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| No. 10 | 
May 24, 2005, 10:46 PM
Updated
May 24, 2005 at 11:17 PM by Princess74
Originally Posted by CHARMIN i live in the virginia beach area. I have heard horrible things about MCI. You should research them in detail before you decide to go. From my understanding their pass rate for the boads is 51% (the past year). One of my instructors said the only requirment to get into the school was to have a temp of 98.6. it is very expensive and not a lot of clinical time. I go to Sentara school of health professions. It's very demanding and a hard curriculm, but it's worth it. Sentara owns just about all the hospitals in my area so we have a great deal of clinical time and the school is very respected. It is very competitive to get in and even harder to stay in, but they have almost a 100% pass rate for the boards. I believe it was 98% this past year and 100% the year before. Good luck to you!
It is very expensive. However I have heard some good things about them and they are listed as one of the top schools for nursing on many online sites and also listed in the top nursing programs book for the United States. (cant think of the name of it, they have it at barnes and noble) They told me the pass rate for the boards was 95% and I checked into that with the Va BON and that # is correct. How many clinical hours do you get a sentara? We get 556 clinical hours. Which does not sound like many now that I think about it. I've already signed up so theres no getting out of it now. I'll just have to make the best of it. I plan on getting a job as a CNA as soon as I am able to get certified, so that I can get some extra experience.
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 11 |
May 25, 2005, 07:44 AM
 ecpi, mci
I had my physical and tb done a little before i got accepted. I already had my hep series. I only needed a tetanus. I am taking my drug test today. I have heard a horror story for everyones nursing program. I am pretty smart so I am not worried about passing boards. You have to study for everything. Take what you learn, get the nclex study books and test yourself everyday prior to taking the test. If you have not looked at other options then you might regret paying so much so soon. I have taken all gen. ed classes except microbiology and am still on the waiting list. Time to get started for me. The only thing I can say is that it is a waste of money to take English, A&P and Develop Psy at MCI rather than at a commnity college where it is 9 times cheaper. They transfer to mci with a b or better.
| | No. 12 |
May 26, 2005, 09:23 AM
Mci
I have applied to the school, and they stated that I need to take 2 prereq classes of Chemistry and Computers. At that point I would know if I am accepted or not. I wish I knew a little sooner if I am in or not. They have all my transcript from HS and college. I have already gone to school to be an EMT, and hope that I have enough background to have a little jumpstart.
No concrete schedule yet, no books, but have started studying already for the Chem and A&P.
Wish me luck on getting financial assistance and getting in.
| | No. 13 |
May 26, 2005, 06:24 PM
Today @ clinicals there was a group from mci. Again, I just hope everyone who is planning to attend mci, has really researched the school and has correct expectations. The students had to tell the instructor who they were and when they were suppose to graduate. I was just shocked she had no idea who they were by name. Then when one student told her they were graduating in 9 wks the instructor looked at her paper and said " well we may get some nurses out of the class." Our instructor was shocked and so were we. We had to meet in the activity center at 7am (we were going to the trac pod so we didn't have to be there at 6:30). when I arrived @ 6:50 the MCI students were in lobby already. Well, even after we were given report and began care, they were still waiting. they did not even get a patient until after 10 am. they were reading newspapers, talking to each other, talking to us when we would go by them. They told us that this happens to them all of the time. the school is unorganized. Our instructor said they were just on the verge of closing a year ago b/c of accreditation issues. It was taken over by new people who said they would revamp the programs. Out of the 11 students who were there 7 of them said they applied to our school but couldn't get in so they went to MCI. I'm sure that's why they are so expensive. I just believe it's wrong to take advantage of someone else's dream like that. MCI's instructor was asking our instructor where things were and how to get pt assignment and what our clinical competencies are! my class graduates in december, the mci group said they graduate in 9wks, so it was shocking that they were suprised that we do 2 pt care now. they are still doing 1 pt care. I'm not knocking the students of MCI, i'm sure they are all wonderful people. they were nice and pleasant to us so i am not bashing them. I think the school has some issues and i'm just letting you know what i know. and i don't know everything about them b/c i've never attended there. i do know that in this area there is a vo-tech program that is very good for RN and LPN. it's cheaper and it's really good. Had i not been accepted where i am now, i would have applied there next. I have a friend who just graduated from Tidewater Tech and she can't get a job in this area. Most of sentara hospitals are now only hiring LPN's from Sentara school b/c they said the quality of the other schools are not to standard. i heard this at a meeting with human resources when they came to the school. one month before graduation the mgr's from the floors of the hospitals come to a brunch to meet us and offer positions so we have a job when we leave and they call the school all the time looking for grads. b/c of this Sentara is about to start offering night classes, just to meet the demand. I heard too that once you sign up w/mci you are responsible for the tuition so you can't just back out, even if classes haven't started yet. is that true? that's really shady in itself. this is just my 2 cents. again good luck in whatever school you go to. just be informed so no one can walk over you.
| | No. 15 |
May 26, 2005, 09:10 PM
ecpi
Sounds like they do things a bit different there. Did you not have to take a nursing admissions exam? I had to take the TEAS test, very similar to HOBET. If you pass, then they will allow you to go furthere with the admissions process. If you do not pass,then you are allowed one more shot to take whatever section you falied and then you are out. Just like most universities and comm colleges. The A&P should count as your chemistry- If you had highschool chemistry less than 10 years ago then your comm college might allow you to go ahead and take the A&P. One of the schools in my area wanted college chem and bio and the other school accepted my highschool chem- so I went there and took my A&P instead and transferred it to MCI. Good luck- and I would probably shop around if the MCI's in VA have a bad rep like everyone in the forum is saying.
| | No. 16 |
May 26, 2005, 09:33 PM
Originally Posted by CHARMIN Today @ clinicals there was a group from mci. Again, I just hope everyone who is planning to attend mci, has really researched the school and has correct expectations. The students had to tell the instructor who they were and when they were suppose to graduate. I was just shocked she had no idea who they were by name. Then when one student told her they were graduating in 9 wks the instructor looked at her paper and said " well we may get some nurses out of the class." Our instructor was shocked and so were we. We had to meet in the activity center at 7am (we were going to the trac pod so we didn't have to be there at 6:30). when I arrived @ 6:50 the MCI students were in lobby already. Well, even after we were given report and began care, they were still waiting. they did not even get a patient until after 10 am. they were reading newspapers, talking to each other, talking to us when we would go by them. They told us that this happens to them all of the time. the school is unorganized. Our instructor said they were just on the verge of closing a year ago b/c of accreditation issues. It was taken over by new people who said they would revamp the programs. Out of the 11 students who were there 7 of them said they applied to our school but couldn't get in so they went to MCI. I'm sure that's why they are so expensive. I just believe it's wrong to take advantage of someone else's dream like that. MCI's instructor was asking our instructor where things were and how to get pt assignment and what our clinical competencies are! my class graduates in december, the mci group said they graduate in 9wks, so it was shocking that they were suprised that we do 2 pt care now. they are still doing 1 pt care. I'm not knocking the students of MCI, i'm sure they are all wonderful people. they were nice and pleasant to us so i am not bashing them. I think the school has some issues and i'm just letting you know what i know. and i don't know everything about them b/c i've never attended there. i do know that in this area there is a vo-tech program that is very good for RN and LPN. it's cheaper and it's really good. Had i not been accepted where i am now, i would have applied there next. I have a friend who just graduated from Tidewater Tech and she can't get a job in this area. Most of sentara hospitals are now only hiring LPN's from Sentara school b/c they said the quality of the other schools are not to standard. i heard this at a meeting with human resources when they came to the school. one month before graduation the mgr's from the floors of the hospitals come to a brunch to meet us and offer positions so we have a job when we leave and they call the school all the time looking for grads. b/c of this Sentara is about to start offering night classes, just to meet the demand. I heard too that once you sign up w/mci you are responsible for the tuition so you can't just back out, even if classes haven't started yet. is that true? that's really shady in itself. this is just my 2 cents. again good luck in whatever school you go to. just be informed so no one can walk over you.
I have never heard anything bad about MCI from anyone other then you but your scaring the hell out of me. lol
I think its probably just that every school saying bad things about the other schools programs. I have heard bad things about Sentera's nursing program from people who actually work for sentera. I personally dont like how they own EVERYTHING here and although I know they do have some great hospitals I hope to get on at portsmouth navel. The pay is much much better than Sentera.
I have heard the best program in this area is ODU. But who knows. I just hope you are wrong about MCI. And yes you can drop out of the program once you sign up as long as you do it at least 10 days before class starts.
| | No. 17 |
May 27, 2005, 05:01 AM
Actually the best nursing program in this are is @ Norfolk State University. At one time they had the best program on the east coast for nursing. What i wrote earlier was not to put MCI down at all, I was just informing the person here who asked about the it the experience i encountered yesterday and what i've heard. am i saying Sentara is the alpha and omega? no. but it is a really good school for nursing here. The only complaints anyone has there is that it's tough. But i'm sure everyone feels their school is tough b/c nursing in itself is tough. Again, all i said was to research the school to make an informed decision. I didn't mean to offend anyone. I apologize if I have in any way. I only said what i would anyone else to tell me if they knew. i researched sentara a lot before i applied. I asked a lot people about the program b/c i wanted to know the good, the bad and the ugly.
| | No. 18 |
May 28, 2005, 08:38 PM
Thanks for giving me more information about other schools and what to be careful about. I asked for a syllabus early, and they would get it too me within a few days so I could study what I need to concentrate on.
If I did withdraw from classes I would not be billed the full amout, only partially as to the percent of classes finished.
They offer the only accelerated program here in the area for RN, 18 months. Not only have I not started the classes yet, but my military husband is already stated that we will be moving again. We got here last Aug. If I am accepted, I would be staying here without him only for a few months until I graduate. So, the accelerated program as compared to a regular schedule will be helping me.
Take care all
| | No. 19 |
Jun 02, 2005, 11:46 AM
Mci
Hello everyone. I just thought I might be able to add some insight to what you were discussing. I attend the MCI program in Newport News. I am taking the LPN portion of the program since this campus just also began the RN program. I am hoping to bridge sometime after I graduate, but probably somewhere else. Yes, it is more expensive that getting your training somewhere else. However, this was the best option that fit into my family's hectic schedule (3 kids and a husband). There seem to be some issues that bother others more, I just try and take it all with a grain of salt. I'm enjoying things for the most part-except that our class tends to complain about everything. I'm in the evening program so our clinicals are in the evenings and every other Saturday during the day shift. We've always gotten our schedules for the next term closer to the end of the term. It has all the clinical hours noted on the calendar, etc. Also, from what I understand, our school has had a pass rate for NCLEX of 98% for the past four years. I think that's pretty good! However, every school is different (instructors and directors, etc). I hope this has helped you with some questions/concerns you may have, but please feel free to ask me if you have any more! I would be happy to help!
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I am moving back to Illinois once I get my Rn anyway. And you are so right about having a voice and not allowing the school to screw you over. I am not paying that kind of money to go through hell. I am 28 years old.-Been there done that. I will get a quality education and compare and contrast their program with the NCLEX-PN book to be sure I am where I need to be. I will be damned I am sitting around waiting for instruction like a fool. That is just crazy and those girls are stupid if they allow that to be the norm. This is my money and my career. You will be treated as stupid as long as you are willing to take it. Ask my A&P instuctor- thought he wasnt going to teach until I questioned him to death one lecture, and then the rest of the class that was just as lost as I was started questioning him to death. It was all over from there- he ended up being an excellent instructor. 
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