Rio Salado Community College

Hmm, I could have SWORN I saw some recently, either on the board site, or elsewhere - have you tried googling for it?

If I recall correctly, most schools in AZ placed very high which was very reassuring for me. I'm also a student at Rio and will start my pre-reqs in May. I took math courses there before and as a bookworm, it's great for me. Less daydreaming in class and more time nosedeep in books actually learning it all. I have ADD so I can work around that as well, it's wonderful :)

I'm considering doing Rio Salado for nursing. I have googled it, but I'm just not finding stats for Rio. I discovered that NAU had a pass rate of 67% one year. Scary!

For the courses you are taking at Rio now, do you see an actual recorded lecture that you can upload, or is it just read xxxx, then do xxxx?

When doing my math, it was based from lesson plans off an interactive CD. The benefit was that at times when you just didn't "get it", you could always just continue to go over the plan again in detail to make sure you were getting it before you tested yourself on that chapter.

Hopefully someone else can chime in, I'm also very interested to know!

I'm curious with online courses, if you see recorded lectures. I had an advisor at my school (not Rio) tell me that the online courses are just a form letter from an instructor with a bit of highlights and dates to complete reading. Also threaded message boards for discussion. Then exam time at the testing center at the school. No recorded lectures. I just think recorded lectures could be helpful, in fact I assumed that was how online courses work?

Takeing BIO201, BIO205, Medical Term, and Math and there is no lecture. I've also taken a bunch of other classes and none of them had lectures. There is an option for some of the science classes (like the labs) to go to a real class at various places in the valley but I've always strictly done all online work. Its basically reading your textbook, doing online quizzes/testes, labs and interaction with CDs and websites.

Thank you for letting me know how it works. Frankly, I find most of class time to be a waste. I prefer to read and teach myself. That sounds like I would be tailor made for online nursing with Rio, but something about nursing school is making me hedge and think the traditional in person lecture would be better. I would think that there's a lot to learn with nursing that would be beneficial in class. I don't know. For pre-reqs though, I think I may switch to online. So much wasted time shlepping down to campus, listening to lectures that are way too basic, 'not so bright' students wasting class time, etc.

I agree as well.

When I was 18 and in college, I wasn't thinking about class so much as I was about what I'd be doing AFTER class. Some of my classmates often held class up with questions that were already covered, or by simply being completely unprepared.

Now at 25 and going back to college all over again, I already work 50 hours a week. I need to get to the meat of the subject, I need to know where to find the answers to the questions, and I need to learn how to solve the questions that will require fast action and heavy critical thinking (read: NCLEX).

The distractions were welcome when so much wasn't on the line, but if I'm truly going to strive for straight A's, I don't want to be distracted by the pretty girl sitting next to me, or my empty stomach, or being tired from a long day at work. I'd much rather be at home putting together focused questions for my instructor and reading and RE-READING the material at hand :)

Just my opinion, but as I've mentioned before I'm easily distracted and unfortunately I don't have that luxury with my goal to become the best nurse i can be. Of course your mileage will vary :)

Thank you for letting me know how it works. Frankly, I find most of class time to be a waste. I prefer to read and teach myself. That sounds like I would be tailor made for online nursing with Rio, but something about nursing school is making me hedge and think the traditional in person lecture would be better. I would think that there's a lot to learn with nursing that would be beneficial in class. I don't know. For pre-reqs though, I think I may switch to online. So much wasted time shlepping down to campus, listening to lectures that are way too basic, 'not so bright' students wasting class time, etc.

Here's what is bothering me. I was in class and I mentioned that I am considering Rio Salado for nursing. A student, a CNA at a local hospital said something like "the nurses at the hospital I work at say that Rio's graduates aren't well prepared and they flounder."

Ok - so this is one person's observation. It could come from ignorance regarding online education. It could mean nothing. It could mean something. It's just huge, choosing to do nursing school in a non-traditional way like Rio. So this is why I am trying to find out all I can. I'd love to hear from any current or grad Rio students, and find out if they work in hospitals, if it's all ok, etc. Any info would be great. And I'm still trying to find the NCLEX pass rate?

Here is some links that might help you understand a little more about Rio. Rio has to go by the same standards as everyone else when it comes to clinicals and course work etc. They are required to do the same amount of hours in clinicals as all the other nurseing schools. Anyhow watch the orientation video it has a little bit of good informantion in it.

http://www.riosalado.edu/nursing/prospectiveStudents.shtml

http://www.riosalado.edu/nursing/orientation/

Maryruth,

Thank you for posting those links. I've watched them a couple of times previously. I just need to talk with an advisor. I have 3 concerns about Rio.

1) New program, new programs usually have kinks

2) What is the NCLEX pass rate

3) Does the lack of in class interaction cause the nursing student to lose out on learning about the 'real deal' on nursing practice, and are students less prepared because they don't have skills lab, etc

If anyone reading this knows what kind of jobs Rio grads have gotten, or the reputation of the grads in Phx, I sure would appreciate it. I really would like to do Rio. I just need more info. Choosing a nursing school is, you know...huge.

Also I have heard that Rio has a shorter (sometimes ZERO wait list compared to the other Maricopa schools. Is this true?)

I wouldn't doubt it. Signing up for my pre-reqs, I was able to get in a week before the class started! If that's any indication, it seems that the extra work that needs to be taken, as opposed to just strolling into a local college and applying, helps filter out some of those that just aren't willing to put in the effort.

Also, I think being online scares some folks. I've been in class with many people who don't even have a computer!!! These sorts of people will likely end up fizzling out after their first C or three in normal colleges, and will also likely never even get into an online course.

If you've been to college recently, how many others did you see cheating off their friends? One of the nicer things about being online is that come test time, you know it or you don't, and doing so is all on you. Again, I think that helps filter out a lot of the lesser ambitious folks.

I'm curious as well though. I've been looking at Rio as I've been there before, but I keep hearing about Excelsior, so I'm sort of confused. I'm enrolled for my pre-reqs through Rio right now though, I'll keep the boards updated with my progress - hopefully that'll help future students :)