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Nursing is one of the most competitive employment fields today. Therefore, attending a good nursing school is almost a prerequisite for anyone hoping to be hired by a hospital in the near future.
Aria Health School is one of the best choices in this regard. They can provide a top-notch education in the field of nursing and health science and allow students to receive their RN license at the same time. While entry into the school is competitive, there’s no doubting its effectiveness for aspiring nurses.
Aria Nursing is a small private school located in Pennsylvania. It’s near Philadelphia and is thus combines metropolitan convenience with a smaller town’s sense of community. Admission is fierce and competitive, and the school only has an acceptance rate of about 56%.
It offers Associate Degrees in Nursing Science to those looking to enter nursing as their career field.
Those who graduate will also receive their RN license and become immediately eligible for hire as an official nurse. This combination of degree and license makes it an extremely valuable school to attend for anyone looking to become a nurse within a couple of years.
Aria is partnered with the Penn State system and allows for easy transfers once education within Aria has been completed.
2 Year
Very small (under 1,000 students)
Students seeking to apply to Aria must complete the ATI TEAS V and tricks exam. Applicants must have a 60% score on the exam to be considered for admission to the school. This exam tests a student’s preparedness for entering the health science fields. It covers basic educational background in areas such as science, math, and literacy. This test must be scheduled and attended before the application may be accepted.
Aria requires all official transcripts to be sent to the admissions office. In addition, applicants must submit to confidential academic or professional letters of recommendation. A 500-word essay discussing success in a nursing program is also required.
Aria has two admission dates in January and September. This allows students to be admitted more frequently even if they missed the traditional January deadline that most other schools follow.
Acceptance Rate
Open Admission Policy
Dual Credit
Credit for Life Experiences
Advanced Placement (AP)
High School GPA
High School Rank
High School Record
College Preparatory Program Completion
Recommendations
Competencies
Standardized Test Scores
TOEFL
Other Tests
Tuition at Aria comes out to $5,755 per term, and each year consists of three terms. This brings the yearly tuition total to a little over $17,000. Therefore, for a full two-year education from the school tuition will cost about $34,500.
In addition to the tuition cost, students must budget for books, uniforms, and supplies. Books generally run about $800 across the entire two-year span, while uniforms and supplies cost around $500 in total. Note that these costs are not paid to Aria itself but to specific vendors or manufacturers.
Students at Aria are allowed to pay their tuition and fees in three installments, with the first installment covering 50% of all tuition owed and the following two payments covering 25% each. Students can request a full refund of their tuition so long as they withdraw by the end of the second week of the term.
Alternative Tuition Plans
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Aria’s financial aid opportunities revolve around students completing the FAFSA at the correct time each academic year. Once the FAFSA has been completed, students may be applicable for the federal Pell grant or Stafford loan.
The Pell grant is an award of money that must be put towards educational expenses. It does not need to be repaid at all. The Stafford loan must be repaid and comes in subsidized or unsubsidized varieties. Students may take both types of loans if they desire in order to cover the entire cost of education for the duration of their college years.
Aria students may also be eligible for the PHEAA Grant, which is exclusive to Pennsylvania residents. Applicants must be able to prove that they have been a Pennsylvania resident for 12 months directly before application of the school year’s FAFSA. They must also meet satisfactory academic progress.
Further grants, such as the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, are also available based on student economic need. Work-study programs are available for students that desire to work a part-time job while studying at Aria to lessen educational and living expenses.
$3610 is the average amount awarded.
$3743 was the average amount awarded.
$9609 was the average amount awarded.
Aria only offers majors in nursing science, since that is the focus of the school. Their coursework is strict and regimented and follows a clear pathway to impart the required nursing expertise upon each student.
There are several electives available for choosing towards the end of the second year of study. The rest of the coursework is filled with core science and math classes that educate students on the in-depth body of knowledge necessary to be a successful nurse in the hectic medical field. Classes become increasingly more difficult and more specialized as time goes on.
Some of the work towards a degree is practical in nature and will take place at clinical facilities either within the school campus itself or at local hospitals and medical clinics. Students must take practical courses as part of their normal schedules.
In addition, Aria collaborates with Penn State Abington. If a student desires to pursue higher education to receive a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, they may take extra coursework with credits that are guaranteed to transfer over to Penn State. After completing their associate degree, they may then continue education at Penn State and begin working immediately towards a Bachelor of Science degree.
This allows for a seamless continuation of education and helps students reach a bachelor’s level of education without having to go through a lengthy application and admission process at an entirely different school.
On-Campus Housing
Student Dormitory Capacity
As a school, Aria is supportive of its students and faculty. The school offers tutoring services that are available throughout the normal week and access to a counselor that is available to answer questions of personal or educational nature. Advisors have posted hours or can make appointments depending on student needs.
Aria also offers accommodations with learning disabilities provided that accepted documentation has been recorded during the admission process.
Aria has its own nursing library located on the first floor of the school. This library provides research materials for both the students and the faculty and has access to extensive medical libraries for the entire Aria health system. It also has resources to assist students in attempting to obtain a bachelor degree.
Aria students are automatically eligible to access Penn State Library Services.
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American Indian or Alaska Native
Asian
Black or African American
Hispanic or Latino
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders
White
Two or More Races
Race/Ethnicity Unknown
Nonresident Alien
As there is no on-campus housing, students at Aria are generally focused and don’t spend much time socializing. There are no extracurricular activities or other social events hosted by the school. Instead, students may find time to collaborate in the library or in their own homes.
Classes are scheduled between Monday and Friday and occur between 8 AM and 5 PM. During clinical days, in which students will receive practical education at a clinical facility or hospital, students will be busy between 7 AM and 3:30 PM. Clinical days generally occur twice a week.
Because of this schedule, students should expect to be kept busy and have a full week for the duration of their educational studies. Those who are able to consistently focus on a long-term goal and bring their best every day are likely to succeed.
Students are Aria are generally very pleased with their experience. Most relate that their experience was challenging but worthwhile in the end. Nursing is a very difficult career and requires a lot of personal sacrifice and discipline, as well as versatility and a wide body of health science knowledge.
Therefore, Aria’s intense course load and challenging program are benefits to students that can withstand the stress.
However, some students mentioned that studying at Aria can be difficult due to the workload and the general lack of camaraderie in the environment. There isn’t a very tight-knit student body due to a lack of housing on the school campus. In addition, many students have difficulty managing the clinical days during the week, when students are required to receive practical experience at a clinic or hospital located outside the school.
Most students are able to accept these difficulties and receive all the benefits that Aria has to offer. Attending and graduating a challenging school is sure to set one up for success, especially in a competitive field such as nursing. Many students have noted that they received opportunities in both employment and education that they otherwise may not have had they attended a lesser school or one with less experienced faculty.
Overall, Aria is a difficult school but worthwhile if you have what it takes. It is very much worth the difficult admissions process and curriculum.
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