Online College Degrees

Over the course of 4 years, I met with hundreds and hundreds of LPNs, LVNs, ASNs, and BSN nurses.  All of them interested in moving forward in their career and earning a higher level nursing degree.  One of the most crucial points of meeting these nurses is when the transcripts came out.

What courses will transfer so I will know what I have to take?

One of the hardest things was when a nurse realized that some of her college credits were not going to transfer.  There are different reasons a college course will not transfer.

1. The college you went to was not accredited.  This is mostly true for degreed nurses, or for nurses who did not attend a traditional college.
2. The course they took was more than 7 or 10 years old.
3. The course you took is not “quite” the same as the one the new college requires.
4. You didn’t have a lab with the science class.

Those are the main 4 reasons.  Other technicallities may arise, but those are the ones you need to be aware of.  So, let me address each one.

First, if your degree is going to be worth anything, it must be accredited. No exceptions.  That means the courses you took must come from an accredited college.  If you took Microbiology from a school that wasn’t accredited, it is quite likely you’ll have to take it again.  Check on your accreditation with the school you attended.

Second, every school has the right to regulate what courses they will accept and what they will not.  Much of this is dependent on the age of the course. Many schools will not accept courses that are more than 7 years old. This is because technology and science changes.  The college course you took in the 1990’s is different than what is being taught now.  Be prepared if you have some “aging” courses, you may be required to take them again.

Third, every college may have their own twist on how a college course is taught.  Therefore, a college course you took may be “similar,” but not the same.  The college admissions of the school you are applying to has the right to say the descriptions do not match.  Worse case scenerio is you have to take that course again, but the course you did take in the past can still possibly transfer in as an elective instead.

Fourth, and you know this.  Science has to have labs.  There are still some colleges out there teaching science classes without labs.  They won’t transfer and you will be have to take that class again.  This is true mostly if you are going from LPN to BSN.  Some ASN to BSN programs will allow it.

Here’s the bottom line (in my opinion).  Colleges and Universities are businesses. They have boards of directors that set their degree plans, as well as state and federal guidelines to follow. If you want to earn a nursing degree from a particular university, then you must follow their rules if you want their name on your degree.  They have the right to say yes or no when it comes time to transfer courses.  They’re not just being mean. 

In the big picture, it may require you to take one or two extra courses to complete your degree.  Don’t get lost in the details.  Look at the big picture and get your degree!