University of South Alabama or Chamberlin University

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Specializes in Emergency/Acute care.

Hello,

I am trying to decide between the University of South Alabama and Chamberlin University for the RN-MSN FNP program. Can any one provide first hand experience with either school?  Any help is greatly appreciated. 
Tthank you!

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

I have experience with both schools. I finished my BSN with Chamberlain because my employer had a tuition discount deal with Chamberlain. I originally started my FNP with them because I had a good experience with the BSN. The FNP experience was NOTHING like my BSN experience. They kept making changes to the program with no notification of changes. The final straw came when I was taking my last 2 courses before clinicals started. They changed to a databank of questions, instead of exams the instructors created themselves. Unfortunately, the material in the databank gave us exam questions that we hadn't been assigned to study. The entire class failed the exam. Instead of having us re-take the exam with appropriate questions, or grading on a curve due to THEIR error, they wouldn't budge and said they would "make sure" no one failed the class. Umm, no! We didn't learn anything at all. (This was an epidemiology & stats class). I decided to drop the course before the drop date deadline because I didn't want to ruin my GPA. I e-mailed my instructor to inform her of my withdrawal. The school then REFUSED to refund my money for the course because they considered the e-mail to my instructor as "participation in the course" after the drop date. Total BS! There are class action lawsuits against the parent company who owns Chamberlain (Ad Talem Global). None of my credits transferred elsewhere. I wasted so much time & money. Caveat emptor.

I ended up transferring to University of South Alabama and got accepted into the Dual Role ACNP/FNP program, which is what I should have done from the get-go. I had a great experience there. All courses were online. We did have to go to campus twice during the program for hands-on skills intensives before FNP clinicals and again before ACNP clinicals. It is an actual brick & mortar school and has an excellent reputation in the gulf coast area. I had difficulty with my clinical sites getting cancelled in my state due to COVID. The school worked with me and helped me get set up with preceptors in other states so I could finish the program. While that did require me to travel to finish, I had fantastic preceptors and an incredible clinical experience in the ICU & ER. 

I definitely recommend USA to anyone considering them. I will never recommend Chamberlain's FNP program. Their BSN program was good, but their FNP program is a degree mill and they'll take anyone with a pulse and a promissory note.

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Specializes in Emergency Medicine.
On 1/29/2022 at 10:44 PM, SopranoKris said:

I have experience with both schools. I finished my BSN with Chamberlain because my employer had a tuition discount deal with Chamberlain. I originally started my FNP with them because I had a good experience with the BSN. The FNP experience was NOTHING like my BSN experience. They kept making changes to the program with no notification of changes. The final straw came when I was taking my last 2 courses before clinicals started. They changed to a databank of questions, instead of exams the instructors created themselves. Unfortunately, the material in the databank gave us exam questions that we hadn't been assigned to study. The entire class failed the exam. Instead of having us re-take the exam with appropriate questions, or grading on a curve due to THEIR error, they wouldn't budge and said they would "make sure" no one failed the class. Umm, no! We didn't learn anything at all. (This was an epidemiology & stats class). I decided to drop the course before the drop date deadline because I didn't want to ruin my GPA. I e-mailed my instructor to inform her of my withdrawal. The school then REFUSED to refund my money for the course because they considered the e-mail to my instructor as "participation in the course" after the drop date. Total BS! There are class action lawsuits against the parent company who owns Chamberlain (Ad Talem Global). None of my credits transferred elsewhere. I wasted so much time & money. Caveat emptor.

I ended up transferring to University of South Alabama and got accepted into the Dual Role ACNP/FNP program, which is what I should have done from the get-go. I had a great experience there. All courses were online. We did have to go to campus twice during the program for hands-on skills intensives before FNP clinicals and again before ACNP clinicals. It is an actual brick & mortar school and has an excellent reputation in the gulf coast area. I had difficulty with my clinical sites getting cancelled in my state due to COVID. The school worked with me and helped me get set up with preceptors in other states so I could finish the program. While that did require me to travel to finish, I had fantastic preceptors and an incredible clinical experience in the ICU & ER. 

I definitely recommend USA to anyone considering them. I will never recommend Chamberlain's FNP program. Their BSN program was good, but their FNP program is a degree mill and they'll take anyone with a pulse and a promissory note.

Were your classes at USA asynchronous?

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Specializes in Emergency/Acute care.
SopranoKris said:

Thank you so much for your response. Sorry I am just replying now. Is the University of South Alabama's program heavy with papers or is it more medical/scientific/clinical based?  I am really looking for the later. Thank you

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