Lakeview Collge of Nursing

caligirl_heart · May 11, 2009

Congrats, Amy127!

I was accepted for Fall 2009, as well, and I, too, would like to gain some insight on this school.

What are the pros and cons? What is the intensity level like? What are the instructors like?

I'm in California, so if I do decide to go to Lakeview, I have to admit that I'd be a little nervous

about moving all the way to Illinois; I've been in California my whole life, and I love it here. :crying2:

happyinillinois · May 11, 2009

Central Illinois would be a HUGE culture shock from Califorina. You would be better off going to school in Chicago.

er_hereIcome · Aug 20, 2009

I am also considering to start in Spring 2010. Would like to get more info. Anyone recently graduated ? or recently started ?

Which campus is better ? Danville or EIU ? How is the ATI Exit exams ? Are those difficult ? or can be managed with study ?

Which campus has better clinical sites ? Which campus has better labs? Any help on above will be greatly appreciated.

Neats, BSN · Jan 4, 2010

I graduated from Lakeview about one year ago. We were one of the first classes to take the ATI testing.

I can tell you the instructors are good and care about students. The sites were average for what you will be exposed to around the area if you stay and work as a nurse.

The school challenges you, I have a background in health care administration and I was challenged. I suppose it comes down to how you make your clinicals worthwhile to you. I always volunteered for something to do so I can learn. The classes can be small and fairly large but it feels like you get attention because they care. On the down side there were some classes I felt I already have had but you must go thru the requirements to get the degree.

ATI testing was harsh, but the school prepared us for this. ATI you must be able to be senario based and relate signs/symptoms to medical issues. We all had to pass with a level II. Again the school does a good job preparing you for this.

Lasty I moved from WA state as we have no programs like this one ...just traditional ADN, BSN and MSN nursing programs. The area is small, has plenty of housing, and is inexpensive. The area is farmland in Danville you have nothing better to do than study. Chicago is a 2 hour train ride after driving about half hour to get to the train station. All in all I would suggest a serious look at this little of a gem school to obtain a BSN, I am very happy I did.

newway · Jan 4, 2010

Hi Amy

I am just starting my pre req.s for MCC this semester, and I have a couple of questions for you. How was A&P 1 , and A&P II structured? I want to get a head start but don’t know what to study, bones, cells systems???? What was in A&P I and what was in A&P II?

and best of luck

pacuRN26 · Jan 5, 2010

I went there and graduated recently. Danville really sucks, I am a chicagoan so even moving from Chicago was a HUGE culture shock. We lived right by the school so we literally had to roll out of bed in the morning and get to school, if you are considering Lakeview Collegeo of Nursing, I highly suggest living in the northern part of Danville or Champaign. University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana is 30 mintutes/30 miles away from Danville, and it is much more diverse, fun, exciting because there are about 40,000 students on the campus, it is the state school, there is shopping restaurants, libraries etc. Living in danville does have the perk of you really not having anything to do so you will study, but if you plan to have a life outside of school then definitely live in Champaign, if all you want to concentrate on is studying then live in Danville. Some older students would prefer to live in Danville, while younger students might want to be in Champaign.

The teachers are variable. Some teachers are amazing, like the med surg/critical care teachers are awesome. OTHERS - not so much, very set in their own ways. However, if you participate in class, and are generally a good student they will respect you. The classes are tough, but that is nursing school after all, you just have to have the right attitude.

I know that students are located in danville, around the area have a better time finding jobs afterwards because of the connections they make in clinicals, and etc. While the students who move back to the city, or back to another state might have harder times findiing jobs because they have no connections to other hospitals. My suggestion to this is to LOOK while you are in your 4th semester and try to land a job BEFORE u take your nclex. I was totally against this at first, but I wish I could go back and change that.

I do have a job but it is not the dream hospital job I wanted.

ATI is hard but they prepare you well for it. I retained a lot of good information in nursing school, I felt like I had learned SO MUCH in just the first semester.

For clinicals, try to switch into/get into the hospital rotations and not the nursing homes, etc. If that means an extra commute to champaign in order to be at Carle Hospital, DO IT. You will get much more valuable experience. MAKE USE of your clinicals, be proactive and take initiative to forge bonds with the people on the floor, your clinical instructors, they can def help in the future for references/job prospects. Don't wait to be told to do something!

Best advice I can offer!

OasisRN · Jan 9, 2010

I too am moving to Chicago from Cali but for different reasons.

Are you moving for school? You couldn't get into a program in cali? I know I'm assuming just curious.

flakky · Feb 25, 2010

I went there and graduated recently. Danville really sucks, I am a chicagoan so even moving from Chicago was a HUGE culture shock. We lived right by the school so we literally had to roll out of bed in the morning and get to school, if you are considering Lakeview Collegeo of Nursing, I highly suggest living in the northern part of Danville or Champaign. University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana is 30 mintutes/30 miles away from Danville, and it is much more diverse, fun, exciting because there are about 40,000 students on the campus, it is the state school, there is shopping restaurants, libraries etc. Living in danville does have the perk of you really not having anything to do so you will study, but if you plan to have a life outside of school then definitely live in Champaign, if all you want to concentrate on is studying then live in Danville. Some older students would prefer to live in Danville, while younger students might want to be in Champaign.
The teachers are variable. Some teachers are amazing, like the med surg/critical care teachers are awesome. OTHERS - not so much, very set in their own ways. However, if you participate in class, and are generally a good student they will respect you. The classes are tough, but that is nursing school after all, you just have to have the right attitude.
I know that students are located in danville, around the area have a better time finding jobs afterwards because of the connections they make in clinicals, and etc. While the students who move back to the city, or back to another state might have harder times findiing jobs because they have no connections to other hospitals. My suggestion to this is to LOOK while you are in your 4th semester and try to land a job BEFORE u take your nclex. I was totally against this at first, but I wish I could go back and change that.
I do have a job but it is not the dream hospital job I wanted.
ATI is hard but they prepare you well for it. I retained a lot of good information in nursing school, I felt like I had learned SO MUCH in just the first semester.
For clinicals, try to switch into/get into the hospital rotations and not the nursing homes, etc. If that means an extra commute to champaign in order to be at Carle Hospital, DO IT. You will get much more valuable experience. MAKE USE of your clinicals, be proactive and take initiative to forge bonds with the people on the floor, your clinical instructors, they can def help in the future for references/job prospects. Don't wait to be told to do something!
Best advice I can offer!

that was wonderful information thanks.... what was the schedule like? all day monday - friday?

pacuRN26 · Feb 25, 2010

The schedule was M-F in the first semester, depending on how you scheduled your clinicals. The classes are all at the same time, for example one class isnt offered at 2 different times, its always going to be like Monday 9am-12pm or something. But clinicals can be either like at a hospital on mondays from 5pm-10pm or tuesdays 7am-12pm. So if you took the monday clinical you would have a long day, but you would have tuesday off if you didnt have a lecture that day. If you live in Champaign, you can schedule clinicals (as much as you are able to depending on the sites) in champaign.

As you move through each semester, the schedule seems to ease up, I remember one semester I had wednesdays and fridays off. which was nice for studying. However that doesn't mean the workload eases up! Hope that helps!

NIUnurs2be · Jul 2, 2010

Sorry, I know this post is a little old. But I am trying to decide between Lakeview in Danville or Charleston. I unfortunately must work part-time on the weekends in order to pay for housing, so I will need to go which ever city has the most possibilities for employment. I will be a second degree student, do you know what type of financial aid they offer?

Thank you in advance

Taurus12788 · Dec 6, 2010

Sorry, I know this post is a little old. But I am trying to decide between Lakeview in Danville or Charleston. I unfortunately must work part-time on the weekends in order to pay for housing, so I will need to go which ever city has the most possibilities for employment. I will be a second degree student, do you know what type of financial aid they offer?
Thank you in advance

did u decide which campus to go to?