Trade school vs. college?

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I'm applying to an accelerated BSN program at WCU in Ontario, CA. What are your thoughts of trade school and college? To me an accelerated program works for me because I don't need to go fetch for classes, it doesn't take as long, classes are shorter, and campus is way smaller. My worries are if I'm getting the same quality education, am I getting a "not so good" education, or am I going to make a bad nurse? What are your thoughts and any advice?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

aBSN programs generally aren't offered at "trade schools" (not familiar with what WCU is). By definition, "trade schools" don't offer baccalaureate programs.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Just googled. WCU = West Coast University, which is not a trade school. What it is is a for-profit university that charges exorbitant tuition. Also, they do not have an accelerated BSN program that I could see from their website, just a regular BSN program (accelerated BSN programs are for people who have a bachelor's degree in another field, and the program generally takes only 12-18 months to complete).

Why WCU? Why pay $140,000 for a BSN? That's ridiculous. Have you looked at other programs?

Tuition

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The only other schools I've looked at was community colleges. The only thing is that I don't see myself doing well in college and plus all the wait list for classes! I know it's A LOT of money but I just like how everything is in all one program. I'm just really confused on what to do right now :( everybody is telling me different ways to achieve my nursing goals and I don't know the best one for me.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

You'll have student loan payments of $1,500+ per month, if not more, if you make the mistake of enrolling at WCU. If you don't think you'll do well in real 'college,' what makes you think things will be different at WCU?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
The only other schools I've looked at was community colleges. The only thing is that I don't see myself doing well in college and plus all the wait list for classes! .

If you don't see yourself doing well in college, why on earth would you want to go to a program that charges almost $2000/credit? WCU *is* college. Any program, including theirs, is going to be challenging.

As a nurse, I can tell you that what you should NOT do is go to WCU, particularly if you're concerned that you may not do well. Better to figure that out through a community college where the financial ramifications aren't so great.

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WCU is in Miami....I just graduated from Miami Dade College for the ASN and will be bridging over to the BSN program shortly. Why not look there? They're highly regarded and tuition is extremely inexpensive.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
WCU is in Miami....I just graduated from Miami Dade College for the ASN and will be bridging over to the BSN program shortly. Why not look there? They're highly regarded and tuition is extremely inexpensive.

I'm guessing because the OP lives in California, not Miami?

$20K for an RN-BSN program really is not "extremely inexpensive". I can name 3-4 programs that are less than $10,000.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
WCU is in Miami....

Before WCU ever established a campus in Miami, the school originated on the West Coast in southern California (hence, 'West Coast' University). There's also a WCU campus in Dallas, Texas.

They're highly regarded and tuition is extremely inexpensive.
I can say with certainty that your local state university's nursing programs are more highly regarded than WCU.
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