New RN program at Sumner College???

patty89 · Apr 11, 2012

I am actually applying to this school for the RN program. I will be taking the TEAS next month. Their program will be offered twice a year, in June and December. I am so very excited and really hope I pass the TEAS sicne that is what they are mainly looking at :)

taz5869, RNC-OB · Apr 13, 2012

A word of caution: RN and LPN jobs are VERY difficult to find in the Portland area right now. I would think long and hard before going into this kind of debt for a LPN or ASN degree... it's a very expensive program with absolutely no guarantee of a job at the end of the tunnel. I honestly don't know what all of the ASN new grad RN's are doing in this market because I am a new BSN grad (December '11) who is having a hard time finding a job - and I'm not alone. Many of my cohort members are still looking for jobs and we're all second degree students with BSN's, excellent GPA, and a fair amount of life experience.

All I can say is that I hope the market improves before you get out.

fullforce · Oct 15, 2013

Hello...and help!

I was wondering if you applied for and started the RN program at Sumner? I am looking into applying for the January 2014 quarter, but I have been reading some bad reviews. Low graduation rates, degrees that aren't accepted outside of Oregon, and credits/degrees that are not recognized by 4 year colleges for procession to a bachelors. Any insight that you could provide?

Thanks!

pnlu007 · Oct 17, 2013

I hope you take my advice to heart. Summer College is a for-profit school and generally these programs are of low quality and high price. These types of programs began popping up when the phrase "nursing shortage" became popular. What is true now is that a nursing shortage does not exist for new grads with no experience. I think if you have a year or two under your belt the market is at least decent.

The job market is tough for all BSN nurses, tougher for the ASN nurses from all the community colleges. The challenge for these jobs will almost be insurmountable because hospitals are aware of for profit schools and the quality of education. Because Sumner and for profits like them market to those who are eager and I hate to use this word-Desperate to get into a program. I know going thru the process to apply to a traditional school is challenging with no guarantee of acceptance, but you'll find yourself with a degree that the job market considers inferior and a ridiculous debt level that will impact you for the rest of your life. The burden from that debt will prevent you from ever pursuing anything else. My advice is to keep whatever job you have now and take prereqs at pcc or comparable junior college, get your CNA license and work that job- then apply to pcc/equivalent or linfield, univ port or other Bsn program. Sumner college will be the biggest mistake of your life.

fullforce · Dec 13, 2013

pnlu077,

Thank you for your honest reply. I was accepted to the program for Jan. 2014, but am thinking seriously about backing out. I have already taken all of my pre-reqs up through Microbiology. I applied to a local community college which takes the top 40 TEAS test scores; I missed the top 40 by about 2% (three questions!) on the TEAS. :-( I was extremely upset, and really looking for another option to start around the same time. Now I am stuck: go through with this program or get my CNA and re-apply at the Community College. I hate to take the risk of not getting accepted AGAIN, but my eventual goal is a Masters in Nurse Midwifery...and not a single program I can find will accept a degree from a Nationally vs. regionally accredited program.

samcw · Apr 16, 2014

I have to give my two cents about this. All nursing programs are hard to get into at the ADN level, and 'for profits' are no exception. All you need to do is pass the NCLEX and get your license to get into the field. I wouldn't recommend anyone to apply to University of Portland if they can go the route of Sumner or another similar type of school. U of P charges $19,000 plus books and fees per semester and the upper level nursing courses are 5 semesters minimum. I met with the school. In addition to that, you have to take a ton of prereqs - that you may be able to complete in 1 to 2 additional semesters if you are lucky. So you will pay for 6-8 semesters at $19,000 each, which is $115K - $150k. Sumner is listed at $46k and then you can go online and get your BSN for around $40K so you have close to half the debt... as far as the job market I work in healthcare and we just look for the BSN and active license.. for what it's worth. If you decide to take the pre-reqs somewhere else then you have to wait until the class is available. So it really comes down to time and money. I know someone who graduated from Sumner that works with me and they got pell grants for school and left with only owing $15,000 in loans when they got done with their LPN program. She is making $22 an hour now so keep researching and good luck!

samcw · Apr 16, 2014

Philadelphia University | Midwifery Admissions Requirements

allisonw86 · May 8, 2014

The first cohort of from this program graduates in February 2015 and their pass rates for their LPN program are very high. I am seriously considering it. I'm putting myself into more debt by attending pcc. By the end of the year I will have as much debt as attending this whole 2 year program would be.

OregonCowgirl · Feb 6, 2016

I find it exhausting how many nurses on this forum are quick to bash "all" for-profit schools because they are "always" bad. Especially since they are taught in nursing to school to avoid "always" and "never" statements and to not generalize or pass judgement without facts :-)

Are there bad for-profit school out there? Yes. Are there bad public and CC schools out there? Yes.

I am going to Sumner. There are some things I do not like about the school. But I could say that of any program. Am I paying more? Yes...but not really. I applied to local community colleges with a 4.0 GPA for 2 years and couldn't get in due to high volume. I got into this program before the next cycle of community colleges opened their applications. Even if I got in this time around, I will have already graduated this program and be out (and working!) for a year before I would have graduated from a local CC. Do the math of the wages I will gain in that one working year as an RN versus waiting...and it ends up justifiable.

The local CC is well known and is well accredited. However, depending on who you ask, the quality of students are mixed, with a pass rate of on average 80%. Sumner is graduating RNs with over a 95% pass rate on the first try.

A friend of mine graduated from the local CC as an RN....after she retook EACH prerequisite TWICE to get the grade required to get in. All paid for by Federal loans. Did she save money? Sure. Would I call her a quality nurse? I don't know - I've never seen her at work. But I was very concerned when she told me she had to retake EACH prereq TWICE just to get the grade she needed to get into the program....THEN told me she only passed nursing school because they curved the last term, which put her from failing to passing.

My point? Take it all with a grain of salt. DO YOUR RESEARCH, look at your own life, and make a decision based on that.

Alex1985B · Mar 28, 2017

Sumner College is a great school and their placement rates are 95%. NCLEX pass rates are high and retention is high. I graduated from the RN program and enrolling in that school was one of the best decisions of my life. I am now in a BSN program and have been promoted at my current job.

vohjen · Jan 20, 2018

Sumner College is a great school and their placement rates are 95%. NCLEX pass rates are high and retention is high. I graduated from the RN program and enrolling in that school was one of the best decisions of my life. I am now in a BSN program and have been promoted at my current job.

Hi Alex1985B,

Congrats! May I ask what your TEAS exam score was when you apply? Did the TEAS include A&P too or just Bio Chemistry for the science part?

Thanks