Penn State World Campus online RN-BSN program

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 4, 2011

I absolutely love the RN-BSN at PSU World Campus. I can't say enough good things about it. The user interface of their online program is nice, the advisors are great, and the classes are interesting. My advisor really looks out for me in regards of cost, for example, she suggested I take the gen eds I needed at my local community college and transfer them in.

I have two colleagues that chose the Ohio University program. One dropped it because she didn't think it was challenging enough, and the other churns out papers to satisfy her courses. Also, be aware that OU quotes you a super low price, but ends up being more, although I'm not sure of the details. This is just what I have been told.

Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions about PSU. I'm in my third semester, and plan on graduate school afterwards.

UGADawgs · Mar 5, 2011

I would love to PM you, but I don't have PM privileges because I haven't made 15 posts yet. Mind if I just ask questions in this thread? I think it would be a good resource to have a thread available for the PSU program so others who are considering it can see feedback from actual students.

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 5, 2011

Sure! I can't PM either I guess!!! I didn't know about the minimum post requirement :)

JM RN · Mar 6, 2011

transplant nurse, i want to apply right now to their school to start the summer session. how long does it take to complete? and how is the work? for example, is it mostly papers, or quizzes or group assignments? what gen ed classes did you take at the community college? in case i dont have those either! thanks so much! :)

chuckster, ADN, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Mar 6, 2011

. . . I have two colleagues that chose the Ohio University program. One dropped it because she didn't think it was challenging enough, and the other churns out papers to satisfy her courses. Also, be aware that OU quotes you a super low price, but ends up being more, although I'm not sure of the details. This is just what I have been told.
Feel free to PM me if you have any more questions about PSU. I'm in my third semester, and plan on graduate school afterwards.

Is there anyway you could talk your colleagues into posting about their OU experience? I've applied to the program and am trying to get as much info as possible. Failing that, would it be possible for you to try and get that info from them and post it (or PM me)?

Regarding the PSU program, when I looked into a couple of months ago, I was scared off by the cost - as I also was by Temple and Drexel's programs. If I recall correctly, PSU was over $21,000 for the nursing classes alone. Has that been your experience?

UGADawgs · Mar 6, 2011

Sure! I can't PM either I guess!!! I didn't know about the minimum post requirement :)

Ok, here are a few questions:

1.) Do you take classes full or part time?

2.) Do you work full or part time?

3.) How successful have you been in the program so far and how many hours of work per week do you put in for a given course load?

4.) How responsive are the course instructors? If you send them an email, what is the usual turnaround time? Are they flexible? If a test is scheduled for a day you have to work, will they let you take it at an alternate time? If you miss a test because of unexpected work obligations that pop up at the last second (ie you're on the disaster response team and a hurricane hits and you have to go downtown and help out) will they let you take it at a different time?

5.) How are final grades assigned in most of the courses? Are the class grades based exclusively on exams, exclusively on papers/projects/group work/something else besides tests, or a mix of the two? If the answer is a mix, what percentage of the courses are test heavy vs other-stuff-besides-tests heavy. In which direction does the general program lean? I will admit that I'm looking for a program that is more other-stuff-besides-tests than tests, simply because I am a strong writer and good at cranking out research papers. I'd rather get done with my shift and come home and do a bunch of work on a paper or a project than get done with my shift and come home and have to memorize a bunch of stuff and still have to remember it the next day after my shift ends. lol

6.) How much interaction is there with other students in the classes? Are there opportunities to make friends and network within the program?

7.) Do you have to arrange a proctor for your exams (ie at the testing center of a local community college) or do they use that service where you turn on a web-cam and point it at yourself and it watches you?

8.) What is your general impression of the instructors that you've had so far? Do they seem student-friendly and want you to be successful and make you feel like you're welcome, or are they cold and act like having to teach you in an online course is a bother they wish they didn't have to put up with?

9.) What do you like most about the program?

10.) What do you like least about the program? What are some things you don't like/things you'd change about the program if given the opportunity? Any caveat emptor clauses that prospective students should be aware of?

Thanks,

PS (Anyone else who comes along who is attending or has attended PSU's online RN-BSN program should feel free to respond to these questions as well.)

UGADawgs · Mar 6, 2011

Regarding the PSU program, when I looked into a couple of months ago, I was scared off by the cost - as I also was by Temple and Drexel's programs. If I recall correctly, PSU was over $21,000 for the nursing classes alone. Has that been your experience?

It's cheaper if you go full time.

There is a tuition table here: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/TuitionTable.shtml

If you have fewer than 59 credit hours, it is $481.00 per credit hour. If you have more than 59 credit hours, it is $517.00 per credit hour. Obviously, if you only need the nursing courses to graduate, then you have way more than 59 credit hours, so you'll be charged at the 517 rate.

The required nursing courses themselves account for 28 hours (22 hours that everybody takes and 6 hours of free nursing electives that you can pick): http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/BachelorinNursing_CourseList.shtml

However, Penn State requires you to take a minimum of 36 hours through Penn State in order to graduate with a Penn State degree. So, even if you had every core class finished besides the nursing courses, you'd have to find something else to take (History of Underwater Basketweaving, whatever) to get 8 more hours to make 36 total. (Notice that because of this, coming into the program with 2 or 3 core classes still needed doesn't really change anything because even if you had them, they'd still make you take something else anyway if the nursing classes were all you needed).

So, yeah. Minimum possible number of credit hours you can take to graduate from PSU is 36.

36 x 517 = 18612 for tuition alone. Assume 1000 for books and materials, give or take (depending upon if you plan on selling some or all of them after courses are over, will you buy new or used, etc) and you're looking at 19612 for tuition and course materials. And that's before fees (technology fee, etc) are considered.

However, this is where the "it's cheaper to go full time" deal comes in. Fee amounts and tuition very by the credit load you take each semester. The 517 price only applies up to 11 hours worth of credit in a given semester. If you take 12 or more hours, you're charged a flat rate of 6436.00 tuition and a 236.00 information technology fee no matter what (12 credit hours pays the same price as 18 credit hours).

So, my schedule for example would look like this:

Fall Semester 2011, 15 credit hours (5 classes): 6436.00 + 236.00 = 6672

Spring Semester 2012, 15 credit hours (5 classes): 6436.00 + 236.00 = 6672

Summer Semester 2012: 6 credit hours (2 classes): 517 x 6 = 3102 + 177 = 3279

Grand total = 16151 (tuition and fees) + 1000 (books/course materials) = 17141

Whereas if you didn't go full time and get the full time discount it would be: 517 x 36 = 18612 + (technology fee assuming 6 credits per semester for 6 semesters: 177 x 6 = 1062) + 1000 for books = 20674 for the whole shebang.

So, about a 3500 dollar discount for going full time.

The last nursing course, you have to take after all the other nursing courses are finished, so you couldn't be a real glutton for punishment and do 18 hours a semester for 2 semesters and have it come to be (6672 x 2) + 1000 = 14344.

But, I could make it cheaper by doing 15, 18, 3 instead of 15, 15, 6 so it would be (6672 x 2) + (517 x 3 + 80) + 1000 = 15975, but I don't think I could handle that.

Right now, I'm trying to gauge the feasibility of keeping the schedule I've descibed above while working full time. It's a huge incentive to not fail anything because if you do and end up having to take a class by itself, there goes the money you saved by going full time.

Note that people do that all the time at Texas Tech. Their program is set up for you to work full time and go to school full time and one of their semesters is even 15 hours over the summer session, which there's no way I would do. I'm wondering if Penn State can be done in a similar fashion.

Moral of the story: Kill yourself and don't fail if you wanna keep it under 20K. lol

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 7, 2011

Is there anyway you could talk your colleagues into posting about their OU experience? I've applied to the program and am trying to get as much info as possible. Failing that, would it be possible for you to try and get that info from them and post it (or PM me)?
Regarding the PSU program, when I looked into a couple of months ago, I was scared off by the cost - as I also was by Temple and Drexel's programs. If I recall correctly, PSU was over $21,000 for the nursing classes alone. Has that been your experience?

One colleague told me she quit UO because she was turning in poorly written papers and was receiving "A" letter grades on them. She enrolled in another program. I don't know if this was her true reason, though. Another person told me the program costs well over the $6,000 quote. She may have had issues transferring in gen eds, though. This is only what I've heard from the two people I know that had experience there. It may be a good option if you want fast and cheap :)

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 7, 2011

Ok, here are a few questions:
1.) Do you take classes full or part time?
2.) Do you work full or part time?
3.) How successful have you been in the program so far and how many hours of work per week do you put in for a given course load?
4.) How responsive are the course instructors? If you send them an email, what is the usual turnaround time? Are they flexible? If a test is scheduled for a day you have to work, will they let you take it at an alternate time? If you miss a test because of unexpected work obligations that pop up at the last second (ie you're on the disaster response team and a hurricane hits and you have to go downtown and help out) will they let you take it at a different time?
5.) How are final grades assigned in most of the courses? Are the class grades based exclusively on exams, exclusively on papers/projects/group work/something else besides tests, or a mix of the two? If the answer is a mix, what percentage of the courses are test heavy vs other-stuff-besides-tests heavy. In which direction does the general program lean? I will admit that I'm looking for a program that is more other-stuff-besides-tests than tests, simply because I am a strong writer and good at cranking out research papers. I'd rather get done with my shift and come home and do a bunch of work on a paper or a project than get done with my shift and come home and have to memorize a bunch of stuff and still have to remember it the next day after my shift ends. lol
6.) How much interaction is there with other students in the classes? Are there opportunities to make friends and network within the program?
7.) Do you have to arrange a proctor for your exams (ie at the testing center of a local community college) or do they use that service where you turn on a web-cam and point it at yourself and it watches you?
8.) What is your general impression of the instructors that you've had so far? Do they seem student-friendly and want you to be successful and make you feel like you're welcome, or are they cold and act like having to teach you in an online course is a bother they wish they didn't have to put up with?
9.) What do you like most about the program?
10.) What do you like least about the program? What are some things you don't like/things you'd change about the program if given the opportunity? Any caveat emptor clauses that prospective students should be aware of?
Thanks,
PS (Anyone else who comes along who is attending or has attended PSU's online RN-BSN program should feel free to respond to these questions as well.)

1.) I take classes part time

2.) I work full time, but I am on a weekend program. I am required to work two 12's, but usually work three a week.

3.) I have a 4.0. I put in about 5 hours per week per class.

4.) All the teachers have had a one or two day turnaround email time. They are a diverse group from different campuses. No test I have had is scheduled for a specific time. In fact, I have only had one test. You could take it at any time in the period of one week. The submission of work is VERY flexible. That's what the program is all about- you get a week to submit most assignments. Larger assignments can get two or more weeks.

5.) As stated in #4, I have only had one test on physical assessment for a final. The program is very diverse- a lot of written work, but no real papers so far in three semesters. There are written case studies and other short (under 500 word) written assignments. There are quite a few blogs that earn you points. I had to make an audio tape, a video, a powerpoint presentation, watch youtube videos, etc. It's really not paper or test intensive, so far. That is why I'm so into it! It's not boring at all.

6.) There is a moderate amount of interaction. Each class begins with a "getting to know one another" discussion. I have even found people in my city and hospital. Discussion boards are used in most of the classes, so you do feel like you get to know some people. There are people from all over the country.

7.) I have not had a proctored exam, and have not had to use my webcam.

8.) The teachers I have had have been wonderful. They seem like they want you to succeed. They are very understanding with technical difficulties or other issues. They teach at various PSU campuses. Many of them are very well educated and are respected leaders of nursing organizations.

9.) I like the unique forms of learning and assessment. I thought the program was going to be all papers. The people that wrote the program put thought into it. A lot of it is interesting, and I don't feel like I am just paying for a degree. Its just high quality, IMO.

10.) Of course I would like the cost to be lower, but it's worth it to receive a "main campus" PSU diploma, especially if you want to "look good on paper" or apply to a competitive graduate program. There is often downtime of the ANGEL system from 3am-5am, so being a night shifter, I don't appreciate that.

Great questions

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 7, 2011

transplant nurse, i want to apply right now to their school to start the summer session. how long does it take to complete? and how is the work? for example, is it mostly papers, or quizzes or group assignments? what gen ed classes did you take at the community college? in case i dont have those either! thanks so much! :)

I take classes part time, so I'm not sure how long it would take to complete at full time. There are 28 credits that you absolutely need, so it depends how many credits you take. I think after I applied I had a response to my application in about 4 or 6 weeks. The assignments so far have been discussions, audio/visual projects, case studies, etc. One test so far and no long papers. I am only in my third semester, though. I am taking all my gen eds that I need at the community college:

Algebra

Oral Communications

Psychology

Nutrition

Art or Humanities

I had some gen eds done from my ADN; you can check on the PSU World Campus website to see a listing of gen eds. They took all of my credits from my previous college. Also, there is a "transfer tool" on PSU's website somewhere where you can find what classes are direct equivalents at your local community college.

~Transplant Nurse~ · Mar 7, 2011

It's cheaper if you go full time.
There is a tuition table here: http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/TuitionTable.shtml
If you have fewer than 59 credit hours, it is $481.00 per credit hour. If you have more than 59 credit hours, it is $517.00 per credit hour. Obviously, if you only need the nursing courses to graduate, then you have way more than 59 credit hours, so you'll be charged at the 517 rate.
The required nursing courses themselves account for 28 hours (22 hours that everybody takes and 6 hours of free nursing electives that you can pick): http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/BachelorinNursing_CourseList.shtml
However, Penn State requires you to take a minimum of 36 hours through Penn State in order to graduate with a Penn State degree. So, even if you had every core class finished besides the nursing courses, you'd have to find something else to take (History of Underwater Basketweaving, whatever) to get 8 more hours to make 36 total. (Notice that because of this, coming into the program with 2 or 3 core classes still needed doesn't really change anything because even if you had them, they'd still make you take something else anyway if the nursing classes were all you needed).
So, yeah. Minimum possible number of credit hours you can take to graduate from PSU is 36.
36 x 517 = 18612 for tuition alone. Assume 1000 for books and materials, give or take (depending upon if you plan on selling some or all of them after courses are over, will you buy new or used, etc) and you're looking at 19612 for tuition and course materials. And that's before fees (technology fee, etc) are considered.
However, this is where the "it's cheaper to go full time" deal comes in. Fee amounts and tuition very by the credit load you take each semester. The 517 price only applies up to 11 hours worth of credit in a given semester. If you take 12 or more hours, you're charged a flat rate of 6436.00 tuition and a 236.00 information technology fee no matter what (12 credit hours pays the same price as 18 credit hours).
So, my schedule for example would look like this:
Fall Semester 2011, 15 credit hours (5 classes): 6436.00 + 236.00 = 6672
Spring Semester 2012, 15 credit hours (5 classes): 6436.00 + 236.00 = 6672
Summer Semester 2012: 6 credit hours (2 classes): 517 x 6 = 3102 + 177 = 3279
Grand total = 16151 (tuition and fees) + 1000 (books/course materials) = 17141
Whereas if you didn't go full time and get the full time discount it would be: 517 x 36 = 18612 + (technology fee assuming 6 credits per semester for 6 semesters: 177 x 6 = 1062) + 1000 for books = 20674 for the whole shebang.
So, about a 3500 dollar discount for going full time.
The last nursing course, you have to take after all the other nursing courses are finished, so you couldn't be a real glutton for punishment and do 18 hours a semester for 2 semesters and have it come to be (6672 x 2) + 1000 = 14344.
But, I could make it cheaper by doing 15, 18, 3 instead of 15, 15, 6 so it would be (6672 x 2) + (517 x 3 + 80) + 1000 = 15975, but I don't think I could handle that.
Right now, I'm trying to gauge the feasibility of keeping the schedule I've descibed above while working full time. It's a huge incentive to not fail anything because if you do and end up having to take a class by itself, there goes the money you saved by going full time.
Note that people do that all the time at Texas Tech. Their program is set up for you to work full time and go to school full time and one of their semesters is even 15 hours over the summer session, which there's no way I would do. I'm wondering if Penn State can be done in a similar fashion.
Moral of the story: Kill yourself and don't fail if you wanna keep it under 20K. lol

Great info- I'll give you my personal experience. I take only one class at PSU at a time, because I'm taking my gen eds concurrently at a community college. My tuition is $481 per credit. I never really understood who had to pay the $517. I thought that was for students with over 59 credits at PSU, but I may be wrong. I could never afford to go full time, because I am paying cash each semester. I do get a small reimbursement from my employer, $3,500 per year. Also, my adviser told me not to worry about the 36 credit from PSU statement. She told me to take all my gen eds at the $85/credit community college. She assured me that they work around the 36 min requirement. My total for PSU will end up being just over $13,000. It is lucrative for me to take classes slowly so I can take advantage of the employer reimbursement. So, I suppose this program would not be the best choice for some people.