Some backdrop: I went to a traditional 4 year school for my first degree then went to a community college for my associate degree in nursing. While I worked as a nurse, I received my BSN online from Penn State University, which is a flagship state school in PA which a very good academic reputation. It is currently the highest ranked school in the country that offers a totally online RN to BSN option.
My question is, in contrast to attending a highly reputable, cheaper state school, why do many associate degree nurses opt to complete their BSN online at for profit universities like Kaplan, Phoenix, Chamberlain, and Grand Canyon? The for-profits are way more expensive and encourage you to take out loans. Those schools cost more, are less reputable, and aren't any more convenient than the online public state school options. They are also notorious for piranha-like, harassing recruiting tactics and baracuda-style collection practices. So for what purpose..? To what end..?
I recognize that a large portion of the nursing world does not care where you got your nursing degree. But, a significant portion does. One of the most frequent questions I get asked by my colleagues in a new unit is "where did you go to school?" I would be horrified and embarrassed if I had to reply with "University of Phoenix," "Kaplan," or "The Grand Canyon." So what piece of information am I missing here? Why are those schools so attractive?
Can we change from "for-profit" to "commercial" school?
There are for-profit private colleges and universities that have mileage and stellar reputations; let's not confuse those schools, with "those schools".
A for-profit school has one goal...to turn out able and respectable practitioners of whatever they teach. Otherwise they will certainly go under. Along with the convenience they offer their students, they must maintain a certain reputation in their field, to compete with other similar schools and Universities.
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Not true. Plenty of ill-reputed, unaccredited, for profit diploma mill schools are highly profitable rather than have gone under. Everest college, ITT tech, Westwood College -- just to name a few. These are the ones that appear during judge judy and maury and market themselves primarily toward single moms on welfare, people of color, and other disadvantaged groups. They all have extremely high drop out rates (just like phoenix and grand canyon) but that's fine because the schools have already made their money by signing their students up for the federal and private student loans. The schools don't have to maintain a high quality of instruction to be profitable; they just to enroll the students for one semester of classes and they've made a fortune already.
What about taking individual courses that move too fast at the college levels? I have a couple of classes that I understand but they move too fast for me so I don't do well on the tests. I am thinking about maybe using Straighterline. Have any of you ever used either Straighterline or another avenue to take individual requires courses?
perhaps you haven't been prepared to take these courses? either insufficient pre reqs, or your HS wasn't rigorous enough? take some evaluation tests and perhaps get tested for learning disabilities.
What about taking individual courses that move too fast at the college levels? I have a couple of classes that I understand but they move too fast for me so I don't do well on the tests. I am thinking about maybe using Straighterline. Have any of you ever used either Straighterline or another avenue to take individual requires courses?
Well I can hardly move after reading that. The best Registered Nurses I ever knew were all C students. For that matter so were the LVN's those many years back. The schools never went by GPA's back then because just because you have a 3.9 GPA doesn't mean you are going to be a good nurse period. Maybe that is what's wrong with the nursing schools now. They are all looking for the high GPA's instead of looking for the one who is the really good nurse.
Well I can hardly move after reading that. The best Registered Nurses I ever knew were all C students. For that matter so were the LVN's those many years back. The schools never went by GPA's back then because just because you have a 3.9 GPA doesn't mean you are going to be a good nurse period.
Can you please clarify what post you are referring to?
Well, the High School's in the early sixties were pretty darn good. However, I have never been informed that I may have learning disabilities. That would be a first.
Well, the High School's in the early sixties were pretty darn good. However, I have never been informed that I may have learning disabilities. That would be a first.
I don't know if you need to start a new thread; since we are talking about "for-profit" (aka commercial, IMHO) schools, do you go to one or have an opinion about this
she was responding to my suggestions to her other post on this thread..
I don't know if you need to start a new thread; since we are talking about "for-profit" (aka commercial, IMHO) schools, do you go to one or have an opinion about this
So.. no one answered my question as to why they wouldn't go to a brick and mortar school that had an online program for RN to BSN that is way cheaper than for profits... UT arlington and penn state are both totally online RN to BSN programs that are extremely affordable. I went to PSU world campus for RN to BSN and there is no differentiation between out of state and instate tuition. It's a flat, affordable fee. And getting in is easy. So why would someone pay 3x the amount for grand canyon, chamberlain, or phoenix? What is the advantage..?!??! Especially when the aforementioned schools such as UT and PSU are highly reputable...
Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.
I completely understand where you're coming from. I attend Houston Baptist University here in Houston Texas. I also don't understand why anyone would consider a for-profit school. Of all my nursing buddies I only know two that went to a for profit school, and it was honestly out of desperation. Their GPA's were 3.1 and 2.5. I tried to convince my friend with a 2.5, whom I volunteered with at a hospital, to repeat her courses and get her GPA up; we were both applying for nursing schools around the same time. She did consider it, but when she visited Chamberlain, she gave up on improving her GPA and was actually accepted in their SON. Now, A GPA is so damn important; It shows commitment! The classes we all took prior to our Nursing degree were the sweetest pieces of cake compared to Nursing classes! It's true, we ALL know this. Why the HELL would they accept people with such low GPA's? It's ridiculous! I can only narrow it down to it being a money issue.
For profit schools want your money. If you do/did great in those school, then good for you, really; that's awesome, but why not go big and get your degree from a school you can be proud of? At the end of the day, no one is going to take a for profit school more serious than a reputable university/college, and that's the cold, hard truth.
And as for all the people who attended for profit universities on this post, calm down. Every time this subject is brought, all of a sudden it turn into a hostile conversation. You guys should have recognized the criticism that came with your for-profit-company-school before you went through with it, now deal with it.
Well....everyone I know who has gone on from a for profit and has a BSN behind their name have gone on to be managers and into grad school. I'm looking into grad school that is well known in my area and they have no problem with my 19.99 degree obtained from the back of a matchbook, SMH.
My degree has given me immense leadership skills that had two job offers up the food chain upon my graduation. I now give talks to staff, and am known as a strong leader on my unit and in the facility. I'm well known with several awards. I had one given to me the other day that would not have been possible if I had not had my BSN.
Let us pretend that your school that you are currently in was constantly bashed over and over? Would you like it? Probably not. It would get old pretty quick. Sort of like the mean girls club at high school.
What irks us that go to "these schools" are the ignorant comments that are made because they are NOT based on FACT and it goes on and on and on. Where is the "beat the dead horse" icon when we need it.
Why not talk about something intelligent, evidenced based and insightful for once?
However, as a nursing student, that might be impossible.
As for your link. Sorry. I don't read anything that's not EB and I'm busy putting together a ppt on legal documentation and an executive summary for a proposal that will be presented to senior leadership in a week. Those are skills that I learned in my 19.99 program.
LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN
8,429 Posts
Can we change from "for-profit" to "commercial" school?
There are for-profit private colleges and universities that have mileage and stellar reputations; let's not confuse those schools, with "those schools".