Warning about Columbia State.

[LolaLola]

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.

[essdee]

This last semester the 3rd Semester Nursing Students at Columbia State had 2 of 29 pass the final exam. This knocked 16 students into a D or below, effectivly removing them from the program.

On more than a few occasions, the director made comments about there 'not being this many' graduates, in reference to the 29 3rd Semester Students. One particular girl was 4th in her HS class, and maintained a 4.0 until she was accepted into the nursing program, she had a 28 on her ACT. She now has a 2.1 GPA, and had a 2.6 last semester (2.5 = C, in their eyes).

This is not indicative of her 'ability to study' or her desire to 'get out what she puts in', the girl studies 5 days a week with a study group, and listens to recorded lecture in the car. and studies alone on the 2 days off from studygroup. she also works at a hospital as a Student Nurse along with her clinicals and lectures.

On the chalkboard, immediately before the test the teacher wrote "I WILL BE IN MY OFFICE BEGINNING AT NOON ON FRIDAY FOR EXIT INTERVIEWS"

On multiple occasions, the students are repeatedly told that they must 'Put their families on hold' and they must 'make the CSCC Nursing Program Number One in their lives'

Aquinas has poor pass percentages. However they have more people passing and going through their programs.

CSCC has each year dropped their graduation rate, and nit-picked students for the NCLEX.

Instead of pushing you to succeed, they intentionally fail those that they might have to actually help (unheard of, help a student!?). To inflate their pass % and 'look' better. in 2005 CSCC was 129:92%, in 2006: 137:86%, in 2007 90:96%. and this year, it is no dout much less than 90 students.

as an added bonus in order to get back into the program a student must maintain their enrollement by taking classes (avg 150$ per credit hour) for as long as it takes to get re-admitted. of which they have only slots available that are opened by previous-semester failouts.

the percentages are indicative in the table with motlow state, they had 97% at 30 students 96% at 40 students, and 94% at 50 students.

with more people, obviously the percentage of failure will be higher.

The teachers failed the 3rd semester students at CSCC intentionally with a test that an APRN-BC took, and failed.

the director is unwilling, and rude to students and pre-admission students, and their demands are out of place for a school of LEARNING.

You become a good nurse because you get into the crap and have to wipe it off

If you think you are a good nurse walking off the podeium with your pin, you need to seek another profession.

I used to be a Firefighter, and we had a motto. When You Think You Cant Learn Anymore: Go Home.

[tam.lex]

I am planning to apply for Fall 2010 to Columbia. Does anyone know ....is it 5 days a week? What time does class actually start? I am coming from Shelbyville. Any info would be great.

[TNMommy]

I am in my 1st semester of Columbia State's nursing program. I love it! I have had no complaints and the instructors are great. I have an A average in the classes right now. It is hard but every nursing program is. My schedule this semester is Wed, Thurs, and Fri. Thursday is my longest day because of clinical and lab (3:00p.m.). Next semester my classes are on Mon., Wed, and Thurs., again my longest day will be on Mon. at 3:00 p.m. The other two days I am out my noon.

I don't think that you will regret applying to the school. If you have any other questions, just let me know!

[tam.lex]

So, they base it on your grade from A&P 1 ....and what else? I took A&P 1 over the summer, ONLINE - and made a C. I have 2 kids, work full time.....so I basically did what I could to pass.....that isn't going to be good enough is it?

What time does class start every day? So it's just 3 days a week?? What do they start you out doing in clinicals?

I cannot wait to get into Nursing school and be done :) - I've very anxious! I am currently taking my pre-reqs at Motlow - So I'm applying there, and Columbia. I am also applying for the LPN at the Tech Center in Shelbyville.

Thanks for all the info! I love talking nursing!

[sazola]

So, they base it on your grade from A&P 1 ....and what else? I took A&P 1 over the summer, ONLINE - and made a C. I have 2 kids, work full time.....so I basically did what I could to pass.....that isn't going to be good enough is it?

I don't know anything about Motlow. I found out that Columbia bases their admissions on a point system only. Eight points being the max. Usually only those with 6-8 pts are admitted, but when they go down to 5 points they look at grade point average as the deciding factor.

Bachelor degree

1pt.

A&P I grade

3pts. --- A

2pts. --- B

1pt. --- C

ACT

1pt. --- 19

2pts. --- 20-21

3pts. --- 22-23

4pts. --- 24+

[K1C9H78]

So, now that they use 8 points instead of 7, is a 7 pointer still pretty competitive as far as getting excepted?

[sazola]

I was accepted with 7 and I know someone who was accepted for the spring 2010 with 6. However, he did not get the campus he wanted. The only way to get eight is if you have a bachelors degree. With the economy going to hell it will only get more competitive as people with degrees go back to school, IMO.

[K1C9H78]

I agree it will be a scramble. I have to retake A&P I&II b/c I had it seven years ago. And I would've had the highest amount of points before they changed the point system from bachelors plus an A in A&P equaled the total seven to the eight point system... now I have a seven out of eight due to my ACT score, but, I hope to get in 2011!

[rwright15]

This thread is just irritating to me. I went to CSCC, and I am perfectly happy with the education I received. Sure, there are some instructors that are inferior to others, and say what you will, but they all have good qualities about them. Esp the 3rd & 4th semester professors. They got a bad rap from a bunch who failed out of in the fall of 2008. Most of them from what I heard were underachievers anyway. I had to enter 3 after these naysayers went to the Tennessean and tried to ruffle feathers. It was hard, but those of us who were worthy to be there proved ourselves, and prevailed. The weak ones were weeded out. It is a public health hazard to put unqualified nurses in the field for fear of ******* people off. I admire those teachers to have the courage to do this. It would certainly be the most popular thing to pass everyone. You can't pass this nursing program expecting to only get by. You can't be a nurse by expecting to only get by. When I finished, I did not have to go pay $500 for Kaplan to teach me something I didn't learn in school. Everything I needed to know was covered. I passed the NCLEX 1st time with 75 questions. So, think what you will about columbia state, but there were maybe 2 out of our whole class who failed the NCLEX. Most ppl who are unhappy with them probably failed out some time or another and their opinion wouldn't matter too much to me anyway.

One student, who made it all the way to nsg 3 after failing nsg 1 once already, was asked on CVSD the rationale for her pt getting an 81mg ASA daily. Her answer was "uh, maybe because he had a headache???" AAANNNTTTT, wrong answer. Some ppl felt bad cause she didn't make it past that semester. I felt bad that she'd made it all the way to 3 before someone had the guts to say, hey, she isn't cut out for nursing...

[howdydoody]

The main problem was the nursing II teachers, who are now gone and you would not have had. Nursing III and nursing IV were not a big deal, neither was nursing I, but nursing II was pure hell with two teachers that were petty, cruel, insecure and probably bordering on psychotic. They are gone now so I hear the school is vastly improved so what you experienced is not comparable to what we did.

[rwright15]

The main problem was the nursing II teachers, who are now gone and you would not have had. Nursing III and nursing IV were not a big deal, neither was nursing I, but nursing II was pure hell with two teachers that were petty, cruel, insecure and probably bordering on psychotic. They are gone now so I hear the school is vastly improved so what you experienced is not comparable to what we did.

I remember them. They were booted out about 2 months before I went into 2. The ones to follow were very inexperienced, actually they'd never taught before. One had been in school for most of her career, and the other had worked in a women's clinic, which was a little better. It was complete chaos and drama during one of the most critical semesters. We did not get a good pharmacology foundation from them. Most of the semester, they refused to come to Columbia campus b/c of a conflict with 1 student. I promise I am not exaggerating. I took my book and learned it myself. Nsg 2 has been a weakness of the program for a while, but that's not an excuse to dismiss the whole program. Most of the nurses (very good nurses) around here went through that program. To warn people against it is preposterous. All I am trying to point out is there is good and bad in everything.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

This thread is just irritating to me. I went to CSCC, and I am perfectly happy with the education I received. Sure, there are some instructors that are inferior to others, and say what you will, but they all have good qualities about them. Esp the 3rd & 4th semester professors. They got a bad rap from a bunch who failed out of in the fall of 2008. Most of them from what I heard were underachievers anyway. I had to enter 3 after these naysayers went to the Tennessean and tried to ruffle feathers. It was hard, but those of us who were worthy to be there proved ourselves, and prevailed. The weak ones were weeded out. It is a public health hazard to put unqualified nurses in the field for fear of ******* people off. I admire those teachers to have the courage to do this. It would certainly be the most popular thing to pass everyone. You can't pass this nursing program expecting to only get by. You can't be a nurse by expecting to only get by. When I finished, I did not have to go pay $500 for Kaplan to teach me something I didn't learn in school. Everything I needed to know was covered. I passed the NCLEX 1st time with 75 questions. So, think what you will about columbia state, but there were maybe 2 out of our whole class who failed the NCLEX. Most ppl who are unhappy with them probably failed out some time or another and their opinion wouldn't matter too much to me anyway.

One student, who made it all the way to nsg 3 after failing nsg 1 once already, was asked on CVSD the rationale for her pt getting an 81mg ASA daily. Her answer was "uh, maybe because he had a headache???" AAANNNTTTT, wrong answer. Some ppl felt bad cause she didn't make it past that semester. I felt bad that she'd made it all the way to 3 before someone had the guts to say, hey, she isn't cut out for nursing...

please note this post is over 3 years old....