When can I apply to Frontier???

canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 28, 2011

The question is do you WANT to apply to Frontier? Excellent NP schools are growing....at Frontier you are responsible for finding your own clinical/preceptor...that is an extra burden while going to NP school. I personally applied to Frontier, giving them my best references, transcripts, all sorts of health documentation (immunization etc.), transcripts, writing 2 essays, and taking a concurrent graduate statistic course which is required (cost $900.00) (or bachelors course within 10 years) long story short I received a very curt email that I had not been accepted, 6 months after applying and sending a $100.00 application fee that Frontier does not refund. Now I am in the application process again, looking for a better school and have found it...and will need to find references, again.....PS my new school has all the clinical s arranged. This is the way to go....

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Jun 28, 2011

The question is do you WANT to apply to Frontier? Excellent NP schools are growing....at Frontier you are responsible for finding your own clinical/preceptor...that is an extra burden while going to NP school. I personally applied to Frontier, giving them my best references, transcripts, all sorts of health documentation (immunization etc.), transcripts, writing 2 essays, and taking a concurrent graduate statistic course which is required (cost $900.00) (or bachelors course within 10 years) long story short I received a very curt email that I had not been accepted, 6 months after applying and sending a $100.00 application fee that Frontier does not refund. Now I am in the application process again, looking for a better school and have found it...and will need to find references, again.....PS my new school has all the clinical s arranged. This is the way to go....

Ouch! Well ... I'm still pretty sure Frontier is the school for me. I've heard so many wonderful things about the program and as long as I keep my grades up I think I will be fine. I've heard that if you meet the requirements then they pretty much accept you. I know it's disappointing when you don't get excepted though :mad: I've been thinking about the whole preceptor thing and I'm starting my search early. As soon as I graduate (or maybe before) I will start talking to potiential preceptors about my goals and see if they will be able to help me. They gave a great website that helped me locate the midwives in my area and thankfully there are quite a few. I think the thing is to START EARLY!! As you can see this is my strong point since I'm already thinking about it and I haven't even finished my BSN yet lol. But thanks for your advice and I completely understand where you are coming from and hopefully things want be that bad for me when I decide to apply. Good luck with your plans!! :)

canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 28, 2011

oh, and I forgot to mention...I have a good GPA as well....so ouch is right and onward....

NAURN · Jun 29, 2011

Frontier does require a year of RN experience before you can attend. So I would graduate, start getting your year of experience and check their website for application deadlines and choose a class that will be closest to your year mark, and apply to that one. It is untrue that everyone who applies gets accepted. There's just not enough slots for all the applicants. Some get waitlisted, but some just plain don't get in and have to reapply if they want to be considered for another class.

Personally, the required stuff you have to do for the application process isn't really that difficult. I wrote my essays in one evening, my references were easy as well. You also submit an application and resume. Most (if not all) colleges require a non refundable application fee and transcripts. The stats course, if you don't have one can be taken at Frontier. As far as finding your own preceptor, I prefer this because I can choose the type of practitioner I want precepting me. I already have an NP and MD lined up and I have not even been accepted yet. I wouldn't necessarily want my clinical arranged for me, I want to be sure I am going to like my preceptor and feel like I am in a good learning environment. I want control over that.

Also, the health screen and immunizations are not required documentation until you are accepted.

Hope this helps.

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Jun 29, 2011

Thanks that information does help. Yes, I like the idea also but I don't know how easy it is going to be for me to find one. I will definitely have to get out and network. I know there are several in my area but I don't know them. I read somewhere that at Frontier Bound they give you a list of places that have precepted students in your area before. Is this true? I hope so because it would be good to be able to find someone that has gone through the experience of being a preceptor before.

canyonforest, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 30, 2011

Actually all that health stuff IS required; Through my interaction with Frontier I learned they are not really all they are cracked up to be; in addition, the Frontier stats course is over $1400.00 to take. Glad I didn't take it with them. :)

NAURN · Jun 30, 2011

I have applied and should be hearing about acceptance sometime next week. The health stuff is not requred in order to apply. Look in their policy catalog. Its only required before frontier bound. There's no point in making it a requirement to apply because not everyone gets in. That would be silly. And I never said you have to take the statistics course at frontier....you can easily get a stat course thru a local state.college much cheaper but it is the convienene of being able to do that there if you want. Most people with a recent bsn already has taken statistics. And you weren't accepted so how can you say they are not all they are cracked up to be? You have no experience with their program so you have nothing to base this off of. I have heard nothing but wonderful things from those in the program and from those who have graduated. That's good enough for me. I also have had very professional, courteous contact with them. All my questions being answered. Sorry you didn't get accepted but don't assume their program is bad because of that.

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Jun 30, 2011

I agree. I've not encountered Frontier yet because it will at least be 2 years before I apply, but I've heard nothing but good things about the school also. Of course there will always be some people that have something negative to say. But, I believe if the majority of people like a school then it's pretty worth it. People don't mind sharing their opinions especially about a college so I'm sure if it was THAT BAD more people would be saying that. I wouldn't have to take the statistics course because I took it before I got in nursing school.

NAURN · Jun 30, 2011

I would definitely get it cheaper at a local school....if you have one close by. I just hate when people give inaccurate infomation and make judgements about a program they never attended. It totally got off topic from your original question of when you should apply.

smcclain7 · Aug 3, 2011

Hi, SN_2012. I saw your original post and wanted to jump in to hopefully help. You need to have that one year of experience before you apply. The admissions requirements state RN, one year of nursing experience along with the GPA, letters of reference and your essay. Many people say this program is highly competitive and they do not take you just because you meet the minimum requirements. They take into account your years of experience and everything else to make that decision. Just because you have a high GPA doesn't mean you are the most qualified.

I say follow your gut and your heart. Call Frontier and ask questions, seek out other Frontier students who are currently enrolled and ask their opinion. After all, they are paying for the education and will be honest with you!

Don't be put off by having to secure your own clinical site--most students are responsible for securing their own clinical site. My advice is start early and ask often to find the right sight for you. In today's world of nursing, finding clinical sites is an issue most nursing students have to deal with and I am sure if ask Frontier students they will tell you they didn't go without a placement. :)

Good luck with school!

(Also, most application fees are not refundable, just an FYI.)

NurseB_, BSN, RN · Aug 3, 2011

Hi, SN_2012. I saw your original post and wanted to jump in to hopefully help. You need to have that one year of experience before you apply. The admissions requirements state RN, one year of nursing experience along with the GPA, letters of reference and your essay. Many people say this program is highly competitive and they do not take you just because you meet the minimum requirements. They take into account your years of experience and everything else to make that decision. Just because you have a high GPA doesn't mean you are the most qualified.
I say follow your gut and your heart. Call Frontier and ask questions, seek out other Frontier students who are currently enrolled and ask their opinion. After all, they are paying for the education and will be honest with you!
Don't be put off by having to secure your own clinical site--most students are responsible for securing their own clinical site. My advice is start early and ask often to find the right sight for you. In today's world of nursing, finding clinical sites is an issue most nursing students have to deal with and I am sure if ask Frontier students they will tell you they didn't go without a placement. :)
Good luck with school!
(Also, most application fees are not refundable, just an FYI.)

Thanks for your reply! So you are disagreeing with some of the other answers I got by saying I have to have at least a years experience before I send in an application? I know their website says you have to have a years experience. I was thinking it would be possible for me to work on my first years experience and during that time I can send in my application and as long as by the time I go to Frontier Bound I have my first year of experience I will be fine. After I graduate I'm looking forward to working, but I will also be anxious to start graduate school. One of my concerns is the talk about making all mastor degree programs into DNP programs in 2015. I really don't want to have to do that so that's another reason I don't want to waste to much time before I go back to school.

Thanks for your answer. It gives me something to think about.