Got into Galen College of Nursing's LVN to RN! - Page 4

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  1. Jul 5, '09 by
    Hello all!

    I'm currently an LVN student at Galen in SA. I'm wanting to go to Galen for my RN. And I'm currently working on my application. I plan on turning it in within the next week.
    I'm about to finish up my 3rd quarter on July 24th, and then will only have my 4th quarter left. My *hopeful* plan is to turn in the app. now and start the RN right out of LVN school without having to wait.
    My question is...does anyone have an idea as to how long the wait to get in is? I know there isn't necessarily a wait per say because they start every 3 months, however sometimes the financial aid meeting can set you back because they get so swamped.
    Was it real "tough" to get accepted?
    Also, how are current RN students there liking it?
    If I'm planning on working during the RN program would you reccommend the 18 months option? It is afterall just 3 more months longer...

    Any advice/tips would be really helpful! Thank you!
  2. Jul 11, '09 by
    I applied in December and got into the January 2009 class.
    I didn't find it tough to get accepted. My LVN GPA was 3.49, but they look more at where you went to school (Galen grads are preferred). I wasn't a Galen grad, so I had to make sure I got some good references (I highly recommend getting a few of these).

    I like the RN program. I am doing the 18 month program. So far, it's been great. This next quarter I will be going to school for 4 days a week which I don't really like, but it's not supposed to be like that in the up-coming quarters. Compared to LVN school, it is much more relaxed and not nearly as time consuming.

    I would recommend the 18 month program. A lot of us started doing home health visits to work around our schedule. I'd recoommend that unless you can find a job that will give you a super flexible schedule.

    Feel free to private message me if you have any questions-- I don't mind at all :-)



    Dave
  3. Dec 13, '09 by
    I just thought I'd warn people that Galen's program is not NLNAC accredited, which could hurt your chances of finding a job after graduation and could definitely prevent you from advancing in both your career as well as your education (more and more hospitals want their employees to have at least BSN degrees but if the RN-BSN program you're considering doesn't recognize the previous education you obtained to get your RN it could be very difficult if not impossible to transfer over to that BSN program). If you were however hired after graduation, then congratulations! That's a pretty amazing feat you've accomplished considering your odds.
  4. Dec 13, '09 by
    NLN accreditation does not affect job placement, although it can affect subsequent educational pursuits. Galen is currently in the process of obtaining their accreditation, and current students are aware of this. FWIW, Indiana Wesleyan offers an accredited RN-BSN program for those who have completed unaccredited ASN programs. There are options out there.

    In addition, none of my former students have had any issues whatsoever obtaining employment. The odds are not bad at all.
  5. Dec 13, '09 by
    [quote=BBFRN;4019508]NLN accreditation does not affect job placement, although it can affect subsequent educational pursuits. Galen is currently in the process of obtaining their accreditation, and current students are aware of this. FWIW, Indiana Wesleyan offers an accredited RN-BSN program for those who have completed unaccredited ASN programs. There are options out there.[quote]

    I probably should have been more specific earlier because by "educational advancement" I actually had an NP degree in mind, and several of the NP programs I've looked into generally frown upon any prior nursing education taken at a vocational/trade school or online.

    Plus, with the high cost of going to Galen, are there that many people willing to jump head-first into another expensive program with a somewhat shady reputation? Sorry, but I've developed a wariness for online programs, especially when so many students complain about all of the red tape they encounter after graduating from one of these so-called "accredited" distance education schools (i.e., having to file appeals to the boards, taking additional tests in order to prove themselves, etc., etc.) The extra hassle just doesn't seem worth it to me. Then there are the online "professors" who almost never respond to you, and when they finally do they demonstrate poor grammar and spelling in their explanations.

    I'm not a PR rep for another school; if I was, then I'd be recommending another obscure trade school. I'm just stating what I know based on observations... and my own personal experiences.

    You'll have to excuse my cynical ways, but if I was seriously considering Galen for the RN program, I'd wait until after you've gained that accreditation, then apply, and after getting my RN from Galen, move onto a cheap, 4-year university that everybody recognizes for my BSN because there is no way I'd stop at an RN (or an LVN for that matter). Few people actually want either of those licenses to be their last anyway, because nowadays too many employers will only look at job applicants who have much more advanced qualifications. Plus, after a while, LVNs begin to feel like they're being paid in peanuts compared to what RNs make.
  6. Dec 14, '09 by
    I think it's great that you are thinking ahead regarding your educational plans, and for most people who have their lives worked out to be able to attend a 4 year university, I would highly encourage that myself.

    Many people attending nursing programs such as this in my area have lost their jobs, and they have families to feed. They have decided to complete a program that won't take as long as a 4 year BSN, so they do the 1+1 at schools like Galen (LPN the first year, then RN the second year). All the hospitals in my area offer tuition reimbursement for Indiana Wesleyan's program, so they don't seem to have a problem with it. I have heard nothing but good things about them, so I will reserve any opinions about them having a shady reputation.

    It's wonderful that you have the option of completing a 4 year degree, and I agree that you should definitely stick with your plan. Good luck to you in your educational pursuits, and welcome to Allnurses.
    shamrokks likes this.
  7. Dec 18, '09 by
    Quote from BBFRN
    I think it's great that you are thinking ahead regarding your educational plans, and for most people who have their lives worked out to be able to attend a 4 year university, I would highly encourage that myself.

    Many people attending nursing programs such as this in my area have lost their jobs, and they have families to feed. They have decided to complete a program that won't take as long as a 4 year BSN, so they do the 1+1 at schools like Galen (LPN the first year, then RN the second year). All the hospitals in my area offer tuition reimbursement for Indiana Wesleyan's program, so they don't seem to have a problem with it. I have heard nothing but good things about them, so I will reserve any opinions about them having a shady reputation.

    It's wonderful that you have the option of completing a 4 year degree, and I agree that you should definitely stick with your plan. Good luck to you in your educational pursuits, and welcome to Allnurses.
    why would you mention that indiana wesleyan's program does tuition reimbursement if you are talking about galen's program? are you saying that people should go there instead of galen?
  8. Dec 18, '09 by
    Indiana Wesleyan has a ASN-BSN program. I was suggesting it for those who have completed their ASNs at certain non-accredited schools.
    shamrokks likes this.
  9. Dec 19, '09 by
    oic, i am confused on what i should do. do i really want to spend 15-17000 at galen to be an lvn and then another 20000 to continue on with thier rn program? i went to the baptist health care system, here in san antonio, open house and they are not accredited either. the uthsc, sac, and st phillips all said that they only accept a certain amount of people every term and i can literally be waiting 2-3 years before i even get accepted. anyone have any advice? i thought about just going get my lvn with galen, but the way they set up the curriculum does not allow that. another words they put all the classes that other schools would classify as pre reqs into thier 2nd term for the rn's. so basically you would have to be an rn at galen to have some of the pre reqs other schools would accept. should i take my pre reqs now and then go to galen for the lvn so that i can transfer to another school later. please someone help me....
  10. Guide
    Dec 19, '09 by
    I did my pre-reqs at a community college, went to Galen for LVN and will start RN at the community college in May.

    Galen is great if you want to get your RN as fast as possible. You just have to realize that you will have to complete the BSN at a college that will accept Galen classes.

    By the time you'd finish pre-reqs and an LPN program you probably would have waited long enough to get into an RN program at one of the colleges you mentioned.