Grand Canyon University

Date: Dec 31 1969
Major: Nursing (This Major's Salary over time)
I am a current online student in the MSN program, and have two bachelors from other brick and mortar universities. For those considering taking their MSN or BSN at GCU:

I am a working nurse, and the degree is very much respected in the nursing community. So, I wouldn't listen to those that try to disparage the nursing program at GCU. Here are some positives/negatives about my current experience at GCU.

First, I have some concerns about GCU:

1) There is no way to communicate with an instructor until your program starts, and by then it may be too late. If you have a vacation scheduled, a work conference out of town, etc., a question on whether the text is mandatory (or will hardly be used) you have to wait for the first day of the course to discuss this with the instructor. This may be too late for you to make changes outside of school. So, if you work or have a social life, and need any considerations, starting each course is a risk.

2) The course development is poor, meaning not enough information is given on each assignment. Therefore, even as an ultra-independent online learner (such as myself), you have to constantly ask the instructor for clarification. As you can imagine, this leaves a lot up to the instructor's vision of the course. If you have an excellent, helpful, involved instructor—great! If not—not so great. I am taking a course now with a fantastic instructor and am getting a lot of direction (because I am asking for it). A friend is taking the same course with a different instructor, and she is having a very difficult time getting appropriate responses from her instructor. Therefore, my friend's grade is much worse than mine.

3) MSN online classes are 8 weeks, taken BACK TO BACK until you complete your degree. You cannot take more than 2 weeks off at a time during your course, or you will lose your financial aid. An 8 week class is a VERY RIGOROUS schedule: You will be reading for 6 hours a week, answering Discussion Questions for approx 2-4 hours per week, and then participating in a CLC (Collaborative Learning Community) project for 2-6 hours weekly. This is VERY TIME CONSUMING, and if you are a procrastinator, or aren't able to commit to such a rigorous schedule, I'd seek another institution (with a slower pace).

SERIOUS CONCERNS:

The CLCs are disgusting! The Collaborative Learning Community is akin to online groupwork with people that you have no face-to-face contact with. And there is a GROUP GRADE! So, if you have great, independent hard workers, you do your share of the work and it pays off. If you have slugs, you do all of the work to protect your GPA. It's silly, unfair, and unnecessary. How do you work as a nurse without having a team? Why am I paying a university to create a simulated team environment? This alone would have diverted me away from GCU if I would have known sooner.

Overall, I think that the nursing leadership at the College of Nursing really cares about the program. However, I don't think that always translates into the faculty that they hire. They are very slow to act upon complaints, as well.

The cost: Approx. $20,000 for my entire MSN. That would be just about $4,000 more than a current online degree from a brick and mortar university in AZ. I chose GCU because I will have my entire MSN done in 18 months.

About For-Profit universities: Who cares? The difference between for-profit is that any excess profit goes to the shareholders, while in a non-profit organization, the excess profit (yes, even non-profits have profit) is reinvested into the business. It's the institution's Customer Service that matters.

I have a total of 3 contacts to GCU, which originally caused me concern, but is OK now:

1) Academic Advisor

2) Enrollment Advisor

3) Financial Aid Advisor

The problem is that they have a very narrow role, and whenever they try to do more, they make mistakes. I have only been a student for 4 months, and have not had a change yet.

I have been to GCU's ground campus many times, and although I have never taken a ground course, I think it would be a great school to attend.