Smark35

Congratulations!!!!! Welcome to the Frontier Family! :yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah::yeah:

If you're wanting to deliver babies-you want to be a certified nurse-midwife. (CNM) These providers provide prenatal and gyn care to low risk pregnant women, write prescriptions, manage labor, and deliver babies. They also see non-pregnant women for womens health issues and routine exams. If you're wanting to do the gyn part of women's health only (not deliver babies) a women's health nurse practitioner might be up your alley. (WHNP) If you're wanting to specialize in OB and do staff and pt. education, a clinical spec job might suit you. I know all advanced practice nurses are required to have a masters degree, but am unsure of the specifics of the clinical spec option. Good luck deciding which option is best for you. :wink2: Once you're sure which goal you're steering toward, it will be easier to figure out the steps you need to take.

I just completed my 3rd term of the bridge year, nurse midwifery track. I will be going part-time after I complete the bridge year, and I work 24 hours/week. I have 3 children, a 15yr old involved in sports and school, a 10 year old with autism and ADHD that requires a lot of work and guidance, and a 3 year old. My husband works full time and we share the responsibilities of the house and kids. I think this program is doable. I'm expecting it to get tougher after the bridge year, but I don't think it will be impossible. I usually spend between 20-30 hours/week on school. This varies, some weeks I spend much less, others a bit more. The beauty of this program is that it is very portable. You can read at doctors appointments, take school on vacation with you, and basically work when the kids are sleeping if that is what you need to do. Good luck with your journey! :wink2:

Barb, Yes, it's me. I'm so glad to hear you not only passed stats, but did well. I knew you could do it!! :yeah:Take care, Shannon

I can't anwer your question about SUNY Stonybrook as I am a Frontier student. I can tell you that Frontier has grads from all 50 states and other countries as well. They ...like.....graduated. Ok, that was a litte tongue in cheek. I know it can be difficult to locate a preceptor in some areas. One of the nice things about Frontier is that they actually pay the preceptor and certify them as faculty. This gives the preceptor an incentive in their wallet, as well as on their resume. I don't think many schools do this. Good luck in your search.:)

I believe the neatness of your application, years of experience, strength of essays, GPA and phone interview are part of the point system. There may be more points that are considered, but I think that is most of them.

I am a student at Frontier. Yes, your GPA will be competitive, Frontier requires a 3.0 or higher. They use a point system to rank potential applicants, and require at least 1 year of nursing experience. The admissions process is fairly straightforward-you submit your application and fee, and give stamped, self-addressed letters of recommendation to 3 people to fill out, sign, and return. The GRE is waived if your GPA is greater than 3.0, and you must send have official transcripts sent to the admissions office. There are two essays required with your application- to determine the strength of your writing. Once you have everything turned in, they will email or call you to set up a phone interview. After the phone interview, the amount of time you wait varies depending on which class you are applying for and how close to the deadline your phone interview takes place. The person conducting the interview can usually give you an idea when you might hear something, or you can call the main office. When you are notified it is by an email. I think Frontier is a great school. Do a search on here for Frontier school and you will see countless threads on this topic. Include the CNM forum in your search, as many Frontier students are members of that board and post there. I can tell you that it is a tough program and you will receive a great education. You will also feel part of a family. Good Luck in your search. :)

I am a frontier student, and if I recall correctly, your GPA must be 3.0 or greater from your most recent degree- so your chances of admission would be good, I think. Frontier is a great school, good luck in your search. :)

I am a student at Frontier school of midwifery and family nursing and I love it. They offer a MSN-with family practice nurse practitioner, womens health nurse practitioner or nurse midwifery. It's a great school. www.midwives.org Good luck in your search. :)

I am a midwifery student at Frontier, so I can only tell you about my experience. All students start with the same masters core curriculum, however, so I can tell you that your education will be a good one. There are two required on-campus sessions required for applicants who enter with a bachelors degree, and 3 for applicants who enter with an associate degree. One session, Frontier Bound, is attended before you begin your program of study. The other, clinical bound, is attended before you begin your clinical practicum in your community. Associate students (bridge students) attend a 3rd session in the middle of those at the end of the bridge year prior to the start of the masters classes, called crossing the bridge. These on-campus sessions are packed full of activities, and while they center on helping you to forge a bond with the students who will become your online support network, they also incorporate many valuable experiences to help you on your educational path. You'll meet your instructors face to face, meet with financial aid and your advisor. There are seminars on how to navigate their system, sessions with the librarian on how to use the online library and databases, test taking tips, college writing, and of course, seminars on your chosen specialty. Frontier Bound is a fantastic experience...imagine being in a room with many other intelligent, motivated women (and a few men) who have decided now is the time to begin their journey. It's a fantastic experience and I made what I'm sure will be lifelong friends. (We found time in our busy schedules for wine and a campfire.) Clinical Bound is more about teaching you the hands on skills you'll need before you start your practicum. This is where they go over the things that may be difficult to learn in an online format. I haven't been to clinical bound yet, I can only tell you I've seen some hilarious looking pictures that were taken there. Frontier is a great school, and I wish you luck in your journey.

I am a student at Frontier. They have an online FNP program. It's a great school. www.midwives.org Good luck in your search!

Frontier school of midwifery and family nursing www.midwives.org has an associate-masters bridge program. Frontier is a distance school, but students are required to attend on campus for 5 days at the beginning of classes, 5 days at the end of the bridge year prior to the start of the actual masters program, and 8 days prior to beginning your clinical rotation. Frontier offers a MSN with concentrations in nurse-midwifery, family practice nurse practitioner and women's health nurse practitioner. The entire program from associate-masters is 3 years full time, 4 if you go part time. It is a tough program, but I am a little more than halfway through the bridge year and find it doable with work and children as long as good planning is utilized. Frontier is a great school. Good luck in your search. :wink2:

Congratulations!!! Welcome to the Frontier family.:yeah:

I am a CNM student in Frontier's ADN-MSN bridge program. I chose Frontier because of the bridge program, their extensive experience with offering a high quality distance education, and the loyalty demonstrated to the school by former grads. I am now in my 3rd term (well past the honeymoon phase ), and I feel it is a great school. I had the opportunity to meet my classmates at Frontier Bound, the on-campus orientation. We have remained in close contact throughout our courses and many of us are now friends. We chat on facebook as well as the school forums. I feel very supported and the instructors are great. I don't feel Frontier is more expensive than most graduate schools, but if money is a big factor in your choice, a local university may be what you're looking for. I can say with certainty that you'll feel you are part of a family at Frontier, and having that kind of support network behind me as I struggle through the tough parts of grad school is , to me, priceless. Good luck in your search, and your decision. :nuke:

Barb, I am actually a CNEP student, but our experiences are nearly identical at bound. Frontier bound integrates a nice mix of learning and bonding exercises. They really take you through the nuts and bolts of their program and make sure you understand how online learning works. You are assigned to a color group and your group will "break away" from the main group at different times to attend sessions with financial aid, meet with your program advisor, speak with the registrar, etc. You will also learn how to access and navigate the online library and meet with the librarian. There are seminars on college writing, your chosen specialty (for me that was midwifery, for you NP ), test taking, etc. There is really very little downtime, but we did find time to share a couple of bottles of wine over a campfire. :nuke: Now, all that aside, Frontier bound is wonderful! The faculty and staff are very warm and welcoming. You will also learn so much about the wonderful history surrounding the school. I am not a big history person and you really can't help but be drawn in. I made some truly wonderful friends and I left feeling energized and ready to conquer grad school. I hope you have a great time, write and tell us about it.

I just took stats as part of the ADN-MSN bridge at Frontier. The instructor was fantastic and the course is very geared toward a basic understanding of stats-no hand calculations. Nearly every student gets an A. (And I am SO not a math person!) Shannon

Barb, You are so welcome! Get ready for a wonderful experience. Shannon

Barb, Congratulations on your acceptance and welcome to the Frontier family! Yes, they will allow you to defer to a later class. You just let them know and pay a fee to defer. :nuke: Shannon

I don't think that's completely unheard of, Jennifer. There are people I've read about who seemed to know they wanted to be a midwife, and waffled between direct entry lay midwifery programs and nurse-midwifery programs. You might be surprised along the way that nursing can kind of "grab" you. :>) I don't find anything wrong with deciding how to accomplish what you want and going for it. I would recommend, however, that you make sure you actually enjoy dealing with and taking care of people. It has been known to happen that someone gets quite far into her education, only to find that direct, intimate contact with others is not her cup of tea. I don't know your background, but working as a nurses aid or assistant in a birth center are two viable options off the top of my head. Good luck to you! Shannon

All tests at Frontier are now online with a secure web browser. So, no more proctors. :>)

Berkshire, I just attended Frontier Bound in December and classes start Jan 5. I'll be happy to tell you anything I know. PM me if you want to talk. :>)

I have heard from the instructor at Frontier who teaches statistics that her course is not a difficult one. They use a program called SPSS, limiting the calculations the student is required to perform. She said most of her students get an A in her course. I am scheduled to take it next semester, I think, as I am a bridge student. Good Luck. :>)

Originally Posted by true.faith "Some things to consider that Frontier does not advertise but you find out when you've been through their system awhile. When you go to frontier bound, look around at your classmates. Only about 20% of them will actually wind up graduating. Frontier makes a lot of money keeping students as long as possible before kicking them out. You cannot judge a program by how happy the instructors look at an event like Frontier Bound. This is a big PR event to suck students into their mythos, then it all goes away. The classes are larger and larger with the same number of faculty. You are a small fish in a very big, very impersonal pond. The school does a very poor job of assisting students with things like clinical contracts. Yes, Frontier has a nice backstory with Mary Breckenridge and all that. There is no teaching at Frontier. Other distance programs do a much better job of teaching online. You are on your own with study guides, hundreds of pages of readings, and if you happen to "get" what the instructor thinks you need to know for exams, great. If not, you will fail exams. Nearly every student fails at least one exam. It is VERY EASY to do this for the reasons I gave. Some instructors have a mission to flunk as many students as possible at the end of the program to kick them out. There is no accountability. I believe there is more accountability in a brick and mortar program because faculty and students are face to face and this changes the power dynamic to more equality between the two. The student directory is filled with "withdrawn" students. This is a euphemism for "kicked out for exam failures or we just don't like you." There is racism at Frontier. For example, very few matriculated black students graduate -- nearly every single one is "withdrawn." There are certain parts of the country where it seems nobody graduates. Some students are allowed to remain after five exam failures -- if you are "liked". Many students have been kicked out in level IV in the past few months alone. Marriages have broken up over this program, students have gone bankrupt, have gotten into horrendous student loan debt, and are kicked out. There is virtually NO faculty or administrative support for students. It is the kiss of death to say anything on the forums critical of the school, asking questions, questioning administrative decisions, &c. Word gets back to administration, even if said on the so-called confidential student forums. Just another point of view to keep in mind. I am a realist. Frontier has its good points -- but WATCH OUT and cover your back." -----Ummmm. Wow. You seem to feel some real bitterness, Truefaith. I'm not quite sure what your situation is or was, but your point of view does seem angry and opinionated instead of factual. If only 20% of classes graduated, the school would not retain accreditation long enough to enroll more classes. I know we've all had our share of teachers that were more difficult than others, but this notion that a large portion of the instructors are "out to flunk you" honestly sounds like something I've heard in a high school classroom. Some instructors are more difficult to please than others-this is a fact of life that reflects the real world in countless ways. We will all have difficult bosses, public encounters, etc. We all encounter different types of prejudice or discrimination throughout our lives. I'm not trying to minimize whatever you've encountered in your journey, I am just wondering how much of it was brought on yourself, and how much was inflicted upon you. I don't think an exam failure in grad school is an unusual event, especially when students are trying to learn exactly what is expected of them and failing to grasp it. I don't think broken marriages, bankruptcy and misery are so unusual, either. All of these things relate to stress, and grad school is supposed to be very stressful. One of the nurse midwives I love and respect (who went to a highly ranked brick and mortar school) told me she developed a drinking problem in grad school due to the stress and had to deal with it. She did not, however, blame the school. As for the hundreds of pages of reading, etc. If this does not appeal to you, perhaps you would be better off in a traditional learning environment. I find the idea of being spoon fed information tedious. I found the instructors I spoke to repeatedly emphasized we should contact them with any questions, problems, or things we don't understand. Are they perfect? I doubt it-they're people like you and me. Your post above reminds me of a thread I was reading in a Frontier Forum where a very disgruntled student was asked to leave the program and her posts were subsequently deleted from the forums, leaving only the replies and things the other students had said about her. They were not favorable. Good Luck in your journey. I hope you find what you are looking for. I hope you understand that when a post is as spiteful and lacking in factual information as yours was, it becomes very difficult to take your complaints seriously. :wink2:

If I'm not mistaken, CNM's are legal and can "deliver" in every state in the country. It is up to individual institutions whether they have the privileges to do so.

Kalley, I was happy to accept the higher cost in exchange for a shorter transition period and fewer BS classes. ( This is not intended as an abbreviation for bachelors. lol ) I had absolutely no use for a BSN except as a stepping stone to my masters. I had put off my dream for years because getting the BSN felt like such a waste of my time. Now, even though I'm doing the bridge, I can tell myself that I'm pursuing my masters degree and my dream of being a CNM. This makes it feel worthwhile to me. I know this choice is strictly individual, just my $.02. Good luck whatever you choose, Shannon