Warning about Columbia State.

SlavicNurse · Apr 25, 2006

Aquinas graduates have a lower first time pass rate on the NCLEX than Columbia State graduates and to be perfectly honest with you, many recent Belmont graduates I have worked with had clinical skills inferior to what I would expect after paying what Belmont charges. I have seen LPNs with better clinical skills and that isn't a joke.

That being said, what you say about Col. State is disturbing. Hang in there and hopefully things will get better and you and your classmates will prosper from your current pain.

Best of luck.

I wanted to get the word out to potential nursing students about a school to avoid. I am in the program at Columbia State and it has been a miserable experience for me and all my fellow students. Most of us have a bachelor's degree and are not new to academia but have never experienced teachers like what is at this school. Teachers outside the nursing program have been fine but the nursing instructors are the worst. They have nothing but disdain and disgust for all students and are completely unresponsive and dismissive and it seems to be their goal to fail as many as possible. We are all for hard work and are willing to study as much as it takes but the tests relate very little to either the book or lecture. Most people are at Columbia State because it is the cheapest way to get an RN but I think you get what you pay for. I talk to students at Belmont and Aquinas and they don't have the same issues we do at all. I wish someone had warned me about what I was about to face so I thought I would stick my neck out here and maybe help someone avoid the problems we have had to face.

futureTNnurse · Sep 28, 2006

I wanted to agree with the previous poster. Columbia State, while it may have once stood as a meca for those who wanted to be an RN, is now a gateway to h***. I went there for my A.S. in General Ed. and it was terrible. The instructors were horrible, the class times inconvenient (unless you were available full-time which I wasn't).

I have since rec'd my B.S. from MTSU in Business. I returned to CS to check into thier nursing program, and was met with an incredible rude instructor. She asked about work and family, and I told her I has a 2 year old daughter. Her reply, that I woudln't be seeing too much of her if I chose to be in thier program. I know it will be a lot of hard work, but telling someone to forget their children was a horrible thing to say. IMO.

morganvibes · Sep 30, 2006

Hi,

Wow, I was just looking into Columbia state again and these posts are pretty scary. I had dismissed CSCC before because they had a 2 year wait list, but just read on their website that they may stop having a waiting list and accept students based on merit instead of first come first serve.

Was your experience at the Franklin or Columbia campus? Is there a difference in teachers at different campuses? I would apply to the Franklin campus since I live in Nashville and that is much closer for me. Bad teachers make me carzy. I think we notice it more when we are older students and will not put up with the BS that some teachers are used to getting away with when dealing with 20 year olds.

I was thinking it would be a BETTER school than TSU because I have heard they have a good NCLEX pass rate(in the 90's) and that TSU is very unorganized, although TSU has a good pass rate for NCLEX as well (also 90's). FYI: Aguinas has a mid 80's pass rate the last 2 years, surprising, And I heard it was very hard and expensive and you have to take religious classes too.

So far my dealings with TSU would back up that they are disorganized, but that is only dealing with the administrative dept.

Has anyone done the TSU Assoc degree RN program?

It is so hard to judge when you hear good and bad about almost every school and Hospital. I heard that TSU was on probation and TSU admin people said that was completely false.

oh well, thanks for any input.

M

futureTNnurse · Sep 30, 2006

I think some of the teachers are the same at both the Columbia and Franklin campuses, but I could be wrong. I took my classes at the main campus. A friend of mine was in the nuring program at the time I was getting my general ed. This girl was SMART! She had a 3.8 going into the program, but by graduation it was down to a 2.3 +/- (can't remember exactly but it was the low 2.0's). And, it wasn't for lack of studying - she studied CONSTANTLY. But, said the instructors were out to get you, didn't want to help, and wouldn't answer any questions--only told to "look it up."

In my experience the general ed teachers (with the exception of my Psyc. teacher) were just as bad. The computers were operating on Win. 95, teachers were disorganized, and gave me the impression they didn't want to be there in the first place.

I've heard it's got worse, but haven't had a reason to explore that more indepth. I do know that some of my teachers are retired (or left) just by scanning the faculty list on their website. All I can say is you get what you pay for -- you pay for cheap - you get a cheap education.

Best of luck to you!!!

PICUFL · Oct 1, 2006

I would like to put my 2 cents in: Yes, it does help to go to a good Nursing school but it is what YOU put into your Nursing that makes you a good nurse. Get out there and ask your fellow nurses for help. Every nurse I have ever met is willing to help me. Your future as a nurse depends on YOU not your school per say.

K

KidneyCleaner · Oct 2, 2006

to futureTNnurse:

I have my AD in nursing from Chattanooga State. I am now enrolled in MTSU RN to BSN program...all on line. A distance nursing course & I love it!

I'm just in my 1st semester & hope all goes as well as it is. :nurse:

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Oct 2, 2006

to futureTNnurse - I have to disagree on the 'you get what you pay for'. There are excellent community college programs in TN, there are bad private expensive colleges. I don't necessarily believe more $ equals a better nursing education. I attend a community college and we have like a 95% pass rate. While it's not perfect, the teachers are very encouraging and want EVERY student to pass. Even when we have students fail a semester you typically see them jumping right back in giving it another go.

futureTNnurse · Oct 2, 2006

I didn't mean all community colleges were bad. I had several friends go to Chattanooga, Vol State, etc. and had excellent experiences. I meant - while Columbia State may be cheap(er) than your traditional 4-year college and/or private school -- sometimes cheaper isn't always better. If your paying money to go to school, I personally, want instructors who will help me..which is NOT what I found at Columbia State.

My experience (and apparently that of others) was bad. I'm sure everyone can find some people at every college that had both good and bad experiences. I just wish I had known what I know now about Columbia Stae before I invested my money into it.

*Hope that clears up the confusion

Mommy TeleRN, RN · Oct 3, 2006

It's all good futureTNnurse

Have you found a school to go to for your nursing program? Thankfully many have better reputations than Columbia! I think I'm in a good program..but I still wanna be DONE lol. I spent 11 hrs tonight on clinical paperwork and since I have to leave in 2 hours to go to school I will not be going to bed. One of these days I WILL get to sleep again! haha

Mommy

morganvibes · Oct 3, 2006

can the last 2 of you let us know where you are going?

help us!

futureTNnurse · Oct 7, 2006

Currently in Knoxville-but my husband accepted a new job in the Nashville area last month. So, as soon as our lease is up at the apt. myself and the kiddo will be moving to the area. I've been looking into all the colleges around there - including Belmont, MTSU (although I've heard its hard to get into), TSU, and the community colleges (which is why I went and spoke to Columbia State-they have a campus in Franklin and it's close to where we'll live), etc. But, since the lease isnt up until middle of the spring semester I'm applying for Fall '07 as a transfer at one of the schools.