Is St. Paul's School of Nursing Worth It? Nurses Review
Image Source: St. Pauls's School of Nursing
St. Paul’s School of Nursing (SPSON) is a private nursing college in New York. The school has two locations - one in Queens and another on Staten Island - and offers an associate degree in nursing (ADN) program that students typically complete over 2 to 3 years.
This program provides a wide range of hands-on clinical experiences and prides itself on providing students with diverse cultural and professional experiences. But how do you know if they are the right fit for you? Read on to see our full review of St. Paul’s School of Nursing.
Statistics
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Private or Public: Private
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General Tuition: $21,270
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Acceptance Rate: 100% open admissions policy
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NCLEX Pass Rate: 39.5% (2022)
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Application Deadlines: Rolling admissions
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Accreditation: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
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Population:
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100% of students attend full-time
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79% female, 21% male
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38% Black or African-American, 22% Hispanic/Latino, 14% Asian, 10% White, 1% American Indian or Alaskan, 1% Native Hawaiian or other
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Source: IES
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Contact Information
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Address:
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Queens Campus: 97-77 Queens Blvd., Queens, NY 11374
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Staten Island Campus: Corporate Commons Two, 2 Teleport Drive, Suite 203, Staten Island, NY 10311
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Email: Contact Form
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Phone Number: (718) 357-0500
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Social Platforms: YouTube
Additional Info
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Total Number of Students:
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Queens campus: 813
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Staten Island campus: 710
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Graduation Rate: 48%
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Student/Faculty Ratios:
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Queens campus: 23:1
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Staten Island campus: 17:1
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Degrees Offered
Associates Degree in Nursing
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Tuition: $21,270
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Program Length: 2-3 years
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Online options available? No
Is St. Paul's School of Nursing a Good Program?
St. Pauls's School of Nursing has a 100% acceptance rate and a 50% graduation rate as of 2021. Tuition for the program is about $21,000, so if you are not sure about committing fully to a nursing program, it may not be a good fit for you.
In addition, St. Paul’s School of Nursing has accreditation by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). It is not, however, accredited by one of the two central accrediting bodies in the US:
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The Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN), or
Nursing schools must meet rigorous standards to earn ACEN or CCNE accreditation. In addition, ACEN or CCNE accreditation ensures the quality of the academic program and ultimately improves the quality of nursing education by keeping curricula up-to-date.
The university reports that graduates from their ADN program can still take the NCLEX and practice as licensed RNs in the field. However, transferring your credits to another university will likely be challenging if you decide to advance your career with a BSN later.
It is also essential to consider that the overall quality of a nursing program depends on additional factors such as individual experiences, student resources, and program offerings. It is highly beneficial that prospective students compare multiple programs before deciding.
What Do You Need to Get Into St. Paul’s School of Nursing?
St. Paul’s nursing program has a 100% acceptance rate for students with a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
Additional admissions requirements include:
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Application for admission
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Must be a high school graduate or possess a GED and be at least seventeen years of age or older at the start of the program
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Complete an interview with an admissions representative
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Earn a score of 16 or better on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam
Students must send transcripts to the registrar’s office at their local campus through their campus’s registrar email:
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Queens: RegistrarQueens@StPaulsSchoolOfNursing.edu
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Staten Island: RegistrarStatenIsland@StPaulsSchoolOfNursing.edu
How Hard is the Nursing Program at St. Paul's School of Nursing?
Student testimonies on the school website report that the SPSON program is challenging and requires excellent time management.
First and second-year retention rates for first-time students are about 77% and graduation rates were about 50% as of 2021.
Compared to other ADN programs in the country, SPSON has fewer requirements for acceptance to their program. For example, required prerequisites at SPSON include a high school diploma or GED equivalent.
Many ADN programs throughout the country are well-known for their competitiveness, minimum GPA requirements, and letters of recommendation.
Although SPSON is a much easier ADN program to get into, some students with lower GPAs who are not eligible for other schools may be more interested in this program.
What Kind of Support Does St. Paul's School of Nursing Offer Their Nursing Students?
The SPSON website reports that they offer several resources to students, including a Student Technology and Resource Center where they can find the tools they need to complete their programs. Some of the tools offered through the resource center include:
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Canvas online learning
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Zoom
The school also offers a My Campus Link student portal to access online student services and records. Students can check their grades, pay bills, obtain financial aid status, update their information, and more.
The SPSON website reports that the school has a Career Service staff that connects employers with graduates to help them find a great candidate for their facility.
The SPSON website does not mention specifics about clinical placements during the program. However, they do say that their nursing program offers an engaging and comprehensive curriculum that includes classroom work, hands-on laboratory skills, and real-world clinical experiences.
How Much Is the Nursing Program at St. Paul's School of Nursing?
Tuition and fees are $21,270 per academic year as of 2021-2022. The school also notes that costs will increase by about 1.9% in the following years.
Additional costs include:
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Books and supplies: $2,630
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Room and board (off-campus): $11,025
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Total expenses for students who pay for off-campus room and board: $40,570
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Total costs for students who live off campus with family: $28,090
To get a more specific cost analysis per student, the school has a net price calculator for prospective students.
Is St. Paul's School of Nursing Worth It?
Obtaining a nursing degree pays off for many graduates. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the 2021 median pay for nurses is $77,600 annually or $37.31 per hour. ZipRecruiter reports that RNs in New York earn an annual median income of $80,958 or $39/hr.
Remember that annual nursing income depends on various factors, including the city and state where you work and the type of facility where you work.
For example, those in cities and states with a higher cost of living typically earn more than nurses who live in lower-cost-of-living areas. New York is well-known for having a higher cost of living.
The SPSON program costs about $21,000 per year for tuition and fees, not including additional living and incidental expenses. Therefore, depending on your living situation, it may make financial sense to go to St. Paul's School of Nursing program, especially if you receive financial aid or can live with your family during your nursing program.
However, it is also essential to keep in mind that SPSON does not have national accreditation by one of the two main accrediting bodies in the US - ACEN or CCNE.
Although the SPSON website reports that ADN graduates can take the NCLEX and practice as licensed RNs, it will be difficult - if not impossible - to transfer your credits to another nationally accredited university or advance your education with a BSN or higher degree later on.
What is St. Paul's School of Nursing’s Transfer Policy?
SPSON does not mention credit transferability to or from other nursing school institutions. However, since the ACEN or CCNE do not accredit SPSON, it is doubtful that other nationally accredited schools will accept transfer credits from SPSON.
St. Paul's School of Nursing Reviews
Christina G., an ADN graduate from SPSON, stated on the university’s website:
“It was definitely a difficult program, which nursing school should be, but I gave it my all. They were always there for me, and it worked out.”
One SPSON graduate, Natalie, who graduated five years ago, left a Yelp review with 4 out of 5 stars for SPSON. She updated her review in 2021 to announce that she earned her dream job of becoming a nurse practitioner. In her original 2016 review, she stated:
“My experience was great, just like other students that are enrolled/went here, it got me and many others to where I am now, a nurse!!! It's been my dream and I've made it. I obviously couldn't have done it if I hadn't gone to St. Paul's school of nursing.”
Dawn Marie posted a December 2022 review of her experience on Facebook, stating:
“If you’re determined you will make it! It wasn’t easy but I’m happy to say I have successfully completed this program. I’m grateful for my experience at SPSON.”
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