Ohio University Southern RN program?

FutureRN9 · Mar 19, 2011

First, the program is NOT easy to get into. They accept almost 100 people, so it is easier than it has been in the past, but they still turn many people away. There are four components to the application: your grades, your interview, your essay and your HESI admission exam. Your interview is probably the MOST important indicator of acceptance into the program.

They do have a goal of "weeding out" those they don't think can cut it. In the end their only goal is to have good pass rates and they only need 10 people to pass the NCLEX to have a 100% pass rate. I know this because an instructor told me, although most won't admit it.

It is recommended that you only work 20 hours a week. I know several people had to quit their jobs to stay in the program, I had to cut down my work schedule to one day a week. There were a few people that were able to continue to work, but they had extreme flexibility in their hours.

You will have an outstanding amount of studying and busy work to complete. They do not like to term it as busy work, but there is no other way to describe it. They no longer can give points for anything other than tests, but you will have care plans, case studies, workbooks and other carious assignments to complete for NO credit. I'll admit, some of it helps but mostly it is just buys work and takes time away from studying.

Starting third quarter you will have two clinicals a week. This will only allow you 3 out of the 7 days of the week to study/work/spend time with family. They routinely have Saturday clinicals and it has been said that starting next quarter they will be starting Sunday clinicals as well.

I would NOT recommend taking any other class with your nursing classes. It is okay to take a one hour class or something you know will be easy if you need to be full time. Especially since those are the classes that you have to take. I would say that with those classes AND your nursing classes you would be unable to work at all. With that, nursing classes take up the majority of the day. Usually 9-3 two days a week, and sometimes there is a third day for lab. It is very hard to fit other classes into this schedule. You will find that most classes offered at Southern (including Proctorville) will overlap with the nursing classes.

I personally would reconsider enrolling in the Fall unless you are willing to take one or both pre-req's this summer.

I don't know where you live, but I'm assuming you live somewhere between Huntington, WV and Portsmouth, OH. There are several other schools within the area, I would seriously consider looking into other school because I would not recommend this program. I wish I would have never started this program and I would have attended somewhere else.

I'm not trying to discourage you from nursing, but I would discourage you from this program.

GamerGirL337 · Mar 19, 2011

I live in Minford, ohio. The only 2 other schools i could possibly attend is Shawnee state and ACTC in ashland, but both require the ACT's, both have more classes and take longer, and both are 3-4 days a week PLUS clinicals. and most people either fail out or quit because of the work load...If they do go through it its because they don't have to work at all....

So i'm basically out of options, OU is my ONLY possible choice. I have good grades (a 3.75 GPA) got a 93% on the HESI with an 850 on critical thinking (which seems to be really good from what ive been told???)

I only work 19 hours a week now as it is, but i don't get paid per hour, i get paid per client so i don't even count hours....that is 2.5 days a week, and i go to school 3 days a week (2 FULL days from 8am to 730 or 9 pm and the third day is lab)

So from what your saying about the nursing program, my schedule now just wouldn't change. at least for the first couple of quarters....and I can't take both my pre req's during the summer because Microbiology requires Bio 1131 which is the other class i need, and the only times they are offered during the summer i have to work! which really sucks...

But now as it is, i get sunday off, thats it monday through saturday im gone for school or work, i leave by 8am every morning and don't get back until 6-10pm at night.

anyways, back to OU...how are the classes as it is? are they really hard or is there just a LOT of work and studying?

I plan on taking the bio classes the first 2 quarters, so by the third quarter it would be only nursing classes. you say that the classes are 2 days and clinicals are 2 days (in the 3rd quarter) so how long do the classes last and clinicals last per day by that time?

What quarter are you in btw? (sorry to ask so much but your the only person i have ever talked to in the nursing program at OU southern so i have TONS of questions)

Also my schedule is very flexible, i can work anywhere between 8am to 10pm monday - friday and from 9-5 on saturday I could even work sunday if i wanted to...

I know you were trying to discourage me from the program, and i appreciate that and your honesty, but Its my ONLY option, so if there is anything you can tell me to help me get in and stay in I would GREATLY appreciate it in so many ways!!!

FutureRN9 · Mar 22, 2011

You could attend the OU-Chillicothe campus. I have heard some better comments on this program, but the general complaints come from all OU campuses. The classes at OU are hard. The content is very challenging (but that isn't the problem) and the instructors are reluctant to help. The instructors talk about the students behind their back and are very childish in their actions. I am in the last quarter, graduating in June. I wish I had never gone to OU-Southern. The instructors make your life miserable. They could care less if you succeed or not. If you won't give them their good pass rate they make it a point to get you out of there. I've seen it done to my friends.

FutureRN9 · Mar 22, 2011

Also, I don't think that this is your ONLY option. I would strongly suggest you look on the Ohio Board of Nursing website and research other programs before you limit yourself to Ohio University-Southern.

GamerGirL337 · Mar 22, 2011

I have looked at the Ohio Board of nursing website, as well as Kentucky's and West virginia's....the only college within an hour of here (the farthest i can travel right now) and the only school's i could attend, i have either applyed to and failed, can't apply to because of their requirements, i don't like the way their program is done, or the price is outrageous....I mean theres tons of schools within 2 hours, but thats alot of travelling with my situation and i just can NOT do it...

I could apply to Chillicothe, but by the time i realized this (about a week ago) it was too late to get all of my info in there by the deadline.. i have 4 schools to send in transcripts (taking on average 2-3 weeks to get there) plus having to get up there and get all the info done in the VERY little amount of time i have is just undoable...so the way i look at it....

i'm stuck...I could wait an ENTIRE year to try these other places, but I just don't want to wait that long unless absolutely necessary...

FutureRN9 · Mar 22, 2011

I re-read that you mentioned your ACT's. You have to take the ACT's for OU-Southern, too. At least I had to give them a copy of my scores and I had over 4 years of college classes since I took the ACT. I know that waiting a year does not see like it is a good idea, but it may be the best thing for you. Keep in mind that the clinical placements for OU-Southern are KDMC (Ashland), OLBH (Ashalnd), SOMC (Portsmouth) and SMMC (Huntington). It is very unlikely that you will get to go to SOMC the majority of the time. I would look into Marshall University - they have a BSN program and a campus in Point Pleasant, WV.

GamerGirL337 · Mar 22, 2011

They told me i didn't have to take the ACT's because I have been out of high school for 5 years...Thats one of the reasons i wanted to go to them....see i was going to apply to ACTC in ashland, and i had sent them all of my stuff and just needed to do the CNA classes, but they called like a week from the deadline and said they didn't have my ACT scores, but i was told by MULTIPLE people in their program and from the school officials that if i had been out of high school for 5 years i didn't need to take it...but then they decided that i needed them....2 weeks before everything was due!

and i don't mind traveling to huntington, and ashland, ashland is only about 30 minutes from me and huntington is 45 minutes, plus i can write off the mileage on my taxes (as i did this year for going to shawnee)

I would go to marshall, but its almost 90 minutes away, and from what i have heard their classes are spread out over days, which i just can't do....if im right they also accept less amount of people, and are even more strict then Shawnee is about their classes...

But i deal with horrible teachers here at shawnee as it is, and i dealt with them when i was taking online classes through University of Phoenix (Worse school ever, never EVER go there, the teachers are horrible, it takes DAYS for a response the same as it does from the school itself and there grading is atrocious)

If i can deal with THAT, i hope i can deal with OU....

I know i keep jamming it down your throat about wanting to go to OU, and i apologize for that...Im pretty annoyingly persistent sometimes....lol

I just want to get my schooling over with quickly so i can get out of this town, and To help my mom with her bills, just having a horrible family life right now, and keeping myself busy and getting out of this town is my only option to remedy it...

i don't want to go into to many details about my family life, im just really wanting to get my ADN so i can finally be happy and escape from this area...

I plan on moving to lexington, ky as soon as i get my RN (tons of job openings, and i have connections down there to get a job as an RN in the NICU....plus my husband has been promised a job if he moves down there...i wish i could move now but my job is too important...

ok rant over, i keep going into more details and again i apologize...im one persistent person let me tell you...lol

FutureRN9 · Mar 22, 2011

I definitely understand your frustration. One thing I can say about OU is that they don't care about your family problems or money issues. They could care less if you have to travel several hours to a clinical, you better be there on time. Did you speak with ---- or maybe ------? ------ is really helpful and knows her stuff, but the director will "override" the policies to further her agenda. Marshall's Point Pleasant campus accepts more people and is a more laid back environment than the Huntington campus. Mapquest says it is only about an hour away from Minford, of course you know how long it is from your house. Do what you feel is necessary, but I want you to be aware of the issues. Your best bet would be to talk to other current students in the program. Very few will talk, especially if there is no guarantee of anonymity. I cannot think of a second year in the program that would recommend Southern to anyone. Those who speak out against the program or speak up for themselves are very quickly shown the door. I hope that your experience is better than mine has been thus far. I wish you only the best. Good luck!

GamerGirL337 · Mar 22, 2011

I spoke with the lady who you stated "knows her stuff" (since they edited it im guessing you can't post names)

I looked up about marshall and it is close, BUT they don't have an Associates degree program...only BSN and MSN..

BUT i did find that ST. Mary's has a program WITH marshall in Huntington (which is about an hour away)

(i looked on WV's state nursing board website) and found that out...have you heard of it though? or even heard of it? i was going to post a new thread concerning that but won't have a chance until later...im in a Chemistry class right now lol....

FutureRN9 · Mar 22, 2011

St. Mary's has always been known to be a good program. I would definitely try applying there. You may also consider Collins Career Center. They have an LPN program and it seems to be easier to get into LPN school first and then do the LPN to RN bridge.

GamerGirL337 · Mar 23, 2011

Yeah The LPN programs are in abundance, and are very easy to get into, its just the fact that i would have double the amount of school to go through....it may be an option, but i want to exhaust all my other options first....

I'm starting the process of applying to St. Mary's....its a little more simple, and its SOLELY based on a points system...plus my SAT scores DO transfer to ACT scores....All i have to do is send in the application and send in my transcripts...by july 1st...then i could get in by January 2012...