for everyone, obviously. Some people just can't qualify for the loans or have many other financial responsibilities that paying about $1500 a month for a school loan, is just not feasible. I think they shouldn't put the school down for that reason. Any school that does not get paid, is simply going to drop you out. They gotta get paid somehow. WCU pays their instructors big bucks, and they do not just hire anybody to teach their future nursing grads, so the instructors are more motivated and willing to teach you more. I personally heard from friends that they just couldn't stand community college, the instructors were very difficult to deal with and it was hard to get in, once in they ended up dropping out because it was too intense and felt like they weren't learning the material. I'm excited to go to WCU :D

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If you had read my previous post which you obviously didn't I clearly stated that the tuition for the nursing program is LESS than that of the Traditional Undergraduate Students. Tuition for the nursing program is $710 not $1200 which is the statistics you posted above.

Enjoy your McDegree. Was trying to save you from a costly mistake but obviously you just want us to give approval to your decision so I even wonder why you bothered posting your debate to a public forum since obviously you have already made your mine. I have a friend in the last LVN-ADN class for WCU and she wished she had gone somewhere else and employment looks grim.

I know for a fact HOAG and the VA will not hire WCU grads.

You say money is no object? Are you paying in cash?

WOW! I have a few friends that graduated from WCU and are working at Hoag. Where did you get this info from?

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

From HOAG HR directly. They will no longer be hiring WCU grads as they now have magnet status.

WCU and its sister school are factories. They may be nice factories with happy clients and happy students but they are factories nonetheless. Money alone does not motivate instructors to provide quality instruction. If one of your sole motivation for going to a college is the fact they are not picky about the kinds of students they accept and that its easy to get in then I'd think twice. Would you want a Dr who went to a med school that accepted anyone who met the basic requirements?

Be an educated education consumer.

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Specializes in Aspiring for a CCRN.
From HOAG HR directly. They will no longer be hiring WCU grads as they now have magnet status.

WCU and its sister school are factories. They may be nice factories with happy clients and happy students but they are factories nonetheless. Money alone does not motivate instructors to provide quality instruction. If one of your sole motivation for going to a college is the fact they are not picky about the kinds of students they accept and that its easy to get in then I'd think twice. Would you want a Dr who went to a med school that accepted anyone who met the basic requirements?

Be an educated education consumer.

I could not have said it better.

Those who want to attend WCU and the likes, please, feel free to do so. I don't dare stop anyone from lining others' pockets. Irrespective of what is being said and kindly warned repeatedly, it is ultimately your decision and your money.

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From HOAG HR directly. They will no longer be hiring WCU grads as they now have magnet status.

WCU and its sister school are factories. They may be nice factories with happy clients and happy students but they are factories nonetheless. Money alone does not motivate instructors to provide quality instruction. If one of your sole motivation for going to a college is the fact they are not picky about the kinds of students they accept and that its easy to get in then I'd think twice. Would you want a Dr who went to a med school that accepted anyone who met the basic requirements?

Be an educated education consumer.

They don't just accept anybody, you have to pass the HESI entrance exam with 80% or above. Anyway, WCU is not for everybody. End of story.

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They don't just accept anybody, you have to pass the HESI entrance exam with 80% or above. Anyway, WCU is not for everybody. End of story.

and is this Hesi "entrance" exam suppose to be hard for most people?

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Well, what is easy for one may be difficult for another, I personally got 87%, but they stated that most don't pass it until the 2nd try.

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