UT houston or HBU fall 09 applicants?

LuckYNurSe28 · Feb 21, 2009

Wow. I am sorry to hear about your bad experience and am happy that you informed of this information. I have already applied and need to take the HESI test that they apparently now require. It's $50.00. I am now reconsidering if I should take it or not. I just feel that if I do not get in elsewhere, I do not want to lose all chances. But I am glad you gave me this info and will DEF reconsider HBU. Hope everything works out for you. Good Luck!

earthcrosser · Feb 23, 2009

But on the bright side, when you say you graduated from HBU, interviewers tend to get a little excited, haha. It's so hard to get through the program that the little band of people that make it through the end generally pass the NCLEX on the first try. It's not always the best school, but I learned a lot of things while I was there and gained quite a bit of knowledge that people from other schools didn't - mostly because there's a couple teachers who think we're doctors in training or something.

Don't want to do ICU, OR, or Peds/Ob? DO NOT GO TO HBU. That's pretty much what it comes down to here. There are plenty of other schools around. You will be strong in critical care (With high anxiety while taking the course. I cried almost every single day before clinicals due to the stress, but I will admit that for what I do, and the internship I got, it's the best choice I could have ever made when I went there), but if that's not your calling, there's no reason to have to learn so much extraneous information you won't need doing floor nursing or something.

rootiepooh · Nov 11, 2009

Normally, I DO NOT write on forum or websites but this is really important enough for me so I felt the need to. I am currently attending HBU and "earthcrosser" is wrong about interviewers being exited on whether a graduate nurse was from HBU or not. I regret coming here and choosing to enroll in this nursing program. This program is VERY expensive and cost about 10,000 alone/semester not including books and uniforms costs. First of all there is a mandatory rule that you must join a local AND national nursing association and must pay dues to stay active. You must collect a certain amount of points to graduate meaning you must do car washes and random things of that nature in addition to school work. Another thing, no matter how high your grades are in a class, if you make a 74 on the final YOU FAIL the class. They also have you take extra classes (meaning extra money) that have nothing related with nursing. The adviser does not know crap about nursing and gives you information that may or may not be right (I know because she has given wrong information several times and gotten me in trouble). Also, within the nursing program there are classes that have you take such as epidemiology and stratification that should really take one lecture to cover but are turn into a semester long class instead. TRUST me this is not the school you want to go to. I am not saying this to be bitter, I am saying this because I wish I someone would have told me the TRUTH and saved me money and time. It's too late for me I already invested a year and now I have to just pray and pass these classes but for anyone who is still considering this school it is NOT too late. Choose your nursing school wisely. I say that because your money, life and hard work will go into it and you don't want to do that and then not make it. That will hurt and I don't want that for no one. If anyone has question or wants further details on my comments. Just ask! I will be more than happy to explain my point of view.

starlight99 · Nov 11, 2009

Normally, I DO NOT write on forum or websites but this is really important enough for me so I felt the need to. I am currently attending HBU and "earthcrosser" is wrong about interviewers being exited on whether a graduate nurse was from HBU or not. I regret coming here and choosing to enroll in this nursing program. This program is VERY expensive and cost about 10,000 alone/semester not including books and uniforms costs. First of all there is a mandatory rule that you must join a local AND national nursing association and must pay dues to stay active. You must collect a certain amount of points to graduate meaning you must do car washes and random things of that nature in addition to school work. Another thing, no matter how high your grades are in a class, if you make a 74 on the final YOU FAIL the class. They also have you take extra classes (meaning extra money) that have nothing related with nursing. The adviser does not know crap about nursing and gives you information that may or may not be right (I know because she has given wrong information several times and gotten me in trouble). Also, within the nursing program there are classes that have you take such as epidemiology and stratification that should really take one lecture to cover but are turn into a semester long class instead. TRUST me this is not the school you want to go to. I am not saying this to be bitter, I am saying this because I wish I someone would have told me the TRUTH and saved me money and time. It's too late for me I already invested a year and now I have to just pray and pass these classes but for anyone who is still considering this school it is NOT too late. Choose your nursing school wisely. I say that because your money, life and hard work will go into it and you don't want to do that and then not make it. That will hurt and I don't want that for no one. If anyone has question or wants further details on my comments. Just ask! I will be more than happy to explain my point of view.

Where do you wish you would have gone instead?

rootiepooh · Nov 11, 2009

I wish I had chosen TWU or UT. Anywhere but here.

rootiepooh · Nov 11, 2009

Oh by the way, the retention rates at HBU nursing are horrible. On average about 5 people graduate from the program every year. The NCLEX rates are skewed. They are off those 5 people not a large group of people, so it looks nice but it's not a good indicator of the school itself.

earthcrosser · Nov 12, 2009

Not to be rude or whatever, but I suppose I had some really good interview experiences, then. It was DEFINITELY seen as an asset when I interviewed, so I was NOT wrong in stating that. I've also graduated and had time away from HBU, so the a lot of the bitterness and vitrol I held for the school has washed away.

The school is VERY expensive. It has VERY unfair policies at times (but believe me, the passing rules are common at other schools too, so it's really not something to hold against them.) I had instructors treat me very unfairly and single me out for stupid things or make it insanely hard to get top marks in clinicals despite performing very well in them. I KNOW how awful the program can be, but honestly? I'm stronger for it. I have learned a lot from the school and grew quite a bit as a person and as a professional. I can deal with awful things now much more easily than before because I went through hell there.

There are much better nursing programs, no doubt. But I have no regrets in going to HBU as I'm now a nurse. Dwelling in the past is useless - there are many things I was put through when I went there that were absolutely awful and unfair, but you do what you have to sometimes.

Still, it is a great place for ICU, OB, and Peds. They are so insane about their ICU program. But, hey, end result...

starlight99 · Nov 12, 2009

I wish I had chosen TWU or UT. Anywhere but here.

Between TWU and UT, which would you chose? I'm trying to make that very decision right now and it's really really tough. Any advice you can give me would be helpful, seeing as I'm sure you interacted with nursing students from both schools. Thanks!! :specs:

rootiepooh · Nov 14, 2009

TWU. I have heard their labs are more up to date, passing requirement for a course are achievable and reasonable. Plus, they produce the most nurses in the state of Texas. :) They are obviously are doing something right!

Ruby522 · Nov 19, 2009

I currently attend HBU and see both Earthcrosser and Rootiepooh's points. I began the program under a different dean, and it really wasn't that bad. We had amazing professors who really cared for the student's success. Over the past 6-7 months we have lost 6-7 of our BEST teachers and both deans, including the Peds, OB, and ICU teachers. Thus, there is alot of turmoil within the College of Nursing, and politics are playing a huge part. The new interim dean is really not up to par (granted she's brand new), and we are seriously lacking professors. Despite this, they are still admitting classes year round with 50 people each.

Class load is really heavy! You do tons of paperwork and projects that are totally irrelevant, which is kind of irritating. But on the flip side, you have some really great opportunities to see and do neat things.

The application process has changed. They are now making applicants complete a HESI and a separate nursing application. I am not sure about the interview though.

Rootiepooh is correct, retention is dismal. We started with 45-50 and are down to 14 +some random people, plus we still have 9 months to go. Many people who left didn't fail, but were ran out. Some of the professors are so rude and demeaning to the students it is unreal! I personally haven't had it happen to me, but I have seen it happen to other students. I think it reflects poorly on the school when you have professors berating students on the floor in front of their classmates and hospital staff. Even the staff has made comments about how unprofessional some instructors are.

Earthcrosser is also correct about HBU's reputation of producing great nurses, but I am not sure how that is going to hold up much longer given recent events.

It is very expensive! (20K a year roughly). Even if you have scholarships, there is the stipulation that you have to be full time. This doesn't seem like a problem, but the nursing classes often add up to 10hours or so, and with odd scheduling there is no room to add an extra class to get you full time. Sometimes they will add a 1 or 2 hour clinical prep class to accommodate this, but not always. Also the added bonus is that at HBU they let you in your sophomore year, telling you that you will have time to take the rest of your classes throughout the program. This is what drew me to HBU over UT or TWU. NOT TRUE! There is no time to take other classes, and in the end the administration will hold your graduation back a semester or 2 until you complete those courses, so its not that great of a deal to be able to get in a little bit early.

Overall, I would not recommend HBU at this time. Save your time and money and go somewhere else. Maybe in the future they will get it together, but right now it is a total nightmare. I wish I was able to hear all this before I made my decision because if I had to the chance to do it all over again I would not go to HBU.

sw1242 · Dec 3, 2009

wow.... thanks so much for the honest post I have a BA but still needed to do my Preqs and I was considering doing everything at HBU but after hearing all this I'll pass and take my money somewhere else!