About to enroll...PLEASE HELP questions about entrance

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2008

Many of the expensive trade and vocational schools in CA will admit anyone who is willing to pay the pricey tuition and can pass the entrance exam. The interviews typically consist of predictable questions (Who will support you through school? Why are you interested in nursing?).

I attended Casa Loma College, located in the Los Angeles area. This school used an entrance exam called the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) which was rather basic. The math on the TABE included fractions, decimals, and percentages, but nothing outrageously advanced.

RN/Mom · Dec 12, 2008

Hi Silent Ninja,

I'm a recent graduate of one of Southern CA's top private vocational schools for vocational nursing (perhaps even the same one you are considering). Like the previous poster said, it isn't difficult to get accepted into the program if you have basic math and literacy skills, which you obviously do. If I'm recalling correctly, the math portion doesn't include anything beyond pre-algebra. As for the "interview," I would call it more of a sales pitch -- directed at you. They will tell you what a great fit you are for the program, show you (highly suspect) statistics on the employment rate and income of their graduates, and try to get you to sign an enrollment agreement of some sort that very day (which I was dumb enough to do).

Don't feel at ALL intimidated by the process -- if anything, YOU are the one who should be interviewing THEM. If I could rewind the clock, I would choose a different school. For instance, the program at my school cost nearly $30,000 when I enrolled a year and a half ago simply because it had a high NCLEX pass rate and could justify charging students that amount. If I had only researched my options better, I could have (1) gone to a less expensive private school with a lower pass rate and saved $15,000, (2) gone though an ROP program and saved $28,000, or (3) finished my pre-reqs for an RN program and patiently wait to get accepted (if I had chosen this route, I would probably be finishing my first semester).

Also, I strongly urge you to research the current and projected job market for LVN's. From my own experience, it's quite grim. As of right now, there are more unemployed LVNs in CA than there are LVN jobs. This is because the healthcare facilities are experiencing a decrease in patients (due to the recession) while they are simultaneously getting rid of LVN positions in order to achieve a higher RN to patient ratio. As a result of this "change" in the market, I have yet to find a job (or even be granted an interview), despite having submitted nearly FIFTY applications and resumes within the last two months. And, I'm far from alone. Many of my classmates have been fully licensed for 6 months and have yet to find positions. In the meantime, we have $30,000 in student loans that we are expected to start paying off.

I'm sorry to write a novel in response to your question, but I would hate to see someone else in the position I find myself in right now. I think that you are very smart to research this before "signing your life away" on the dotted line. I wish I had done the same! If you would like any details about the school I attended, feel free to send me a private message. :wink2:

Hey all, I'm just now getting ready to enroll in a Vocational School for their LVN/LPN program.
I am 25 years old.
I was just wondering, how is the entrance/admissions like at these Vocational schools?
I heard I have to go through an interview and possibly take one of those admission tests?
Can anyone give me more information on how the interview is like...what sort of questions they ask, and what type of test will be administered?
As you can see by my age, I've been out of High School for 7 years. My grammar is up to par, I have no worries about that, but I've practically lost any/all information regarding Math. And to think, Math was one of my favorite subjects in High School.
Any tips on how I can prepare? I did well in Algebra/Trig and with fractions in High School, but now I cannot remember the formulas for the life of me.
Please help. If you can give a brief and/or detailed summary of how your entrance/admissions went, I'd appreciate it. I understand there are some older students that have enrolled in the past, how did you do on the Entrance/Admissions?
Thanks all, I really hope you can help me out. This is the only part of enrolling that has me worried.

213jingle2bells · Dec 15, 2008

Do you recommend any Lvn vocational schools? I almost signed a contract with Career Colleges of America but stopped and realized they were trying to trick me to sign those Student Loans applications.For the entrance exam the guy told me do only 20 problems and he'll fill out the rest..it was weird.Then they sent me to financial aid office and the lady told me tution was $28,950 grants cover $9,862 and Student loans pay $19,477..I told her 19,477 was way over my budget and she said she forgot to deduct $10,000 a fee waiver the government had approved this yr. So my Student Loan came out to $9,477 I told her that was great!! Another Co-worker came in saying she'll take over my paper work since she ran my credit to see what loans I approve for,I asked once again to make sure my responsible loan amount was $9,477 ,she told me that it was 19,477 I asked what happened to the 10,000 deduction and asked to speak with the previous lady,the lady looked at her co-worker as if they got caught lying to me,cause she even wrote it on a paper explaining how much grants cover and how much I will owe in Loans even wrote a diagram of the 10,000 deduction but when I looked on the desk for that paper its funny how it disappeared.That was a red flag,there lack of honesty so I told them I will look over the paperwork and come back.There faces were ****** off cause I didn't sign,the financial aid lady followed me to the main office and told just about everyone in the building I didn't sign.I don't know if she was mad because I caught her lying about the tution or because I didn't sign my life away. Tuesday I'm supposed to check out Concorde, but after all this I'm nervous to look at any more schools..What school do you recommend?

RN/Mom · Dec 15, 2008

Hi Jingle Bells,

Wow. The experience you had at CCA was awful! I would definitely NOT go there.

Concorde is supposed to be one of the best private vocational nursing schools, but it's also among the most expensive. What's more, I've heard that you get dropped from the program if you fail any single body system in any given term. We had several former Concorde students transfer to our school mid-program as a result of this strict policy (which is probably also the reason their NCLEX pass rate is so high). Be sure to ask for more details about this at your appointment.

I would not recommend the school I graduated from, for various reasons (I won't mention the name here, but you may PM me for more details). That said, a lot of people do like it.

As I mentioned in my previous post in this thread, I think it's foolish for anyone to consider getting their LVN at this point in time. There are currently very few jobs to be had in Southern CA, even in nursing homes. LVN's are essentially being "phased out" and replaced by RN's everywhere. Sure, the market might reverse eventually, but do you really want to risk $30,000 in LVN student loans that it will? I am a fully-licensed, albeit inexperienced, LVN, yet I'm applying for work at veterinarian's offices this week because I can't find work anywhere else.

If you really want to be a nurse, your best bet is to become an RN. It's not worth the time or money (in most cases) to become an LVN first with the plan of eventually entering a bridge program. That's honestly the best advice I can give right now because it's what I wish I would have done, myself.

Do you recommend any Lvn vocational schools? I almost signed a contract with Career Colleges of America but stopped and realized they were trying to trick me to sign those Student Loans applications.For the entrance exam the guy told me do only 20 problems and he'll fill out the rest..it was weird.Then they sent me to financial aid office and the lady told me tution was $28,950 grants cover $9,862 and Student loans pay $19,477..I told her 19,477 was way over my budget and she said she forgot to deduct $10,000 a fee waiver the government had approved this yr. So my Student Loan came out to $9,477 I told her that was great!! Another Co-worker came in saying she'll take over my paper work since she ran my credit to see what loans I approve for,I asked once again to make sure my responsible loan amount was $9,477 ,she told me that it was 19,477 I asked what happened to the 10,000 deduction and asked to speak with the previous lady,the lady looked at her co-worker as if they got caught lying to me,cause she even wrote it on a paper explaining how much grants cover and how much I will owe in Loans even wrote a diagram of the 10,000 deduction but when I looked on the desk for that paper its funny how it disappeared.That was a red flag,there lack of honesty so I told them I will look over the paperwork and come back.There faces were ****** off cause I didn't sign,the financial aid lady followed me to the main office and told just about everyone in the building I didn't sign.I don't know if she was mad because I caught her lying about the tution or because I didn't sign my life away. Tuesday I'm supposed to check out Concorde, but after all this I'm nervous to look at any more schools..What school do you recommend?

blameitonrio · Dec 17, 2008

Concorde has a very good theory package that will serve you well if you decide to transition to Rn. We were in a sense taught as though we would become Rn's eventually. However their clinical sites - at least in San Diego - were not as good as the community colleges, due to the clout they have. It's a trade off...get your Lvn quick and transition, or wait to get the Rn outright.

Personally as a Concorde grad in 2007 I am happy with my decision and I am now transitioning to Rn through Excelsior in Texas. I have made nearly 45,000 my first year as an LVN here...not bad right? I know of course if you stay in Cali Excelsior is out but you'll get a leap for the community colleges and can make some decent money if you choose to work some as an LVN.

The other college you went to sounds shady indeed. I can say Concorde never lied to me financially. Good luck and follow your instincts with this.

Concorde..at least in 2006/2007 had a remediation policy...you could fail twice and needed a 77 to pass the remediations. If you remediated twice and failed another class you were out. In other words Three Strikes...

Those in my class who failed out simply did not study enough.

About to enroll...PLEASE HELP *questions about entrance*

About to enroll...PLEASE HELP questions about entrance