ConnieM

Thank you for your response. But I think you are confused about my original question. Please, I am on bended knees, begging you to understand that my question was not a question of immigration, status, retrogression, visas, passports. You have been beating that subject like a dead horse. All of your posts is replete with that information. I know that already. And there is no stone unturned for you, about this subject in the International Post that you visit. You really make sure to put these Filipinos in their place. I can see that and I can read that in all your posts. But, please do not lump me with all those other posts that are ogling, salivating, desiring, heavily-sweating, hand-wringing for a visa in the US. To be very blunt, I do not really care about immigration, visa, status, passport, retrogression, deportation, papers, border patrol, illegal immigration, Minute Man, or whatever the flavor of the day is about. It was a simple question on which educational path to take in a country that has the least expense and the lowest cost of living, in contrast to the very expensive education here. I am living here in US and have been living here for many, many, many years. My question was specific for me, for my needs, for my concerns, for my financial issues and NOT for immigration, work visa, status, deportation issues. Hope that settles the issue.

Hi, I did check and the first group of 12 students are on there way to Fresno this May to complete their last semester (4 months). I talked to the School Administrator/Director and depending on the performance of the 12 students, they have an agreement with Kaiser Permanente in CA to hire the 12 students (again based on their performance, passing the NCLEX, etc, etc.). Those who opt not to work with KP will have the option of continuing their BSN in a school in MO (I think.) The only reason I mentioned medical school agreements between countries was just to prove a point that there exists such agreements between countries in the realm of education and that it is not a "frowned upon" policy, nor is this a new concept. I am aware that the FMG are treated like second class citizens in the USA and that they have no priority over other students. I am not exactly sure by what you said, that they are not eligible to sit for the USMLE, because they are the ones that are thrown into the rural, under-served, under-paid, over-worked areas that no US MD wants, so they must have taken the USMLE before practicing. I worked with several of them, so I know these FMGs personally and I can privately send you their names. (Btw, FMG means foreign-educated, meaning they have never had a single subject/course taken in the US and have never set foot in a US school-like setting and their bottom has never sat on a chair in a US school campus). I was just stating a fact to Suzanne that such an agreement exists whether or not the student is hired on or not. Somethings are true, even if you do not believe in it. Even if you look down on that particular country, even if you think they are incapable and incompetent, even if you think that they are not as smart as Americans, even if you think they are the stupidest creatures that roamed the earth. Would you be able to stop and think for awhile that it could be possible that such an agreement can exist, second class citizen, non-employable or not? Not convinced? Give you one more example. A close personal friend studied engineering in the Philippines. Applied to a school in IO, finished up in the last 2 semesters in IO. Hired on by a computer software company in Atlanta. Lucky? Or just competent? Or was there an agreement between the school in the Philippines and the school in IO? If this can happen in Engineering, what more a profession such as Nursing? The same way that trade agreements exists in durable and non-durable goods between the US and other countries, it is not a new concept to have trade agreements in terms of education and/or experience. I have had some professors in my MBA class in SLC who were foreign-educated (meaning not a single class taken in the USA) from Canada, Middle East, India and Mexico and they were hired on to teach and work here. What more students who initially studied in other countries like the Philippines and ended up in Fresno to complete their education? One can argue it is a totally different profession, but the fact I am trying to make that nobody seems to catch on, is that " it is NOT a new concept". It is not frowned upon, it is not illegal (of course, you should check credentials). If not, Kaiser Permanente will not even allow their well-renowned name to be even remotely associated with this lowly, scum bag school. It would be a federal offense to claim such and is punishable by law (both here and abroad) for illegally hawking the Kaiser Permanente name. Or else this lady Director should be thrown in the slammer for misrepresentation. She should be disbarred from her profession and her reputation must be smeared. And if I do find out that it is all a scam, believe me, I will be the first one to report this school to the federal authorities, but for the meantime I am offering a fact that Suzanne seems to disagree, that it is NOT A NEW CONCEPT. If you research the ADN/BSN school in St. Kitts. I believe they offer the same kind of program. Taking the medical school out of the equation, this Nursing School has the same program as the one in the Philippines. I doubt that the island of St. Kitts is better than the Philippines. Thank you for the opportunity in cerebral calisthenics.

Hello Suzanne, I do hope that you are indeed accurate about immigration standards. I know you are a super-great moderator and I mean no offense when I say: You seem so sure of yourself. Because the practice of studying in another school in another country and then transferring the students and the studies to the US is not a new concept and is not exclusive to the field of Nursing. It is not a new concept elsewhere nor should it be in the Philippines (if you think Filipinos do not deserve any ounce of it, then that is a different story) . Maybe rare, but certainly not frowned upon in other countries nor is it totally unacceptable and an abhorrent practice in the US as you may have seemed to infer. I could give you specific examples but the Ad Nazi might come in and swoop me down. So, found below are the best I can do to describe it. Some countries (based on facts and you can do your own search): 1. Cuba has/had a medical program that starts in the Cuba of course, then ends up in Atlanta (not sure) and the graduates will earn a degree in the US. Conclusion: they studied abroad then moved to an affiliate college/university in the US and graduated in the US. 2. St. Kitts has the same ADN or BSN program which follows the same pattern. 3. Philippines (education not visa) has affiliations with a very prestigious Medical Center in CA and has college affiliations in Fresno. Last time I checked, CA and Fresno are in the US. 4. The Brits have a similar program. But I honestly can't remember the name of the affiliate US college. So, I don't think it wise to make such a sweeping generalization that....... "just because you trained/studied one trimester in the US does not make it an American program by immigration standards." I am asking about the education not about the visa (immigration standards vs. licensure that you mentioned). How about this? Just to be sure, I will call this lowly-scum bag-pretending to-be-a-college in the Philippines who seems to be illegally hawking a US diploma/degree. Then, they can send me official and legal documentation of program affiliation with these US schools. I can give you a holler and fax these documents to you privately. Sounds good? PS By the way, I am in the US already and have been here for a 100 years and I do not need a visa. I am looking for a cheaper way to an education. No need to placate me because I am not salivating for a visa. Thank you for your response.

Hello To All: Please answer this Pop Quiz! If costs to get an Accelerated BSN (called a Second Course in the Philippines) is not an issue at all. And all things being equal, assuming both schools will give you a chance to sit for and not necessarily pass the NCLEX, would you choose #1 or #2? Quiz: 1. Go get your education in a college that takes 5 trimesters in the Philippines and the last trimester (total of 2 years and 1 summer) finishing up in a college in the US. The total cost range is Php65k-Php128k. Upon graduating in the US, you only get an ADN degree and not a BSN degree, but you still graduate as a US student. 2. Go get your education in a university that charges roughly Php700/ unit, takes about 2-3 years depending on your pacing (full time or part-time). You don't graduate as a US student but you get a BSN degree rather than an ADN degree, nonetheless? Anyone want to answer this quick quiz? Just need a general feel for the vox populi. :stone Thank you for your time.

Wow! So, I bet if your tuition, fees and books were about 30K and you had to add 20k on top of that. You had plunked down 50k just to go through this program. Where I live in Utah, the very prestigious Medical School in SLC only costs about $40k-45k to be a medical doctor. Of course, it takes longer to be a doctor but if you factor in cost only, your $40k-$50k being a doctor will pay you back much more (in pay, not time) than a nurse. Don't you think so?

I am happy for you DEB52. Unfortunately, I do not have that RN yet, just within reach. I think you get that needed break once you are an RN already.

Same thing I replied to Maisy. The reason it is called Accelerated is because the COST is Accelerated as well and in quantum leaps! This is the thing that I am afraid of, loan, loans and more loans. Especially in this kind of economy and the credit crunch, I don't think I can sleep at night with more loans to pay. It seems my life is just about paying loans. And getting scholarships is easier said than done at least from my experience. I had no luck getting any scholarships.

Now, I know why they call it Accelerated ...... The COST is Accelerated too and in quantum leaps!

From the way I am reading your response. You probably went into one of these Acc BSN programs yourself. Did you regret the cost of the program? Thanks.

i really liked the laughing mouth thingy!

You are hilarious. Gave me the lift I needed when I saw the costs! :chuckle

I badly need help. Anyone out there, please heed my call! I am applying into the AccBSN and I do not know if this is the right school in terms of cost. The program is 1 year and the total tuition is $30,704. Fees are $1,164. So, total for tuition and fees are $31,868. Then they gave me a breakdown of all other estimated costs for 3 semesters (1 year) Indirect costs: $17,136 Room, Board, Transportation, Personal, Medical And then I saw there was more! Books - $4,139 Technology (if applicable) - $3,537 Service Learning - $420 Could someone please interpret to me what the Technology expense is? Isn't it that if you go through nursing school and you practice on machines and other hospital items that is covered by the very expensive tuition and fees of $31,868? What would cost $3,537 on top of the fees charged for use of machines or other technology in nursing school? Could someone who went through the same experience explain to me what is Service Learning? I need advice because this will guidance will help me to make the most important career change in my life. Thank you to all who are compassionate about my dilemma.