2nd Degree Nursing programs...Prior Degree and GPA?

U.S.A. Pennsylvania

Published

Hello!

Im just curious, all of those applying for the 2nd degree nursing programs, what previous bachelors degree did you have and what was your GPA?

Hi,

I was accepted to harcum and is trying to figure out if its a good choice for me. I wanted to know what is the deal with them as I read the letter about provisional status but wanted to know overall if you think the program is ok? Are you trying to get into another school? How are the test? Have you lost students? There are not many evening programs and my friend just tried to get in neumann and its a almost a year before she can even begin nursing classes.

Txs

KC

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I am currently in a second degree program, but my first degree was in Health Sciences (athletic training), and my overall gpa was a 3.4.

Good luck to everyone!! It is a lot of work, but so worth it!!

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Well, I think the director of the program is such a sweet lady, shes so nice and I can tell she cares. Although, every other professor in the department doesnt care at all. They dont reply to your emails, they are always late for lecture, and they absolutely do not teach anything in lab. Clinical rotation was extrememly easy and we werent even graded on it at all. The grades are based on 5 tests, theres no chance for extra credit or alternative testing. You have to get a 80 or best to pass the class, which is extrememly hard when you only have 5 tests. They make you buy all the books the first semester which cost over 1000 dollars, and the uniforms are around 400 bucks too all upfront. They admit almost everyone literally.. in my class theres 70 students admitted, and almost half of them dropped by the end of the semester. Seriously for the cost of that program its NOT worth it, which is why I decided to just go straight for my BSN. Harcum is literally the worse program in the state- which is a fact on the NClex passing rates website. For the past 3 years, only 60% of students pass the NClex, which is horrible for a nursing program. Im not trying to bash them at all, but oh my gosh.... you cant get much worse than that school. They dont teach you anything. Im the type of person who needs to learn WHY something is the way it is, not "just because" and thats how they teach stuff. Everything is off powerpoint. And its rediculas because clinical you will pass no matter what as long as you show up, yet we arnt graded a percentage which is bullsh*t. I have previous healthcare experiance and so of course I was one of the first people who fully understood what I was doing. There were 3 girls in particular I can think of that didnt **** anything and complained the whole time but they passed with flying colors. Its ashame, so my advice is explore your options. The only reason I went to that school is because I didnt think I could get into any other school. So be cautious because I know for me money is very hard to come around and that semester just killed me.

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Hi,

Arent the books and uniforms included in the tuition? In regards to the test did the powerpoint material cover what was on the test or did you have to read the book to? The professors were late to the day program or evening program? Did you get to choose your clinical site? You already left harcum right to pursue your bsn? I can completely understand money is hard to come by for me to and basically I just want a quick program I am looking around and some programs are over 2 years in length and I really want to leave the state asap. Do they give you like a blue print to study or a copy of the powerpoint lecture? I appreciate you answering my questions and good luck on your bsn I am sure you will do well:). KC

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I was in the day program and no the books werent covered in the tuition. The tests werent coming from the powerpoints, mostly from 4 different books and NClex questions. They do give you the copy of the powerpoints though which was helpful. As far as clinicals, you get to pick where you want to go but they make you pick choices 1 through 3 and they pick any one of the 3 for you. You will have lab practical which is a joke. You dont learn anything from lab, mostly because the professors dont even show you have to do them. Its so sad. I stopped going to Harcum bc im a single mom and I cant afford to not pass the NClex or have thorough teaching. I mean its one thing if its me that doesnt understand something, but come on... only 60% students passing the nclex, its alarming to me. Im the type of person who asks a ton of questions. its terrible. Im hoping to get into West chester or Jefferson program next Spring. Be careful though bc most hospitals require a BSN now so id definetely further my education if you are planning on going to Harcum.

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Wow thats something sorry you had such a horrible time at harcum. Did you try to discuss your concerns with anyone there? Did other people leave when you left? So if you learned nothing in practical how were students taking vitals and giving medications at clinical? Did you leave in the middle of the semester or afterwards so you can transfer credits to new nursing school? I hope you get in to both schools they are good choices did you try neumann university? Did you look into accelerated programs? Oh yea with harcum being so much per semester did they give you grants or scholarships I was wondering about that. So let me get this right test were based on 4 books and not power points or more questions were from book material. Evening only has one or two classes at a time the first being foundations there are 4 books for foundations? Did you guys atleast learn dosage calculations or had to take this med term test I heard about?

KC

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yeah we took the Med test but they dont bother to show you how to get an answer. And thats correct, we didnt learn anything. Our clinical instructors told us what to do and then we just did it. NOT good practice at all. Most of the girls I had talked to still dont no how to take a blood pressure or vitals. I left at the end of the semester. I know of about 10 people who left after the final too. As far as scholarships, it depends on your FAFSA and etc. Im a single mom so I got some grants and then just took out loans for the other half of it. Pathedic decision on my part. And the books, theres only ONE foundations book, but they use content from 4 different books for testing. Its literally impossible to study all 4 books because the chapters are like 30 pages each. And the tests are between 3-5 chapters at once.

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Can you transfer credit to your new school? Do you have a BA degree already so you can consider accelerated bsn programs? Did harcum try to contact you? Once again I am sorry you had a bad experience with them just out of curiosity did you guys pass meds in clinical? What things did you have to do besides poo duty? My friend is trying to get in harcum and has also read negative things about them now she is looking elsewhere to. She is applying to neumann university.

KC

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In clinicals we did injections, vital signs, gave out meds, wrote in the patients charts, inserted catheters in the patient if they needed one.... we did a lot. thats why im wondering why they didnt grade us a percentage on clinical because some people didnt even no how to do a freaking blood pressure. and No i dont have a bachelors degree yet. But tell your friend to look elsewhere because theres nothing to get out of this nursing program, speically after hearing of their provisional status, such a waste of time and money let me tell ya.

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