I'm currently a nursing student at National University and I'd like to share my thoughts regarding the nursing program.
The environment in this program is currently at the negative end. There is a big disconnect between the students and the nursing staff and questions regarding the ethics of the recent changes that were implemented has been raised. We have had to resort to sending a letter signed by the majority of the nursing students to the president of the university because all other attempts with people running the program have been ignored.
Our dissatisfaction with the program is due to the following changes and affects all current and incoming nursing students:
-The passing grade of C was raised from 73% to 76% for each class.
-Aside from passing each class, a test from an outside company, ATI, must also be passed with a level II or greater. Basically, this means that you can pass your class with 100%, but if you fail the ATI test for that particular class, you fail the class. ATI does not teach in the classrooms or clinical sites. A third party company deciding whether or not students pass their courses does not seem ethical.
-Retaking a class over again will result in falling months behind graduation schedule in order to find room in a new cohort. NU nursing programs start every three months, so you will have to wait a few months in order to join the cohort behind you (if they have room).
-Retaking the class is not covered by financial aid, which means: $3500 out of pocket.
-Anytime your grade falls behind 80%, you are required to attend remediation on campus for 8 hours a week.
-If you pass the class and the ATI exam but receive less than 80%, you are required to attend remediation for your next class.
-Before you can sit for the NCLEX, you must pass a comprehensive ATI predictor test with a Level II or greater. You will not be able to sit for the NCLEX unless this is passed.
Why did the University implement all these changes? To increase the NCLEX pass rates of their students taking the test for the first time. The higher the score, the better their advertisements will look.
What's disheartening about this situation is that while the school has made it so much more difficult for students to continue on with the program, there is no investment on their part to help their students. Also, changes were made without considering how far current students are already in the program. This is not what we signed up for when we applied; these were not the requirements that that were explained to us that we needed to fulfill during our orientation.
Other cons are:
-The school does not provide its students with nu.edu email address. In fact, you will be instructed to use Gmail.
-One year ago we brought up the issue of how our online skills check is not functioning. It's still not functioning.
-Total program cost will be around $45,000. Very, very expensive when compared to other programs.
-No externship programs. In fact, your professors will tell you to see if a community college will let you join their externship program.
-Just for fun: You will pay $1500 for orientation and they will serve you sandwich and chips.
Anywho, I hope this helps during your application process.
Hi cucolmalo, I have not been accepted into the nursing program YET but at the forum I went to they said it was 2 full days of lecture and 2-3 clinicals per week. You can always email the nursing department from the university website and they will reply to you :)
That is good to hear. I guess my fear is taking all my GE classes here and not getting in that 80% mark on my TEAS exam. I am really scared I am trying to think if I should take my GE classes at a CC for a lower cost.
Hey girl, have you moved to SD yet? Started classes at NU? How about the TEAS?
I just apply for October, SD Cohort. I had done the teas, with a score of 76%. But, my gpa is in the lowest range, of 2.798. I sure want to retake the teas to score higher, and planning on do well in the proctored essay.
Therefore, can anyone got me an insight in the prompt of the proctored essay?
Hello satv, if you read up on this thread as well as the precious cohorts threads you will find a lot of info and it should help clear your min.
I would absolutely recommend you up your teas as high as possible to balance the low GPA.
The essay prompts are all different and anyone who already took the essay are not allowed to share the prompt, it is supposed to catch you off guard so you can think of something and build a simple 5 paragraph essay right there and then... but I can tell you that it is nursing related and also your opinion so you don't need to research or anything for it. Just write :)
A passing grade raised from a 73% to a 76% isn't bad. If you work hard, put in ample time to study and do what's necessary then there's no reason not to pass to be honestly. Granted that Nursing School is difficult as it is however, each nursing student that gets into a nursing program should know the commitment and self-discipline it takes to do well. Think about it Nursing School is not to be taken lightly because it another person's life is at your hands. It's a simple formula: study, ask questions if needed, and study again any student will do fine. Now if a student says their unsatisfied with the passing grade going from a 73% to a 76% is not that bad at all. Most universities nowadays use Gmail as the main email service. To say that ATI shouldn't be a factor in graduating I think it should. In fact both ATI testing and HESI provide good indicators at NCLEX Passing Success. You can't just expect Nursing programs to let their students graduate without an exit exam and that should also provide a good indicator to the student her/himself on how they would do on the NCLEX.
I am currently a student in the nursing program at National. For those who are looking to apply, our schedule is usually one lecture day a week for around 5 hrs. Then, we usually have one 12 hour clincial day per week. However, I have had clinical rotations where I have had some weeks with two 12 hour shifts. I'm currently in pediatrics and we have two 8.5 hour days every week, in addition to the lecture. Our terms are usually 8 weeks and we usually have classes back-to-back. I know some accelerated programs go eight weeks on and one week off. This program is not that. Often, your break may be during the middle of a term. Example: our Christmas break occurred during Med-Surg II... not that much of a break. If you want to do well, plan to be very disciplined. I go months at a time without taking a day off. In the beginning, it feels miserable, but now I'm used to it and I have nine months to go. I have also scored a level II or III on all of the ATIs... If you consistently read from the ATI books, you'll be fine. In fact, this whole program is about being structured and consistent. Do that and you will be fine.
I am currently a student in the nursing program at National. For those who are looking to apply, our schedule is usually one lecture day a week for around 5 hrs. Then, we usually have one 12 hour clincial day per week. However, I have had clinical rotations where I have had some weeks with two 12 hour shifts. I'm currently in pediatrics and we have two 8.5 hour days every week, in addition to the lecture. Our terms are usually 8 weeks and we usually have classes back-to-back. I know some accelerated programs go eight weeks on and one week off. This program is not that. Often, your break may be during the middle of a term. Example: our Christmas break occurred during Med-Surg II... not that much of a break. If you want to do well, plan to be very disciplined. I go months at a time without taking a day off. In the beginning, it feels miserable, but now I'm used to it and I have nine months to go. I have also scored a level II or III on all of the ATIs... If you consistently read from the ATI books, you'll be fine. In fact, this whole program is about being structured and consistent. Do that and you will be fine.
Hi, I just got into cohort 47 :) I'm so excited! Can i ask if you use GI Bill?
anyone can get in there it's all about the $$$ these schools need to make business they will find a way to get you in and take your money I went the community college route took more time but I wasn't in debt.
anyone can get in there it's all about the $$$ these schools need to make business they will find a way to get you in and take your money I went the community college route took more time but I wasn't in debt.
You are absolutely entitled to have an opinion based on your personal experience. However, I would not recommend false allegations against a Nursing School's Entrance criteria.
Some schools are private and their fees are very clearly disclosed prior to anyone applying, therefore an informed applicant should be aware of the cost before hand, and not get in some magical way just to have "money taken from them".
What you are stating here is absolutely inaccurate as to how competitive National University Nursing School is and how hard an applicant works to get accepted. I personally know a hand full of people with average GPA and decent TEAS score, with plenty of funding for school, NOT get accepted. That is how competitive it is.
If, for some reason going the community college route was more beneficial for you, or perhaps cost effective for you, that is your experience. Don't generalize schools! More importantly DO NOT misinform others, this isn't a forum for you to vent but instead to help one another.
JVC83
85 Posts
I am having a good experience so far if that helps any :)