American Career College in L.A

Tweety, BSN, RN · Nov 6, 2007

Moving to the California forum since you are asking a specific question about that locale.

jb2u, ASN, RN · Nov 7, 2007

Moved to CA Forum, sent to GA forum by mistake.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 7, 2007

When I checked into American Career College's LVN program way back in 2004, the tuition was $24,000.

CAlvn77 · Nov 9, 2007

I think its up to $26,000 now! I went there in 2000 and it was $16,000.

DLOAH · Nov 10, 2007

I was planning on attending ACC but I couldn't afford it the tuition is 28,000. I talked to someone who went there and she told me not to attend because the ROP schools are alot cheaper. Which is true most of them are less than 4,000 in the los angeles area

mel0701 · Dec 5, 2007

I'm going there this January and it costs $28000...I heard they are raising it again soon so I would register as soon as possible. I heard a lot of good things about it. The passing rate is at 84% which is pretty good. Concorde is higher though but the facility at ACC looks better in my opinion. :)

-Melissa

MORNINGSTAR99999 · May 18, 2008

has anyone in here attended American career college???
if so how was it and how much is the tuition cost for the lvn program!!
thank you!!
-Angel

I just recently went to American Career College and Career College of America. I went to the ACC Campus in Anaheim, California on Friday. I thought that this college was going to be interesting. I was wrong. The school's tuition is $30,075.00. The financial counselor will break it down. You need six references, a co - signer for the loans or yourself, pay $75 for the registration fee. Now you have $30K to pay. They combine the 2006 and 2007 taxes. Now if combined, you made $40K for two years, you may get less money, but still be elgible for loans (Federal Stafford Loans). I made $59K. My loans will be $3395 and $5820 - the first seven months; $4122.50 and $5496.99 - the last five months. The first seven months - I pay the left over - $7708; and the last five months - I pay - $3457.50 = $11,165.51.

ACC takes the top first 75 students to pass Fundamentals. And you need two evaluation interviews in order to be considered in. It's unclear as to what their policy is about retrying or how many chances you may have to redo a class and continue on, just as the community colleges, they have two chances. The class you're on, if you flunk any class you won't continue, but you'll continue next year after you refresh yourself to what you missed.

Career College of America is the samething as American Career College. But with them, you have to take a test after the first term is done to see if you know the material. The Admission Representative expressed about retention of that person should he or she doesn't do well on the exam. It's like a imitation of the NCLEX - PN. They don't want no failures, so they can look good on the pass rates. They have a 83% passing rate on the NCLEX - PN. And it continues on the following term. You have no idea about who is the instructor, or they're credibility, because this is where you know how this person teaches.

The community colleges is better to take the LVN courses, because you have quality instructors whose been there, they went to these universities, community colleges, and they've obtained degrees just you and I have obtained a degree. At the community college level, you can obtain your A.S. or A.A. Degree, only if you've done the general education requirements, science courses, and so on. If you haven't done any general education requirements, then you'll settle with a certificate. These schools don't have a waitlist anymore, because alot of the other students are going for their RN. They prefer to take the RN instead of the LVN program. The first year of the RN, according to the instructors, they will tell you it's your LVN program (bedside caring), and the second year is your complex RN or your critical thinking. And after you're done with the LVN, you just finish off that one year of RN. You could always go onto www.ratemyprofessors.com, click on California so it'll direct you onto the various schools in California, then you'll scroll down as your school of choice. Likes of Chaffey, Rio Hondo, Pasadena City, Long Beach City, or Los Angeles Trade Tech Colleges. I was at Rio Hondo College doing my Fundamentals of Nursing for the LVN, but I prefer going to Pasadena City College, due to their extensive classes they have: blood withdrawal and IV therapy and cardiac disrythmia classes. I wasn't comfortable being at Rio Hondo College at all. The heavy stuff will start once you've done Fundamentals of Nursing (VN 61).

There you have it. If you're really desperate of going into the LVN then you can go for the vocational schools. They are expensive, you have no idea about quality instructors, as oppose to the community colleges. Personally, waiting is worth the wait. The community colleges don't have a waitlist as before. Not many students aren't going for the LVN first. They prefer the RN program, because the pay, plus you don't have to comeback another year to finish unlike the LVN. I wouldn't want to be $30K in debt, wouldn't you? :no: All of these community colleges are in Riverside County (Riverside Community College or San Jacinto College), and Los Angeles County area. Some community colleges do require Nutrition and your CNA license in order to apply for the LVN. Only Rio Hondo College, in Whittier, they don't require none of these except take a Health Science 60 class. Everyone has a choice to make, Vocational School or Community College, you decide. This will answer any undoubtful questions. - RAY

tothepointeLVN, LVN · May 18, 2008

If you fail the first six weeks of class they send you to community college to do A&P before you can return.

MORNINGSTAR99999 · May 19, 2008

If you fail the first six weeks of class they send you to community college to do A&P before you can return.

It's kind of simple to say because getting into a coomunity college and redoing A&P - Anatomy 4 units and Physiology 4 units; Anatomy and Physiology 8 units; or Anatomy 5 units or Physiology 5 units - are classes that are hard to get in, especially if you need to take a basic Anatomy and Physiology, you have to take an admissions test (english, math and reading). Some of these courses does need prerequisites. Some schools do require you to have Biology 101 before taking Anatomy. If there is no space available to get in, then you show up, and hope to get in, because there are students that are waiting to get into the LVN, RN, Dentistry, Pre - Med, or so. If you can't get in the Fall, for example, then you have to wait until Spring when you develop some units.

Now the question to you is - when you, for example, fail the six weeks of class, do you still have to pay the amount which you initiated to pay while you were in school (ACC) for that quarter? I only was mentioning about cost. along with the difference of failing and getting another opportunity. If you fail two classes in one quarter, then you're out of the program.

I'm not here trying to discourage anyone from applying from these vocational schools, don't get me wrong. When you pay the tuition, you sign for the loans, you walk that thin line, and hope this instructor is very good. When you see the pass rates for these schools, you will see the type of school it is, but also it is up to the individual how bad he or she wants it. When I see other threads asking about these vocational school's tuition, everyone has the right to know. For mines, at least, I'm able to show the cost of this school, as oppose to someone who is in a community college, and wants to get into an LVN program, they may not know. They meaning the student. A community college's tuition is $20 per unit comparing to a vocational school $15K to $30K.

You have to find a school that has space to take Anatomy and Physiology. Nowadays, the tuition is increasing in the UC or CSU system, more students will be taking Natural Science courses at community colleges. And it makes more challenging for that student and frustration builds, because you have to wait longer. In my earlier thread, I was referring to the Anaheim Campus. I don't know if the pricing is the same since it's in a different County.

tothepointeLVN, LVN · May 19, 2008

I'm not endorsing their policy thats just what they do. Guess they figure if you have trouble getting the begining material then you need some more extensive background to begin with.

If you fail the fist six weeks you do have to still pay for it but not to repeat it (The for profit design school I went to allowed you to take a class up to 3x but had to pay a $300 admin fee)

MORNINGSTAR99999 · Mar 2, 2009

It's been awhile I haven't posted a thread. I would like to keep you updated to anyone who or still wants to go to these private vocational schools. Some of these schools have had their tuition increased. And I was a bit surprised to see this. The best schools with the high pass rates are the ones that are small, and don't show media coverage. Media coverage can be: the billboards, television, or newspaper (L.A. Times or Pennysaver). Let me give you an example to anyone who wants to attend this school in West L.A. or South Gate.

I went to Career College of America - South Gate. My goal is to becoming an LVN. The tuition for this school was $34,005. I wasn't elgible for FAFSA or financial aid only the loans (Stafford and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans). For the Stafford Loan -- $3,500 (1st. 30 weeks); for Unsubsidized Stafford -- $6,000 (1st. 30 weeks). The second 30 weeks is for the Stafford Loan ($4,500); and the Unsubsidized Loan remains at $6,000. The breakdown for $34,005 is: $17,000 for the first 30 weeks; and $17,005 for the second 30 weeks.

Now their tuition went up. It's now $35,650. The breakdown is $18,400 for the first 30 weeks (Stafford - $3,500; and Unsubsidized - $6,000). The second 30 weeks is $17,250 (Stafford - $4,500; and Unsubsidized - $6,000). After the deductions from the first 30 weeks of loans would result of a balance remaining of $9090, and the second balance of the second 30 weeks $6960. Meaning that I still have to pay the school's tuition worth. After I graduate from Career College of America - South Gate; I will be paying almost a lifetime of tuition until I start making some money.

The Financial Officer couldn't figure out the interest rate of 6.8% of $6,000. She wasn't truthful.

It's not worthwhile to pay this much; meanwhile, the school is on provisional accreditation for having low pass rates three consecutive years. I'm looking into Angeles College of Nursing, Preferred College of Nursing, or Central Nursing College. You could pay this tuition and learn alot from these schools. I'm still awaiting for Pasadena City College's Vocational Nursing selection process.