South University (Austin)

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Aug 30, 2016

Honestly? As long as your pre-licensure program is fully approved/accredited & produces the right outcomes (NCLEX pass rate) it doesn't make a huge difference. The biggest problem is that South is brand new... so there's no way to judge the quality of the instruction in terms of NCLEX pass rates. IMO, being in the 'charter' student cohort is a huge gamble.

The early years are very difficult for nursing programs - dealing with shortages of qualified faculty, lack of appropriate clinical sites, etc. It can be a real recipe for disaster. These issues can't be solved with even the fanciest building and equipment or the nicest admissions process.

loveify · Aug 30, 2016

You make some valid points. South is just a consideration right now, but me waiting until next year to re-apply to schools is something I really don't think I can do. I think I just need to talk to someone who is already in the program and ask how they feel about it. That will tell me the information I need to know.

Buyer beware, BSN · Sep 5, 2016

OP: go to (collegescorecard.ed.gov). Put in the search engine South University-Austin. Here you will find that tuition will be $24, 977 per year to attend. That's way too much.

So let me tell you some things that the boiler-room recruiters won't tell you.

1. South University is owned by Educational Management Corporation which in turn is owned by the Wall Street venture capitalist firm of KKR. (not known for love of nursing education).

2. EDMC was sued by the Department of Justice and as of last November 2015 paid a fine of $95.5 million dollars for false claims in the recruitment of students.

3. For a for-profit school their finances are precarious. As of 2014 they delisted from the stock market. Their stock on the OTC as of last Friday is worth less than 1cent. So when they tell you you will graduate in 2018, they probably will have gone the way of the doo-doo bird way before then

4. Graduation and retention rates primarily and NCLEX pass rates to a lesser degree are important. But if you go on the aforementioned site and look at South's schools in general, you will see they are not good in these areas. In fact not good is being generous.

5. Remember, South is all about numbers and you are just that. I know the people you spoke to are nice. They are trained and studied salespeople. So I'm positive they didn't tell you about their drastically declining enrollment population or their ongoing personal layoffs or closings of other schools owned by EDMC, which are Brown Mackie, Art Institutes and Argosy Universiry. Many of these are in teachout status due to declining enrollment.

6. All information given herein is available from credible sources on the web. I am on no one's payrole and offer this information as a service to my present and future nursing colleagues.

7. You may have heard recently of the ITT tech meltdown. As most for-profits obtain up to 90% of their tuition from Federal government backed loans, in effect this school is doomed.

8. For profits, although originally thought to be a more nimble approach to higer ED, South and others have fallen prey to greed and as such engage in predatory behavior. This is exemplified by their relentless marketing at the expense of providing a cost effective, quality education. It's a shame but don't fall victim to a losing business plan.