Helano

It does like they are approved by the FLBON, but they are not accredited by the nursing agencies ACEN and CCNE. Many employers will not hire students from schools without these accreditations, and many universities will not accept these schools for RN to BSN programs.

I would not go to Kaplan. Their program is not accredited by the ACEN (NLNAC). It's difficult to get a job or get accepted into RN-BSN programs if you don't graduate from an accredited school. As far as FSCJ vs. Keiser, you need to weigh the pros and cons and decide which is best for you. They are both fully accredited. In general, FSCJ pros are that it's well established and cheap. Keiser is very expensive, but it is accelerated and has small class sizes so you can get more individualized attention from your instructors.

ABSN is great if you have have a competitive GPA. In my area, competitive means at least a 3.75 overall GPA and an 85% on the TEAS. ASN programs are almost as competitive and/or there is a 2 year wait list. The LPN program entry is based on your TEAS and is first come, first serve. It articulates directly to the bridge program at the same college where there is a 2 year wait. The RN program then articulates directly into the RN to BSN that has the extremely competitive ABSN. It's also insanely cheap. LPN-RN-BSN is a good choice depending on your situation.

When I had my youngest son one year ago, my L&D nurse had an intimidating appearance. In reality, she was so wonderful and went above and beyond to help me safely achieve a VBAC. She was an angel.

I actually just spoke with the admissions rep. I have everything ready to go so hopefully I can complete the process quickly. Best of luck on your nursing journey.

Do you know how many seats are left? I spoke with an enrollment advisor a couple of years ago but still needed micro. I have completed the course and have everything done including the TEAS. I just need the mentor to call me back.

Orlando

Orientation was good. Overall, I feel really positive about the program. The professors are really experienced and are all ARNP's with tons of experience. There are a lot of initial costs so be prepared for that. Our first clinicals are at health central nursing home. After that they are with Florida Hospital. The only drawback is the cost. The tuition went up, so when you add the fees and books it is significantly more than what I was originally anticipating.

So what is the magical career choice that just hands out jobs to recent college graduates?Unemployment/underemployment is just as bad for new grads in just about every field. Nurses overall fare better than most other majors. Just do your best and make yourself stand out above the rest and you will eventually find a job. Don't get annoyed by articles on Yahoo education. It's only a venue for advertising and not based on any reliable facts.

I'm sorry you are feeling this way. . Although I was not a nurse, I studied pre-nursing when I first went to college. I worked two jobs, did school full-time and really burned myself out. I felt a lot like you describe. I ended up choosing an easier liberal arts major to deal with the stress. I did manage to get a BA with a very mediocre GPA. If I could do it over again, I would have gone to school or worked, not both. Take a step back and enjoy life. It's taken me a decade to fix my GPA enough to finally get into nursing school. I start in the fall and am not going to work. It would have saved a lot of time, money, and stress had I done it right the first time.

Hi Rufian, I see you've been around for a while and have working on going to nursing school for awhile. It sounds like you are afraid of failure given what you post on this thread and the Broward thread. I'm the same way. I struggled with where to go for awhile now and ultimately decided Keiser was the best fit for me. At some point, you have to make a decision and just go for it. You can make it happen. Don't over analyze and just do it. Even if you don't go to Keiser, don't let fear of failure get in your way. Best of luck to you.

Yes, it's scheduled for August 12 - 13.

I am starting the core. :) I took the TEAS a few months ago. It wasn't too bad. I passed all of the sections on the first try except English. I was really shocked because English is not a problem for me. Apparently I forgot how to spell! I did fine on the second try.

I'm attending the Orlando campus for the fall class. I just mailed in my seat confirmation today and am so excited to start.

I am 32 with a two year old and a 9 month old. I start my core in September and will be going RN to BSN as soon as I get my license.

Valencia has a two year wait list to start their program and takes two years. With that it will take 4 years to get the ASN plus another 1 -2 years to get the BSN. Keisers program is 14 months, plus two months to take the NCLEX. The total cost, not including pre-reqs is $24,000. The $14,000 difference is about the cost of a Toyota Corolla. I will have my degree by the fall of 2014. I wouldn't even start until the fall 2015 at Valencia. While it is true that hospitals are pushing for BSNs, I know several Keiser grads that have jobs at major hospitals and have earned or are pursuing BSNs at public universities. Keiser is regionally accredited and accredited by the NLNAC. My campus has awesome clinical sites and strong employment statistics. I am fortunate that I used to work for a healthcare company and have connections at local hospitals to help land an interview. The job market is tighter than it once was, but nursing still has better job prospects than many other majors. I am certinally more likely to get a job with an ASN than my BA in Psychology! This board tends to present a doom and gloom outlook for finding a job and nursing as a career in general. It's important to stay positive. Keiser was the right choice for me becuase of their schedule. I have two babies and need to have some structure in my schedule so I can make sure they are properly taken care of. I also like that their class size is small. It's important to make the decision that is best for you. Keiser is the best choice for me. The extra $14,000 is no big deal for me as I can afford to pay this without getting into debt.

I think your beliefs will be an asset, as long as you are able to put them aside if they differ from your patients wishes. IMO there are many moms who would benefit from nurses who have a natural mindset. Personally, I had a VBAC this past August. VBAC rates are really low in my area and there are only a few OB's that support them. I don't think I would have been successful had it not been for my nurse. She spent a lot of her time using positioning techniques to help my baby rotate and move down. It really worked. Had she not done that I have no doubt that I would have been labeled "Failure to Progress" and ended up with a repeat c-section. Moms like me need help from nurses like you!

Thanks for posting this! I am getting ready to start Keiser in Orlando this summer. My story is similar to yours in that I have a degree and am about to finish my Masters this semester. My ugrad grades are similar to yours, which makes it impossible to get into any accelerated BSN program. The other option is to wait for Valencia but by the time I finished the ASN I will already have a BSN and will have been working for at least two years. It's annoying when people say don't go to a school because of the cost. I can afford the tuition. In addition to that, I will more than make up the cost of tuition by completing my degree faster and spending the two years working vs waiting for the cheaper program. Good luck!

It's not true that Keiser University's credits do not transfer. They do transfer to most Florida public universities.

If I'm asked this question during an interview I seriously want to reply that my hamstrings are my greatest weakness.