Remington College of Nursing - Orlando

KW-JAM · Jun 5, 2010

yeah thanks Rad, I appreciate it too...been reading your post since this thread started. Now does everyone in your year feels the same way about the program? I really want to do nursing and this is not my only option, but it is my first. I want to do an accelerated program...not trying to spend another 2-3 years trying to get another bachelors. The others I would have to wait until Jan 2011 to start. It is really that bad? Is it doable/tolerable?

remingtonstudent · Jun 6, 2010

I agree with willow. I don't feel negative about this school *at all* Its a very personal thing. and for the record, for our second quarter which we are in now, we get saturdays, sundays and mondays off.. I get out of clinical at 6:30 pm on fridays. not a bad deal.

this program isn't ridiculous. my undergrad was more difficult than this so again, *very* personal. yes out of 41 people, one left the second day because of fear of the difficulty, 6 failed pharmacology by a few points (get a 74.5).. and one dropped out this quarter cuz of anxiety over the difficulty. if you think you won't survive, then maybe you won't. but for me, this program isn't bad at all. its been improved a lot since the girl who predominantly posts on here's class

remingtonstudent · Jun 7, 2010

I'd also like to note to radsugar, it really isn't in your best interest as a student to bash the school you are about to graduate from. just because you have had a bad experience, most people in *my* class have no problem with this school. we are also paying 6k more than you so can you please be a bit more grateful?

i find it kind of annoying to have to write on here just to balance out your negative and sometimes hyperbolic unfactual posts which seem to predominate on a weekly basis. can you vent your frustrations with some other source? :nurse:

and also for the record, the community college in my area, miami dade, has just as many if not more students struggling with failing. its not an unusual thing in nursing schools. clinicals being stressful aren't an unusual thing in either nursing schools let alone... the nursing profession.

KW-JAM · Jun 7, 2010

I totally agree...it is a personal thing. Some may feel positive about it...other negative. I welcome all opinions, but I know at the end of the day the decision is mine. I was accepted to remington for july 2010 and I'm really excited about going. What kills me is the cost, which is really my determining factor. As far as job security goes, does anyone already have jobs lined up? Especially you Rad, since you're in the process of finishing up or anybody else in your year. What percentage of students already have jobs? And are jobs hard to come by?

SeaB77 · Jun 7, 2010

Thanks for all the input. REALLY:-). I agree it is a personal thing. I am completely up for the academic rigor and dealing with changes involved in a new program. Most of my fear was related to the feasibility of work and graduate opportunities. My apprehensions have been eased, especially since they are now accredited. I would like to pursue a master's later on. Does anyone know if there are any issues with graduate schools not accepting a BSN from Remington? I don't think so but would like to confirm before investing time & $$$. Thanks again...

brucedragon · Jun 16, 2010

I am in the Miami Dade College Accelerated Program and yes, I can assure you our program is as hard or perhaps even harder than yours. Our entering class' GPA is the highest so far in their history at 3.85 but out of 50 entering students, 13 flunked within the first 2 semesters.

But at least for Miami Dade program, its very cheap at $5K for the whole program and for most of us, even free due to workforce program. So we're basically tolerating the Miami Dade crappiness because its free and cheap. I just cannot imagine myself paying $36K and be treated like what Rad was saying how she and her other classmates are being treated.

sunni8 · Jun 17, 2010

Rad Sugar,

I think it is time for you to shut your mouth, we all know you did not earn all your grades, the school change the grades to accommodate you and your friends. If I were you I would kiss the staff at Remington A.... instead of having diarrhea of the mouth. SHUT UP!! Some of us are not there because we do not look like you and your friends. So if anyone should be complaining, it should be me and the others that did not get the preferential treatment you and your friends received; however, I truly believe in karma.

sunni8 · Jun 18, 2010

Wow. I don't even know where to start. I am so curious to know who even had the balls to post this?
First of all, about the 7 hours - yeah, it sucks... and it gets worse. This term, Q4, we have 7 and 8 hour days back to back, with 14-hour clinical shifts on weekdays too. We'll get out of the hospital at 9pm on a Tuesday night, have HESI exams at 8:30am the next day, with class going till 5, and then an 8am -5pm lecture on Thursday, with more clinicals on Fri and Sat. So you ain't seen nothing yet.
Now, your comment about nutrition? Do you even know the student? Have you even taken an exam in that class yet? Spoken like someone truly in the first 2 weeks of a class.
The teacher that we had for nutrition is no longer an employee of the school. Her mid-term exam, although open book, took the average student 3.5 hours to take, with the window allowing for 5 hours if needed. That exam and the final were 2 of the hardest tests I've ever taken, requiring such specific answers - even if you googled and used the book - there wasn't enough time to research everything. The final had essay questions in there too.
After the mid-term, the professor admitted that there were SEVEN incorrect questions on the test, out of 100 total - and she refused to change/correct/omit them. So. That was an automatic -7 for EVERYONE who took the test. The highest you could get was a 93, unless you answered one of those 7 questions incorrectly and chose the wrong answer she had indicated on her answer key.
(this testing situation is probably a reason she is no longer school faculty).
Furthermore, there were weekly assignments that she hand graded that required research in nursing journals, APA citation and answering dozens of questions. I spent the day after Christmas doing one at my husband's house (out of state, I was traveling for the holidays) and it took me 4 hours.
We also had to write a genetics paper, that I earned a "C" on, due to APA errors. According to this professor, you aren't allowed to use italics on a Reference page. Clearly that's BS (in accordance with APA 6th edition), but it was just another symptom of the problem the school was having with this professor.
By no means was it an easy class, and now with a different teacher, I hope your experience will hardly compare to ours.
The student who "failed" nutrition did so because she didn't take the final exam. She logged on ten minutes before the online exam window ended, and wasn't allowed in. When she called the professor at 4:50pm (we had until 5pm to log in), the teacher didn't care and wouldn't grant her permission. So she received a zero for the final, making it impossible to pass the class. Was it her own fault? Yeah. But i assure you, it had NOTHING to do with intelligence. So maybe you should get your facts straight before you go off making errant comments on a public forum.
You have a totally different set of circumstances, and seeing as you aren't even 15 weeks into the program yet... I'd tread carefully when making assumptions about students who are farther in the program than you are.

Rad Sugar,

SHUT UP! You should be kissing Remington's A.... because if they did not change your grade you and whiny big mouth friends would have failed. You don't hear the people who failed complaining, but your spoil a... think the world revolve around you and your friends. OMG! you are an ungrateful little witch. As for Remington the state will soon shut it down for giving grades to white students so they can pass. Karma is a Bit.h and you and remington will get yours soon. All the students and teachers in the school know you did not pass the third semester but the witch who runs the school worked magic to save you and your friends tail. So please SHUT THE H...LL UP and go back to you pole that is where you belong.

rad sugar · Jun 24, 2010

Rad Sugar,
SHUT UP! You should be kissing Remington's A.... because if they did not change your grade you and whiny big mouth friends would have failed. You don't hear the people who failed complaining, but your spoil a... think the world revolve around you and your friends. OMG! you are an ungrateful little witch. As for Remington the state will soon shut it down for giving grades to white students so they can pass. Karma is a Bit.h and you and remington will get yours soon. All the students and teachers in the school know you did not pass the third semester but the witch who runs the school worked magic to save you and your friends tail. So please SHUT THE H...LL UP and go back to you pole that is where you belong.

Excuse me???

There's a big difference between expressing your own observations and reflections of the experience, and slander.

I have never failed a class, and had a teacher "fix" my grade. That's never been a privileged that's been granted to me. I really have no idea what you're talking about. I think its sad that you're making personal attacks, when we've been discussing this program the whole time. Huh.

Giving grades to white students??? Are you out of your mind? That is such a bold, unfair, unproven, unfounded statement. I think you're out of your mind.

And I really resent the fact that you'd insinuate I didn't earn every passing grade I have through heard work. I did.

I've always defended the academic integrity of the school. I'm offended that you're attacking it. This program is by FAR the most rigorous program I've ever been through. That standards to get in are very high, and the standards to keep up are even higher. Its a tough program. We aren't buying our education - we are EARNING it. The standardized testing is proving that. So far, RCON has 100% NCLEX pass rate. The HESI exam scores of the majority of students speak volumes to that.

I've never experienced any racism or bias based on culture, ethnicity, or color go on at our school whatsoever. I think that if maybe some students of a certain denomination failed out and feel slighted - that's an issue they should pursue legally and investigate if they really feel racial bias is what allocated the grades. In my opinion, from where I'm sitting - I've worked hard, studied, busted my butt at clinicals, and I've EARNED every grade I've brought home. And despite the chaos and cluster of the administration, despite the way the faculty can handle issues... I have never, ever doubted for a moment that my grades were "given" to me. The tests are there. My papers are all on file. SO have the state or the nursing board or whoever you want pull them - my academic integrity is something i do NOT mess around with and I'm appalled at these accusations.

I was never in danger of failing the 3rd quarter. I had a rocky start in OB, like many of my classmates did. But I was getting A's on all of the psych tests. I did really well in community too. And once I was able to start pulling up my peds grade, I was fine. I scored well over the 900 mark on all of the HESI tests that term. So your false accusations have nothing to do with me.

I should be kissing the faculty's ass? I'm grateful to the teachers for the education they facilitated. In an accelerated program, the onus is on yourself to study more, go the extra mile, and do extra preparation work outside of school... all things that I have done. It's my impression that other students who have been successful have done the same things too.

Is the administration a mess? Yes. Does the schedule change all the time? Yes. There is a certain amount of chaos, a lack of organization and miscommunication that impacts the day-to-tday of how the school is run. Do I like getting scolded like a child because a few members of the class can't check their email? NO. Do I appreciate the way that the administration seems to make lots of changes on a continual basis that are frustrating? NO.

But I've never questioned the academics. Its no joke, and we all know that. Every clinical site we work at has complimented us on being the best prepared students from any of the area schools. Those of us making good impressions - we are showing what we know, and its a lot. We're getting props from the nursing educators at the hospitals we work at because of how well educated we are.

There's a big difference between griping about the chaos that comes along with a new school. About the small things - like graduation being scheduled weeks after classes are done... and claiming that the grades are fixed, and they're fixed in favor of "white" students. That's just an utter lie, and I'm appalled that someone would create an account just to come on here and make such statements, and attack me personally.

I've been giving feedback and my observations - good and bad - all along. This program has been hell. The classes are hard, and all stacked on top of each other. The clinical hours are demanding and the scheduling is less than idea. That's what happens at a new school - you take the shifts you can get because you aren't established yet.

I know I'm graduating in a few weeks, and I'm proud of my hard work and accomplishments. I know I have studied, prepared,learned and demonstrated that work through evaluations. I write excellent papers. I do my own assignments. I put a lot into everything that I do. I study for tests, and I've been preparing for the HESI and NCLEX for months. To say that I was "gifted" my grade because of the color of my skin is demeaning, humiliating... and honestly it portrays you (whoever you are posting this) as bitter, disgruntled, and as someone who couldn't hack it academically and would like to falsely use the aspect of race to explain your lack of success in this program. I'm sorry you feel that way, and I'm sorry that's your interpretation of this program. I think if/when you're being honest with yourself... you know that's an excuse, and has nothing to do with the grade given to those who have worked hard and earned them.

is the school a mess? yeah. its hardly a year old. what do you expect? have i warned people about the size of the school? (its small, we have no ombudsman or HR dept; we don't have multiple classes at different times). is the schedule very demanding? yeah, its a nightmare.

its a one year BSN that's brand new. i think a lot of things could have been handled better... but the third cohort seems to be piping up and saying that it IS getting better for them. maybe the bugs are getting ironed out? maybe routines are being established and things are getting better?

for the sake of the school, i surely hope so. i want to be proud of my degree and the institution i EARNED it from.

but don't you dare accuse me of getting handed my grades. i have earned each and every passing mark, every A paper and A+ test grade. I've done the work on my own. And I hope those that cheat, plagiarize, and don't pass get the grades they have earned. Its the harsh fact of nursing school: not everyone will pass, especially those who are dishonest. Judging by the flagrant dishonesty of your post here - the accusations you've made, the personal insults you've slurred - I'm not surprised if that's a reflection of what you bring to the classroom and what reflects on your scantron at the end of the day.

rad sugar · Jun 24, 2010

For the people saying its a personal thing - I agree. Some people find this program ridiculously hard, and other's find it passable, but just time consuming. Its been a very different experience for each individual.

I decided to come to RCON because of the appeal of being done in a year. I'll be graduating before I'd even start my first classes are other are schools because of how long their admissions process takes. To me, that was a huge draw; I'll be earning income as a nurse before I'd be taking my first test if I went another route.

I'm not an academic slouch. My credentials are legit, as well as those of my classmates. It is not easy to get into this program. So if you've been accepted, consider that passing a pretty big hurdle.

Everyone's personal lives are different. Different demands, dynamics, situations, etc.

For some of us who are young, not working, and don't have kids... its a lot "easier" to manage and juggle the schedule than it has been for the people who have kids and work part-time.

There is a lot of test anxiety. Sometimes passing or failing a course comes down to one test, and that gets really stressful. I've only gone to public schools my whole life, and I've never paid for my education before. All of a sudden, if I'm doing poorly in a class - or worried about a test - I see it in dollar signs as well as a gpa. Its weird for me to have this added pressure of finances a part of the equation.

Do I like the way the faculty treats the students? Not so much. Some teachers have been great, others have been difficult to deal with. This is a personality thing though. Some of my best friends in the program loved a professor I couldn't stand, a vice versa. Everyone is different.

As far as getting jobs: A LOT of my classmates are getting job offers. Its been awesome, and I'm excited for them. I think I could get a job in the area, but I'm moving out of state after graduation. This is a BSN program, which is very important now. The economy for nursing jobs isn't what it used to be. The physical shortage still exists, but hospital budgets have been trimmed down. Positions remain unfilled. Overtime is discouraged at a lot of local hospitals, etc.

But we've been able to make great relationships with the hospitals we have done clinical work at, and many of my classmates are using those relationships to help them get jobs. Some have had interviews. A couple students have already found jobs out of state.

We are well educated, don't underestimate that. If you can get through the program, you'll have earned your BSN, and you'll be able to prove that in any interview. Via test results, scores, and other assessment tools. Most of us are getting very positive feedback from our preceptorship nurses.

The year itself is just hard to get through. You have to put your life on pause and just buckle down. There are a lot of sacrifices. My husband and I will be paying down my student loans for years to come. But it was what we were willing to do for me to get it done in a year and be able to get into the job market as an RN, and as a BSN, which is much more competitive than being an ADN right now.

I've only posted here my interpretations of my experience. The good and the bad. A lot of my classmates have different feelings than I do, I'm sure. Some agree, and some disagree.

Are we well educated? yeah, we certainly are.

Was it super hard to get here? yeah, it really was.

And please, I understand that all nursing programs have high attrition rates and that 100% of a starting class is very likely to finish together. In the condensed one-year format though, it just hits you a little harder. You're all together 5 or 6 days a week. In our class, there are less than 30 of us. So when someone doesn't make it on - you feel that loss. And you know how hard they did work, and yet still didn't quite get there. It makes the losses harder on everyone.

For many people, this is the ideal program. Get in, keep your nose down, work hard and get through.

For some people, this is a bad idea. Its very hard to focus your life sooo much on this one goal. The allowance for life outside of school is very minimal, you really have to make the program your whole world. But its just for a year.

linz7287 · Jun 26, 2010

Im still waiting to hear back from a few schools, but I am pretty sure I will be attending Remington this summer...Who has been accepted for the July 2010 class?

SeaB77 · Jun 26, 2010

Got accepted! :-) Now trying to work on the financing. It looks like I will cover 1/2 the tuition with a Stafford loan and cover the rest with a private loan. Graduates and new enrollees - How have/will you be paying tuition? Anything other than loan options??