Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

The chances of getting in without A&P are very poor-those 4 extra points weigh very heavy for getting in to the program. Metro doesn't waitlist anymore. I got my acceptance letter the last week of December, so I woas only accepted 4 mos. ago. Students are accepted strictly by grades only. There is a formula that they use to convert all your grades and then you get ranked. This time they took the top 40 grades out of the 450 some applicants. Me and one other girl are the only ones that got in without a&p, everyone else needed it for their score. I honestly didn't think I would get in, since they tell you it is virtually impossible to get in without it. I think my TEAS score really helped-I scored a 93.3%, which is one of the highest ever to come out of the school. You can succeed in the program without a&p, but it would be very difficult without some form of medical knowledge and anatomy knowledge. I have a degree in applied animal science (I have worked as a vet tech for 12 years), so I already have a pretty vast background about anatomy, without even taking the classes. I had to do animal a&p, which is alarmingly similiar (the main difference I have found so far is the pelvis is tipped forward in an animal!) If you get your CNA and TEAS done before the next application is due, you can definitely apply. I only had CNA, teas, algebra, human g&d, chem, and english when I applied. In order to graduate the LPN program, I must have A&P I&II done. Yes, I will be able to go directly into the RN program. They reserve a spot for all the LPN's in the next RN program, so as long as you pass, you have a spot in the program.
I don't know a whole lot about IWCC's program. I kind of looked into it, but I got into Metro, so I stopped. I know a girl where I work is going there and I think she likes it. I have heard from a lot of people that most programs are very self-teaching. I work at the Ne Med Center, and even the girls who are going there say the same, so I think it is like that anywhere. I know Metro is doing a lot of restructuring, so I think that is why it seems so unorganized sometimes. Metro had a 100% pass rate on the LPN boards for the last class, which is awesome. The teachers are nice, but not lenient (sp?) at all. They grade according to a highschool scale and don't round up, so you have to get a 76% at least on everything or you fail. Yes, it is VERY time consuming. Definately don't go into it thinking it won't be that hard, cause that is the mistake myself and many of my classmates made. The testing style is very different than anything any of us have ever seen. The questions are all extremely subjective, and multiple answers are correct, you just have to pick the best answer out of all of them. I know this is how they are on the state boards too, so they are just trying to prepare us for that. I have a 3 year old and a 1.5 year old and I work part-time, so it is very difficult to find time to study. Fortunately, I run best on small amounts of sleep and can stay up very very late to get things done, or else I would be in trouble. You can still have a life, you just have to manage your time well. I am doing the night/weekend program, so clinicals are Tues and Wed (pre-lab takes a couple of hours at the facility on Monday), and I have class from 8-4 every Saturday. We usually have 1-3 tests every Sat., so that kind of sucks.
As far as tuition, they told us that total expense, through the RN program, including books, uniforms, etc will be approx. $6500. That is probably the cheapest you will find in the country for an RN degree.
If there is anything I missed or anything else you want to know, just ask. I know how it feels to have a million questions and no answers!

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

YESI05, where are you taking A&PII online? Is it through IWCC? Thanks!

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

I am taking it online at bartononline...I went to the community college and graduated with an associates degree in science and did all my pre-requesetes there for their nursing program. The class is a 5hr acredited class and includes lab its 500.00 for the class same if instate or out of state student(in ks, moving to Omaha in Aug). Books are about 300.00, i'm trying to find mine used though. If you'd like to check it out you can go to Barton County Community College.com, I have often taken online classes but have always had a friend who takes it with me so we can help eachother out and this time i'm not so am a tad bit worried...the class starts May 25 and runs to July 25, since I am not applying for the nursing program till January was planning on taking it at Metropolitan and also doing my CNA so if I fail it here that is my back up plan. Are you taking the class?

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

And thanx so much for all that info and yes I have tons of questions haha I don't know anyone who is doing an LPN program but online always read how its very time consuming and how you have to read all of these chapter and test on almost the next day but am hoping to be okay for I am getting all of the needed classes out of the way to concentrate on strictly the program classes, I too will stay up all night and run on no sleep, my favorite time to study is at night I can have zero distractions to be able to concentrate. I am not sure if I will do the CNA program here its 600.00 and 120hrs and I know Nebraska only requires 75hrs plus don't want to have to retake a test for me changing states, what are your thoughts? and after I get done with it where would you recommend I apply to work? allot of cna jobs on Craigslist.com for example want someone with 6mnths experience. I worked at a nursing home and it was more work trying to stay out of the drama with the CNA's and CMA"s who work there then actually working. I worked there for 7mnths as a Activities director. I have heard you make more money as a CNA if you work for a traveling agency but am not too sure about it, I will be new to the area and am from a small town (10,000 population) so driving on the interstate scares me haha.

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

I know about small towns, I'm from one of 2000 people, so going deep into Omaha is way out of my "safe zone"! I took my CNA through Metro. I did it on the weekend-it took 5 weekends, both Sat and Sun from 8-5. That way I was able to continue working. The tuition was just regular Metro tuition and it was good for 6 credit hours. My sister took hers through Clarkson during the week and I think it took right at a month. I want to say it cost around $350. As far as a job goes, if you already have experience working as a cna, or at least in the facility, you will be one step ahead. As I mentioned earlier, I work at the Ne. Med Center. I got on there without having ever worked as a CNA anywhere. I think it helps to be able to tell them you are going through nursing school and are looking for a place to call home--they are always trying to grab up good nurses, especially those that will already be taught all their policies and such before they even become nurses. The pay at the med center is pretty decent too-everyone starts at $11.90/hr, then you get a shift diff. for nights (15% I think) and weekends (9%?). I will be working nights and weekends, so it equals out to $13.90/hr and $14.80/hr, respectively, so not too bad for a cna. I work in the cardiac ICU, and the nurses are all really great and eager to help you learn, which is nice. I know they are restructuring the way they staff cna's (or care techs, as they call us), so they have been doing tons of hiring lately. Alegent health systems are all mostly on a hiring freeze while they are restructuring. I have heard that this economy thing is hitting Alegent pretty hard, but that could just be hearsay. I don't know much about Methodist, other than that their human relations dept. is very difficult to deal with and the nurses are kind of tough on the newbies, but that also could be hearsay. As far as nursing homes go, I know there are a lot of them hiring around the area, you would just have to check around. I really like the website, Careerlink.com. It has most of the healthcare jobs available in the state on there, from hospitals to nursing homes to dr's offices--that's how I found the Med center was hiring--I would definately check it out.
Thanks for the name of the school you are taking your a&p through. If I could do it online, that would be a million times better (that way I wouldn't have to arrange day care and all that fun stuff!). Thats all I can think of for now. Just holler if I can help you more! Jess

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

You are such a lifesaver with that website thanx so much I will defenantly check it out for when I get up there. Since I won't do the nursing program at Iowa untill January I planned to work full time while doing my CNA, so Metro is the way i'll go. Your right about online classes they come in handy when your way busy, I don't have any kids (yet) but am always busy so kuddos for doing it because i'd fall underpressure :S they are way more expensive than regular classes but my gosh well worth it. Its nice to attend the class when it works out for you, I think with some people its simply making yourself get to the computer to do it thats the hardest part haha well once again thank you so much for replying to me I truly appreciate it.

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

No problem-if you have any other questions, just ask!!

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

I Have finished almost all of my pre reqs and am applying to Iowa Western. I would like to go to metro, but my current GPA is 3.6. The counselors I have talked to have told me that a GPA that low is not even competitive. =/ ...but Iowa Western has 95% passing rate for the nclex. Seems pretty good to me.

I took all my pre reqs at Metro. The best science teacher I have had was Todd Templeton. He teaches Microboilogy and A & P 1 & 2. I highly recommend him for anyone who needs those classes.

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

Hey Christina I 2 am applying at Iowa Western and I 2 noticed that the school had 95% of passing and that oh man this is the place but someone informed me that metro had 100% passing :S. My GPA is 3.5 so I don't stand a chance at metro haha, the last class that I need is A&P 2 which I am taking online this summer but if I don't pass it I will 4 sure take it at Metro. I am living in KS right now but moving to Omaha in August and I don't know anyone there besides my bf so all I know about the schools there is from me researching online and calling them and having them mail me their info so have no idea what teachers are good or not. I am applying for the January LPN program and yourself?

Re: Iowa Western Community College vs. Metro Community College

I know of a couple people who are going through Iowa Western and like it. In my opinion, we all take the same boards, so as long as you can pass, the school doesn't matter. I think the reason Metro has such a high pass rate is because they basically only take students who will bust their butt to pass and get good grades (all 4.0 students), so it is practically guaranteed to have a great pass rate. A 95% pass rate for IWCC is awesome, I hope you both enjoy the school and do very well!!!