Western Governors University Pre-Licensure Program

kkmaheia1 · Jun 15, 2016

Was it easy getting accepted into the program in So Cal??

CARN2018 · Jul 15, 2016

Hey there! So for me the process was pretty easy and straightforward. If you are asking about how competitive the program is, I believe it is fairly hard to get into the California programs, just because space is so limited. My cohort only has 12 students and I believe most the cohort sizes are similar to ours. I was accepted the first time I applied, but I had a previous degree, work experience and very good grades in my pre-requisite courses so that probably aided in the acceptance. WGU seems to look at a variety of factors when accepting students. If you have any other questions I would be happy to answer them.

sweetgem · Jul 18, 2016

Hi, I was wondering what was your TEAS V score?

CARN2018 · Jul 18, 2016

Sweetgem, it was an 89.3% (taken in 2014)

sweetgem · Jul 18, 2016

That's a very good score. Do you like the program and how are clinicals?

CARN2018 · Jul 18, 2016

It's really hard to summarize all the pros and cons of the program, but i'll give you my condensed version. :)

Pros:

Flexibility. I would say this is one of the major draws students have to WGU. The program really gives students an opportunity to continue working while in school since clinicals are clustered every three months for a 2 week period rather than being held every single week like traditional programs. You can also look at this as an opportunity to build a relationship with a hospital while you are in nursing school so that finding employment after graduation is not as difficult. I work as a monitor tech in a telemetry unit and the hospital happens to have a new nurse residency program so i'm crossing my fingers that I can transition over to an RN position upon graduation.

Cost. This program is hands down the most affordable BSN program out there, at least that I have seen. I was accepted into a different program but the costs were going to exceed 40,000 and since I already had a B.S. from a previous school, I would have been forced to take out private loans to finance the other 25,000 of that degree.

Individualized.When WGU students attend clinicals, they work one on one with another nurse on the floor for the full 12 hour shift. One nursing student to one nurse. I know many programs do not run like this and rather a group of students all hover around one nurse, which would make it pretty difficult to get involved if you were hesitant or shy. I feel like I have gained really valuable insight on the entire working day of a RN because of the clinical set up.

Cons:

No GPA (sort of):WGU awards class credit based on competency units rather than traditional GPA units. This part was very hard for me to get over and I still struggle with it. I was a high-performing student in my previous degree, and if WGU's competency units are "converted" into GPA units, it equals a flat 3.0. I hate the idea of only having a 3.0 in my BSN work. If you plan on stopping at the BSN, it really isn't much of an issue since the program is 100% accredited, you will find employment as a nurse. However, if you want to move on to higher degrees such as NP, it is still up in the air as to which universities would find a WGU degree competitive enough to enter their program. It's pretty much a case by case basis. I am fairly certain I want to advance as a nurse practitioner in my future, so this is why the GPA debate weighs heavily on me.

Testing/Coursework: People are going to think this sounds nuts, because all you hear about is how difficult nursing programs are, but our courses are fairly easy to pass (in my opinion). There is only one cumulative exam for each class rather than having midterms and finals etc. and while I feel like I have learned an enormous deal so far, from time to time I panic about not being "put through the ringer" so to speak when it comes to the academics. I hope that makes sense. :)

All in all, I am satisfied with the education I am receiving through WGU. Their support system is fantastic (mentors, student advisers, lab instructors) and really goes above and beyond for students. It's amazingly affordable. Only time will tell if the program has prepared me enough for the deep end of nursing! Let me know if you have any other questions. (Just for reference, I have about a year 1/2 to go).

sweetgem · Jul 18, 2016

Thanks so much!

meme8883 · Jul 19, 2016

Thanks Alicia for the info. I am in the pre-nursing term right now in ca. My worry is being accepted into the program. I hate that after all this work there is still a chance I may not be accepted into the program. My mentor told me not to worry about it but I'll see after October

CARN2018 · Jul 19, 2016

I know the struggle you are going through right now. Everyone in my cohort was very stressed out about the possibility of not moving on in the program. My advice is to make sure that you make on time progress with all the courses. I believe I finished the coursework early to really demonstrate to my mentor that I was ready to go. The skills test is very basic and you should have no problem nailing it.

meme8883 · Jul 20, 2016

That's good to know!

JofAllTrades, BSN, RN · Jul 27, 2016

Hi Alicia -

You said

"clinicals are clustered every three months for a 2 week period

- So does that mean that for one traveling from outside LA county we would likely have to "spend 2 weeks" in the area, but then be able to go back home for the following ~9-12 weeks?

I am going to apply for the October 1 cohort for starting date on Jan 2017. I am from San Diego and would be traveling to LA for clinical. However, I am still shooting for this BSN as I love my current job as a Transition of Care Coach through Molina Healthcare situated within Scripps Mercy hospital. The job is FT, great benefits, decent pay and "remote" so i get to be at home half the time. It is a great gig I'm trying to hold on to as long as possible which is why WGU's flexibility interested me back in December of last year. :)