positive advice about Walden University NP program

[babyboys]

I applied to a very reputable local NP school here in Mississippi. The length of the program was a year and I met all of the qualifications. I was extremely hurt and upset when I received my denial letter. I thought the interview went great and I was extremely hopeful that I would get in. When I called to question why, I was told that the program was very competitive. Nevertheless, I met a student that was accepted and she told me that my scores were higher than hers and that she was accepted on probation. Consequently , I began my search for other programs. The only program that I was able to apply to was Walden University. I received my acceptance letter Friday. I am bothered about the ridiculous tuition price of course. I also recently found out that it was a for profit program and a lot of negativity about the program exists. However, if there is anyone that has attended the program that may be able to give me some advice or share your experience. I am scheduled to start on September 3 of this year.

[PatMac10,RN, RN]

It is tragic that nursing professionals are back to bickering about for profit schools online schools, Walden U, ivy league.etc. The effort and ideas should be spent on Capital Hill working towards streaming and standardizing NP programs. We should be advocating for the establishment of a separate NP governing board (one apart from RN, MD, PA and DO), standardized grad school curriculums, established residency programs after graduation, policy making etc prescriptive rights to our brother and sister NPs in the south..... It may not be the right choice for you (who does not know the difference in undergrad and graduate education), but that does not merit you belittling the choices of others. Your behavior can be compared to the behavior of a group of crabs that are stuck in a bucket. As one crab tries to climb out of the bucket for his chance at freedom , the others pull him back in, you're one of the others.[/quote']

Praise!!!

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses.com

[hgrindle]

I would actually question any program who accepts nurses with zero experience...And I find it hilarious that after you were called out by SEVERAL people because of your no experience, and are not in any program, that you took that gem of information off of your profile. GET A LIFE and until you actually get into an NP program, maybe you should get off the APRN page.

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

Future...

I understand your stance on diploma mills, but the fact is that Walden is accredited by the appropriate agencies which makes its NP programs specifically NOT a diploma mill.

I'm not sure where you got the notion you espouse, but it really is misguided. I do wish you better luck in your endeavors and I encourage you to practice due diligence when seeking facts. Once you can find data that support your claim other than bloated opinion and fallacies, you will actually do quite well.

I appreciate your passion for the topic, but again, seek out the truth before blasting something about which you know nothing.

[myelin]

I appreciate your passion for the topic, but again, seek out the truth before blasting something about which you know nothing.

What is untrue? The 96% admission rate is a statistic from US News & World Report. The fact that for-profit universities with low admissions standards saturate, lower the pay, and reduce the reputation of fields has been played out before (look at law, psychology, etc.) Employers have started differentiating between NP grads, especially in metropolitan areas where there is competition for jobs. I understand that people get emotional when they feel their school is being attacked, but you can't deny facts.

[futureeastcoastNP]

Future...

I understand your stance on diploma mills, but the fact is that Walden is accredited by the appropriate agencies which makes its NP programs specifically NOT a diploma mill.

I'm not sure where you got the notion you espouse, but it really is misguided. I do wish you better luck in your endeavors and I encourage you to practice due diligence when seeking facts. Once you can find data that support your claim other than bloated opinion and fallacies, you will actually do quite well.

I appreciate your passion for the topic, but again, seek out the truth before blasting something about which you know nothing.

Being accredited does not mean that is is not a diploma mill - it means the nursing boards don't have standards for program accreditation.

There is nothing misguided about my notions, thank you. There is plenty of data supporting everything I say. Please point to one fact that I have presented that is wrong. The 96% acceptance rate? The for-profit status? The fact that your "school" is traded on the NY Stock exchange? That pumping out large numbers of NPs saturates the field?

While I understand the truth hurts, it is just that - the truth. Walden and the other for-profits have not contributed anything positive to this profession and never will. Meanwhile, the NPs who attend real programs have to spend the rest of their careers dealing with the fallout of these fly by night programs - the rampant oversaturation, the ammunition it gives to anti-NP groups, etc.

[WKShadowNP, DNP, APRN]

Oh, really? I'll remember that when I pass my boards. It's still a certification to practice as an NP. That's really what employers look at. Oh the shame. I'll be a practicing FNP. The horror.

Sorry, dude. You don't have to like it, but the fact is, it DOES meet standards that DO exist. The same argument you are making was made for ADNs years and years ago. But I guess, based on your logic, I wasn't really a nurse then either. I wonder how I got that RN then?

It's a mystery.

[futureeastcoastNP]

Oh, really? I'll remember that when I pass my boards. It's still a certification to practice as an NP. That's really what employers look at. Oh the shame. I'll be a practicing FNP. The horror.

Sorry, dude. You don't have to like it, but the fact is, it DOES meet standards that DO exist. The same argument you are making was made for ADNs years and years ago. But I guess, based on your logic, I wasn't really a nurse then either. I wonder how I got that RN then?

It's a mystery.

Yes, and how many hospitals have BSN only hiring policies now? How many new grad RNs can't find jobs now that the market is entirely saturated?

The concept is the same for NPs. Right now the market isn't totally saturated so even Walden graduates can get jobs if a place is desperate enough. As the market becomes saturated (thanks to the greed and ease of admissions of these for profit schools), hospitals will become more selective as they no longer have to take just anyone with an NP degree. That's the point when the Walden grads will realize their mistake. When employers begin receiving 30-40 applicants per job, the for profit graduates won't even get an interview.

Maybe in the world of nursing no one cares about what school you went to...but most NP employers are physicians. You better believe physicians will recognize the difference between a Columbia grad and a Walden grad, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out who is more likely to come out on top.

[DidiRN]

Closed for staff review