NCRNagain

Hi! I recently graduated from Graceland's FNP program and I can't say anything bad about it at all. My program was outlined at the start so I knew when I was going to graduate, and they make classes user-friendly. If you follow the assignment outlines and have included all the pertinent information, you'll do fine on everything. The faculty is great, and all of my instructors were enthusiastic about teaching and BEING nurse practitioners. As for the pass rate, I'm not sure, but everyone I know passed their boards on the first try. The only downside I can think of is finding a preceptor...you have to find your own. They keep a list of preceptors that have worked with their students before. If possible, find out who that student was and contact them to see how their experience was, because you certainly don't want to spend 700+ hours WATCHING someone do PE's. If you haven't already, start working on finding preceptors as soon as possible...this can put you behind! The school does not require you to work with NP's, unlike other programs. You can work with an MD through your whole program, but I recommend working with a seasoned NP at least one clinical rotation- the perspective is SO different! Also- don't be afraid of the final project- just get the syllabus (you can download it from the website!) and figure out what you want the topic to be beforehand... this eliminates the heartache of coming up with a topic that will WORK in the first week of class. And the presentation is NOT as bad as it seems! I actually really enjoyed mine because I got to learn from my classmates. The focus sessions are interesting and pertinent to what you need to know; unlike some orientations, I don't think they waste your time. This also gives you a chance to put a face with a name- and advantage when doing it all online, which can be rather isolating (as if going to grad school wasn't isolating enough!). If you haven't already made your reservations for hotel, and want a cheaper alternative that is CLEAN and friendly, stay at the Olive Branch Inn- it's right down the street from the school. I stayed there recently when I went out there for my final exam. All in all, I recommend this program!