chorizo Wrote:Have you looked at Excelsior?
Not sure about nursing, but some of their masters programs allow 50% of the credits to be transferred.

dmjacobsen Wrote:I did check out Excelsior. They're quite a bit more pricey than WGU and ASU. In addition to the higher tuition cost, they have several seemingly unnecessary fees tacked on (enrollment fee, graduation fee, and excessively costly application fee).

dmjacobsen Wrote:So, after dropping out of NP school for the second time, I've decided that I'm done with the NP path. It's just not working out for me at this point in my life, mostly because I cannot go to clinic and go to work every single day, and can't afford to take time off of work. Maybe I'll revisit the idea in a few years, but not today.

I have racked up 18 graduate credits with a 3.88 GPA. I've done really well at getting halfway to an MSN. I definitely want to finish my MSN, even if I'm not going to be an NP. But, here's my problem -- I have three options, none of which are ideal:

1) Transfer all 18 credits to American Sentinel University. I won't have to repeat any coursework, and the tuition is pretty affordable. It will cost me about $9,000 to complete, and I will probably finish in under a year. The downside is, ASU is only Nationally Accredited (in addition to CCNE). If I ever wanted to teach, I probably wouldn't be able to with an NA degree.

2) Enroll in WGU's MSN (Nursing Leadership option). None of my credits would transfer, so I would have to take a LOT of courses over. Seems like it wouldn't be a big deal, because I likely already know much of the content. However, what I've read on the new MSN curriculum is a little disheartening, with lots of students having problems. I could probably finish this program in under a year, because I'm familiar with the WGU model and have already completed a BSN and MBA with them. Which, by the way, creates another problem with academic incest. Again, not good if I ever want to teach.

3) Enroll in some other program and transfer, if I'm lucky, 12 credits. Would probably take 2+ years to complete, and would probably be nowhere near as affordable as WGU or ASU, due to the need to complete 24+ credits.

What are your thoughts? Is there a magical unicorn option that I haven't found -- an RA school that is reasonably priced that will accept all 18 of my graduate hours for transfer?

TheCommuter Wrote:You may wish to check out Eastern New Mexico University. They're a regional state university that is RA, and since the MSN program is so new, they're in the process of obtaining ACEN/NLN accreditation (their BSN program is already ACEN/NLN accredited).

It is free to apply, so you will not be wasting anything but your time. In addition, out-of-state students like myself are charged $230 per credit hour, which is dirt cheap for graduate level tuition.

cookderosa Wrote:My thoughts are to make yourself take a break. I think the risks are pretty high and there are clearly lots of things that swirl around in the decision to find the best program, but if you sit out for a bit -3 months maybe? Then you'll have a bit of time to reflect on what happened before, what you really want, what makes sense, and how you can find the best path for you.

Gaz Wrote:I understand the importance of an MSN under certain circumstances, but why is the MSN important to you? Do you have a specific goal that requires an MSN over your MBA? Creating more options? The COO at the hospital where I work is a BSN, MHA. He is not qualified to teach nursing at a community college or properly credentialed to be the Director of Nursing, but he is still at the top of the chain.