West Coast University

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Hello All,

I am thinking of starting WCU next year, but trying to knock off my pre reqs. I heard this school is extremely expensive and their passing rate is very low compared to other nursing programs. Is anyone going to the school and currently in the program?

Once I start the program, I am going to quit my job to focus on school but still worried about passing. :(

thanks alot

Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.
Was actually responding to the individual I quoted

and the commuter was correct. I lived 350 miles from Sacramento at that time.

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I plan on attending West Coast University in January 2015. The road to deciding to become a nurse has been quite tumultuous. In the beginning, I messed around--I will admit that. I didn't know what I wanted to do, and I wasn't taking school as seriously as I should have. Fast forward to the present: I am a straight A student forced to live with the C's I had acquired in the past. I have a 3.5 GPA and got an 82 on the TEAS which isn't bad, but unfortunately it isn't good enough to get into other nursing schools in California. I have taken every pre requisite class WCU needed except for microbiology, pathophysiology and cultural pluralism which reduced the cost of my tuition to just about $80k. Although it is still a lot, it's a huge step down from the original $137k. I am also applying for scholarships and grants and hopefully because of this, the price of the tuition will go down even more. The program will take exactly 2 years, and if all goes according to plan, I will graduate in January 2017. I am excited and nervous for this huge journey ahead of me. I understand that there is a lot of negativity plaguing the idea of even attending WCU, but instead of bashing on our fellow nursing students for taking this route, why don't we try lifting them up? Whether you come from UCLA, UCI, or CSULB, in the end, we all take the same test.

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Thank you kgpa. I am happy to see your post.

I am planning to start January 2015 as well. I am working on HESI then after I will get the TEAS done too since more schools do that one.

I just wish more students were here to give input. I have heard enough bad and some is old news but to hear from recent students are great. I have 3 classes to cover prior to my nursing. Would have been only 2 had our class not been plagued with a bad incompetent teacher who had majority of the class receive low grades due to her lack of materials matching what her exams consisted of.

It wad horrible.

So its A&P 2, Patho and cultural pluralism unless one of my Bachelor degree courses actually match the class. I am getting transcripts to enter for eval now.

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I will have Financial Aid and my Post 9-11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon for the GI Bill.

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Specializes in Intake, Home Care.
I will have Financial Aid and my Post 9-11 GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon for the GI Bill.

Make sure you get it in writing that you will use the yellow ribbon. When I applied they told me it was "selectively used" and only 10-12 students qualified per year (and they did award to spouses too).

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Yeah I saw that it was selective. I will go for it and see if it goes through. If not then it's cool.

How is it going so far?

I am hoping to get in January. Studying for the HESI right now. I bought the book since they only loan it out for 2 weeks and I don't plan to take it that quickly.

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and the commuter was correct. I lived 350 miles from Sacramento at that time.

Your location was not truly the point I was trying to get at. I stating that with your statistics at the time, you should have been able to get in any merit based program in one shot, sac state included as they are probably the most competitive application wise. My bad if it wasn't made clear, I was confused myself why commuter was answering for you haha.

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Specializes in Intake, Home Care.
Yeah I saw that it was selective. I will go for it and see if it goes through. If not then it's cool.

How is it going so far?

I am hoping to get in January. Studying for the HESI right now. I bought the book since they only loan it out for 2 weeks and I don't plan to take it that quickly.

Good luck to you! I scored well above their threshold for the Hesi. However, in my posts above I walked away from that school. I found a much better value across the country (I was getting out of the military, so it was feasible). But it wouldn't be my first choice.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
My bad if it wasn't made clear, I was confused myself why commuter was answering for you haha.
I was answering for NickiLaughs because:

1. She posts sporadically

2. Your original response to her makes specific mention that she could have gotten admitted into Sacramento State, and...

3. I wanted to simply point out she was living in southern CA during the time period that she was attempting to gain acceptance into nursing programs; therefore, a commute to Sacramento for school would have been geographically undesirable at that time.

But it is all water under the bridge now that your point was succinctly made, which is that she had sufficient stats to be accepted into most merit-based schools of nursing. :up:

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Yeah, I agree merit based would have been sufficient, but apparently it was not. I got rejected from three community colleges. Two were lottery based. I'm guessing sheer number of applicants was the reasoning. It all worked out in the end. At least I can advise others to be extremely cautious regarding student loans so they won't make some of the mistakes I did. I make extremely good money and have to be on a very tight budget to make it all work. So with those considering WCU, I can't fathom them paying back double what my debt is...

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Specializes in Pediatric Home Care, Dr Office/Clinic.

Do not go to WCU. I almost went there but changed my mind after talking in depth with 2 people who went there. It's way too expensive... it's super redic what they are charging people & the education there is mediocre at best. A lot of people drop out of that school because they just can't hack the payments on $130,000 because usually it's nearly impossible to do their accelerated program and work. So not working + going to school+ redic monthly payments= drop out. Look into other routes that are not going to put you in debt for the rest of your life. Even if you get a job as an RN making $40-60 an hour after you graduate from WCU, it'll take you over 3 decades to pay $130,000 back.

CSUN has a great BSN program, also check out western governors university, it's an online BSN program but you do 1-on-1 clinicals at Cedars & other LA hospitals that WGU is affiliated with. WGU costs about $25,000 waaaayyy less than WCU.

More than likely WGU is the route I will be taking because I will still be able to work full time & still finish the program in about 2 1/2 years. Feel free to message me with any questions...

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I am actually setup with an enrollment counselor for WGU. I have been doing that for the last year finishing my bachelor in another field and getting science prereqs done. I have to retake A&P 2 due to a bad teacher at National University that most the students barely passed and now we all have to retake it. I hear she is not at the campus anymore but I can't use my financial aid to retake it.

Now I have to try and take it in Spring at a community college.

I also have to see I can use my Post 9-11 GI Bill with WGU for Southern California. I Only found Indiana and Utah.

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