HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
Gucci (my pup) was my valentine this Valentine’s day, BUT I was lucky enough to have my boyfriend come visit me the weekend before Valentine’s day this year. We enjoyed the high tide breakfast buffet at the Marine Room in La Jolla. Food was eh, bloody mary was good, but the view was amazing!
Sorry, I have been insanely busy (you will most likely hear me using this excuse often because it is honestly the truth). I try to update as much as I can because I know how useful it is for students who might be interested in APU or another Entry level MSN program. However, my insider view I provide to you all is because I am literally in nursing school as we speak 🙂 However, if you are dying to know something or have any questions feel free to comment and I am usually very responsive to those. The website somehow alerts my phone (I hate having any unread alerts/notifications on my phone). I have no idea how it was set-up that way/to change it BUT it works in your favor.
I am pleased to announce that I survived my first medication admin. in the hospital, midterm week, and skills exam!!
I was going to save this until the end when I do my tips for surviving the first semester post, but since it is love week. I figured it was appropriate to post what I love about APU.
Uniforms are WINE COLORED: Nuff’ said
Technology Centered:
Everything is done via internet and computer. In the list of required materials, they include a laptop. I thought it was strange because I had one, but only used it for essays in undergrad. Guess what… you use it every day in class! I literally bring my laptop EVERYWHERE! This will be harder for some of the older adults and non-stereotypical millennials to adjust to, but in the long run it is helpful. Everything you turn in will be through google docs (mostly just your clinical journals/careplans) or sakai (online classroom portal similar to blackboard if you have used that). I like this because I don’t have to print it (I like to try to prevent using as much paper as possible), you don’t have to worry about it getting lost (I have had a prof. lose a paper before), you can turn it in at anytime before the due date, and it allows you to see your grade and any prof. comments as soon as they grade it! Most go the professors so far post all materials for the class (syllabus, lecture slides, additional resources, hw assignments, etc.) on sakai at the beginning of the semester. This allows you to spend as much time with the material as you need! You can start on assignments early so you can focus more on studying during exam weeks, you can plan out your weeks at the beginning of each semester, you can review slides before class so you can come to class already a little familiar and with questions! I never understood professors who wait to announce assignments and don’t share lecture slides. Why make it harder?! For those of you worried about this, trust me you will become tech savvy quickly! Until you do, APU offers free IT assistance. They literally have a guy who is on campus specifically waiting for your IT needs! Still not convinced this is a good thing? Well the NCLEX will be taken via computer so guess what you need to get used to using the computer. The format the exams and quizzes like the NCLEX so by the time you get to taking the NCLEX it will subconsciously help you because it will be familiar to your body to take an exam on a computer.
APA is hard, but APU helps.
If you were a science, social science, or a major that required writing in undergrad., let me inform you now that all the MLA you learned in high school was a complete waste of time. APA is the standard in nursing and almost any major that requires writing in higher education. APA is nit picky, annoying, and the thorn in my side. However, APU offers workshops, APA assistance on campus, and most professors will let you schedule an office hour appointment and go over it with you. By the time you turn it in, it will be A+ material if you used these resources.
TAs & Mentors:
USE THEM AND ABUSE THEM! JK.. be nice to them, but I couldn’t resist the rhyme. You will have TAs & Mentors assigned to you. TAs work with you through skills and clinical and pretty much are a floating beacon of help and comfort in the dark, stormy waters of the first semester of nursing. Ask them everything and anything? Too scared to ask your assigned nurse for something? Ask your TA! Didn’t quite get the hang of a 4 point gait with crutches? They will show you! They are literally there as a resource to you! However, you do have to share them. Mentors are assigned to YOU (usually… I think one Mentor has 2 students from my cohort). I got lucky and was assigned that best mentor EVER! She has been so helpful and open with giving me tips on shoes to wear for clinical, how to attack my comprehensive care plan, and just insider knowledge on how to succeed every semester. Don’t be afraid to ask you mentor anything! I promise the less you lean on your TAs and Mentors they more you are hurting yourself!
Tutoring :
I can’t really comment on this because I haven’t used it BUT it is available! I think most nursing programs have this, but I just wanted to address that APU does too!
APU cares about your WHOLE well-being:
The extra things APU does I have never heard of other programs doing (I have friends currently in/just graduating from other programs). I was so worried about how intense nursing school would be. It literally makes or breaks people, yet APU makes it as doable as possible. Where do I begin? In two of my classes, our professor includes “meditation time” before every exam. It sounds silly BUT IT WORKS! I get so anxious and want to just get the test over with. However, taking the time to relax really helps. I swear I think so clearly once she opens the exam! Last week was insane to say the least. We have 3 midterms and what seemed like a bajillion assignments do. You can’t do anything about exams, but some of the assignments the professors allowed us to turn in a little late. One class as a different group present a series of articles almost every week. The prof. decided to switch around week 5 and 6 because she had a group learning activity planned for the week 6 and presentations scheduled for week 5. However, we she realized how stressed we were because midterms were week 5. She postponed the presentations to week 6 and did the group learning activity week 5.
Remediation:
Like with most grad programs, you will have to maintain a B average GPA throughout the entire program. This was terrifying for me because a friend of mine went through an ABSN program (where the GPA requirement in C average) and struggled. Even more terrifying, most of the quizzes and dosage exams in APU require a 95% or better! This is because they want you to not even get close to falling behind in material and in GPA. However, they have remediation! They usually only give one remediation, but that is all anyone I know has ever needed. They let you review what you did wrong and try again on whatever you graded low on in about a week. Believe it or not, most people don’t need to remediate despite the high standards. I think just knowing that the option is there takes pressure off people and actually allows them to perform better.
No mind games!
I don’t know why, but some professors enjoy trying to trick you into picking the wrong answer on exams. Some like to make it ridiculously hard or include material that is so specific you wouldn’t be able to remember unless you have a photographic memory and copied the book into your brain. APU is straightforward with everything. They don’t want to test your test-taking abilities or your ability to excel at cruel mind tricks. They want you to learn! They teach you a little more in-depth then you need to know for exams (or for the real world of nursing), but they clarify what will be on the exams/NCLEX. They prepare you everything you need to know to be a good nurse, and don’t drill you on the pointless extra fluffing that I know some nursing programs include. They do offer resources though if you happen to be particularly interested in a certain subject and want to know more!
In my opinion, you will succeed in the ELMSN program at APU because they give you everything you need to succeed. If you are not doing well, it is literally because you are not trying. Just don’t get behind and don’t forget to use your resources! They are there to help… all you need to do is ask!
I love your blog! I’m starting at APU Monrovia for the ELM Program this summer. I’ve greatly enjoyed reading your blog as it has helped me understand and not be so intimidated by the nursing program. Thank you! Also, do you recommend buying all the books together or individually? Sorry, I haven’t received any emails about vaccines, books, or supplies but I’m trying to figure out what will be necessary to buy. Thank you!
Congrats! I had no one to talk to before beginning the program was I was extremely nervous. I’m glad I can calm your nerves! I’m not sure if the campuses vary at all in how they run the program, but my program manager sent out a full list of all the books needed, vaccines required, where to buy uniforms, etc. in one email. If you don’t receive an email like the one I described by beginning/mid March I would contact your program manager. Also, try checking your APU email because it may have gone there.
As for books, I bought them individually from amazon. I thought the bundle although discounted was still overpriced. Plus, if you are a student you can sign-up for amazon prime and get free two day shipping. I honestly haven’t used them all that much, and wish I would have held off on buying some of them. However, I am able to get an adequate understanding from the lectures and don’t want to discourage you from buying them if you may need them. Some people learn better from reading. I have learned better from reviewing the professor’s slides.
I would wait until you have orientation to buy them, too. Some of my cohort members shared their e-books or pdf format of books with everyone via google docs so I would wait and see if maybe anyone in your cohort would be willing to do this. During orientation, you will have time to talk to current students. Ask them which book you really need and which you don’t!
The one’s I have used so far and would recommend buying are:
1. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook (this is great for care plans and for doing your SOAP in health assessment!)
2. Calculate with Confidence (you will have dosage hw from this book 1st semester)
3. Think Like a Nurse (you will have a couple assignments from this book, but wait to buy until after orientation incase someone has an online or pdf version the cohort could use)
4. Communications in Nursing (you will also have a couple assignments from this book, but wait to buy until after orientation incase someone has an online or pdf version the cohort could use)
5. The APA book
6. Saunders NCLEX-RN book
To save money AND if you are willing, these books should be available in the library if you want to go there to use them until you decide if it is worth buying or not.
Hope that helps!
Hi Bri,
Thanks so much for all the info you’ve provided in your blog. I’m starting my first semester this fall 17 at APU for the IE campus.
Based on your own experience, what are your thoughts regarding ebooks over textbooks? Do you feel that they’re just as great as textbooks? Are there any books you’d recommend not to get as an ebook?
Thank you 🙂
I prefer physical textbooks for my medical surgical and patho classes. Something about flipping through and reading actual pages sticks with me better. This could be related to my learning style (visual/kinetic).
If you have never had a problem studying ebooks. I would recommend those for all your courses. One of my favorite advantages of ebooks are that you can bring them with you anywhere, they’re affordable, and the search feature that allows you to type in specific keywords and will show you all the pages they appear on. For all the classes so far at APU (except GNRS 556), you will be simply using your books for reference and to supplement your learning so ebook may be best.
Thank you! Very helpful info!
Hi Bri,
I love your blog! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I’m planning to apply for the APU program at the end of this semester. I was curious if you have met any of the alumni or students who are further along in the program. If so, do you know if they were able find NP jobs quickly after graduation? I’ve heard NP jobs can be harder to come by than RN jobs.
Thanks!
Yes I have! I know of 4 alumni that have found NP jobs (and also happen to be professors part-time). I think it depends on your location and what speciality you want to do, but so far I haven’t heard of any difficulties finding FNP jobs. There is actually a major shortage of psych NPs in California. I’ve learned since joining the program that while having a degree is important it is more about networking and experience. Luckily, APU has a very good reputation at every hospital I’ve worked at, but I would try to make as many contacts in the program as possible if you are concerned about job placement. I will certainly post if we start hearing about difficulty obtaining jobs after graduation!
Thanks! That’s good to know. Do you know what kind of specialty the three NPs you know are working in? Is it all family practice or are some in acute settings? I’ll be applying to the SD campus as I’m already living here and am hoping to stay here after I graduate. One other question, do you know if everyone had to wait a year after applying to start school? I know that’s what APU’s website says but I was wondering if students are ever able to start earlier if there’s room in the cohorts.
I believe all of them graduate with the Family Nurse Practitioner specialty because that is the most flexible. I plan on doing that as well. One is a peds NP, one is a occupational med NP, one is a family clinic, and one works as a cardio NP at UCSD. Unless you are absolutely 100% sure, you know you want to specialize I would stick with FNP because you can use it for most areas you want to go into. NPs who specialize usually shadow another NP or MD to get into a specialty field, and they get some experience in that field working as an RN during the post-licensure part of the program. With certain specialties you may need to get additional certifications, but that would be true for most NP degrees.
Yes, once you are accepted you have the possibility of attending sooner. I was given the opportunity to start a semester early because they had a last minute opening, but I declined. Also, one person who was supposed to start in my cohort broke her ankle so they offered her spot to a person in the cohort due to start after us.
Thank you! I truly appreciate all the info and the quick replies! It’s been so hard finding feedback on this program and it’s so nice to have your blog as a resource. Enjoy the long weekend! 🙂
Hi Bri! I love your blog! It has been so helpful in preparing me and calming me for my start at APU this Fall. I was wondering if there were books you would recommend/not recommend getting for the 1st semester? I know you named a few above… were there any books that you found you needed further along in your first semester? Thanks!
No, not for my first semester, but I am not sure if it varies a little by campus. My professors at SD did a really good job of including everything in the slides. They recommend the book to supplement the slides, but I found I did not need it first semester. For second semester, I actually started using my med/surg (lewis) and patho book quite a bit for the concept maps. It wouldn’t hurt to buy those now if you like since you will need them in the future anyways. I will be sure to start posting at the end of every semester the books I used so you can buy them ahead of time if I find I am using one I initially thought I didn’t need 🙂
I will be attending the SD campus. 🙂 good to know that the slides are pretty inclusive. Thank you so much! You have been such a great help.
Hi Bri,
Thanks for sharing. I got in for Summer 2018 at the main campus, and it’s been hard finding people who have shared their experience. This post has provided more inside than two hours of internet surfing. You’ve gained a reader!
Congrats! I wish you the absolute best! Thank you for the comment as well! It is motivating to know that what I am posting is actually helping 🙂
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hi 🙂
I really appreciate your post about APU’s ELM program. I wanted to ask.. well I am debating between APU’s ELM program and an ABSN program at Concordia University in Irvine. I honestly am really unsure of which program to choose and am SO CONFLICTED. I got accepted to the San Diego campus — a semester early than I had planned, which is great for me because I feel old already and want to get my career started with… but Concordia’s program is 15 months and APU’s is 18 months + the post-licensure part. I just am SOOO confused on what to do because I’ve heard that its really important for NP’s to have experience before working as an NP. I don’t know what I would do with a master’s degree straight out of school. I’m not even sure I would want to become an NP because idk if i’d like all the responsibility that comes with it. I would OFCOURSE* love to have my own patients and develop personable relationships with them, but I also know that NP requires a TON more responsibility. I don’t know if i would like that necessarily.
I also want to enjoy my youth (im 25 years old) How are you able to enjoy your time alone and also be in such a rigorous program?
Please let me know.. thank you again 🙂
Honestly, it is a very personal decision. APU’s 18 month BSN portion was perfect for me. I was pretty busy with school, but still had some time to enjoy my personal life. I had a friend do the accelerated BSN program through SMU. I believe it was also 15 months and it was very very dense. While she made it through, she had minimal time to enjoy her personal life for those 15 months because the classes go so fast. It really depends if you would rather get it done sooner or take your time.
However, if you are not sure you want to be an NP. I would not recommend an ELM-NP program. Although the BSN portion was primarily focused on the RN role, you still take MSN-NP level classes throughout the BSN portion to prepare you for the MSN portion. APU does allow you take a break between the prelicensure (BSN) and postlicensure (MSN) portion, which may be good for you to reassess if you want to continue at that point. I also know some who completed the program and chose to work as an RN one more year although they had their MSN-NP just to get additional experience, but atleast their degree was done. My advice to you would be to reach out and shadow some NPs to see if that is something you want to do. I would shadow both an NP in a hospital environment and outpatient environment. In the hospital, NPs can do more, but are always under the supervision of the attending so in someways it is less sole responsibility. In the outpatient setting, the NP is often the primary provider and so they will make most decisions.
Ultimately, you need to sit down and weight the pros/cons of each decision and figure out what works best for your goals and lifestyle.
Hi Bri,
I am so glad I came across your blog. Thank you so much for doing this. I just recently applied to APU for Summer 2020 and got invited for an interview next week. I was wondering how your interview was and if there are any specific tips or advise that you may have for me. Due to being out of town, I am doing it virtually through google hangout. I obviously want to be prepared for anything thrown at me including the writing portion.
Hello,
I was also an out-of-town applicant so I interviewed the same way. My interview was very laid back. There were some of the usual questions, like why do you want to be a nurse, why azusa, talk about how you overcame an obstacle, how do you plan on handling the rigorous course load, etc. I would definitely come prepared with questions of your own. Prepare answers ahead of time so they are well thought out and you aren’t fumbling over your words. My best advice is to best the best version of YOURSELF. They actually forgot to send me to written portion lol! I think because I was out of town it somehow got missed so unfortunately I cannot comment on that!
Hey Bri! I know this is an old post but it has helped me so much in deciding whether or not I want to attend APU. I wanted to ask you what you thought about the SD campus and the hospitals where your clinical a took place. And what was the size of your cohort? I can’t seem to find any personal reviews on these topics from anyone so any advice would help! 🙂
I really enjoyed the SD campus and the hospitals we rotated through! I am from Nor Cal so between LA and SD… I prefer the culture of SD. My cohort was 20 students. Hope this helps!
Hi Bri,
I’ve been reading your blog post for what feels like forever and I’m happy to say I was accepted to APU’s ELM program for Fall 2020 at the SD campus. APU was my first choice and when I got accepted I declined all other interviews except for USD because it was close to home and well I thought why not.
I was also accepted into USD’s MEPN program and now I am torn between the two. USD’s program offers a MSN as a Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) and prepares students as Advanced Nurse Generalists in 21 months. The cohort is 60 students and clinical rotations include the the VA and naval hospitals. USD also has higher NCLEX passing rates according the CBRN (last year they even had 100% pass rate). However, I would have to reapply to programs for my FNP licence if I chose USD after working as an RN for 1-2 years and it’s also around $110,000. In regards to APU, you obviously know all about the program.
I’m wondering your thoughts about the following:
1. MSN vs BSN is it worth it in regards to salary/ upward mobility/ leadership roles? (especially if I chose to stay an RN and not continue with NP)
2. As an NP do you think it would be beneficial to have my DNP over just FNP-MSN license?
3. Does school prestige really matter for jobs/etc? USD is ranked #43 according to U.S. News & World’s Reports vs APU #115.
4. Any info you can share on finances/ loans! (This is all very scary for me).
I love APU’s smaller cohorts, free parking, and lower cost however, I was also really impressed by USD and am wondering if the “business like” campus would affect my attitude towards the school. Did the location of the campus have an impact on you?
I go back and forth every day and have to make up my mind by the end of March. I would appreciate your thoughts on anything and everything!
Thanks so much!
xoxo
Hello! The decision will come down to what route is best for you, but here are my answers and hopefully I can provide info that will help you make your decision.
1. I think MSN will be worth it in the long run. Most hospitals are giving preference to nurses with MSN and this will give you a more competitive edge. However, you will need to decide if you want a MSN-NP or MSN-CNL.
2. I do think a DNP would be the best option IF you are leaning towards the DNP route. I do plan on going back for my DNP when this is all done. However, I am happy that I will be able to practice with my MSN-NP when I am finished.
3. School prestige does not matter at all. What matters is your degree, your license, and your networking. Those 3 will determine what job you get.
4. I highly encourage you to seek out federal loans. Once you are closer to graduating, you can always refinance your student loans for a lower rate, but at least with federal loans you won’t have to pay until 6 months after you graduate. I would go with a cheapest (but still accredited program) that offers you the degree you want.
I also looked at both campuses. I found APU’s campus underwhelming compared to the USD campus. However, the USD price tag was not worth it to me. I also was set on NP and not CNL. Ultimately, that is what it will come down to. Will you prefer an administrative role or a clinical practice role?
Hello, I have an undergrad BS degree and wanted to start nursing. I was wondering how long the ELM MSN NP program is? There are so many different options and tracks I am confused about. What do you recommend?
I recommend FNP if you are not sure. This allows you to pursue many different specialities or just general family med. It depends how you pace yourself in the post-licensure portion, but you can finish as soon as 3.5 years!
Hi Bri,
I am very interested in APU’s ELM program, but my gpa is not impressive. It is just above a 3.0, though I’m confident I can get a high prereq gpa. Would that be enough to help me get into the program?
In addition to that, I like science & can learn the material but I am not so good at learning large volumes of information in a short period of time. Thus I have started studying patho & pharm etc ahead of time. Can you explain a bit about the rigor of the program, or the workload/information load, or how many tests/assignments etc were required in a week? Anything you have to say about the content you learned and the rate at which you learned it would be so helpful.
Also, an APU rep told me that the schedule is generally classes M-W 8-5 with clinical on Friday or Saturday all day. Was that accurate for you?
I am set on APU but not sure how competitive it is or what I can do to learn the information ahead of time because I want to give myself a head start.
Hello! I am not sure if it would be enough as I don’t know how they grade the applications. However, I would still apply anyways. The pre-licensure portion can be overwhelming because you are learning quite a bit of information at a time. However, I would find tricks that work for you to know the material now. Something I did was focusing on what differentiates the different diseases rather than trying to know everything about each disease. I also focused on condensing the slides into study guides that made sense in my head. Every class and every semester is different so I cannot say how many tests and assignments will be required of you each week. However, you should expect to be very busy every week. Every moment of everyday was pretty much accounted for whether I was in class, clinical, or studying. I never had Saturday clinicals but I would for the most part you will be busy M-F 8-5. I would familiarize yourself with anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology now. That will give you a really good foundation for the program!
Good luck!