Whats going on at CSULB - Long Beach?

ChiaLing · Mar 20, 2006

I'm in the process of applying for the Accelerated BSN program at CSULB. Most of my application has already been submitted. They just announced that they will no longer will offer the Accelerated BSN program, but instead a accelerated BSN/MSN program with Clinical Nurse Specialist emphasis. So the program just went from 16 months to 36 months! I don't understand how they could change the program in the middle of application process. Does anybody find this unusual or is this common occurance in nursing education? Anyway, they mentioned that few students will be able to opt out after completing their BSN; however, they have not establish the creteria opting out. Is this a bad sign? Does anybody have any experience or feedback with CSULB? Also, what is a Clinical Nurse Specialist? How are they different from NP? I'm so confused and shocked.:uhoh21: Please help!

I had a nightmare of a time applying to CSULB's acc. BSN program last year.

(You are talking about CSU Long Beach, right?)

I had to contact so many people and jump through so many hoops getting old course syllabi and old course descriptions to establish course equivalency (can somebody tell me WHY a standard general and organic chemistry course sequence from a UC school is NOT automatically equivalent at CSULB??), and I found that people at CSULB were hard to get a hold of. I visited no less than 3 departments at CSULB and talked to at least 5 different people to try to establish course equivalencies. And then they changed the entrance test requirement, too, after I had already taken the old entrance test. Then they denied my application because I sent "unofficial" evidence that my critical thinking prerequisite was in progress and because I hadn't taken sociology (even though when I applied, I was told that sociology was NOT required, and could be taken concurrently with the BSN courses).

The application process was so FRUSTRATING because they were (1) disorganized; (2) inconsistent; and (3) they changed the admission requirements midway through the application process, after I had already sent in my materials. :nono:

I'm sorry if you're caught up in their application process right now. Having been through it myself, I'm not surprised that they're changing their program all of a sudden. I would be very surprised if they actually establish criteria for opting out the BSN within a reasonable time frame.

If it makes you feel any better, I did not have any problems with other schools I applied to - only CSULB was a nightmare.

Good luck to you.

flyingfish2u · Mar 20, 2006

Thanks for your feedback. I really hope I don't have the same problem. Unfortunately, there aren't too many accelerated BSN programs in LA area. I think it's just CSULB and Mount St. Mary's. By the way, where did you apply? Are you in a BSN program now?

ChiaLing · Mar 21, 2006

Flyingfish2u, I also PM'd you.

If you are interested in direct-entry MSN programs, you may want to consider the following schools in the Los Angeles area:

Western University (Pomona)
Asuza Pacific University (Asuza)
UCLA is starting a new program for Fall 2007

Other BSN programs I can think of:

Mount St. Mary's
Loma Linda University

Good luck. :wink2:

kurlykay · Mar 22, 2006

I graduated from CSULB's traditional program. I had a very good experience. I took me a total of 5 years to get my BSN from the time I entered college to when I graduated with my BSN, which I think was very fast. You might want to consider going the traditional route for a few reasons.

First, I have heard very bad things about the accelerated program. The traditional program was well established with faculty that have been there for years. They have alot of nursing and teaching experience. From what I understand, since the accelerated program just started, many of the teachers are inexperienced or have never taught before. The program is also very unorganized because it is not well established and therefore they have not found what works best for the program.

Second, I have heard alot of bad things from other nurses (particularly from nurses at Long Beach Memorial where the clinicals are) that the students are not well prepared. The clinical skills of the students are way behind other students that come through the hospital from many different programs. I'm not sure if it is because the faculty are new or they are trying to cram alot of material into a short amount of time. I do not have personal experience with any students or graduates from the program...these are just things I have heard from other nurses, so do your own research.

Like I said before, I graduated from CSULB so I like the school. I think it is great that they are trying to ease the nursing shortage in California by expanding there programs and admittance into the program. I just would be cautious of entering a brand new program that is not well established.

Hope this helps...let me know if you have more questions.

flyingfish2u · Mar 22, 2006

I appreciate your feedback, but I already have a BS. It makes no sense for me to go the traditional route. It will take me way too long. I think the traditional program is about 3 years. The accelerated program is highly competitive. The acceptance rate in the past year was like 12%. I think a lot of people are attracted by low cost and quick/short length of the program (16 months). Because they get a lot of applicants, they are pretty strict about type of courses and such. I think ChiaLing could attest to that. The cost for the whole program is less than $6,000 vs. $40,000 at Mout St. Mary's College Accelerated program. The cost is worse at Azusa Pacific and Western Health because it is an Masters program. I think the cost is like $80,000 (add another $40-$50,000 for cost of living for 3 years). It would be crazy to go this route. $120,000 - $130,000 loan on a $60,000 salary...Crazy!!!!! Although I'm apprehensive about the CSULB program, cost-benefit analysis tells me that it's worth it. Anyway, wish me luck.

lindarn · Mar 23, 2006

I graduated from CSULB's traditional program. I had a very good experience. I took me a total of 5 years to get my BSN from the time I entered college to when I graduated with my BSN, which I think was very fast. You might want to consider going the traditional route for a few reasons.
First, I have heard very bad things about the accelerated program. The traditional program was well established with faculty that have been there for years. They have alot of nursing and teaching experience. From what I understand, since the accelerated program just started, many of the teachers are inexperienced or have never taught before. The program is also very unorganized because it is not well established and therefore they have not found what works best for the program.
Second, I have heard alot of bad things from other nurses (particularly from nurses at Long Beach Memorial where the clinicals are) that the students are not well prepared. The clinical skills of the students are way behind other students that come through the hospital from many different programs. I'm not sure if it is because the faculty are new or they are trying to cram alot of material into a short amount of time. I do not have personal experience with any students or graduates from the program...these are just things I have heard from other nurses, so do your own research.
Like I said before, I graduated from CSULB so I like the school. I think it is great that they are trying to ease the nursing shortage in California by expanding there programs and admittance into the program. I just would be cautious of entering a brand new program that is not well established.
Hope this helps...let me know if you have more questions.

I graduated from CSULB in 5/1987. I was a diploma grad from NY form 1975. I also feel that the program was very disorganized, One hand didn't know what the other was doing. There was alot of favoritsm towards the generic students. If I had to do it over again, I would have gone to Cal State Fullerton, which was an all RN progam with out any generic students. I lived by the Colorado Lagoon, in Belmont Heights, and it was just too convenient to go to CSULB. It took me 7 years to finish, partially due to the school wrongly deciding that I belonged under the new catalogue requirements, not the new ones that I actually entered the program under. I actually took four classes the first year that I was there, that I did not need to eventually graduate, and one of which I got a "D" in. It took me the better part of a year to get it straightened out. Thank you very much.

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

I also worked at Long Beach Memorial. I worked there for 10 years, and left in 1989, when I got married and moved to Washington State.

jzprple · Apr 27, 2006

seriously, I was having this same issue 2 1/2 years ago. I did prereqs at El Camino College in Torrance and then hated Mt. st. mary's program and couldn't bear to do CSULB's in the first year. So I went to Creighton University in Omaha, NE. They've been doing an 11 month accelerated BSN program twice a year (starts in Aug. or Jan) for the past 31 years! I had a great experience. was taught by really professional, well established and experienced faculty, was accepted by nurses throughout the city of Omaha and left the program with a 7 week preceptorship under my belt and feeling fairly prepared for the NCLEX and for my first job. I am with you...when you already have a BA/BS in something else you really should investigate the accelerated route due to money and time constraints. If you're single or can move your family you've gotta consider a year or year and a half away for the great programs you can choose from in other states. Now I'm back in California (albeit the Bay area--but they pay so much more $$) and I only lost out on a year's salary. A salary that I have since doubled since starting my first nursing job! Good luck!

Thanks for your feedback. I really hope I don't have the same problem. Unfortunately, there aren't too many accelerated BSN programs in LA area. I think it's just CSULB and Mount St. Mary's. By the way, where did you apply? Are you in a BSN program now?

ramsees4 · May 3, 2006

Hi, I graduated from CSULB BSN Accelerated program just this past Dec 2005. This program is very new and of course mistakes are going to be made. But because I did my part as a student, I can honestly say that I had the confidence in the world to work in any unit after graduation. I studied and I was proactive in terms of getting answers from the right resources. But a few number of people were unable to adjust to the pace of the program. There will always be 1 or 2 who complains no matter what.

lindarn · May 4, 2006

I had a nightmare of a time applying to CSULB's acc. BSN program last year.
(You are talking about CSU Long Beach, right?)
I had to contact so many people and jump through so many hoops getting old course syllabi and old course descriptions to establish course equivalency (can somebody tell me WHY a standard general and organic chemistry course sequence from a UC school is NOT automatically equivalent at CSULB??), and I found that people at CSULB were hard to get a hold of. I visited no less than 3 departments at CSULB and talked to at least 5 different people to try to establish course equivalencies. And then they changed the entrance test requirement, too, after I had already taken the old entrance test. Then they denied my application because I sent "unofficial" evidence that my critical thinking prerequisite was in progress and because I hadn't taken sociology (even though when I applied, I was told that sociology was NOT required, and could be taken concurrently with the BSN courses).
The application process was so FRUSTRATING because they were (1) disorganized; (2) inconsistent; and (3) they changed the admission requirements midway through the application process, after I had already sent in my materials.
I'm sorry if you're caught up in their application process right now. Having been through it myself, I'm not surprised that they're changing their program all of a sudden. I would be very surprised if they actually establish criteria for opting out the BSN within a reasonable time frame.
If it makes you feel any better, I did not have any problems with other schools I applied to - only CSULB was a nightmare.
Good luck to you.

I attended Cal State Long Beach in the 1980's, and graduated in 5/87. Now, for the course problems. The entire UC system, I believe, is on the quarter system, while at least Cal State Long Beach, is on the semester system. I believe that Cal State LA was also on the quarter system. I thought that there was a formula that determined the equivalent from quarter to semester credit. I thought that it was, something like one quarter credit was equivalent to 2/3 of one semester credit, or something like that. Don't quote me, please! I dont know about Cal State Fullerton. Also, Cal State Fullerton was an exclusively RN completer program, although, that is not what it was called at the time that I was going to school for my BSN. There were no generic nursing students attending Cal State Fullerton at the time.

I find it odd that the school is questioning anyones college credits from another college. I was originally a diploma grad from NYC. I moved to California in 1979, and two years later, after I got residency, I enrolled in college to earn my BSN. My diploma program was affiliated with a local four year colllege, and we took 32 college credits at this college during my diploma program, so I did have college credit for my A&P, Chemistry, Psych, etc. But I did not have college credit for my nursing classes. I was not granted college credit for my diploma nursing classes, but I was not made to repeat them either. I was told that since I had taken and passed a licensing exam, that was like a challenging exam, had passed, and was granted a license to practice nursing. That it was good enough for them. I went in at the Junior level. I was so afraind that they wouldn't grant me any credit at all, and I would have to start from scratch with Nursing 101. That is what they were making nurses do then on the East Coast, and discouraged anyone from going back for a BSN.

Sometimes I think that is what they really wanted to do. Just as we suspect that the Boards of Nursing are in cahoots with the hospital associations. I always susected that the schools were also in cahoots with the hospitals to discourage as many RNs from going back to school to earn a BSN, because then we would have more clout to ask for higher wages, and more control over our working conditions. Just like PT, Pharmacy, and OTs did. Imagine that. They now make fully twice as much as Rns do.

We were also told, that if we only had diploma credit for our science classes, we should take the course descriptions to a community college to be evaluated. The goal was that the community college with an ADN program, and would then grant you equivalent college credit for these classes.

I don't know what has happened since I left. I do know that there were no "completer programs" at the time I went back to school. I wish that there had been, because it took my almost 7 years to earn my BSN, working FT, and going to school PT. I envy the nurses today that can do it all on computer, have these "completer programs", and not have to juggle FT 12 hour shifts to attend school. You don't know how good you have it, but good luck!

Lindarn, RN, BSN, CCRN

Spokane, Washington

br107 · Jul 14, 2006

I had a nightmare of a time applying to CSULB's acc. BSN program last year.
(You are talking about CSU Long Beach, right?)
I had to contact so many people and jump through so many hoops getting old course syllabi and old course descriptions to establish course equivalency (can somebody tell me WHY a standard general and organic chemistry course sequence from a UC school is NOT automatically equivalent at CSULB??), and I found that people at CSULB were hard to get a hold of. I visited no less than 3 departments at CSULB and talked to at least 5 different people to try to establish course equivalencies. And then they changed the entrance test requirement, too, after I had already taken the old entrance test. Then they denied my application because I sent "unofficial" evidence that my critical thinking prerequisite was in progress and because I hadn't taken sociology (even though when I applied, I was told that sociology was NOT required, and could be taken concurrently with the BSN courses).
The application process was so FRUSTRATING because they were (1) disorganized; (2) inconsistent; and (3) they changed the admission requirements midway through the application process, after I had already sent in my materials.
I'm sorry if you're caught up in their application process right now. Having been through it myself, I'm not surprised that they're changing their program all of a sudden. I would be very surprised if they actually establish criteria for opting out the BSN within a reasonable time frame.
If it makes you feel any better, I did not have any problems with other schools I applied to - only CSULB was a nightmare.
Good luck to you.

yep my experience with long beach was very similar when i was in contact with them this past spring semester. bad sign, imo. not considering them anymore...

bruinlaura · Jul 14, 2006

I also considered CSULB acc BSN program (public school is cheap plus my parents live 30min away and I could live for free while attending). After attending the information session I was really not impressed. It also just seemed more trouble than it was worth. They had some stupid rule about only being enrolled in one prereq when applying, they required biochemistry (not offered at any JCs in my immediate area at the time), and even though I went to UCLA for my first degree they still needed all those darn syllabi. They seemed too lazy to do anything themselves. I mean they should know about the reputation and quality of the colleges around them. I can understand if it was some obscure private school on the other side of the country but a major public university 20 minutes north of them, sheesh.

My suggestion is going to a direct entry program that awards a BSN. You can always take a leave of absence after you get your degree and never come back if you don't have any intention of getting an MSN. Just don't let them know that in the application process