[nurs2be2]

Hello i everybody i am new on this forum and i was just wondering if someone can help me .I am trying to start school at least by this summer and i got accepted at JCC .But i also applied to another university .My question is, is JCC nursing program as good as University of Louisville Kentucky ?Also if i go to JCC Jefferson Community Colledge i will be getting my LPN in 18 months is it worth in the end to take the 4yr University program .Please help.Thanks

[Repat]

Go to U of L, if you're accepted, and get your degree. No contest!

[MellowOne]

I'd recommend getting an Associates Degree first, and then getting your BSN later. You can start making nurse pay with the ADN, and then work toward your BSN at a hospital that has tuition reimbursement.

Don't bother with the LPN. It's not worth it.

[nursepammi]

If you need a trade and have a child to support, get your LPN and then, IMMEDIATELY afterward, continue your education and get your degree.

If you're young and single, I would suggest you stay in school to get your degree. I'm kicking myself for getting my LPN instead of waiting a bit longer to get a degree. It's been 9 years, and the "right time" to go back to school has never come along.

[nurs2be2]

Thank you very much for your advice.Okay now i am goign to be starting with my MNA be able to be accepted in the nursing program .W

[nikonos]

I went to UofL for almost two years trying to get a BS in biology, but when I burned out on organic chemistry and decided to go another direction with my life the staff there were not very helpful. The advisors I spoke with kept repeating the fact that just because you complete the lower-division courses (pre-reqs) that you are not guaranteed admission into clinicals. There are MANY people that apply to their program and they accept the best of the best. I decided to transfer to a CC to get my ADN and then let my employer help me out when I decide to get the BSN.

JCC has a solid nursing program but I would most definately try for the RN in lieu of the LPN if it is at all possible. By switiching to a community college I couldn't believe the tuition savings that came with doing so and I may actually graduate without selling my soul to pay off my loans. If you do decide to deal with UofL get started as soon as possible because they plan on hiking up the tuition more and more every semester. Best wishes in whatever route you decide upon.

[MaleRNJeff]

I went to UofL's School of Nursing (SON)--hated it! Any program at U of L is based on paying Rick Pittino and Denny Crum their yearly salaries, as well as all of the other coaches. By this I mean, students will be given one test prior to their mid-term exams, mid-terms, and then their finals--a total of 3-4 tests. The first test is scheduled a day or two before the final drop/add date for all classes. So, if you end up with a "D"--got to have a "C" or better for the nursing program, you'll probably be lulled into the, "I can turn this grade around" sense of delusion! If you decide to drop the class, you'll still be out of money for the class. Each week, starting with the first few days of classes, the amount refunded to you for dropping a class decreases to zero by the final week for drop/add of classes. So, you'll either lose money or will have to repeat the class, again--lose money! The instructors have a very caring mind set for struggling nursing students, also. When I was struggling with Patho-physiology, Pharmacology, and Med-Surg during one semester. The instructors' response was, "I recommend that you go to the media center library and look up the video on how to take better notes." In short, you'd better be the kind of student who can teach themself, otherwise you'll be wasting time and money. Go to Bellermine or Spalding for your four degree or even consider IUS across the river. I work with many nurses who graduated from the above named schools and all have said the instructors were wonderful. They have a better pass/fail rate than U of L's program.
And I agree with the other replies you've received. If you need the money, go the shortest route. But, I think JCC's RN program is just a few months longer than their LPN program and still shorter than a BSN program. So, you'll make RN's wages quicker than the BSN route. You could always go back to get your BSN with the help of any of the hospitals' tuition assistance programs. Good luck!

[BBFRN]

I agree with Jeff's assessment, totally. When I was planning on going to U of L, it took me months to get an appt with an academic advisor, and when I finally got one, the woman actually yelled at me for taking so long to get in to see her...Unless you're planning on living with your parents for the next several years, you don't want to go there. Not one staff person had it together enough to help me get started...from financial aid personnel on up. I went to JCC for a while- they are not very organized at all. Most of their student affairs & financial aid people are temp workers, and they suck quite frankly. The nursing instructors are lukewarm, but the general ed instructors are awesome- lots of them have tenure at U of K, and come down to JCC to teach. Bellarmine is an exceptional school with a great nursing program, and very organized from what I hear. If you do plan on getting your LPN, go to Ivy Tech in Sellersburg (their RN program rocks, too). Their LPN program is set up as a preparatory RN program, so you'll have more general eds, and a more well-rounded education there. They are extrememly organized & helpful. I had a wonderful experience with them during my LPN schooling.

Do not go to Spencerian, whatever you do. I hear tons of complaints from their Bridge program students...lots of horror stories there.