Cost of LVN/LPN schooling..

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 10, 2007

I will be attending a community college in Sept for a 12 month LPN program. The tuition, books, and all fees will be about $7100. The one private college in my city that offers LPN is $21,000 :eek:

I knew that if I didn't get into the CC, I would NOT go to the private college. Nevermind that this particular private college has a horrible reputation and even though the grads get hired if they pass the provincial exam, its only because LPNs are in huge demand in my area. I've heard from a number of grads of the private college "DON'T GO THERE!!!"

I hope it all works out for you!

marielee44 · May 10, 2007

This is my first post although I have been visiting this forum for some time. I can't help but respond to Ogopogo's post regarding a particular private college. I know you mean well and you are very fortunate to live in a city where you have the option of community college but I went to this private college you speak of. Yes, they are unprofessional and we went through alot of teachers but to say that we are only hired because of a nursing shortage is unfair. While my grad class certainly had some questionable nurses we also had some of the most wonderful, caring people I will ever know. There are a bunch of jobs out there that would be so lucky to hire us. Did we pay too much? Absolutely! But some of us had the drive to become nurses so bad, we were willing to go into debt. You may be surprised in your future to meet nurses who went to this college who are so good at their job you will just inspire to be like them. When it comes down to it, where you go to school is only part of what makes you a good nurse. The type of person you are, how well you communicate and get along with others, and strong work ethic are so much more important in the long run. I wish you the best of luck at school. I assume you live in the okanagan by your user name. I live the interior of BC as well. By the way you are right there are so many jobs. I have had tons of offers and have had awesome feedback on my confidence level, vast knowledge base, and my positive attitude. Nobody cares where I went to school and if they have had concerns I have proved them all wrong!

carveronica · May 10, 2007

Hello to everyone!!

I will be starting an LVN program this year through an Adult School and the cost is much lower then everyone else pays. I will be paying 2,700. It's a 18 month program. I can't afford to take any student loans out. I'm currently taking classes at a california state school. I wanted to do a quick program, but I wouldn't pay that kind of money for a LVN program. I'm currently trying to enter the BSN program. I wouldn't be done until 2010. I want to start working for my family. I have been struggling badly, so I decided to get enrolled at the adult school. I will continue taking classes at my local California state college. I want my bachelors so bad. My lvn program starts in dec and I will have plenty of time to organize my life. This lvn program is requiring you to have a cna or Medical assistant certification. I will probably be going to the American Red Cross for this certification. The Red Cross has a 21 day program. I wouldn't be taking classes in the summer.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 10, 2007

This is my first post although I have been visiting this forum for some time. I can't help but respond to Ogopogo's post regarding a particular private college. I know you mean well and you are very fortunate to live in a city where you have the option of community college but I went to this private college you speak of. Yes, they are unprofessional and we went through alot of teachers but to say that we are only hired because of a nursing shortage is unfair. While my grad class certainly had some questionable nurses we also had some of the most wonderful, caring people I will ever know. There are a bunch of jobs out there that would be so lucky to hire us. Did we pay too much? Absolutely! But some of us had the drive to become nurses so bad, we were willing to go into debt. You may be surprised in your future to meet nurses who went to this college who are so good at their job you will just inspire to be like them. When it comes down to it, where you go to school is only part of what makes you a good nurse. The type of person you are, how well you communicate and get along with others, and strong work ethic are so much more important in the long run. I wish you the best of luck at school. I assume you live in the okanagan by your user name. I live the interior of BC as well. By the way you are right there are so many jobs. I have had tons of offers and have had awesome feedback on my confidence level, vast knowledge base, and my positive attitude. Nobody cares where I went to school and if they have had concerns I have proved them all wrong!

Marilee, I sincerely apologize about how my post came off. I didn't mean to imply one bit that the students who go this college are not quality people or quality nurses!!! Just that they do not receive quality education for the money that was paid!!

I've also heard from employers of LPN's and other programs offered by this college that they don't like hiring grads of them because they know that is poor quality education. For the LPN's who come out of that college and are good nurses, it's because of who they are as people and the care they can give as a nurse, not what they learned there.

I just took my first aid pre req and another woman in that couse was conversing with an LPN who graded from that college. She works at a public LTC facility and said she was so underprepared for what the job actually entailed and felt that her education from there was very substandard and DON'T GO THERE!! I know that the community college isn't a viable option for everyone since the pre req standars are much higher and there is very limited spots.

I truely didn't mean it as a dig to any of the students from that college. BUT I think that if 2 brand new LPNs apply for the same job, one from that college and one from the community college, the one from the community college would be hired, simply because of that distiction. Not necessarily that they are a better LPN, but simply because of where they received their eduction. Employers in this city are leary of the college, but do hire the grads because the demand is so great.

:)

marielee44 · May 10, 2007

I am not going to toot this private college's horn because I know what you have heard and yes alot of it was bad but again you are assuming that I did not learn what I needed to. I am sorry but you are wrong, I felt very prepared for starting work. I have worked at a hospital and in long term care and I tell you there were no surprises. Granted, I barely missed any of my classes and had very good grades, so obviously I was very commited.

My husband and I talked about moving to either Kelowna or Vancouver so I could go to Community College but it did not make sense. I was accepted to OCC with the exact same pre reqs that were required for private college but you are right I did not want to wait for over a year.

I totally disagree that a community college grad would automatically be choosen over a private school grad because of their education. If you feel this will give you an edge when it comes to getting a job that that's great. But life goes on and there is the book world and the real world and one thing my school taught me is how to rise to every challenge and deal effectively with many frustrations. From my experence the ones who complained the loudest about the school were either kicked out or couldn't handle the intensity of the course.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 10, 2007

Marielee, I have worked in the public health care field in Vancouver and Kelowna for 12 years now. I know people in the industry. Doctors offices, LTC facilities, IHA etc. The "word on the street" is that no one likes hiring grads from SS because of the substandard education. (Not substandard people). No one will "officially" say this, but it is definately well known.

I'm am happy for you that you felt well prepared for being an LPN from SS. That is great. I've also heard the flip side. I do feel that my education from OC will give me an edge in both education, learned skills and hireability after graduation. But that's just me.

There is no waiting list at OC. You apply and they take the applicants with the highest GPA from their required pre reqs. If you don't fall into the top 50 spots (or how ever many they take), you either apply again the following intake or the following year. They don't wait list anyone. You could easily meet their required pre req marks and still not get in because there were 50 people who applied and had a higher GPA.

Best of luck in nursing and I will be joining the ranks in Aug 2008 :)

marielee44 · May 10, 2007

Marielee, I have worked in the public health care field in Vancouver and Kelowna for 12 years now. I know people in the industry. Doctors offices, LTC facilities, IHA etc. The "word on the street" is that no one likes hiring grads from SS because of the substandard education. (Not substandard people). No one will "officially" say this, but it is definately well known.
Gee isn't that nice I'll have to tell all my fellow grads that nobody really wanted to hire them they were just forced to because of the shortage!
You'll have to send word up to Kamloops, cause darn it, they are actually hiring a whole bunch of people with a substandard education. You might want to let IHA know cause they have these losers working amongst their ranks.
So much for posting on this forum and having a good discussion about nursing, because isn't that what it is really all about, not who has the highest GPA.

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 10, 2007

Good grief.

No where in this discussion am I insulting you or your classmates. Just the college. I never called anyone a loser.

I don't have the highest GPA. I probably just squeaked into OC's program with my GPA. I am grateful that I did though. I don't think the nurses that come out of SS are substandard people or nurses. Just less quality educated due to their school. I've heard it from their grads. From employers who hire SS grads, not only in the LPN program, but other programs as well. Care Aid, MOA, Legal secretary.

Please, don't take this so personally. I'm sure you and most of your classmates are fabulous LPN's. I just don't recommend SS to anyone due to their reputation and cost.

pagandeva2000, LPN · May 11, 2007

I was a graduate from the first LPN program my community college had (they had an RN program for years) and I have to say that my education was substandard, and didn't know much when I got to work as a nurse. What saved me is determination and asking questions. I had horrible clinical experiences because my professors wanted to go home. We would get to the clinical site at 4pm only to leave by 6:30pm. I do admit I was happier to leave early than stay, since I wasn't getting anything out of it, anyway. But, the expectation was that I knew more and got more clinical experience because most LPN schools provide that...NOT in my case. I hope they improve later on.

marielee44 · May 11, 2007

You called it, I am taking this discussion way too personally and I apologize for getting so angry.

On an earlier thread you posted a message about feeling like you have to apologize for "just being an LPN" and I can relate. I feel after I tell people where I went to school I have to follow it up with a reason and then it explain that I am capable of the job.

I hope you understand I wasn't trying to be disrepectful. You know its hard, you go to school and fight so hard to study enough, learn all you can, work to the best of your ability to impress potential employers on all your practicums. You give up alot of your time with your family but you know it is all going to be worth it when you become an LPN, it's your dream and your calling. You make sure you pass all your exams including the big one, never be late on an assignment and be an active member in classroom discussions. You get a job ( or two in my case) where your employer tells you what a great job you are doing and how happy they are with you.

Then you read the word on the street is no one likes hiring grads from the school you went to. I know you didn't mean for that to offend me and maybe its the truth but it doesn't feel good all the same.

I think you and I will both agree, a school with a great reputation will only get you so far, just like a school with a bad reputation can only hold you so far back. It all comes down to who you are and what you possess.

Nursing is so wonderful and right after my husband and children, it is the best thing I have ever done with my life. I wish you the best in everything you do. You are going to love school and you may find there are days when you hate it but its all good because you are about to embark on a journey that never ends. Best wishes, Take care. :nurse:

OgopogoLPN, LPN, RN · May 11, 2007

I think you and I will both agree, a school with a great reputation will only get you so far, just like a school with a bad reputation can only hold you so far back. It all comes down to who you are and what you possess.

This is oh so true. I am sorry about how my post came accross. After a few months experience, the school you went to doesn't matter anymore. I've heard many nurses say that no matter how great the school, the real learning is on the job.

I also bolded part of your quote there. I totally agree with that as well. When I was recently doing my biology 12 upgrade and memorizing all the microscopic parts of a cell and what their function is, I thought to myself "how will knowing all this minute detail make me a better nurse? Care giver?" I would much rather have a caring, compassionate and skilled nurse than one who got 100% in the best school in the country but has no bedside manner, compassion or empathy.

Continued good luck with your nursing career. :nurse:

**Elektra6, ASN, BSN, RN** · May 12, 2007

Local county vocational school in 2004-2005, my cost was $4400. It included uniforms, books, trips, etc. We got our graduation dresses too. The school had a fund for a pre-graduation party at a restaurant, it was nice. Our ceremony had food afterwards too. I felt it was worth the wait to go to this school.