Northwest University: A review for prospective students

[moodwaffle]

I'm a graduate of Northwest University (NW)and thought I'd post a thread on my experience for perspective students. NW offers a BSN degree (two Christian bible classes are required, which can be taken in the summer in a 13 week concentrated course). NW is in Kirkland, WA, which is about 15-25 minutes from Seattle.

First, Northwest is a Christian university-- they have a strict set of rules such as no alcohol/drugs, no extra-marital coital activities, no abortions, homosexuality etc. Basically, the school is run with Judeo-Christian values and they want students to be committed to these values. So if you're not of that moral leaning, NW may not be for you. They require students to attend chapel three times week, prayer is commonly used to start classes, and Christian spirituality is integrated into all classes.

The nursing program is pretty decent, fully accredited. My class of 2007 graduated 86% NCLEX first try. Cost is about 26-28K a year.

The program was founded by a medical missionary to India (Mark and Hulda Buntain), and part of the vision of the nursing school is to train Christian nurses to work their faith into their practice. Part of the curriculum is to train nurses how to provide medical care in third world settings, which was great! I spent 30 days in Calcutta, India, running around in slums, red-light districts, and Indian hospitals as part of a clinical experience (a lot of community health, infection control, hospice, and I spent a week in the ER and ICU). The trip is required, and is considered a clinical. Locations include India, Africa, Alaska, American Native Americans (Oregon, and WA), Mexico, Madagascar, Shri Lanka, Taiwan. The trip is chaperoned by staff, the same moral standards apply, and there's homework you'll be doing in your jet-lagged-exhausted state of mind. The trip was amazing for me.

I still call and talk to some of my nursing professors. The professors utterly and completely want you to succeed and do everything they can to help. All but two professors had their doctorates, and the Dean is a really nice dude with an amazing academic record. Class sizes are small (no more than 30), and there was a real sense of family in my cohort.

In 2008, NW built a whole new science building with cadaver labs and a big skills lab. I've seen the new building, and I'm real jealous is wasn't built in time for my class.

Overall, the nursing school was great, I learned a lot, succeeded at the NCLEX, and look forward to more medical trips to India (I made some great contacts over there). I hope this review as helpful.

[just_cause, BSN, RN]

Great review - it sounds like an amazing experience and I have seen little of NW on these boards - thanks!