West Coast University BSN Program???

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Hi Everyone!!!!!

So lol I'm going to put my life in a nutshell, I'm 20 yrs old and I live in NY, and I'm considering on going to WCU to obtain my BSN, I have most of my science and general ed pre-reqs completed. I decided to go this route cuz I just wanted to get this over with, and I most definetly like the idea of getting my bachelors in 2yrs time versus getting my associates degree at my local community college in the same amout of time. Anyways I have read about the costs and stuff but I have just some basic questions for anyone that just enrolled, currently enrolled or an alumni of WCU.

1. How time consuming are the classes?

2. Are the clinicals hard?

3. Was the HESI entrance exam easy and what did it consist of?

4. What are the costs?

5.Are they helpfull at finacial aid?

6.Would a person be able to work full time while attending?

That's all I can think of as of now, so whatever help you can give me will be greately appreciated.

Sincerely,

Chikita =)

Good, better, best, never let it rest, until your good is better and your better is best!

I was told they are working on their NLN and if they get it that anyone there would be grandfathered in.

>.

Anyways I know that they are working on getting the Bachelor's program CCNE accredited, and that the visit for them is scheduled on March 27th...hopefully they get it!!!

Changing subjects has it been hard for any of you to get loans...and how helpfull have they been at finacial aid?

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>.

Anyways I know that they are working on getting the Bachelor's program CCNE accredited, and that the visit for them is scheduled on March 27th...hopefully they get it!!!

Changing subjects has it been hard for any of you to get loans...and how helpfull have they been at finacial aid?

Hi Chikita - By Grandfathered in I mean that if we were in the middle of our program or graduated that we would be able to have the accreditation attached to us as well. Does that make sense?

Regarding the loans - the credit crunch has indeed made it more challenging to get outside personal loans. You need to in general have a FICO score of over 690 for the bare minimum to qualify. We got a personal loan for 25,000 and it is at a very high interest rate with accruing interest so we opted to do the payment plan as West Coast makes it very easy and does not charge a convenience fee or interest. Having said that, I realize not everyone has an extra 1,000 plus sitting around which is what I we have to come up with. If it gets to be too much we will revisit the private loan sector.

Make a Financial Aide appointment. I have found them to be very helpful. As a matter of fact; I have been very impressed with everyone I have come in contact with. I have read negative reviews about the program but do not see that personally in the dealings I have had with West Coast.

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Hi Chikita - By Grandfathered in I mean that if we were in the middle of our program or graduated that we would be able to have the accreditation attached to us as well. Does that make sense?

Regarding the loans - the credit crunch has indeed made it more challenging to get outside personal loans. You need to in general have a FICO score of over 690 for the bare minimum to qualify. We got a personal loan for 25,000 and it is at a very high interest rate with accruing interest so we opted to do the payment plan as West Coast makes it very easy and does not charge a convenience fee or interest. Having said that, I realize not everyone has an extra 1,000 plus sitting around which is what I we have to come up with. If it gets to be too much we will revisit the private loan sector.

Make a Financial Aide appointment. I have found them to be very helpful. As a matter of fact; I have been very impressed with everyone I have come in contact with. I have read negative reviews about the program but do not see that personally in the dealings I have had with West Coast.

At first I was worried with the HESI test....but now that I've been studying, and actually took the time to read the study guide it seems really easy...now my only concern is being able to get a loan, I know I will have some financial aid but I have no clue how much...I don't have high income well cuz I'm only 20 with a dead end job so I don't think I'll be able to do the monthly installments...I'm flying in to Cali on April 30th to take my HESI test and for my financial Aid Apointment....so I guess I'll see how it goes from there....Anyways keep me posted and tell me how everything is going!!

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at first i was worried with the hesi test....but now that i've been studying, and actually took the time to read the study guide it seems really easy...now my only concern is being able to get a loan, i know i will have some financial aid but i have no clue how much...i don't have high income well cuz i'm only 20 with a dead end job so i don't think i'll be able to do the monthly installments...i'm flying in to cali on april 30th to take my hesi test and for my financial aid apointment....so i guess i'll see how it goes from there....anyways keep me posted and tell me how everything is going!!

i know for me - with little credit (it turns out i am only getting credit for one class) it is costing me your cost is $116,340 - my out of pocket is going to be around 60,000 - my loans will cover the rest as well as pel grants. if you are lower income you should not have an issue qualifying for pel grants for next year (the time was march 2 i believe) and you should get your stafford loans - sub and non-sub.

here is something from the financial aid that might help explain.

stafford loans are part of the fafsa, you can say. as long as the student meets the requirements on the fafsa, they are eligible for the loan. we do not process a credit check for the stafford loans. the stafford loans have annual loan limits which mean that as a freshman, you get $3500 subsidized stafford loan and $6000 unsubsidized loan.

the stafford subsidized has a 6.0% fixed rate and the unsubsidized has a 6.8% fixed rate. the unsubsidized loan is the loan that starts to accrue interest while you are going to school and then it is capitalized or added to the principal balance of your loan. you have a 6 months grace period for both and you are not required to make payments while you are going to school. once you enter repayment, you have 10 years to repay your loans back.

have you done your fafsa?

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i know for me - with little credit (it turns out i am only getting credit for one class) it is costing me your cost is $116,340 - my out of pocket is going to be around 60,000 - my loans will cover the rest as well as pel grants. if you are lower income you should not have an issue qualifying for pel grants for next year (the time was march 2 i believe) and you should get your stafford loans - sub and non-sub.

here is something from the financial aid that might help explain.

stafford loans are part of the fafsa, you can say. as long as the student meets the requirements on the fafsa, they are eligible for the loan. we do not process a credit check for the stafford loans. the stafford loans have annual loan limits which mean that as a freshman, you get $3500 subsidized stafford loan and $6000 unsubsidized loan.

the stafford subsidized has a 6.0% fixed rate and the unsubsidized has a 6.8% fixed rate. the unsubsidized loan is the loan that starts to accrue interest while you are going to school and then it is capitalized or added to the principal balance of your loan. you have a 6 months grace period for both and you are not required to make payments while you are going to school. once you enter repayment, you have 10 years to repay your loans back.

have you done your fafsa?

yeah i have done fafsa...i haven't filed for this year yet though but i'm gonna get on that soon!!! i have heard of unsubsidized and subsidized loans but i have never applied for one. i know this might be to personal but how much of sub and unsubsidized loans did you get?? and how much was your pell grant?? that is if you don't mind telling me? and then just another question out of curiosity are you taking all the courses at wcu or did you have a few pre-reqs??

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question for the people who go to WCU: I passed the test yesterday, so I am in for Aug, but I feel like all of my questions werent really answered when i went there.

1. What cities and hospitials are the clinicals in orange county located in?

2. Do you feel that WCU has given you the support you need to succeed in all of your classes? When I went there I felt like all the people cared about was money and if you could come up with the money to pay for it, then you are in (i could be wrong, but that was the vibe they were sending me). They kept pushing the loans, but I do not want to take one out and pay 6% interest. I felt like I was buying a car!!

3. How can I justify paying $96,000 for the next 2 years? Do you think the program is worth it?...I calculated my living expenses and housing costs too and it came out to be $134,000 for the next 2 years! crazy money!!

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I don't go there but I would say it is worth it if you can pay the tuition and it is the only option you have for your situation. If there are other options that you could live with, then no, it is not worth it. You are only paying for the convenience.

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Yeah I have done fafsa...I haven't filed for this year yet though but I'm gonna get on that soon!!! I have heard of unsubsidized and subsidized loans but I have never applied for one. I know this might be to personal but how much of sub and unsubsidized loans did you get?? and how much was your pell grant?? That is if you don't mind telling me? and then just another question out of curiosity are you taking ALL the courses at WCU or did you have a few pre-reqs??

There is an annual limit on both subsidized and unsubsidized loan - I think it is around 10,000 for the year (both combined or close to) so between that and the PEL grant which is around 2,675.00 - I will be getting around 12,032.50 for hte first academic year. so I need to come up with 8, 608.50.... for the first year. You can do that through a payment plan, (no interest), or taking out your own private loans. The interest rate is WAY higher then the gov. rate in most cases. The credit crunch has also impacted the ablity to get these loans without a co-signer. There is NO doubt this is expensive. There are many options out there outside of going to WCU. I know that 100% - I think the poster that said if this works for your situation - that is great. Honestly? If I was 18 I do not think I would go this route - but I am not - I am 41 - and need to do a fast track to start earning money. If I started at a Jr. College and transfered to a four year U to go through their BSN RN program it would take me at least 5-6 years - IF I got into the RN program. This way I will be graduated in 12 and prayerfully be working that same year - 3 years sooner then if I did not...so I will take the cost and plug through it. But if I was 18/19? No, I would go to a cc and then transfer... jmo of course. :) Everyone has their own circumstances but for someone like me this is an ideal program.

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Yeah I have done fafsa...I haven't filed for this year yet though but I'm gonna get on that soon!!! I have heard of unsubsidized and subsidized loans but I have never applied for one. I know this might be to personal but how much of sub and unsubsidized loans did you get?? and how much was your pell grant?? That is if you don't mind telling me? and then just another question out of curiosity are you taking ALL the courses at WCU or did you have a few pre-reqs??

Sorry I got side tracked and did not answer your question about my pre-reqs - only one of the classes I have taken at the local Jr. college will qualify. Bummer, but it is what it is. I have taken English Lit but not English 101, I have taken Soc. 2 but not Soc. 1. sigh... I have history class and a child development class. None of these work. The only one that does is the Psy. 1.

If you are going in August - it would be wise if you are a Ca. resident - to go to a Jr. College and take English 1A, Soc. 1, psychology 1, and Speech 1. You can do the fast summer classes for these - some are even offered online.

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Sorry I got side tracked and did not answer your question about my pre-reqs - only one of the classes I have taken at the local Jr. college will qualify. Bummer, but it is what it is. I have taken English Lit but not English 101, I have taken Soc. 2 but not Soc. 1. sigh... I have history class and a child development class. None of these work. The only one that does is the Psy. 1.

If you are going in August - it would be wise if you are a Ca. resident - to go to a Jr. College and take English 1A, Soc. 1, psychology 1, and Speech 1. You can do the fast summer classes for these - some are even offered online.

Well I have taken Anatomy and Physiology, General Psych, Soc.1, English 101 & 102, Statistics, Intro to human communication which hopefully will count as my speech, cultural anthropology, statistics, remedial algebra, and a bunch of other stuff....so I'm not that behind and I'm taking microbiology this summer =)

I'm not a CA resident sadly so I cant do the missing ones at one of the state schools =/

But at least I'm a bit ahead....It sucks that they are not taking any of your classes.

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Hello! I need some help. I have passed my Heis. i kinda dont really know what else is to do... i talked to financial aid back in January but i have really spoken to them after since they cant find me a loan april since i'm planning on starting in AUG!! im pretty much done with the pre-req except cultural plurism and human phis. i think. i need to turn in my Transcript. just wondering how much did tuition get cut after most if not all of the pre-req has been met?? how many terms would it take to complete all for the BSN program if i finsihed most of my pre-req

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Specializes in Hospice / Ambulatory Clinic.

You might want to check out national university they have a similar program and the tuition is less. For their March class the first in LA 25 people applied for 20 spots so good odds

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