Make Sure You’re Not ComparingAPPLES TO ORANGES

Going back to school at any point in your career is a big step, but this e-book will help make the decision a little less intimidating.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Going back to school 3

Determining total credit hours 4

Evaluating the cost of school 8

Time to completion 11

We are here to help you 14

Who we are 15

About American Sentinel University 16

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It is a major investment of time and money to pursue an advanced degree, and you want to make sure the sacrifice is worthwhile. That’s why it’s so critical to carefully weigh every component of the decision.

However, as you might expect, it isn’t easy to make an apples-to-apples comparison of different schools’ programs.

This e-book can help you do just that.

At American Sentinel University, we are committed to helping students successfully navigate the educational journey. That journey begins with researching your options and making the choice that is best for you. Before you read through the pages that follow, consider this question:

What are your priorities?Answering this question is a critical step in the process of selecting a school. After all, the school you choose is where you will spend the next year (or more) of your life. Are you looking for the most affordable option? Do you want to complete your degree in as little time as possible? Are you seeking an online school or a classroom-based program at a college in your area?

The number of choices can be daunting, but don’t worry. We’ll go step by step and help you understand what you need to think about when comparing schools. Using our School Comparison Worksheet on page thirteen, you will be able to evaluate your selections side by side and make an informed decision.

GOING BACK TO SCHOOL

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DETERMINING TOTAL CREDIT HOURS

When you are comparing schools one of the very first questions you should ask is this:

“How many credit hours (courses) will I need to complete in order to earn my degree at this school?”

This sounds like a simple question; however, there are many factors that affect the answer. Ask these five questions of every school that you research:

1. How many credits can I transfer for past college courses I havecompleted?

2. Are there general education requirements? If so, what are they?

3. Are there pre-requisites to complete before I begin my selected major’scourse work?

4. How many total credit hours (courses) will I need and what does mycomplete degree plan look like?

5. Are there any non-traditional programs offered? If so, how are theydifferent from the traditional programs?

Here are American Sentinel University’s answers to these questions:1. TRANSFER CREDITS – American Sentinel allows the following amount

of credits to be transferred:

Bachelor’s Degree of Science in Nursing (BSN): Up to 90 credits

• The number of credit hours you receive for past general educationcourse work taken depends on your transcripts, but we award transfercredit for courses in our four general education categories

• Communication Competency

• Humanities

• Behavioral and Social Sciences

• Science, Mathmatics and Information Technology

Master’s Degree: Up to 18 credits

MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner and MSN, Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner: Up to 9 credits

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Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): Up to 6 credits

American Sentinel also takes your professional experience into consideration – most of our students bring tremendous life experience and knowledge to the classroom – knowledge that may have been acquired both in and outside of the traditional classroom setting. We consider the following sources of life experience and transfer credit:

• College credits

• Professional work and life experience

• Military training

• Credit by exam or test out

• Professional certifications and licenses

A maximum of 75 percent of a student’s completed BSN degree requirements and 50 percent of Master’s degree requirements can be earned through a combination of prior completed college course work and life experience transfer credit.

The bottom line is that life experience and transfer credits can reduce the total cost of your degree and the time needed to earn it.

An American Sentinel admissions advisor will work with you to evaluate your transcripts and determine if past course work you have completed can be transferred.

2. GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS – All BSN degree studentsmust complete 30 credit hours of general education course work. Theexact courses you will be required to complete will be determined onceyour transcripts have been evaluated. You can choose from a range ofcourses in our general education categories:

3. PRE-REQUISITES: Our RN to BSN and RN to MSN students educatedoutside of the United States must take ENG105 Beginning Writing astheir first course. This is the only pre-requisite. You may begin yourdegree course work immediately and complete your general educationcourses concurrently or even after your degree specific courses.

Communication Competency 6 credit hours

Humanities 9 credit hours

Behavioral and Social Sciences 9 credit hours

Science, Mathmatics and Information Technology 6 credit hours

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For our Healthcare Management programs any pre-requisites will be determined at the time of your evaluation – the evaluation committee will take into consideration any life experience and transfer credits you may have. You will most likely be able to begin your degree course work immediately, but a detailed course plan will be made for you to ensure you have a successful journey at American Sentinel.

4. DEGREE PLAN AND TOTAL CREDIT HOURS: Once American Sentinel

receives the necessary documents (your application, resume, copy of your RN

license if applicable, and official transcripts), you will receive an email from an

admissions advisor with a degree plan.

This plan shows all courses from your transcript that will transfer in and all

courses you will need to take. This will be your guide for earning your degree.

Total credits needed to graduate:Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing Degree: 120 credits

Master’s Degree: 36 credits

MSN, Family Nurse Practitioner and MSN, Adult Gerontology Primary CareNurse Practitioner: 42 credits (Plus 585 clinical hours)

Doctor of Nursing Practice: 42 credits

Infection Prevention and Control Certificate: 15 credits

MBA Healthcare: 36 credits

5. NON TRADITIONAL PROGRAMS: American Sentinel offers threenon-traditional programs – a certificate in Infection Prevention & Control (IPC),RN to BSN Powered SIMPathTM, and Post-MSN Nurse Practitioner certificate.

The IPC Certificate program consists of five courses that give students the skills to assess, plan and manage infection prevention and control efforts within their organizations and communities. The program can be finished in as little as ten months (assuming the student completes one course at a time).

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Our RN to BSN Powered by SIMPathTM program allows nursing students to complete online competencies at their own pace (instead of structured courses in 8-week terms). You can choose innovative ways to show your skills (create a graphic vs. writing a paper), and the program also utilizes digital simulations as learning tools. With this program, you are in control of the speed in which you earn your degree. You pay 16 weeks at a time and can advance through the competencies at your own pace. This can save time and money because the program can be finished in less than a year.

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EVALUATING THE COST OF SCHOOL

For many people, cost is one of the most important factors to weigh when choosing a school.

TuitionThe simplest way to compare schools’ tuition pricing is by calculating the cost per credit hour for each institution. Some schools provide this up front while others charge tuition by the semester. When you know a school’s cost per credit hour and the total credit hours you must earn to complete your degree, your projected tuition cost is a straightforward calculation.

American Sentinel University’s cost per credit hour for our BSN program is $420. Our cost per credit hour for our master’s programs is $545. Our cost per credit hour for our DNP programs is $750. And our cost per credit hour for our certificate program is $545. Our BSN Powered by SIMPathTM degree is $3,000/semester.

Assuming you are pursuing a BSN degree and will need to complete 30 to 60 credit hours – depending on the number of general education transfer credits you receive—the total tuition of the program would be $12,600 to $25,000.

Keep in mind that some schools charge a flat tuition fee per semester or term. If so, be sure you understand how many courses you plan to take each semester (taking into account your work and family schedules) and how much this equates to on a per credit hour basis.

For example, if a school’s tuition is $4,000 per semester, and you can complete four courses (12 credits) per semester, that equals a cost per credit hour of $333. Some schools are on a quarter system and they charge per quarter hours. This can be a tricky conversation. American Sentinel admissions advisors are happy to help with this comparison.

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FEE TYPE AMERICAN SENTINEL FEE

Application fee $0

Resource fee* $200 per 12 credit hours

Graduation fee* $150

Book costs $150 per course, approximately for new books

New student resource fee* $100

Test out fee $300 per test, $400 at the graduate level

Prior learning assessment fee $300 per course, $400 at the graduate level

Late course registration fee $50

Course extension fee $65

Lab fees, uniform fees, nursing program fees and other similar fees (for on-the-ground programs)

N/A

Technology fee $0

Other feesThere are other fees you’ll need to pay. Ask an American Sentinel Admissions advisor about any program specific fees.

*Mandatory fees at American Sentinel

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Scholarships and other financial aidLastly, you should consider the options to finance your education. Here are several questions to ask any prospective schools:

• Do you offer federal financial aid?

• Do you offer an in-house payment plan?

• Do you offer other benefits, such as military tuition scholarships?

• Do you have any hospital partnerships that might help me with mytuition?

Here are our answers to these questions: • American Sentinel does accept federal student financial aid.

• We provide an in-house payment plan option to all students. We offerzero percent financing with a down payment of $500 or more.

• American Sentinel provides both active and non-active duty membersand their spouses a military tuition scholarship. American Sentineldoes participate in the various VA Education benefit programs as wellas Tuition Assistance for active duty military members.

• American Sentinel is an education partner to more than 170 healthcarefacilities around the country. Students at these organizations receivereduced tuition rates, tuition deferment and other benefits.

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Like most prospective students, you probably have a timeframe in mind within which you would like to complete your degree program. Perhaps your employer has mandated a deadline for when you must earn your degree, or maybe you have a personal goal that you want to achieve. Whatever the case, you can get an approximation of your degree completion date once you know the number of credit hours (courses) you need to graduate.

When evaluating schools on time to completion, be sure to ask these questions: 1. How many total courses do I need to complete to graduate?

2. How many courses can I take per term (and how many can I realisticallyhandle per term)?

3. Do I need to take courses in a particular order? If so, are coursesavailable when I need them based on my degree plan, or are they onlyoffered during certain terms? And how often are courses offered?

With this information, you should be able to map out your degree plan and establish a target completion date of your degree. Here is what you need to know about American Sentinel University:

1. TOTAL COURSES – A total of 120 credit hours are required to completea BSN degree, 36 credit hours are required for a Master’s degree, 42credit hours are required for a Nurse Practitioner degree(plus clinical hours), 42 credit hours are required for a DNP, and 15credit hours are required for a certificate. Remember, since up to amaximum of 90 credit hours can be transferred for a bachelor’s degreeyou may only need to complete 30 credit hours (10 courses).

2. COURSES PER TERM – Our courses are eight weeks long and require12-15 hours of student’s time per week. If you work full-time, werecommend taking one course per eight-week term to start. If you planto attend school full-time, two courses per term may be feasible for yourschedule. And because our courses are offered every month, you canoverlap classes and work on up to four at a time. Our Nurse Practitionerstudents need to plan on an additional 16-20 hours a week for clinicalhours.

TIME TO COMPLETION

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3. SEQUENCE OF COURSES – If you have general education coursesto complete you are not required to complete these prior to starting onyour degree specific courses. For example, with the nursing coursesthere is a logical progression we recommend for students. And sinceAmerican Sentinel offers every required nursing course every singleterm, this makes it easy for you to complete your degree within yourdesired time frame.

American Sentinel University

School 2 School 3

Affordable cost per credit hour • Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing – $420 per credit hour or $3,000 for 16 weeks for RN to BSN Powered by SIMPathTM

• Master’s $545 per credit hour (plus $3,000 for clinical fees for nurse practitioner program)

• Doctor of Nursing Practice – $750 percredit hour

• Infection Prevention and ControlCertificate – $545 per credit hour

Accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). Nursing bachelor’s and master’s Programs are accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Our Doctor of Nursing Practice program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN). Transfer credit accepted for prior general education courses that align with our school’s curricula. (BSN only)No pre-requisites; you can start your major’s classes before taking general education courses. (BSN only)A dedicated student success advisor who partners with you one-on-one throughout your program to provide guidance and resources.Prior learning credit for professional certifications and work experience.

Tuition Rate Lock-In Program.

Flexibility and convenience of online learning. Designed for the working professional.

Engaged faculty who are active in healthcare

Most courses offered monthly

Term start dates Every month

Class size• BSN: Max 30 students• Master’s and IPC Certificate: Max 30 students

• DNP: Max 25 students

Duration of classes 8-weeksSIMPath complete at your own pace

Complimentary student success resources • 24/7 librarian services• Ongoing success webinars covering

topics with which students struggle• Free one-on-one tutoring services• Free writing center• Career Center

My dedicated admissions advisor’s nameMy dedicated admissions advisor’s phone numberMy dedicated admissions advisor’s emailNext steps 1.

2.

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When it comes to choosing a school, American Sentinel University is committed to helping people make the right decision for them: is our school right for you? There are many schools to choose from and a variety of elements to assess, making it difficult, even scary, to make a choice. We understand.

Our admissions team is here to help you manage the process from start to finish. While we are excited to welcome students to our programs, it is more important to us that students find the school that fits their needs and goals best. Going back to school is a major life decision, after all. Our goal is to ease the process.

Learn more about American Sentinel University’s programs atwww.americansentinel.edu. You can also learn more about our admissions process at www.americansentinel.edu/admissions.

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU

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• AccreditedAmerican Sentinel University is accredited by the Distance EducationAccrediting Commission (DEAC), which is listed by the U.S. Departmentof Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency and is arecognized member of the Council for Higher Education AccreditationIn addition to our institutional accreditation, American Sentinel’snursing education bachelor’s and master’s programs are accredited by theCommission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Also, theAccreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) has awardedaccreditation to American Sentinel University’s Doctor of Nursing Practice(DNP) program with specialty tracks in Educational Leadership, ExecutiveLeadership, Informatics Leadership and Professional Leadership.

• FlexibleAssociate, bachelor’s and master’s courses are online and designedfor working professionals, giving you the convenience and control toparticipate in classes around your busy schedule.Classes are eight weeks in length and start monthly.

• RelevantOur curriculum and immersive learning technology fosters course andprogram comprehension, which leads to immediate application at your joband a lasting impact on your career.

• AffordableOur competitive tuition rates and flexible payment options allow most ofour students to graduate debt-free.

• PersonalOur MySentinel™ Student Support shapes the student experience fromadmissions to graduation with a distinctive personal approach.Each new student works with a dedicated success advisor who helps youregister for courses and guides you through to graduation.

WHO WE AREAbout American Sentinel University

American Sentinel University is an innovative education leader that serves the healthcare industry. Our faculty provides professionals with the critical thinking, knowledge and relevant skills that drive healthcare transformation in nursing, informatics, technology and management, so they can improve patient outcomes and system efficiencies.

We are:

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American Sentinel University

admissions@americansentinel.edu

1.866.922.5691

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Consumer disclosure information: www.americansentinel.edu/doe

ABOUT AMERICAN SENTINEL UNIVERSITYAmerican Sentinel University delivers accredited online degree programs in nursing (BSN, MSN, and DNP) and healthcare management (MBA Healthcare). Its affordable, flexible bachelor’s and master’s nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), of One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 530, Washington, D.C., 20036. The DNP program is accredited by the AccreditationCommission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) of 3343 Peachtree Road NE,Suite 850, Atlanta, Ga., 30326. The University is accredited by theDistance Education Accrediting Commission, DEAC, 1101 17th Street NW,Suite 808, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 234-5100, www.deac.org.

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