United States University (USU) FNP program January 2021

Nursing Students NP Students

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Hope everyone is doing well. I write this post in the hopes of finding other current students of USU's FNP program; specifically, those that are starting this January as well. I applied and was accepted for the January cohort however, I wanted to hear if others have insight about their program based on personal experience. I'd be so grateful for any input.

Thank you!

 

Hello, 

anyone starting cohort on 3/28/23?

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

If a school has a 100% acceptance rate and starts a new "cohort" every few weeks it's probably a diploma mill! 

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Allergy.
MentalKlarity said:

If a school has a 100% acceptance rate and starts a new "cohort" every few weeks it's probably a diploma mill! 

It was a challenging school, comparable to my coworkers who went to brick and mortar schools (which are mostly online now anyway), but I didn't have to take out significant loans like they did. Diploma mill or not, it is still accredited, I am sitting for boards, and have a degree. I wouldn't change a thing. 

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Right, all schools is the same. I already enrolled and can't wait to start.

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
Nurse_aiit said:

Right, all schools is the same. I already enrolled and can't wait to start.

No, not all schools are the same. 

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Go where you please and what you can afford. We all have different plans to get to where we want to be and that's OK. I picked them. They are OK BON and that good enough for me. 

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Specializes in Family Practice, Psychiatry.

I graduated from USU a year and a half ago - best decision ever.  When I was in my clinical rotations, I'll never forget a couple of the observations made by a couple of my preceptors - who remarked how very impressed they were with USU when they noticed that my professors were checking in on me and extremely picky about HOW I was doing - which was VERY different than the other students from the highly respected brick and mortar schools in our area.  It may be a "diploma mill" - but I despise the use of that term because I find it offensive and downright ignorant.  USU is accredited.  Period.  Nobody cares about anything else.  I got a solid education and was challenged/pushed HARD.  My preceptors had nothing but high praise for my school's rigorous standards.  I was offered a job out of my next to last rotation so did not even have to interview/job search after school.  I passed my board exam on the first try as well just a month after graduation. 

I have multiple degrees from other programs (all brick and mortar schools with stellar reputations) - so this is not coming from a place of ignorance or lack of experience, either.  I find that people who feel the need to criticize others based on their program has a major chip on their shoulder or has had some bad experience  that has painted their own view.  Often, it may be from one who failed at one of such programs - I have often found that the loudest critics are the ones whose criticism is least valuable.  To be completely aboveboard and fair, this is *not* meant to slight the particular individuals making the comments on this forum, but simply my own observations over the years when such criticisms have been made - to find the the critic is *typically* bitter about a rejection or failure of some sort.  Do NOT let such *unkind* words affect any decisions being made.  USU is an online, ACCREDITED school (if it loses accreditation in any way, they will certainly let people know - like the post-master's FNP - which should be remedied soon, I expect.  Typically if accred. expires, they take care of it fast) - and now that so many schools are going to the online model post-COVID, schools like USU are the ones the other schools are asking for advice.  I spoke with an expert from Emory with whom I was working on some psychiatric research - and he had nothing but high praise for the online programs...  He said he often is consulted for them and even takes on some teaching as he is able.  So there's that as well....  Good luck to you!  It's HARD work - but 100% worth it.  We need more NPs taking care of folks - so I'm grateful for more of you going for it!  I recently re-joined academia as I am working on becoming double-boarded and working toward a doctorate so I can contribute educationally in my area.  I'm excited about that.

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Allergy.

Exactly. There are ugly sides to every school. As long as sits accredited, you're good to go! Best of luck in the program, I just finished! If you haven't already, join the facebook group. They are SO helpful when things seem a little frustrating. 
 

feel free to contact me anytime as well. ?

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Specializes in Pediatrics/Allergy.
MultipNP said:

I graduated from USU a year and a half ago - best decision ever.  When I was in my clinical rotations, I'll never forget a couple of the observations made by a couple of my preceptors - who remarked how very impressed they were with USU when they noticed that my professors were checking in on me and extremely picky about HOW I was doing - which was VERY different than the other students from the highly respected brick and mortar schools in our area.  It may be a "diploma mill" - but I despise the use of that term because I find it offensive and downright ignorant.  USU is accredited.  Period.  Nobody cares about anything else.  I got a solid education and was challenged/pushed HARD.  My preceptors had nothing but high praise for my school's rigorous standards.  I was offered a job out of my next to last rotation so did not even have to interview/job search after school.  I passed my board exam on the first try as well just a month after graduation. 

I have multiple degrees from other programs (all brick and mortar schools with stellar reputations) - so this is not coming from a place of ignorance or lack of experience, either.  I find that people who feel the need to criticize others based on their program has a major chip on their shoulder or has had some bad experience  that has painted their own view.  Often, it may be from one who failed at one of such programs - I have often found that the loudest critics are the ones whose criticism is least valuable.  To be completely aboveboard and fair, this is *not* meant to slight the particular individuals making the comments on this forum, but simply my own observations over the years when such criticisms have been made - to find the the critic is *typically* bitter about a rejection or failure of some sort.  Do NOT let such *unkind* words affect any decisions being made.  USU is an online, ACCREDITED school (if it loses accreditation in any way, they will certainly let people know - like the post-master's FNP - which should be remedied soon, I expect.  Typically if accred. expires, they take care of it fast) - and now that so many schools are going to the online model post-COVID, schools like USU are the ones the other schools are asking for advice.  I spoke with an expert from Emory with whom I was working on some psychiatric research - and he had nothing but high praise for the online programs...  He said he often is consulted for them and even takes on some teaching as he is able.  So there's that as well....  Good luck to you!  It's HARD work - but 100% worth it.  We need more NPs taking care of folks - so I'm grateful for more of you going for it!  I recently re-joined academia as I am working on becoming double-boarded and working toward a doctorate so I can contribute educationally in my area.  I'm excited about that.

VERY well said! 

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

There's nothing wrong with online schools, but for-profit programs exist to make a profit. There are plenty of respectable schools that are affordable and don't accept 100% of applicants with no admissions standards at all. I know several employers who won't even interview for-profit graduates, and colleagues who won't precept them. I wish you all luck but you get what you put into it. 

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Specializes in Family Practice, Psychiatry.
MentalKlarity said:

There's nothing wrong with online schools, but for-profit programs exist to make a profit. There are plenty of respectable schools that are affordable and don't accept 100% of applicants with no admissions standards at all. I know several employers who won't even interview for-profit graduates, and colleagues who won't precept them. I wish you all luck but you get what you put into it. 

Nice to know that at least there is an admission that there's nothing wrong.  The last time I checked, I work for a profit, too... I don't know ANY employers who have those interview standards.  Interesting...

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Specializes in Psychiatry.
MultipNP said:

Nice to know that at least there is an admission that there's nothing wrong.  The last time I checked, I work for a profit, too... I don't know ANY employers who have those interview standards.  Interesting...

Nothing wrong with online, but for profit there is something wrong with. Because they exist to make a profit and enrich shareholders, they care more about having more customers and thus treat school enrollment like sales. This is why they turn away almost no applicants and have constant start dates. At the end of the day they care more about their share price than their reputation. I'm glad that in YOUR experience employers have no issue but there are plenty that do, and it's pretty well known on other forums and websites among medical professionals that these programs require little effort to gain entry into and people see them as a joke.

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