WGU RN to BSN

WGU RN to BSN

I'm planning to enroll in WGU (Western Governors University). Can anyone provide pros and cons to the program? Interesting in hearing from current students, but welcome others to chime in for learning purposes.

40 Answers

I just finished my last BSN class. I highly recommend if you have a prior degree. The 3.0 kills your grade point if you have a lot of classes, but its a great way to to get an accredited BSN in a self-paced affordable manner.

I highly recommend it.

Specializes in PMHNP.
9 hours ago, SaltineQueen said:

How much clinical time is required?

No clinical hours. A capstone project at the end required 65 hours of self paced community leadership related activities.

I did my BSN with WGU in 10 months, at a rather slow pace actually. I highly recommend it. They're supportive while you're in the program and offer alumni resume and interview assistance forever. I was also able to get into the psych nurse practitioner program I wanted after graduation, at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania.

Specializes in NICU, RNC.

Loved WGU. I finished in 6 months (I had no life outside of work and school for those 6 months, but it was worth it!) I was in CA, so I did have to find a preceptor and had a higher clinical hour requirement than other states, and I still recommend WGU. No homework, no group projects, no discussion forums. It was great, but you do need to be self-motivated.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

>90% of students in that program are working full-time. Best decision I ever made.

WGU was awesome for me. I finished in one term (less than $3500 total cost). Pro’s are cost, accessibility (online program) and speed. Con’s are GPA (only matters really if you plan to do more education, and it may not matter much even if you do).

I would recommend.

Specializes in NICU, RNC.
10 hours ago, Aliens05 said:

Question for you NICU, was this the entire RN to BSN that you finished in 6 months or did you already have some extra credits towards your BSN that helped shorten the time frame?

Also, were you able to work full time during the program?

Thanks.

I worked full time during the program and I have 3 school-aged kids. I literally had no life during those 6 mos. No time to really even watch tv, but I didn't want to have to pay for more than 1 term. I even took my laptop with me to my kids extracurricular activities.

I had some classes towards my BSN already. For example, I'd already taken stats. I also had some working knowledge of nutrition, lifespan development, etc. so I was able to finish those courses quickly. That is one of the huge benefits of WGU. If you already know the info, you just take the proctored exam, or write the paper, and you're done with that class. They don't make you do a bunch of busy work just for the hell of it. I literally finished my nutrition class in 1 day. Quick review and then took the test. I completed 32 units at WGU in 6 mos.

21 minutes ago, Aliens05 said:

Beekee can you elaborate on the GPA issue? I plan to go for NP, so how migh this effect me? Is your GPA a pass/fail 3.0?

Yes, the GPA at WGU will be 3.0 because the courses are pass/fail. Plenty of people have been able to go to NP school with WGU, so I don’t think it holds people back.

Some graduate programs require a 3.5 or 4.0 GPA for admittance but many don't. I did my BSN in 3.5 months and I had 43 credits I needed through WGU. You decide how fast to go. I work part time but I also have kids and help with my husband's business. It's so doable but you have to be self motivated and self directed.

I finished 40 credits in 4 months at WGU (RN to BSN with a prior bachelor of science degree) but I work part time. Since it's a competency-based program, you get credit for what you already know. If you think you can pass an assessment, you just review, schedule the exam and take it (I finished a couple of courses in 2 days). All content was review from my ADN program, just a little more in depth. Overall, I found the program to be very easy. It included some assessments and multiple papers. I really don't care about GPA at this point since "C's get degrees" is a nursing school mantra and most hiring managers care more about your CNA experience than your GPA. I completed the program to make myself more marketable when job hunting.

Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

The whole GPA thing is rapidly becoming a non-issue. I was accepted to three different DNP programs with my WGU MSN.

I just applied for the BSN to MSN Informatics. I agree with what most have posted. The GPA is not much of an issue. Most programs want at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale anyway. However, if you plan to continue and get your DNP, it never hurts to ask around. So far I have not seen anyone with issues.

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