Please help new Florida nursing student

labrador4122, RN · Oct 3, 2009

Hi, wondered if anyone could help me. I just moved to Florida and have been accepted into the nursing program at Everest University in Brandon. Classes begin in about a week. All of the sudden I am feeling anxious though, I called USF because I eventually want to transfer there or somewhere else for my BSN. They say that they wont transfer credits from Everest because they are nationally accredited not regionally accredited. What does this even mean? Basically all you need to enter a RN-BSN program anyway would be an RN licence right, does it really even matter where it is from? My licence will not be completely worthless will it? I know the school is way more expensive, but it is really important to me that I start now and not wait on a waiting list so I really do have my heart set on attending here. I called hospitals in the area to ask if they would recommend the school or hire graduates from there and they all say yes and that they do all the time. An associate degree is fine for now but eventually I know I want more so please let me know if I am making a bad decision by enrolling in this school.

Wow, personally, I would never attend the school because of the extremely high price for an associate's degree. USF is a state school, so when students transfer to there, they do have t have the regional accreditation that all the state schools have.

most people that go through a new program, that is not 'fully' accredited, will go to a private university, that will end up costing more money.

As a student in my last semester, I met an RN who went to Keiser, and graduated first class. she said that FIU was a nightmare to get in, and they wanted her to take extra classes here, and there, and wouldn't accept certain credits, blah blah blah,,, in the end she ended up at jacksonville university, which she said, they did not give her the run around, and accepted her.

I don't know many people who have graduated from previous technical schools turned RN schools--- but you have to pick what you want for your future, and what your situation is.

call another university and ask if they accept the credits from everest, and base your decision on that.

just my :twocents: don't mean to put anyone down who attends these universities, I know how difficult it is to be accepted to a community college

FLg8r · Oct 3, 2009

state universities will not accept their credits -- i know because i went there as well ..... i feel i just wasted my time and money! the only one that may take their credits in university of phoenix .... which only means you will end up paying 4 times what it would cost you at the state university level. if you don't mind spending the money, then it is doable.

labrador4122, RN · Oct 4, 2009

state universities will not accept their credits -- i know because i went there as well ..... i feel i just wasted my time and money! the only one that may take their credits in university of phoenix .... which only means you will end up paying 4 times what it would cost you at the state university level. if you don't mind spending the money, then it is doable.

wow! thanks for sharing that information with all of us!!!!

i met a nurse from keiser that is doing the rn-bsn at jacksonville university, so that is another option other than university of phoenix

elkpark · Oct 4, 2009

There are lots of proprietary, for-profit vocational/technical schools "out there" that offer nursing programs that are approved by the state BON for their graduates to be eligible to write the NCLEX and get licensed, and the nursing program itself may be perfectly fine, but, because those schools are not accredited by the same organizations that accredit "regular" colleges and universities, other colleges and universities are not able to recognize or accept their credits for transfer. Of course, these vocational schools don't go out of their way to explain this to you when they're encouraging you to enroll and give them your tuition money, which is a shame.

Yes, an RN license is "all you need" to get accepted into an RN-to-BSN program -- but most people transfer their previous courses into the program and that's why those programs don't take long to complete (most people transfer in a lot of the credits required for the final degree). If you're not transferring in any courses because they can't accept your previous credits, you would have to complete the total number of courses/credits required for a BSN degree -- basically, you would have to start all over again.

In nursing, I can't think of a single good reason to justify paying tuition for courses that won't transfer to other schools. There are plenty of other options available. They may not be as quick and simple as the tech/voc school answer, but they offer you more over the long run.

labrador4122, RN · Oct 7, 2009

very true! for the $$$ amount of money paying for the degree, it definitely should transfer to a university.

I once was told that a technical school for medical assisting associate's degree would be taken at Barry university, I called Barry and they told me they never heard of the school.

ilovenursing2009 · Dec 30, 2009

Were you guys saying that Jacksonville University credits wont transfer?

I just enrolled with them.....I hope I didn't make a big mistake?

helper T cell · Feb 4, 2010

Hello,

What did you find out about Jacksonville credits. Will they transfer? Thanks I am thinking about them as well but want to make sure they are reputable

sherilyn321 · Feb 5, 2010

Most Florida public school's credits will transfer to each other because they are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. If your school is NOT accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, your credits may or may NOT transfer to a public school.

But keep in mind... I looked up that certain public vo-tech LPN degrees (namely PTEC and Erwin) DO transfer to Florida community college RN bridge programs (namely HCC or SPC). But those credits earned at a public school will also probably NOT transfer back to a private school (such as Keiser or Galen) for a bridge program.

If you're enrolling in an RN diploma program at a private school and asking if you can transfer that to a public school... not likely. Remember, you still require ALL the pre-reqs to enter a BSN program. You will not get any of those pre-reqs in a private school diploma program.

Edited to add: Even public schools have certain rules to do any kind of bridge. They do this because they have no idea what kind of education you received before. Many require that you work full time (as an LPN or an RN) for a year in order to bridge. A bridge program usually only knocks off one semester of courses from a regular program (straight RN or straight BSN).

HOWEVER don't let it discourage you from going ahead with the private school. At most, you'll have to take another semester of courses.

ilovenursing2009 · Feb 5, 2010

Hello,
What did you find out about Jacksonville credits. Will they transfer? Thanks I am thinking about them as well but want to make sure they are reputable

I didn't find out just yet. I have been so busy that I have not had time. I will email someone this week and let you know. They are fully accredited so we should be safe. As far as the private pulblic school thing; I have never heard of that....I will check into that too!

I know they are reputable. So far the work load has been very very easy to handle. It is worth it just for that. Email me anytime!!!