I would seriously think twice before choosing Concordia's ABSN program. In my experience, the…read moreprogram is very unorganized, communication is inconsistent, and the support system for students is extremely lacking.
I don't think the biggest issue is whether you can pass your classes. It's possible to read the assigned material, study for exams, and maintain good grades. But nursing education should be about more than being able to pass a test. You should be able to question whether the program is actually giving you the knowledge, skills, confidence, and clinical preparation needed to become a competent and well-prepared nurse.
For me, that was the biggest concern. I was doing well academically, so my decision had nothing to do with being unable to handle the workload or difficulty of nursing school. It was about the quality of the education and the lack of support I felt I was receiving. Nursing school is already demanding, and when students are paying close to $65,000, they should not feel like they have to teach themselves everything just to get through the program.
I expected a structured program with consistent communication, accessible faculty, and a strong support system. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. A lot of the learning felt like being given a textbook and being expected to teach yourself the material. Even in lab, there was not always a clear or structured approach to teaching the skills. At times, it felt as though students were expected to already have a certain level of knowledge or experience rather than being properly taught and guided through the material. Even asking questions could feel difficult, which made it harder to build confidence and actually understand what we were supposed to be learning. For a program preparing students to care for real patients, I expected much more hands-on instruction, guidance, and support.
The overall structure of the program was also frustrating because the faculty are very unorganized in what they communicate to students regarding policies, class rules, expectations, etc. Even the textbooks used across different courses could present important clinical information differently, which can become confusing and conflicting when you are trying to develop a consistent understanding of information that is critical to assessing and caring for actual patients. Going into the program, I understood that it was a hybrid structure; however, when I took a campus tour and specifically asked about the format, I was told that we would be in class at least three to four times a week for classes, not just for labs and exams. Other students had been given the same impression and were also surprised by the actual structure of the program. It felt like a completely asynchronous program, which isn't at all ethical for nursing. The difference between what was communicated beforehand and what students actually experienced added to my concerns about the program's overall organization and transparency.
Overall, my biggest concern is the quality of preparation students are actually receiving to become skillful nurses. There is a significant gap between the knowledge and skills I obtained here compared to what I have seen from students coming from other nursing programs, and that difference is concerning when the end goal is to provide safe, competent patient care. There are many other horrible reviews about this program that I wish I had seen before committing. The amazing and rewarding feeling of getting into a nursing program with a challenging acceptance rate disappears once you experience its structure.
