Trade Schools- Are they a waste of money? Is anyone happy with a trade school?

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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I am currently having a hard time deciding what to do. Currently, I have all my pre-reqs done to enroll in a Nursing program aside from A & P and micro. Only issue I am having is, due to budget cuts, there is a 2 year waiting list for a two year nursing program for RN.

I tried private school and was enrolled, and then they called me into the office and said I wouldn't be able to get into their program because I had to have a 3.5 (which they told my my GPA would be sufficient enough to get in before I enrolled). So, I am stuck with a trade school... I am going to try to go for LVN ($20,000) which it would seem a little more practical than paying $80,000 for an RN program. I at least can get my foot in the door as an LVN.

All the reviews I have read about trade schools are absolutely awful and discouraging. So what I want to know, is paying $20,000 for an LVN program a bad investment considering I might now get a good education? Is there anyone who goes to a trade school who is happy with the education they are receiving?

Would it be smarter and more cost efficient to enroll in an MA program (the MA program I want to go to is $8,000 without financial aid), and get a job as an MA so I have some experience?

I need some advice as to what direction to go in. I'm afraid to pay for something if I am not getting what I need out of it! I know a lot of people who feel the same way! Any advice would be awesome!

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Where in Los Angeles did you attend for your LVN ?

I'm considering one of these schools , but don't know where to go?

Casa Loma College. They have two campuses, one in Van Nuys and another In Hawthorne.

I wouldn't go for MA because they don't make enough money, it won't give you much experience with nursing, and last, majority of the things you will learn you will not use in the field I know so many people who regretted doing MA I would do CNA before MA.

I go to a Tehcnical School (not sure if technical and trade school the same thing) and I have learned a lot. It has its downs but for the most part, I do not regret my decision and my tuition is $27,000. $80,000 for an RN program? Wowww Ive never heard of an RN being that much. But whatever decision you make, good luck and always remember that your experience with anything is what you make of it.

Have you considered looking into an accreditted adult school around your area?

I'm attending an LVN program in the Los Angeles area right now (Hacienda La Puente Adult Education) and I love it. It's 7500 for the course and a little harder to get into cause of the popularity of the program. I think it's the second biggest adult ed in LA county with LA county being the first.

I was in the same boat as you are a little over year ago. My husband is military so when we moved to our new base, I found out that there was a lottery system for RN school as well as wait lists for others. So, I decided to go the LVN route with a trade school in order to have something before I left that state. I went to a trade school and don't think it was all that great. It was very expensive too. BUT, I absolutely don't regret it because I finished the program and passed the NCLEX, and now I'm almost done with my RN program. So, it was completely worth it for me. We just moved to a new state and if I hadn't have done what I did, I would just now be starting out and trying to apply for an RN program. Hope this helps with your decision!

I did a trade school and now im regretting it so much. I was half way done with my PCT when I applied to an LPN school and got accepted. Fast forward a year 1/2 and Im 23K in debt and no job! I been 3 months out of school and only 1 job interview , no one wants to hire any new grads and the so called "career services" just pulls stuff from the net. For 23k I expected more atleast tangable leads , I feel like I wasted a year of intense study and a lot of stress , money , and time to end up with a swift kick in the nuts. I could've done PCT and work in a hospital while going for my RN. My advice for anyone who is considering the LPN route , do it at a Community College where credits will transfer into an RN not a trade school where the credits dont mean squat. Now I will have to work as a CNA with 9 dollars an hr. Thats my 2 cents.

My LVN program was at a private not-for-profit trade school in the Los Angeles area that had been founded in the middle 1960s and had a decent reputation in the local healthcare community.

The RN bridge program that I attended was at a for-profit trade school in the Midwest. The school had a less-than-stellar reputation in the local nursing community, but it lead to the RN license that I have today.

I also completed a MA program at a for-profit storefront school back in 2000 when I was 19 years old, but that was a total waste of time, effort, and money since I was never able to secure employment as a medical assistant.

Overall, I have very few regrets about having attended trade schools.

What lvn program in LA did you go to !!!!! Please I need to know !!!!

I am currently having a hard time deciding what to do. Currently, I have all my pre-reqs done to enroll in a Nursing program aside from A & P and micro. Only issue I am having is, due to budget cuts, there is a 2 year waiting list for a two year nursing program for RN.

I tried private school and was enrolled, and then they called me into the office and said I wouldn't be able to get into their program because I had to have a 3.5 (which they told my my GPA would be sufficient enough to get in before I enrolled). So, I am stuck with a trade school... I am going to try to go for LVN ($20,000) which it would seem a little more practical than paying $80,000 for an RN program. I at least can get my foot in the door as an LVN.

All the reviews I have read about trade schools are absolutely awful and discouraging. So what I want to know, is paying $20,000 for an LVN program a bad investment considering I might now get a good education? Is there anyone who goes to a trade school who is happy with the education they are receiving?

Would it be smarter and more cost efficient to enroll in an MA program (the MA program I want to go to is $8,000 without financial aid), and get a job as an MA so I have some experience?

I need some advice as to what direction to go in. I'm afraid to pay for something if I am not getting what I need out of it! I know a lot of people who feel the same way! Any advice would be awesome!

Whatever you do, do not go for MA, you wont gain much experience, you would be wasting your time and money, and it would be very hard to find a job.

As an MA I don't believe it is a waste of time. You do learn things like giving injections, medical terminology, taking vitals and EKG's. Plus you get comfortable dealing with other's heath care needs. I do recommend going straight to LVN though and not spending that much on a MA program. Mine was under $1000 and I had a job paying $20 an hour before I graduated. I start my LVN program in March, but I've never regretted going the MA route first.

I would work as a Cna and go to the lpn school.You can do a CNA program in 6 weeks.Yes,the trade schools are expensive,but in my case I got accepted into the trade school immediately and I was on the cheaper schools waiting list for 3 years.In my state Medical assisting and LPN schools are both 1 year programs,I would just go right to the LPN school.

Specializes in LTC, Education, Management, QAPI.

I agree that the MA program is probably not the best route, especially if you want to be a nurse. I received my LPN training at a trade school and my RN at a Hospital Program. The trade school was *WAY* harder, it was fast and furious, but doable and I received great training. I was prepared well. Trade schools are a viable alternative and I think you'll do fine- just research the GRADUATION RATE and the Passing Rate. Not just one or the other. Each one is so different.

Specializes in IDD, Psych.

I'm currently going to a trade school and I'm loving every minute of it. My teachers are knowledgeable and do their very best to make sure every student is getting the help they need to succeed. A lot of the negative reviews that you will read out there for tech/vocational schools are from students that A) went to a genuinely bad school ( hard to be bad if your school is accredited) B) expected a free ride through school and ended up failing out because they didn't do the work. My best advise to you is contact the schools you are interested in and do tours around the campus, talk to students and staff while you are there. Good luck finding the right school for you!

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