United States University (USU) FNP

Has anyone done this program? I'm looking into it and it seems great but there are hardly any updates reviews. Thanks!

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
2 hours ago, perfectzero01 said:

If you want to get a FNP and don't care about the quality of instruction, this place would be fine. You'll get your degree (I have no doubt about that). Just be advised that its nothing like a masters from UC (I have one from UCLA). Its busy work (you'll get as much as you want to get out of it). You can BS your way through it and find answers online or actually read the material and learn (its up to you, instructors are mediocre at best)

Are you attending this University? I'm curious as it sounds like you have first hand knowledge.

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
9 hours ago, perfectzero01 said:

yes, haha

I learned that some people have opinions and no experience, and some have experience and little opinion! ?

That's good of you to make assumptions. I hold a BS from UCI and a masters from UCLA before getting into medicine. My "opinions" come from my experience. If it doesn't suit you, then you are welcome to ignore it. This is my experience with USU. I'm sure that many of the online programs are similar. The gist of the program is making power point presentations, doing weekly message board posts and weekly online quizzes which have the answers word for word on quizlet. Instructors put minimal effort into the classroom (everyone so far has a outside full-time job and teaching this online USU class is just secondary supplemental income

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
9 minutes ago, perfectzero01 said:

That's good of you to make assumptions. I hold a BS from UCI and a masters from UCLA before getting into medicine. My "opinions" come from my experience. If it doesn't suit you, then you are welcome to ignore it. This is my experience with USU. I'm sure that many of the online programs are similar. The gist of the program is making power point presentations, doing weekly message board posts and weekly online quizzes which have the answers word for word on quizlet. Instructors put minimal effort into the classroom (everyone so far has a outside full-time job and teaching this online USU class is just secondary supplemental income

Oh, that was not a negative comment directed at you or anyone. I have simply learned the hard way that when someone speaks with a sound of authority, it doesn't always mean they have the experience to back it up.

I am looking for honest reviews and I truly appreciate your opinion on this, particularly since you have first hand experience. If I caused an offense, it was completely unintentional.

I don't want a non-education education. I worry that my desire to get going and pay as little as possible is not going to result in a good outcome. I remember reading an article once called something like Cheap, Fast, Good. The author was talking about how you seldom can have all three. If it's cheap and fast, it's likely not good. If it's good and cheap, it's likely not fast, and so on. This has always stuck with me. I'm an older student and feel like I need to balance the payoff of the investment. These decisions would have been much easier 20 year ago.

no worries. the material is there for you to get the knowledge. I just wouldn't expect much support from the instructors. I think that USU isn't alone when it comes to low cost online classes. If you have the resilience to do the readings and take the exams without the help of google, you'll get more out of the class. The problem is that it is tempting to look up the answers online and doing the minimum to get by when you have a busy life. The one thing that will get you is the HESI exam since those are proctored.

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
1 minute ago, perfectzero01 said:

no worries. the material is there for you to get the knowledge. I just wouldn't expect much support from the instructors. I think that USU isn't alone when it comes to low cost online classes. If you have the resilience to do the readings and take the exams without the help of google, you'll get more out of the class. The problem is that it is tempting to look up the answers online and doing the minimum to get by when you have a busy life. The one thing that will get you is the HESI exam since those are proctored.

Do you feel like the HESI exams help to assess where you are? I don't want to get lazy and look stuff up on Google. I really want a quality education and to be of service to others. I live in a rural community that is underserved and I really hope I am able to serve the community here.

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
4 minutes ago, perfectzero01 said:

no worries. the material is there for you to get the knowledge. I just wouldn't expect much support from the instructors. I think that USU isn't alone when it comes to low cost online classes. If you have the resilience to do the readings and take the exams without the help of google, you'll get more out of the class. The problem is that it is tempting to look up the answers online and doing the minimum to get by when you have a busy life. The one thing that will get you is the HESI exam since those are proctored.

Do you have suggestions on other online affordable schools? If you're more comfortable, please feel free to message me privately. Though I have no idea how to do that on here.

Yeah, the HESI question format is different from the weekly quizes. You either know it or you don't. You definitely see a large discrepancy in grades from quizzes and HESI. If you are honest with yourself and perform the weekly quizzes on your own, you will ahead of the curve. Unfortunately, this is a drawback of using online format and using preexisting questions from a question bank.

Specializes in Pediatric Home Healthcare.
8 minutes ago, perfectzero01 said:

Yeah, the HESI question format is different from the weekly quizes. You either know it or you don't. You definitely see a large discrepancy in grades from quizzes and HESI. If you are honest with yourself and perform the weekly quizzes on your own, you will ahead of the curve. Unfortunately, this is a drawback of using online format and using preexisting questions from a question bank.

I don't know how to comment on here without always having your message quoted. That's probably getting annoying.

I so agree. The canned banks of questions make it hard to dertmine if you really know what you are being tested on. We used ATI back when I was working on my ADN. It was good the first time through to see my weak areas. But after remediation and getting the same questions over and over, it was impossible to tell if I really was gaining any knowledge.

I already purchased an FNP review guide I've seen recommended. I'm hoping to go through it little by little. And I'm beginning to think that, even though I have heard the live classes with Simmons are often just students broken up into discussion groups, maybe that's a better plan. Even at $52k, which hurts to type.

I agree with you that the level of education from a state run or for the sake of this post a more "reputable" university would be preferential to most.

Prior to nursing I received a BA from UCI and a MS from Cal State Long Beach so I feel competent to discuss the issue of higher education both onsite and online even going as far as writing my master's thesis on andragogy.

My 2 cents is this and take it or leave it as the decision is entirely yours.

1) There are 27 MSN-FNP programs in the entire state of California that are CA-BRN approved and USU is one of them. Is USU a UC, Cal-State, or a super reputable private University, such as Loma Linda or USD? I would not argue that it is but if becoming an FNP is your goal, it is a decent option.

https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/apprograms.shtml

2) Rural communities need NP's at a much higher rate than LA, OC, SD, SF, etc. As you will learn in your MSN program there is a significant shortage in these communities and they need you most of all. Its not a scholarly article but it justifies your importance. Do you think patients in your rural area are going to ask if you went to an online for-profit university like USU and will subsequently refuse to be seen by you since it was not USC/UCLA? If you recognize a need in your community (and assuming in whatever state you are USU is approved and you can practice) it is a good option.

https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/nurse-practitioners-primary-care-role-rural-areas-hobbled-practice-restrictions

3) Your board certification (and what concentration your MSN is) determines your reimbursement rates from insurance, medicare etc. Ask someone who is a psychiatric NP how their reimbursement rates are if they were to see someone for a cold. Type of board certification matters.

4) If all the schools are so great and prepare their students so much better why are there so many review courses to pass boards? Hollier and Fitzgerald are the two biggies but these women have made millions writing books and hosting conferences to get people where they need to be to pass boards. The MSN-FNP program is similar to law school, the information they teach you in law school does not necessarily translate to passing the bar.

5) USU is one of the only schools I have heard (I could be wrong) of that does actual days of patient physicals and assessments live and in person. All students perform a PAP for females and a rectal/penile/testicle check for men on a real live "patient." That was a really great learning tool prior to starting clinicals and performing a whole slew of these things.

6) Piggy backing on the education aspect, you working for 20+ years as an RN have no clue how much knowledge you actually have in that brain of yours until you start clinical rotations. Clinicals are where you learn the job of being an NP and are honestly more important than the actual MSN program. I would have gladly done 2-3X the amount of clinical hours in lieu of the MSN if it were an option.

Do I work for USU, nope. Do I feel that it is some godsend of schools, nope. Do I feel it is a great option for many individuals (either younger or older) who are desperately searching for a way to become an FNP without sitting in class all day every day for two years and spending a ton of money, yup. Were the assignments tedious, cumbersome, and not super helpful at learning how to be an FNP, yup.

I am turning off notifications for this thread as I feel I have spent too much time on it as of late but if anyone ever has any questions feel free to reach out via private message and I'll respond.

This board was not super helpful when I started searching for MSN-FNP programs as USU was not mentioned much but I am happy to see a lively discussion since then.

Good luck to you all!

CANURSE999.I applaud your patience.

22 minutes ago, CANURSE999 said:

I agree with you that the level of education from a state run or for the sake of this post a more "reputable" university would be preferential to most.

Prior to nursing I received a BA from UCI and a MS from Cal State Long Beach so I feel competent to discuss the issue of higher education both onsite and online even going as far as writing my master's thesis on andragogy.

My 2 cents is this and take it or leave it as the decision is entirely yours.

1) There are 27 MSN-FNP programs in the entire state of California that are CA-BRN approved and USU is one of them. Is USU a UC, Cal-State, or a super reputable private University, such as Loma Linda or USD? I would not argue that it is but if becoming an FNP is your goal, it is a decent option.

https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/apprograms.shtml

2) Rural communities need NP's at a much higher rate than LA, OC, SD, SF, etc. As you will learn in your MSN program there is a significant shortage in these communities and they need you most of all. Its not a scholarly article but it justifies your importance. Do you think patients in your rural area are going to ask if you went to an online for-profit university like USU and will subsequently refuse to be seen by you since it was not USC/UCLA? If you recognize a need in your community (and assuming in whatever state you are USU is approved and you can practice) it is a good option.

https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/nursing/nurse-practitioners-primary-care-role-rural-areas-hobbled-practice-restrictions

3) Your board certification (and what concentration your MSN is) determines your reimbursement rates from insurance, medicare etc. Ask someone who is a psychiatric NP how their reimbursement rates are if they were to see someone for a cold. Type of board certification matters.

4) If all the schools are so great and prepare their students so much better why are there so many review courses to pass boards? Hollier and Fitzgerald are the two biggies but these women have made millions writing books and hosting conferences to get people where they need to be to pass boards. The MSN-FNP program is similar to law school, the information they teach you in law school does not necessarily translate to passing the bar.

5) USU is one of the only schools I have heard (I could be wrong) of that does actual days of patient physicals and assessments live and in person. All students perform a PAP for females and a rectal/penile/testicle check for men on a real live "patient." That was a really great learning tool prior to starting clinicals and performing a whole slew of these things.

6) Piggy backing on the education aspect, you working for 20+ years as an RN have no clue how much knowledge you actually have in that brain of yours until you start clinical rotations. Clinicals are where you learn the job of being an NP and are honestly more important than the actual MSN program. I would have gladly done 2-3X the amount of clinical hours in lieu of the MSN if it were an option.

Do I work for USU, nope. Do I feel that it is some godsend of schools, nope. Do I feel it is a great option for many individuals (either younger or older) who are desperately searching for a way to become an FNP without sitting in class all day every day for two years and spending a ton of money, yup. Were the assignments tedious, cumbersome, and not super helpful at learning how to be an FNP, yup.

I am turning off notifications for this thread as I feel I have spent too much time on it as of late but if anyone ever has any questions feel free to reach out via private message and I'll respond.

This board was not super helpful when I started searching for MSN-FNP programs as USU was not mentioned much but I am happy to see a lively discussion since then.

Good luck to you all!

I think you are misreading what I have been saying. USU will help you achieve your FNP by allowing you to sit for the exam. My point is that instructors are mediocre and assignments are just busy work with no real benefit. I stand by my assessment. You need to be more self taught to get through this program. If you are someone that needs instructor support, you won't find it here. They simply don't respond to emails or questions. I think you haven't said anything that contradicts what I have said previously. I was mainly addressing the concern that people had regarding the legitimacy of USU (if it was a scam, which it is not).

I too will turn off notifications as I feel that I have given all of the input that I have.

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