Since it seems that there's quite a bit of interest, I'm attempting to start a new thread devoted exclusively to the OU on-line RN-BSN program that will hopefully build on the comments on assorted previous threads.
I'd like to ask nevergonnagiveup, mtsteelhorse and babynurse73 - all of whom (I think) are either already in the program or have applied for admission - to post about their experiences. I just sent in my application and plan to post periodically about relevant issues. If we can populate the thread with good material, it could become a very useful resource for both those considering the OU program and students already in it. Once that happens, I'd hope we could prevail upon the forum moderators to make it a sticky thread.
As indicated, I've only recently applied to the program. So far, I'm happy with the support and information I've gotten. I've been contacted by an OU "enrollment specialist" who was somewhat helpful (I suspect that they have dual roles, one being to provide basic information to prospective students and the other to follow-up with the prospects and help to fill the roster for the program). This person e-mailed me, followed up with a phone call and was able to provide some useful, if basic, information about the program. I also sent a lengthy e-mail to OU with quite a number of specific, detailed questions. This too resulted in both an e-mail and telephone response, this time from an academic advisor in the OU School of Nursing. Again I received some useful and quite helpful information. All in all, my early experience has been pretty positive.
As indicated above, I plan to post about relevant issues that come up as I work my way through the admission and evaluation process. I'd very much like to hear from others about their experience with OU and I'm sure that there will be a lot of interest by others in our collective experience with the program.
Officially starting week 5!!! The end of this class is in sight! I will finally get a much needed one week vacation before starting the fall quarter :bowingpur:yelclap::clpty:*wine:anpom:
Have been ignoring the books today - went out picking blackberries and then came in and made a pie . Hopefully that last case study will write itself???
Officially starting week 5!!! The end of this class is in sight! I will finally get a much needed one week vacation before starting the fall quarter :bowingpur:yelclap::clpty:*wine:anpom:
The sad reality is next week will go by insanely fast..Then it's back to the books
I used it to map out my schedule since I double up on classes. It also allowed me to see "where" I could fit in my elective.
For instance, Fall 1 section, I've already taken Cultural Diversity, so I knew that I could add an elective with Strategic planning. So I'm taking Business Communication + Strategic planning for Fall 1. For Fall 2, I'll continue with Bus Com since it's a 10wk course and add Health Intervention since I've already done (tested out) of Health Appraisal.
Just got an updated DARS and boy am I unhappy, not to mention discouraged. The DARS states that I need pretty much everything from natural and applied sciences to fine arts through social sciences, humanities and cross-cultural perspectives. A total of 8 non-nursing courses. By comparison, the school in Texas that I also was accepted to required only 4 non-nursing classes - and one of those was Texas history.
This is more than a little discouraging because I've already spent quite a bit of time on the phone with the nursing advisement office, who indicated that Junior-level English comp was the only requirement they saw as possibly unfulfilled. I hope this is an error but I'm getting very tired of fighting every step of the way and I will not register for another course until I get this straightened out.
Just got an updated DARS and boy am I unhappy, not to mention discouraged. The DARS states that I need pretty much everything from natural and applied sciences to fine arts through social sciences, humanities and cross-cultural perspectives. A total of 8 non-nursing courses. By comparison, the school in Texas that I also was accepted to required only 4 non-nursing classes - and one of those was Texas history.
This is more than a little discouraging because I've already spent quite a bit of time on the phone with the nursing advisement office, who indicated that Junior-level English comp was the only requirement they saw as possibly unfulfilled. I hope this is an error but I'm getting very tired of fighting every step of the way and I will not register for another course until I get this straightened out.
Chuck,
Do you have another BS degree? If so, in what subject and was it a quarter or semester? Have you already taken the classes that the DARS is indicating you need? If so, are they saying that you need them b/c the awarded credit hours are different.
I have a BS degree in Biochem and a diploma in nursing. Based upon these 2 degrees, I was awarded credit for everything except the 12 BSN nursing classes needed, statistics (never took), nutrition (never took), art (never took), and jun level English (this I wanted to challenge but couldn't). I took an upper level communications class, but it was only 3 credit hr, plus it didn't satisfy the jun eng requirement.
There is a form that you can fill out to challenge whatever class you think you should receive credit for.
Do you have another BS degree? If so, in what subject and was it a quarter or semester? Have you already taken the classes that the DARS is indicating you need? If so, are they saying that you need them b/c the awarded credit hours are different.
I have a BS degree in Biochem and a diploma in nursing. Based upon these 2 degrees, I was awarded credit for everything except the 12 BSN nursing classes needed, statistics (never took), nutrition (never took), art (never took), and jun level English (this I wanted to challenge but couldn't). I took an upper level communications class, but it was only 3 credit hr, plus it didn't satisfy the jun eng requirement.
There is a form that you can fill out to challenge whatever class you think you should receive credit for.
My baccalaureate degree is a BA but I also have an MBA with a concentration in Econ and the AAS plus work from other programs that I did not complete (mostly IT and engineering). More than 300 credits in all, so I'm not really eager to add to that total. I will call the school tomorrow but the DARS report does not jive at all with my discussions with the OU evaluator when I talked with her a few weeks ago.
My baccalaureate degree is a BA but I also have an MBA with a concentration in Econ and the AAS plus work from other programs that I did not complete (mostly IT and engineering). More than 300 credits in all, so I'm not really eager to add to that total. I will call the school tomorrow but the DARS report does not jive at all with my discussions with the OU evaluator when I talked with her a few weeks ago.
The school of nursing has the final say on the DARS chuckster - and the first DARS you receive is a preliminary copy. Mine didn't show my nursing classes!! Made me go hmmmmm! Got it straightened out after calling the school. They will go through it line by line with you - call. Someone else on here said the same thing you are saying, and it all worked out in the end.
This is actually the third DARS revision for me and I assumed it was the final since it actually listed all of my prior degrees, gave me full credit for the lower-level nursing courses, partial credit for other coursework and came at the time I was told it would. Turns out I was wrong.
I spoke with the nursing department today who told me that I should expect yet another revision, though they couldn't say when. They also said that this revision should have been blank (as the previous 2 were) and that it should not have shown anything with respect to either courses accepted or required. Apparently, this is yet another effect of the new computing system at the school.
While I have to give the OU staff high marks for being pleasant and helpful, it's more than a little frustrating that months after applying and sending my transcripts and more than a month after actually starting the program, I still do not have an evaluation.
I am about to start my third section of classes and as of yet do not even have a preliminary DARS. I know I need the nursing courses, so am just plugging along and will worry about the rest later. I am fairly certain I will only need 3 classes when it finally comes through - stats, comp, nutrition. Going to take stats over Christmas and worry about comp and nutrition later :)
. Hopefully that last 
michelemybell
781 Posts
Seriously...thanks to both of you for all of the good tips about this program!