Graceland University online FNP program

ivanh3 · Jul 18, 2009

So, after all this, I am assuming you are very happy you chose Graceland. If you had it to do all over again... would you pick that school?

Yes I would.

dkf66 · Jul 18, 2009

THANKS! YOU'VE SEALED MY CHOICE FOR ME. GREATLY APPRECIATED!

serratia4257 · Dec 9, 2009

my post and questions are for ivanh3, but any input would be great from other graceland students and graduates

i am a firefighter/paramedic and i plan to go through the same route you did, rn at excelsior and then fnp at graceland. i have lots of questions and i don't expect an answer to all of them, good lord knows you're probably busy with just graduating or getting ready to graduate from graceland.

1. how hard is it to get into graceland with very little rn experience. i have worked in the er before, but i am mainly a 911 medic. i plan to work full time after i attain my rn. realistically could one go directly from licensure to graceland acceptance, or have you heard of that being done?

2. what is the real difference between accelerated and fulltime course load. is it that you just go during the summer months? i have read all sorts of things. i have read that you take on one course at a time for 9 weeks and then test for the course. if that is the case, it sounds a little like excelsior and though the coursework may be more advanced than excelsior, could you complete the courses in a quicker time frame than this guideline i got from excelsior.

3. what is it like going to graceland? is it like excelsior where you get the reading assignment & course outline and just take a final? do they give you reading assignments and quizzes? do the notes, lectures, readings, & syllabuses all mesh together or do you feel ill prepared for the tests? i have heard there is a 2 "c" and your dropped policy like south university and a few others...is it hard to maintain above a "c" even if you study your rear-end off?

thank you for all that you have posted to the site...it has helped me tremendously.

i appreciate any response from any graceland fnp students, even if they didn't go to excelsior.

ivanh3 · Dec 9, 2009

my post and questions are for ivanh3, but any input would be great from other graceland students and graduates. i am a firefighter/paramedic and i plan to go through the same route you did, rn at excelsior and then fnp at graceland. i have lots of questions and i don't expect an answer to all of them, good lord knows you're probably busy with just graduating or getting ready to graduate from graceland.

tomorrow is actually my last day of class! whoohoo!

1. how hard is it to get into graceland with very little rn experience. i have worked in the er before, but i am mainly a 911 medic. i plan to work full time after i attain my rn. realistically could one go directly from licensure to graceland acceptance, or have you heard of that being done?

i am not sure of their rn experience policy. i had only been an rn for about a year and a paramedic for about 13 years (in a variety of settings). i am assuming they look at the whole picture. i can tell you that everyone in my class had rn experience.

2. what is the real difference between accelerated and fulltime course load. is it that you just go during the summer months? i have read all sorts of things. i have read that you take on one course at a time for 9 weeks and then test for the course. if that is the case, it sounds a little like excelsior and though the coursework may be more advanced than excelsior, could you complete the courses in a quicker time frame than this guideline i got from excelsior.

ironically one of the posters in the beginning of this thread indicated that graceland was known for being quick. in fact, it has to be one of the slowest. their version of “accelerated” is about as fast as other programs “normal”. i can say it took me exactly three years (asn to msn). i went full time, took as many courses as i could, and went year around. some courses are offered in 8 week formats.

much of the time will depend on the number of general education courses you need e.g. stats, chem w/ organic component, writing, etc. i took five courses in my first semester just taking gen ed classes.

graceland uses the traditional semester system with normal periodic testing and assignments. there is no “single test for the course” like ec.

3. what is it like going to graceland? is it like excelsior where you get the reading assignment & course outline and just take a final? do they give you reading assignments and quizzes? do the notes, lectures, readings, & syllabuses all mesh together or do you feel ill prepared for the tests? i have heard there is a 2 "c" and your dropped policy like south university and a few others...is it hard to maintain above a "c" even if you study your rear-end off?

graceland is nothing like the ec distance adn/asn program. the course work is structured. semesters have start/stop dates. there are weekly assignments. these include papers (you write a lot of papers), discussions (most asynchronous), and tests. also, there are “focus” sessions which require travel to the campus. there is one for the undergrad portion, and two for the master’s level. they are 4-5 days, all day. then of course you set up your clinicals locally.

i am not sure about the “2 c/dropped” policy. if you put in the hours and study you should be making as and bs, but that will depend on your individual strengths and weaknesses so ymmv.

i hope this helps. let me know how i can help.

serratia4257 · Dec 10, 2009

Thank you for the quick response...sorry I couldn't tell you thank you quicker, but you know how it is at the station. Somedays you come in and you never comeback until 7am in the morning. Thank you for the information, I am sure I will have other questions that will come up, but I promise I won't be a bother or a pest.

akoster · Dec 11, 2009

I did the same thing started as paramedic then adn excelsior and adn-msn at graceland 7 years ago. I would go there again. I think you get what you give out of any schooling no matter what the "name" is

Dixiecup · Dec 12, 2009

I haved a friend who got her FNP there and she absolutely loved it. I planned on going there but at the time my license was on probation with the BON and they would not except me. so if anyone has any issues with your license, don't bother applying.

Kersplatt · Aug 7, 2012

Any updates? How is the Program? I am extremely interested in this program: just would like current or past student perspectives.