Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/770187
November, 2016 l Working World l WorkingWorld.com 17 CAREER TRAINING FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIPS available to those who qualify. Just like the real world. Our BSN program is challenging and rewarding. ADVANCED SIMULATION CENTERS OVER 300 CLINICAL PARTNERS NATION-WIDE WCU graduates receive ongoing. CE discounts through our partner. company, Contemporary Forums. Learn more now—800-251-1894 WestCoastUniversity.edu To be successful in the rewarding yet challenging career of nursing, you'll need to hit the ground running. West Coast University is committed to preparing skilled and well-educated graduates who are ready to enter the work force. 1 Practice Experience is required in order to graduate from the RN to BSN, RN to MSN and MSN degree programs. The WCU RN to BSN, RN to MSN and MSN degree programs are not available to residents in all states. 2 Program requirements include 6 onsite intensives, and 650 precepted hours in order to graduate. Travel costs are not included in tuition and fees. To practice in California, graduates must obtain national certification and seek BRN approval through "Method Two". For more information about Certification application requirements, please visit the California Board of Registered Nursing at: http://www.rn.ca. gov/pdfs/applicants/np-app.pdf. 3 The WCU online nursing and MHA degree programs are offered through the Orange County, CA campus and may not be available to residents in all states. For graduation rates, median debt of graduates completing these programs and other important information, visit westcoastuniversity.edu/disclosures On Campus Programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to BSN Online Programs: Registered Nurse to BSN 1 Registered Nurse to MSN 1 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) 1 -multiple tracks available MSN - Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) 2 Post-Master's FNP 2 Master of Health Administration 3 Programs vary by campus The GI Bill is not Federal Financial Aid. The GI Bill is not considered Financial Aid in the traditional sense. College and University financial aid departments do not consider the GI Bill financial aid because it is normally paid directly to you, not the school. Most schools will require you to sign a promissory note or apply for student loans to pay them upfront. You will then be required to pay these loans - hopefully with your GI Bill payments. This also means that you are eligible for student loans, scholarships, and Pell Grants along with the GI Bill. Note: Although un-taxable, GI Bill benefit payments reduce the amount of student financial aid you are eligible to receive. Fact #3. You can stop and start using the GI Bill as needed. Unfortunately, many people believe that once you apply for benefits you have to re- main enrolled in school to get the full ben- efit. Thankfully that's not true; you can use the GI Bill for any period of time. Take time off and re-apply to use it again at a later date (keeping in mind fact number one). You can also use it as you progress to- wards your education goal. If you use your benefits wisely, your GI Bill benefits can help you finish your associates, work on your bachelor's, and later, complete your master's degree. Fact #4. A "month" of benefits doesn't always mean a month. The GI Bill benefit provides 36 months of education benefits. The term "months" can often be confusing. The "36 months" of benefits does not mean you have only 36 months to use it, nor does it mean you must use it all in one 36 month period. There are two ways the term month is used. One way is for active duty, and the other is used for veterans. The following should help you to better understand this aspect of the GI Bill. For the Post-9/11 GI Bill: If you go to classes full time for either 1 month or 30 days you use 1 month worth of benefits. For example, if your classes go from February 1 to March 15 you use 1.5 months of benefits (1 month for February - since it is a calendar month, and 1/2 month for March - since you were in classes for 15 days.) For the Montgomery GI Bill: If you are a veteran you are basically charged one month of entitlement for each month of full-time training you take. If you are on active duty and you go to school full-time for four months, but your tuition is only $1,000, you will still be charged for four months of your 36 month entitlement. In this example a "month" ac- tually does mean a month. If you are using your GI Bill for training other than college or vocational training, there are different rules. Fact #5. The GI Bill pays according to the number of credits you take and how much active duty service you have. The Post-9/11 GI Bill pays according to several factors, the main factors being number of months served on active duty and the number of credit pursued. If you are attending a public school, the Post- 9/11 GI Bill can pay your full tuition directly to the school. You will receive a monthly housing allowance and up to $1000 a year for books and supplies. The housing allowance is paid at a percentage based on your active duty service, and your credit load. The Montgomery GI Bill payment rates are based on several factors, the biggest being your credit load. For example, a full- time student using the Montgomery GI Bill will get up to $1,789, while a half-time student will only get half that amount. You can apply for the GI Bill online by going to the VA's VONAPP website and completing an online application. For more details, see the Post-9/11 GI Bill Application Process and get started using your benefits today!