CLEP for grad school

[cookderosa]

I thought I would share some encouraging words I got today! I am applying to the MSN nursing program at University of Illinois Chicago. (I know, I know, I have not told you guys here yet, but I wasn't going to say anything unless I got in because there were too many variables....anyway....)

So, they have a master's program that requires as a prereq English Comp 1 and English Comp 2 specifically by name where other programs simply require a "BA or BS degree" from an RA college. The college has many prereqs, and this kind of program allows you to jump over an RN degree if you already have a BA degree- and earn your RN degree as part of your MSN degree. (BTW, I will post about that later, because if this works, this means going from zero to nurse practitioner in 4 years- UNHEARD of, otherwise impossible to do in under 8 years....but I think I found a way for people here who are just starting :p If you are someone who wants to be a NP and has not yet earned a BA degree or RN, pm me and I'll give you the bones of my outline- it's sweet but still a rough draft. Otherwise, I'll post it in the fall when it's fine tuned! )

Oh gosh, this is getting too wordy. Anyway, I held my breath as I asked them if they accept CLEP to meet the grad school prereqs. I called and they required me to fax my TESC transcript and CLEP score report, she said "it depends" more than once, so I fully expected to hear "no" from her.

Drum roll.....

Dear Jennifer,

Since it's on your transcript as receiving test credit for Comp 1 and 2. We will accept it and fulfilling comp 1 & 2. You can save this email for your records.

Julie S. Kim
Admissions and Recruitment Counselor
University of Illinois at Chicago
College of Nursing
P: 312-413-1085
F: 312-996-8066

[ShotoJuku]

Excellent news for you and others who wish to pursue the MSN as well!

[alleycat]

Wow,

Jennifer that is amazing. I can not believe you can get a masters in nursing with out having an RN before getting into the program. How times have changed. Boy this cuts down on alot of time for you to complete everything.

How is the cost of the program? Is it expensive? Do they have any sort of grants for nursing students? Also, is this the only program tha tyou have found like this in the country. I am asking for a friend who has considered getting her degree in nursing so she may teach. She is an MD retired and she needs her nursing degree to be able to teach nursing. Any and all inforamtion would be appreciated.

Thanks and good luck getting in

[cookderosa]

Wow,

Jennifer that is amazing. I can not believe you can get a masters in nursing with out having an RN before getting into the program. How times have changed. Boy this cuts down on a lot of time for you to complete everything.

How is the cost of the program? Is it expensive? Do they have any sort of grants for nursing students? Also, is this the only program tha tyou have found like this in the country. I am asking for a friend who has considered getting her degree in nursing so she may teach. She is an MD retired and she needs her nursing degree to be able to teach nursing. Any and all information would be appreciated.

Thanks and good luck getting in

>>

Ok, I won't go into the paths to RN in a big way....but there are A LOT. One thing is non-negotiable- you need a face to face way of doing clinical work so you can sit the NCLEX licensing exam.
If your friend wants to teach, she can get a generic MSN, which is easier to do than the NP because the NP requires clinical too- nurse educator type programs are 100% online EVERYWHERE. Easy to find.

I need to point out the PREREQ requirement for any BSN or higher nursing program is going to have sciences and statistics that will absolutely require 2-3 semesters. SOME schools expire your sciences, meaning you have to repeat the sequence if it is X years before you apply. (your doctor friend might have to take A&P 1 and A&P 2 because those are not typical to a pre-med program, and college advisors are idiots- they don't "get" that her whole friggin program is AP....they are looking for the actual classes....otherwise she is probably fine)

Typical routes:
So, add 1 year for prereq (1P) for totals- I'm putting it first for this, but as you will see, you don't have to do them first. ALSO, some NP programs require 1 year of experience (peds always requires 2, anesthesia always requires 1 in the ICU) so add that in. These paths are WITHOUT work experience.

pre (1) -->diploma (1.5)--> associate degree nursing (1.5) --> bachelor's of science in nursing degree for RNs (2) --> MSN (NP) (3) = 9 years

pre (1) --> ADN (2) --> BSN for RNs (2) ---> MSN (NP) (3) = 8 years

pre (1) ---> BSN for non nurses (4) ---> MSN (NP) (3) = 8 years

bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field (4) ---> pre (1) ---> ADN (2) ---> MSN (NP) (3) = 10 years

bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field (4) ---> pre (1) ---> accelerated BSN (1.5) ---> MSN (NP) (3) = 9.5 years

* now, if you were reading these closely, I think you can predict what I'm about to suggest

TESC bachelor's degree in a non-nursing field with integrated pre-reqs utilizing CLEP, and simultaneously taking online science with labs for gen ed electives and math/science (1) ---> Direct Entry MSN (NP) (3) = 4

All direct entry (some schools use other names) programs require full time face to face study for 15 months (>8 hrs/day x5 days/week x 4 semesters) and then the remaining 2 years are almost always available at a distance.
So, unless you live close enough to one of the 50 -/+ programs in the USA, it's dorm life baby.

University of Illinois-Chicago instate tuition for this program is about $15,000 per year. They all offer housing. This is CHEAP. Columbia and Yale also have this kind of program, and both will run you closer to $150,000.00 (oh, and you want to eat too right? That's dorm + tuition only.)

For Alleycat's friend-
The easiest route for nursing: Go to your local nursing programs. Look for an accelerated BSN first. That is usually 4 semesters (Summer-Fall-Spring-Summer) and then the rest can be done totally online for the MSN. This route in total will be less than $50k.

I also hate to suggest this, but nursing and medicine are not the same disciplines. Nursing isn't like being a "Doc-lite" so I think your friend may find it annoying that she will have to complete an entire program to teach nursing - in other words, the EXACT same as if she was Jane Doe walking in off the street wanting to teach nursing. I can also see this being a friction-creating situation....but maybe not....but probably.

I have a different suggestion, why not enroll in some grad level sciences instead? I'm sure she could land a job teaching in community college science department by adding 18 single-subject science credits to her resume. That number is the accreditation requirement, so she couldn't do it with less, but her Doctorate exceeds the master's level requirement, however, you need 18+ credits with the prefix matching the dept you want to teach in.
Harvard's Extension offers 16cr online in grad level biology right now, and they are always adding! (they are cool subjects too!!) Harvard Home

Really though, I'd love to see her consider teaching something like organic chemistry! Who better???

If she wanted to teach at a 4 year school, I don't know the ins and outs of an MD doing so, but she could post over on the DegreeInfo board - there are several people who absolutely can provide advice for that route. I would assume that many of the science and medical teachers at 4 years schools are retired MDs, so there may be an opportunity already waiting- without add'l schooling.

Sorry so long! But I hope that provides a few leads.

[taylor]

Cook, good for you. But does that mean you will not be attending Trinity College anymore? Also, will your nursing program accept ALEKS Stat classes? For some reason I thought they wouldn't.

[cookderosa]

Cook, good for you. But does that mean you will not be attending Trinity College anymore? Also, will your nursing program accept ALEKS Stat classes? For some reason I thought they wouldn't.

>>


I will only attend Trinity if I do not get accepted to one of the 8 programs I am applying to. I'm not enrolled at Trinity, I am working on their prenursing courses. BSN to MSN is a lot longer, and at the time, I didn't think a direct entry program was an option. (living away from my family is the obvious sticking point)

I'm also going to take a stats class locally in the fall to cover my arse. But I'm still doing my ALEKS as time allows, I want to be ready when the class comes around. If I can get through my class with a minimum amount of brain space, that'll be a good thing! LOL

[swisha2k]

Congrats!!!

[taylor]

>>


I will only attend Trinity if I do not get accepted to one of the 8 programs I am applying to. I'm not enrolled at Trinity, I am working on their prenursing courses. BSN to MSN is a lot longer, and at the time, I didn't think a direct entry program was an option. (living away from my family is the obvious sticking point)

I'm also going to take a stats class locally in the fall to cover my arse. But I'm still doing my ALEKS as time allows, I want to be ready when the class comes around. If I can get through my class with a minimum amount of brain space, that'll be a good thing! LOL

Yeah, I was surprised to see Trinity on your sig., considering I'm sure there are programs closer to your neck of the woods. My sis is taking Stats at a CC now and it's kicking her butt she thinks she will get a B+ ish which is not bad but due to her previous GPA at Rutgers she's under a lot of pressure to get straight A's. She calculated that even if she had gotten straight A's on her prereqs her overall GPA will still be a tad less than a 3.0. She's hoping that the nursing programs will take into account more her current grades in her prereqs as opposed to her GPA from 10 years ago.

[cookderosa]

Yeah, I was surprised to see Trinity on your sig., considering I'm sure there are programs closer to your neck of the woods. My sis is taking Stats at a CC now and it's kicking her butt she thinks she will get a B+ ish which is not bad but due to her previous GPA at Rutgers she's under a lot of pressure to get straight A's. She calculated that even if she had gotten straight A's on her prereqs her overall GPA will still be a tad less than a 3.0. She's hoping that the nursing programs will take into account more her current grades in her prereqs as opposed to her GPA from 10 years ago.

>>

Trinity is actually in my hometown, we might be talking about dff schools.
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences

[taylor]

>>

Trinity is actually in my hometown, we might be talking about dff schools.
Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences

Nevermind, I was thinking of a different school which btw on second look doesn't have a nursing program.http://www.trincoll.edu/:D . Good luck with UIC!