As a former student, I believe Jessicas account, because I saw it in action. I was fortunate enough to have found favor with the instructors, but several friends were not so fortunate. You could be doing fine in the academic/theory classes, but if your clinical instructor takes a dislike to you, youll fail the semester. Its very easy to fail a student during clinicals, if thats your goal, since these students are new at this and typically quite nervous. If youre looking for reasons to send a student home for failing in some way, it wont be hard to find one.If you fail a semester at Watts, you have the choice of repeating the semester at your expense (very costly), or going elsewhere. Their courses do not transfer to other universities, so its a total loss.One fellow student failed two semesters, and she had nothing to show for her Watts experience but many thousands worth of student loan debt. She enrolled in a for-profit nursing school, and did become an RN. She ended up working at the same hospital as me and is a fine nurse. I never felt she was treated fairly at Watts.Also, I later became better acquainted with a former member of the faculty at Watts. She was a credible source. She stated that during the weekly staff meetings, another instructor used to laugh and talk about which students we made cry this week. I wasnt terribly surprised, as some of the faculty at that time seemed to take delight in tearing students down. I think its their actual philosophy. Like boot camp. Its an idea whose time had come and gone, and is perhaps meant to make one a subservient employee who wont challenge the treatment they receive from employers. The instructors who did not treat the students so disrespectfully tended not to stay long.I did become a nurse, and Watts prepared me well for passing the NCLEX. Sometimes Watts students can get the idea that they are somehow special, as it is the oldest nursing school in North Carolina, its pricey, etc. However, Ive worked with nurses from every educational background imaginable...BSN university grads, community college ADN nurses, LPNs, you name it. Most are great nurses, and they were as well prepared (if not better) for real world nursing as I was.I dont regret attending Watts, as it enabled me to build a career within a relatively short time frame (2.5 years), and there was none of the suspense of waiting to see if Id been accepted to a program after having already attended one to two years at a conventional college or university. I was able to subsequently complete an online BSN, but at a state university. I already had enough debt from Watts to go back to them.One word of advice for anyone considering nursing school... Adopt the following as your temporary mantra, at least until you graduate:Youre right, Im wrong, what can I do to improve?

My experience with Watts was honestly one of the worst experiences of my life. The teachers are rude, not helpful and have favorites and if your not “one of their favorites” then they will do everything in their power to fail you. I worked endlessly throughout this program just to stay alive. I spent hours devoted to my work and studies and they still tried to fail me. On homework assignments I would get a zero with no explanation and when I went and spoke to the professor she said that my work was “too good and that of a fourth year” so I must have cheated on the assignment. After highlighting all the information in the box that I used and going to the head of the school to fight this I was finally able to turn that zero into a 50. With my experience I would recommend that no one offers to do something in clinicals. One would think that that would help them stand out but no the professors do not like it and will use it as a chance to fail you for the day. Overall, I will warn anybody that uses to go to the school because it will not be a pleasant experience. It will be filled with blood sweat and tears (That of your own) and leave you in debit. With how much it cost, the experience and emotional abuse was NOT WORTH IT. Despite following all their rules and policies I was never good enough for these professors and I am grateful to be done with that hell and out in the real world were I actually learned how to be a nurse.

After being accepted to Watts, completing all the University of Mt. Olive/ Watts School of nursing requirements with an acceptable gpa, Watts School of Nursing rescinded my RN acceptance due to missing one week of class. I missed that one week due to Active Duty military training. My professor allowed me to make-up the final exam when he recalled I had spoken to him on the first day of class about my future military obligation duty. This class was the last of my 18credit hours with University of Mt Olive. Watts took the last of my G.I. Bill and all of my NC Tuition Assistance for the year. The school has no military policy and discriminates against reservist and veterans (which I am both). The school is not accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges so they could not aide me in re-admission. Watts School of nursing is a private entity thus they have no affiliation with the 17 public colleges of the University of NC System for Higher Learning thus they could not aide me either. University of Mt. Olive said I could continue at their school as long as I meet entrance to whatever program I was interested in, but that is not beneficial to me because I have a B.S. in Biology from Meredith College and an Associates in Mechanical and Electrical Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. I moved to NC because I desired to become a RN and this state claims to support veterans. Ongoing, I even contacted the NC Board of Nursing to file a complaint against Watts, but because they do not deal in admission policies of nursing schools; and I had not official started the first day of RN classes the NC Board of Nursing could not aide in my re-admission and/or receiving a refund for the needless courses at the University of Mt. Olive. Furthermore, I tried speaking with the Veterans representative at the VA hospital where I work. He listed several avenues to try but they were to no avail. Also, I spoke with the JAG attorney on my base. We researched if my dismissal was discriminatory, the conclusion was that it is. We researched if it was against federal and/or NC State law and whether or not Watts actions are a violation covered under USERRA. Long story short, my week of annual training was not long enough to be consider a infraction of the law. Thus, as Watts School of Nursing President Peggy Walters explained, We can take our admission back from anyone, for any reason at anytime without explanation! So buyer beware... Vets please dont come here!!!!!!!!

Pros- networking with Duke & Duke Regional hospitalCons- She may have retired by now , but the Assistant Dean (looks like Skeksis off the Dark Crystal) is rude and will look you right in the face and refuse to answer back with hello through her little tight crusty lips. However, she will drone on and on with speeches. Shes also inconsiderate of students time. Had a meeting with her and she just kept conversing with her friend and kept me waiting for 10 minutes.* Costly, mandatory 18 credit requirement at Mount Olive even if you already the pre-reqs required for class.* Each semester is about $6, 500 once you end up in nursing classes you graduate with one measly credit that equates to a general nursing class that will probably only transfer as an elective if you do not finish all 4 semesters.If you fail theory or clinicals- they dont let you just retake one, they make you retake everything even if you pass theory or passed clinicals, you have to retake everything. Thats another $6,500 for the retake.* Clinicals- Subjective and also teachers tend to have favorites* Curriculum- Overload of busy work, work that doesnt count as a grade but if not done, will count against you.