A study funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reports that nurses believe cost, family/children, and lack of time are the three most significant barriers to their pursuit of advanced education. The study is part of the RN Work Project, which is a 10-year research project that began in 2006 and seeks to uncover information about the turnover, attitudes, and intentions of new registered nurses (RNs). The project collects data from nurses in 34 states who live in both rural and metropolitan areas.
According to the study, many nurses who reported cost and lack of time as barriers to educational advancement also reported feeling challenged by the idea of trying to schedule their classes around their work schedules. One of the lead investigators for the study—Christine T. Kovner, PhD, RN, FAAN, professor at the New York University College of Nursing—stressed the importance of making advanced nursing classes available to nurses at more convenient times and in more convenient places. The College Network (TCN) offers these conveniences and more with our online nursing degree programs.
By giving nurses the opportunity to earn online degrees from top universities, The College Network breaks through the barriers that deter nurses from completing traditional, campus-based nursing programs. With online education, nurses can complete their courses whenever and wherever it is convenient for them. They can work at their own pace and set their own schedules for studying and taking exams so that they won't miss out on family time or compromise their positions at work. Additionally, TCN programs can save nurses up to 50 percent over the cost of campus-based college degree programs. (See "How can I pay for my college education?" on our FAQ page for information on financing.) Nurses can also receive financial rewards for referring others to TCN programs through our EARN referral program.
Call The College Network today at 1-800-395-1014 to talk to a Program Advisor and learn more about tearing down traditional educational barriers through our online degree programs. Also, check out this post on The College Network Blog to read more about the benefits of an online education.







In my last blog post, I discussed the flexibility of our distance nursing programs where different kinds of people and learners are able to complete their degrees using the example of the Mario Kart video game series. I'd like to continue using Mario Kart as a reference point to show how things you have already done, things we at The College Network can help you with, and things you can do to avoid obstacles in preventing you from finishing your degree program.
Mushrooms - a speed boost. First off, with our Comprehensive Learning Modules, we streamline the test-out process, but we also offer other services to help as well. Now, for certain prerequisite and general education classes, we offer online testing via a webcam proctor service to help you schedule and complete courses much quicker than a traditional testing center. Also, by financing your exam fees with the rest of your learning modules, you do not have to wait to budget out test costs, we've done that for you!
Lightning Bolts - shrink the competition. For those of you that have previous college credit, the good news is that it will most likely transfer in to the program if it is from a regionally accredited school. By transferring in those credits, you can shrink the size of your program, and save time and money!
Turtle Shells - knock out the competition. Each of our learning modules arms you with a turtle shell to knock out the opponent (the courses you need). We guarantee you will pass each exam by using our modules, so whenever you shoot a turtle shell, it will be like a red one that finds the nearest competitor to knock them off. Use the practice exams in the modules to help make sure you are prepared for your actual exams at the testing center or in the online webcam tests. All in all, the modules will lead the way to finish your program and each one is a turtle shell to knock off your competition along the way!
Banana Peels - in case you slip. Banana peels are notorious for being slippery, and the same is true in Mario Kart. In life, and in these programs it is easy to fall behind, or slip up every once in awhile. This is why we offer our Academic Support team to help you stay on track. They are there to help you with curriculum questions, scheduling exams, obtaining exam fee checks, navigating the online resource center, and making sure you properly enroll and complete your top online nursing programs with one of the schools we partner with or recommend.
We at The College Network enjoy serving you to help you complete your education and lifelong goals. Mario Kart is a great game on all platforms of Nintendo video game systems, and although it may not be the first thing you think of when completing your education, maybe now you can see the parallels between your education and having fun with a game. So go out, run your race, complete your program, and come away in 1st place!
"It's the most wonderful time of the year. There'll be parties for hosting, marsh mellows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow." I don't know about you, but for me this song speaks true of how I feel about the holiday season-it really is my most favorite time of year!
This Thanksgiving, I have a lot to be thankful for: a loving husband, two great dogs, wonderful parents, good health, a roof over my head, my job, and I could go on and on. I am also thankful for the opportunity to be a part of helping thousands of nurses earn their degree.
It is a personal goal of mine to treat others as I'd want to be treated. At
When I first started at The College Network—I must admit there was a bit of a language barrier. And, probably not in the way you are thinking; so many of the terms and abbreviations were ones that I had never heard before. I was able to understand the terminology only after I studied about the online programs offered, and how our customers learned the materials.
Last week I had the pleasure of writing a success story about a customer who lives in Canada and used the help of
As I sit here and ponder what to write about, the only thing that comes to mind is the events that took place exactly 10 years ago, today. So today, I'll take a break from talking about higher education online programs through