Anyone Enrolled or Plan on Enrolling in the Galen LPN TO RN Bridge in St. Pete?

krazykristy · Jan 26, 2009

Hey Kyle,

I'm about to start the class that starts in Febuary. It seems to be a good school, from what I've heard. I was looking for a school without all the pre-reqs and waiting list. It is more expensive but I can get in and get started right away.

Kristy

NursePunkinz · Jan 28, 2009

Hi..I actually got my LPN from there, most of the teachers were good and it gave me good clinical and hands on skills. The Nurse Administrator is a bit weird and they are very strict but overall it was worth it and it prepared me for my nursing career and taking the NCLEX. Good luck

bchlver596 · Feb 4, 2009

Hi Kyle, I actually go to Galen in St. Pete. I'm in the LPN program. I think the school is great!! I really like it so far. I'm about 6 months into the program and finish in Aug. I do plan on going on to get my RN there. They hold a very high standard which is what I wanted. They are strict, so you need to be serious about making the commitment. They have an abscence policy and you need to wear a name tag. Really it's kinda like having a job. The school is a professional place, your in training for a future job. The teachers have years and years of experience in the field which really helps. The thing I really like is it's a smaller private school. It feels more like a family. They split you up into smaller groups for clinicals. I think I have 10 students in my clinical and we are all buds. We all share phone numbers and make sure we all have all of our papers done and know where were supposed to be. LOL We support each other and cheer each other on. The teachers seem willing to help and have offered extra time to those who are struggling with math (like me) LOL. The instructors I've had so far have been great. Good luck to ya..Mabe I'll see ya there. LOL

nursesw · Feb 4, 2009

I am currently enrolled at Galen. We are getting ready to take the required Hesi exam that follows ea quarter. Like the poster before stated, it is a great school and you will do fine if you focus and study and do the work required. No one said it was going to be easy but it is doable. Having your prerequisites included along with the nursing classes is definately a challenge but it can be done. I like the school bc it is small and there is more one on one if you need it. Instructors are knowledgeable and helpful. A bit pricey compared to community colleges, but again this is not a community college. If you are lucky enough to get in, be smart and do the work. Good luck with your degree.

NewGoalRN · Feb 24, 2009

Do any of you live in Tampa who go to Galen? if you do, how do you like crossing the bridge everyday to get to St. Pete? I know someone who is very interested but the bridge is an impediment to crossing 5 days a week. What are the hours for the LPN program and the days ?

grneggs · Mar 13, 2009

WOW! lots of information.... i have a DILEMMA! I need help from someone out there... I just graduated from an LPN school, and want to get into an LPN to RN program... i live in Brandon area... and wanted to know if anyone out there can give me which school to pick to do this. I don't have any of my pre-reqs that i need for RN, so the best choice for me at this point is to go to a private college somewhere in the area, and take all the pre-reqs within the program. so St.pete comm college, HCC, polk county college is out... i went to Galen, the one in St.pete, and talked to them.. they seemed fine.. said it would be $22K for fifteen months... seemed good enough... i thought they said that they were accredited.. but when i read the stuff here... someone said that they were not accredited for the RN program??? are you sure?? so you can't take the RN - NCLEX after you graduate??? don't you have to be accredited for that??? so i was planning to go there.. but the classes are from 8-5 or something... and the traffic would be HORRIBLE on Howard Franklin bridge during that time... but i'm willing to sacrifice if that's what i need to do... but sure don't want to go to school for 15 months to find out that they are not accredited yet.. so if someone who graduated from that program could fill me in on that, i'd appreciate it..

Now... my other choice is to go to GULF COAST college in Brandon area... and they said that they were accredited, and they just started the bridge program... close to my house.. but... when i went there.. they did not seem professional at all! seemed very money hungry.. and i don't know how good they are, since they have never had a class graduate from RN program yet... the first class just started in December or something.. and this school's program is 18 monhts.. and they are asking for $25K... i didn't mind the money.. but they just seemed a little shady... i just can't decide... whatever it is... i need to decide soon and start paperwork... please help me someone... it would be great if someone who has done the LPN to Rn at Galen could tell me all about them.. and if anyone from Gulf Coast could tell me a little about them would be great..

thanks..

NewGoalRN · Mar 14, 2009

Hi there, I'm not too far from you and I am finishing my last pre-reqs at HCC in Brandon. some quick points:

Galen

Rn program- not accredited but you can still sit for the NCLEX

cons- expensive, distance from brandon and bridge/traffic

if you later on would like to further your career and go for BSN, most, if not all state universities won't accept your credits

pro- not much of a wait- you can do pre-reqs ie anatomy and physiology, english, humanities, math etc at HCC and get the $22k price cut

Gulf Coast- vaguely heard of them and if I don't know much about them, then that is not a good thing as i have researched just about all the decent programs, accredited and not in the Tampa Bay area and South Florida area.

Quick advice without knowing all your details:

Enroll in HCC Brandon and take

Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs

Microbiology

Test for math and english and see where you test- Hopefully English 101 and not too low for ALgebra

Take Sociology

HCC does have a bridge LPN to RN program that begins in May. It may take you about a year and a half to complete all of your pre-reqs but the cost will be low and you still can work. Best of all, your classes will be able to transfer.

HCC offers lots of options for working and non-working students. Last fall, I took Psych and sociology in 8 wks. 4 weekends each at Dale Mabry campus /Friday 5:30 to 9pm and "Sat 8:30am to 2pm- usually we got out about 30 mins earlier. Yes, you don't have your weekends but 6 credits are knocked out in 2mths and they were all lecture classes. The teacher gave you notes and most of the exam content came from there.

This way may be longer but it is cheaper and can transport anywhere in the USA if you were to move or if you want to go further in your career.

Good luck.

P.S did you go to Erwin, Brewster or P-tech for LPN school?

NewGoalRN · Mar 14, 2009

I just reread and saw that you ruled out HCC. I would reccommend you to enroll at HH in the summer and Fall of t his year and knock out most , if not all of the prereqs that Galen has built into their program. This should save you at least several thousand dollars AND the credits would be transferable. whereever you go, you will still have to take Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab, some tiype of social sciene class i.e Psychology and or Sociology, English, Algebra, etc. These classes are ~$290 to $340 per class at HCC...a fraction of the claost at Galen but it's your choice.

bchlver596 · Mar 14, 2009

I attend Galen now. I'm finishing up my LPN and then will go on to do my RN there. From what I heard about 6 months ago was that they were working on becoming accredited so that thier classes would transfer for a BSN. I know that they were working on that. My clinical instructor had said in December that they were now accredited for transfer. I haven't actually checked with the office on that though. It would be best to call the office or email them and ask if your credits will transfer for BSN if that's what your wanting to do. They are accredited as far as sitting for the NCLEX and getting an associates RN degree which at this point is all I want. It is a good school. Hard, but its worth it. I would rather go to a school that I know has been around a while and has a stable program in place. If your going to pay that much for a program, it better be good. You don't want to sign up, pay the money and then halfway through the program the school loses thier accreditation. I know that my first quarter instructor said Galen is strict and they follow certain guidelines to stay accreditated. They can take away the schools accreditation at anytime. If you do take the prereqs. somewhere else and plan to apply at Galen...make sure you don't fail any classes and have to take them over. From what I've heard they won't accept classes that have been taken more than once. So, that means they will make you take it over AGAIN at Galen for the third time. LOL Good luck in whatever you decide!! :yeah:

NewGoalRN · Mar 14, 2009

Oh my God, I just saw all of my typos from last night!

It is always best to do all of your research and then go into the school to verify. From what I understand, Galen's LPn program is accredited but not the RN. If you absolutely did not want to go to an 'accredited' RN program and your choice was between Galen and Gulf Coast, I would say go to Galen.

Galen has a decent reputation and their LPN pass rate is very good. Their RN pass rate is not as good as SPC or HCC but it is not horrible either.

As far as transferability, I believe their classes may only transfer to other higher priced colleges like Univ. of Phoenix and the like but you may want to verify.

IMO, and it is your choice, I would try to cut down as much as possible on high loans which do not go away. All nursing program require a set of core classes, some differ on some but they all require English, Anatomy, some social science and a humanities. 3 or 4 of these classes can be knocked out at community colleges for a fraction of the cost and ALL are fully transferable at many if not all accredited schools. If you are focused, you won.t fail the classes.

I guess I don't get why someone who has time would want to invest so much in a non-accredited program at such a cost. I understand if someone doesn't have the gpa to get into HCC or SPC or is a much older student and don't have the time to go through the application process but $22k is $22k.

Whatever your decision, good luck.

PrettyPrisonNurse31 · Apr 6, 2009

Good Morning,

Well, I currently am enrolled in the LPN to RN program at Galen. I have to admit that I will start my first day in May. I went to the campus and spoke with a few students that were lingering in the hall. They all told me that if you put forth an effort, the teachers will assist you and you will not fail. Granted, they each stated it was very difficult, but most enjoyed their classes.

Well I understand that Galen is "awaiting" their accreditation, and the process is in full swing as told to me by the Director of Admissions. So, I called around to see if anyone accepts their credits in case I wanted to go back for my BSN. I was given "no" answers, until I called University of Phoenix, who guaranteed, in writing that all of my transcripts will be accepted and I will be considered a BSN student upon the first day of classes. I then asked my Director of Human Services at the Hip-New hospital I work at, and she told me that usually, if you hve an RN license, you will have a job. The facilities only look at where you got your degree from to make sure that you can and have sat for your NCLEX....which is the MOST important.

And our Director of Nursing got her MSN through the University of Phoenix a few years back, and she was a "Diploma" Registered Nurse(and the sweetest too).

So, the moral of my story is, if you really want it, then go for it. University of Phoenix will accept ALL of your credits. I know, because I have called several times :)

See ya at Galen!