Western Governors University Pre-Licensure RN

[onelife]

I recently inquired about the Pre-Licensure RN program at Western Governors University (I'm interested in the CA campus) and I'm waiting to hear back from them. However, I'm VERY confused about the information on their website!

In one area of the website, it looks like they include all lower-division classes (such as English, Anatomy, Micro, etc) in their course plan, but then in another area, the following admissions requirements were listed:

"To be considered for enrollment into the Pre-Nursing Curriculum, you must meet the following requirements:

• Possess a current CPR certification at the Healthcare Provider Level.
  
• Submit at least one letter of recommendation from your current healthcare employer.
  
• Submit official transcripts from all previous institutions that show:
  
  • You have earned a bachelor's or associate's degree AND/OR
    
  • You have completed the program admissions prerequisites in Liberal Arts and Sciences and Behavioral Sciences
    
  • You have completed all nursing-related science prerequisites in:
    
    • Anatomy and Physiology
      
    • Microbiology
      
    • Biochemistry"
      

I have an AA in liberal arts and have completed Micro, but not some of the other pre-reqs. It doesn't seem like this is a Pre-Licensure program if they expect you to have recommendations from a "healthcare employer" and have CPR certification at a "Healthcare Provider Level."

Has anyone been accepted into the Pre-Licensure RN program there (CA campus)? What are the ACTUAL admissions requirements? Thanks so much!

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

I'm also getting to the point where I just might relocate for the time being and try WGU, I'm already a LVN with a BA degree. So I'm unsure how long the BSN will take, but I'm running out of options as it seems like everywhere is getting tight and the ADN programs are shunning the LVN-RN programs. It's getting very frustrating as I too (as a previous poster has stated) have kids and I need to take care of them. The tuition is affordable, but as another poster has stated it's hard to find people on here who are currently in the program and get them to share their experience with them.

[deitiphobia]

I have applied to WGU and am also in much need of feedback on the program. I've searched for their NCLEX pass rates as well, but it looks like their program is so new in California and the first batch of students is just now graduating, so it will be a while before NCLEX pass rates are posted.

I will be asking the school about NCLEX pass rates in a month or two. I think that's a critical indicator as to the success of their program.

If your currently with WGU or have graduated, please share your experience. Would love to hear more about their strengths and weaknesses.

[lotus_lina]

hi everyone i come on here from time to time. i'm currently a cna and work at LLUMC and have only some pre reqs and although it's a very reputable and great place to grow, I feel like tuition can be expensive. you do your contract at llu school of nursing will pay it off from what i've heard. however, i know it's a process. and i frankly don't have the time to be in a waiting phase and figure time is money ..and age.

i'm getting older and would love to get my rn license. i almost went to wcu..but after all the expense and reviews i am very skeptic about it now too, as i too have had my experiences with sallie mae loans in the past (thankfully they weren't big loans). now i noticed sallie mae and all these private loans put us into debt; locked in for life.

i know we can make great money in nursing with so many other roads to take in the field of nursing. and maybe consider.... heck i can pay it off i'll be making bank. well i work with nurses almost every other day on a unit. and they tell me all the time...which ones are reputable..but expensive. some have gone to a jc or cc then transfer to a cal state...and some have done half and half online and in class lectures. and some are working extra just to finish paying school without driving a beamer or the new car of the year ya know? therefore there are many roads and no really bad way to take...wcu may have it's credibilities but i simply cannot afford them as much as i would like to...plus i have a lil girl who i need to raise. and i don't want that nice half of salary going to them for a degree i already earned years instead of using that towards her college funds or vacation with family. i want all of it.. guess i'm just greedy for what i earn and work hard for. i just don't wanna feel like i'll be paying my debt forever. and know it's possible to find other ways of obtaining my bsn. i've seen my coworkers do it without being in a fat financial debt. it doesn't really matter in the real world. they want at least an associates and still get paid very well because eventhough the incentives are not like how they use to be (from what they tell me) i think they still get good compensation and smaller incentives but still good :)

now, as for WGU's reviews you guys/gals can check out a lot of former, current, graduate students from the website below and they all have either 4-5 ratings towards their responses for this school. you/i/we have to be very determined have self discipline in order to learn and progress but the students have noted it is a great way to learn, progress, CHEAPER and actually learn something in order to pass, and it is both nationally and regionally accredited. who knows i'm still doing a lot of research on it. i'm considering taking this road since it is cheap in $$$ where financial aid is a big support system and not so much on private loans. and i work full time so i can do this online on my own time with my lil girl at home. i like to dig a lot before i sign anything now though...since my bad experience 10 years ago. am 29 now..so i don't have to time to make anymore mistakes before my final decision. anyway you guys can check it out by googling western governor's university through distance-education.org or go to www.distance-education.gov and search for WGU and you be the judge on what you see. Good luck everyone and if u find anymore information please post as all advice and posts have helped me out bigtime. from one student to another thank you!:)

btw go into nursing if this is truly your passion and well i know it's great money but, seriously you guys i've seen nurses that are truly in it for just the monies and not the compassion and passion they feel for patients. patient care is a very delicate and sensitive to their families. you will see a lot of different diseases you haven't ever seen. you will be exposed to smells and people dying. just be strong, compassionate and have a diverse outlook with a big heart and you will prosper :) i already am. you will be recognized and appreciated for what you love doing. if you feel you cannot handle unusual sights of things on people or sicknesses...then don't do it just because the money is great or first become a cna and you will be exposed to everything hands on without the degree and the fat salary but, you carry all ur experience with you once ur in nursing school or decide to switch majors. in fact many rn's recommend this and many of them were formerly cna's but you don't have to you can also go straight to school do ur clinicals and still become a great nurse but, it is best to get your hands on first or at the same time.

[saundrasantiago777]

Dose anyone know if you have to have all prerequisites complete before applying to the pre license ban program??

[nomsa]

Some one posted about WCU. In my own point of view, I think is about what the person wants. Sometime the situation doesn't allow other people to follow the cheap and long wait for cc route. I have a couple of friends who graduated from wcu and they don't even regret it. Both of them they say it worth it and they are working at well respected hospitals. My self I took all of my pre-reqs at a cc and have been waiting for a year now with only a B in Anatomy and A's in other science classes and 3.3 cumulative gpa, but I received alternate letters. Right now I am looking at wcu even though it is expensive but time is money too. The wcu is the same as Asuza, or Loma Linda Uni. if u can calculate all their tuition fees for the bsn program. Most private schools are expensive, but Biola and WGU are less cheaper.

[Nursing24/7, LVN]

I don't know if when you inquired maybe that was the case back then but now I was recently told that you don't have to have previous health care experience. If you do that is definitely a BIG plus on your admission paperwork but it isn't mandatory.

They will take recommendation letters from former employer, former professor(if you have taking some college or JC classes recently to fullfill prereqs) and/or from other online distance learning programs you may have taken...for instance, I went to penn foster and they will take a recommendation letter from them, which looks good because it shows that I have been successful at a distance/independent study program before.

I know a few people who are currently in WGU's program and are happy with it. There are alot of posts about WGU now on this site. From what I understand WGU was shaky when they first started the program but now they appear to seem to have their stuff together. And they have accredidation and backing by quite a few major and well respected hospitals now which is a big deal and the program is definitely getting it's legs and growing...

And I did the calculations it's about $30,000 for 2 years of WGU RN program this includes costs to take prereqs(using CLEP, ISP, DSST, straighterline), WGU nursing program cost, books, lab fees, drug screen, physical cost, CPR cert, uniform, TEAS fees, Nclex fees, etc) which is waaaay cheaper than the private nursing school in LA it's $132, 000 for west coast university. And most LVN programs in LA cost close to $26,000! so I feel like if I can be an RN through WGU for close to same time it takes to become and LVN and for a little more money, I'm going to become an RN!

You might want to give WGU another look see....