pro vs con of online BSN

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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I am wanting to go on and get my BSN, I just can't decide if the online or in the classroom would be a better option. With online programs do you have to pay out of state tuition? If you have an opinion please share. Thanks

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Generally, no. Most programs' online tuition is the same as their in-state, or they have a 3-tier tuition thing, where online is between in-state and out of state. And any program that doesn't have a brick-and-mortar campus does not differentiate, and tuition is all one rate, regardless of where you live.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I got my BSN through . It would never have happened were it not for the online format. I work nights and could not have arranged my schedule to sit in a seat somewhere every Tuesday and Thursday from 2-4pm.

My BSN program is fully online (with the exception of the last two courses where you need to have 40 hrs or so following another nurse). The college that offers the program has a traditional brick and morter building however the BSN classes are not offered at the college they are only done online.

All of the RN to BSN programs where I am are done through private colleges/universities so there is no 'in state' or 'out of state' tuition involved.

The online way is much better for me and all of my cohorts. Being working nurses, we all have different shifts and it would be nearly impossible for the majority of us to be able to attend classes. Some of us work nights, some of us work 12's (7p-7a or 7a-7p) which would leave no time to attend classes. The non-nursing classes required for the BSN program are offered both online and at the school. I chose to take them all online. Its worked great for me thus far as well as working great for my cohorts.

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

It teach a few classes in an online program -- and I have mixed feelings about it.

I work for a reputable (public) school with a brick and mortar campus (that also has a brick and mortar BSN program as well as graduate programs). I think we do a decent job with our online RN-BSN program and I know we are providing a better education than some of the "diploma mills" out there. I also work for a hospital and see many of my colleagues there go to online programs that are clearly not teaching them very much of value. I rarely see those students deeply engaged in their learning and enthusiastic about it (though of course, there are exceptions.)

While I not ashamed of my program or my online teaching ... I know in my heart that my students would learn more and generally get more out of their education if we could sit down in a room together for class at least a few times during the semester. The classroom setting opens up learning possibilities that are VERY rarely duplicated online. So if were choosing a school for myself, I would want the best -- a program with some classroom experiences built in, even if some of it were online.

But ... for me, quality is #1. If the local brick and mortar school is of bad quality ... then a good quality online program would be the one I would pick. I would rank the choices as follows:

1. Great quality brick and mortar

2. Good quality brick & mortar -- or great online (But those are very rare.)

3. Average quality brick & mortar -- or good online

4. Average online

5. Poor quality brick and mortar

6. Poor quality online

You have to weigh the particulars, and make the compromises that you can best live with. How much is the convenience of online worth to you? What is the quality of your brick and mortar choices?

Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I am in a totally online program that is from a decent brick and mortar state university. I started out in a similar program from a different state university. The first one has a fairly good reputation for the seated classes, but I hated their online program. All papers. I swear all they looked at was APA format, not content. I did not feel this was appropriate program for a BSN, maybe an MSN. The program I am in now, has an average reputation for their seated program, but a fairly good one for the online one. This program has stuff that I consider useful (some consider it fluff) and I love it. I have my capstone in Jan. and don't have all the details yet. Saving me a ton of money. It will cost me less than my ADN.

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