New RN program in So Cal!?!

I checked out Everest and the only bad thing anyone can say is that they are not accredited. But they are to and certain extent. But the RN program is 100% accredited and back up by the nursing board.

The entire school (meaning all of the various programs) is accredited by the Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools. They are seeking regional accreditation as well, a fact documented by the CA BRN education committee. This will likely allow graduates of various programs to earn higher degrees from universities. The BRN has approved this ADN program following a 3 year application process.

Remember to thing outsidde the box and there are other ways to get what you want. smarter ways. Good luck.

I'm thinking this is a pretty smart way to get a nursing degree and considering it's a new program, it's not only thinking outside the box-- the box is darn fresh! :chuckle Good luck to you too. Everyone must find their own path and it looks like you've found yours.

there are 500 applicants already for the july session.

i think that reputation has a lot to do with going to a nursing program. for example, mt. sac at least has a good reputaion since they have been established for a long time and they're pass rate for the nclex is 95%! what to do?

hi cabo,

wow, 500 applicants already?

yes, mt. sac is a great school, i did a lot of pre-reqs there, plus a few at chaffey. i'm sure you've checked chaffey and citrus ccs rn programs? chaffey has a unique step program which is probably why they have a 100% pass rate. i believe citrus's rn program is *very* new too, so maybe there is less of a waiting list.

i'm not basing my criteria on pass rates alone, since many newly accredited programs don't have one posted yet, as shown on the born site: http://www.rn.ca.gov/schools/passrates.shtml

of course, you make the best out of what you get from your rn program. but i will use nclex study guides and reviews once i graduate anyway. it always helps to check the school's program drop rates too and speak to actual students if possible. in the end you will be an rn! i am planning to earn a bsn and msn within the next 6 years after the adn... pheeww! i'm looking way ahead... so, there are other things to consider for *my* own journey.

but at least there is a new option out there!!

good luck, let us know what you decide.

I left a message for Martha Keough, MSN, RN, the director of the Everest ADN-RN program about accreditation and she returned my message but darn it I missed the call but she left a voicemail.

She was very clear to state that the school is nationally accredited by ACICS. She said they are seeking regional accreditation but it is "several years off" which is NOT "by the end of the year" as I was told by the admissions counselor (who by the way did not offer that information easily, I had to dig for it).

She had previously told me on my tour of the offices that they will seek National League of Nursing status and that grads would be "grandfathered in". I took that statement to the National League of Nursing and was told this is not a candidate institution at this time and no, grads are NOT grandfathered in.

So education consumers beware: If you graduate before the program is a regionally accredited program recognized by NLN you may have trouble with an RN-BSN or ADN-MSN bridges later because the program will be considered unaccredited even if CA BRN approved. You will earn an ADN from them and get your RN license if you pass your NCLEX but not even a remote notion of higher education following. It is too expensive a risk for me to take since I know the direction I am going is a mandatory MSN.

Best of luck to those who continue with it. I hope you will earn the higher degrees without a hitch!

thanks, for doing the extra research. that is something to think about before going through the rn program, especially if your goal is to obtain a bsn/msn.

Thanks for that info, I hadn't thought about that! I just assume an AS degree from an accredited CA college would be transferable. But M.K did tell me at the time they didn't know whether these courses would be transferable to another institution, it would be up to each school.

She also mentioned that everest was eventually going to offer the BSN there in several years (sounds like it'll be too pricey, imho).. not exactly sure what 'grandfathering' is.

I will try and get in touch with her this week for clarification on all this. I'm not 'too' concerned about it, but ya it'll blow if it affects enrolling in ISU or a CSU's BSN program... I should contact their nursing depts too.

hmmMmn... more questions!!

Thanks for that info, I hadn't thought about that! I just assume an AS degree from an accredited CA college would be transferable. But M.K did tell me at the time they didn't know whether these courses would be transferable to another institution, it would be up to each school.

That is absolutely true, however, it is infinitely easier if the program graduated from is regionally accredited, as well as accredited by the National League of Nursing or CCNE (some schools have both if they offer both ADN and BSN degrees). (Click those links and you can do the same fact checking on the sites and with reps by email as I did.)

She also mentioned that everest was eventually going to offer the BSN there in several years (sounds like it'll be too pricey, imho).. not exactly sure what 'grandfathering' is.

Grandfathering refers to situations where a standard or requirement might change but those who came before (as in our grandfathers) are granted a similar status without having to repeat the process having been the first to achieve the goals, while everyone who comes after must adhere to the current standard or requirement. When I asked if the program is accredited in a generic term, Martha replied that it is nationally accredited not regionally accredited and that it isn't accredited by National League of Nursing, but they are seeking it. When I asked what that meant she said it would take a graduating class to gain the status because you can't get accredited without grads, therefore the grads who took part in earning the status would be grandfathered in, considered grads of an NLN program, and all new students would be attending an NLN accredited program. BUT this is what the rep from NLN wrote:

I will try and get in touch with her this week for clarification on all this. I'm not 'too' concerned about it, but ya it'll blow if it affects enrolling in ISU or a CSU's BSN program... I should contact their nursing depts too.

hmmMmn... more questions!!

I did that too. My target institutions said they won't consider transcripts for a bridge unless they come from a NLN and regionally accredited school. Believe me I was willing it to happen but it is what it is. If I didn't need to depend on the upward mobility I would proceed. I have already graduated from one nationally accredited program that is nontransferrable and I can't add another one to my resume. :redbeathe hugs to you in sorting out your questions you might not have known you had until I posted my findings!

this is interesting news. i also just happened to stumble across this school while browsing online.

i got a few questions for you guys that are in the know...

do the transferable pre-reqs (A&P, micro, etc) have the standard 5 year expiration limit?

do they take into account any repeats as far as the pre-reqs go? i completed the main science courses with B's and A's (one C i think) BUT i did so with multiple repeats...which is what got me stricken off ALL the waiting lists at the community colleges. so i was just wondering if that would be a problem at everest as well.

props for the info folks...

Hi! It's funny that I was browing the board of RNs right now, and noticed A NEW SCHOOL...LOL, always searching. Looks like you ladies found it a bit ago and researched it very nicely. I requested info from them, and will call them monday as well. I would love to hear how the program is, for those who did enroll and will start next week. I think it would be nice to try to get in for Jan 2009. I haven't heard ANYONE mention this program yet...and I work at the state hospital...must be a good secret. Going to school all day...well, I would have to change my work schedule to working double shifts on the weekend.

Hi! It's funny that I was browing the board of RNs right now, and noticed A NEW SCHOOL...LOL, always searching. Looks like you ladies found it a bit ago and researched it very nicely. I requested info from them, and will call them monday as well. I would love to hear how the program is, for those who did enroll and will start next week. I think it would be nice to try to get in for Jan 2009. I haven't heard ANYONE mention this program yet...and I work at the state hospital...must be a good secret. Going to school all day...well, I would have to change my work schedule to working double shifts on the weekend.

Please keep me update. I really need to know all about it.

Thanks:yeah:

I haven't heard ANYONE mention this program yet...and I work at the state hospital...must be a good secret.

Well there is three pages of notes on it here It seems like it has potential and I will be interested to see what happens as the first class of students gets underway.

It was important to me that the school be accredited regionally and by the National League of Nurses, two points the program director told me are YEARS away likely after I am long gone. I have my sights on a graduate program that will not accept students from a program that is not accredited in that way (it is a nationally accredited program).

I had the sales agents calling regularly asking why I hadn't signed up while I was learning this and when I finally could say that I wasn't paying them for an education that wasn't accredited and the woman pretty much agreed with that and told me I would be taken off their call list.

Hi AstrelOne: They should accept your science and other general prerequisites, even if they are older than 5 years as long as it's a C or better and from a jr college or an accredited college. They'll still need official transcripts, so don't just take my word for it.

BTW, as far as I know, there are already 20 seats confirmed for the next start date in January.

The nice thing with Everest is that you may choose to take the prerequisite and general ed classes online or on campus. However, Micro & A&P MUST be taken at the school, along with the actual nursing classes of course. This has reduced the amount of time most students spend at school to 2 or 3 days. For example, my summer quarter schedule is 2 days (~ 10 hours) of campus attendance.:) The fall quarter will be more days for me because I'll need to take Micro and A&P II. You can choose to take all the classes on campus if you like - Nutrition might be the one class that is exclusively online.

I've attached the document that was emailed to me today (I noticed the file name is misspelled but that is how it came to me ).

I opened it hoping it would say it they were newly NLN and regionally accredited since I visited them, but it didn't. I would pay the money in a :redbeathe if it was!

Evererst College- Introduction Booklet- Generic Nursing Program.doc