Bellevue College 2011 hopefuls

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Thought I would put this thread up for those of us who have applied to BC RN program.

I know we won't find out until mid-April if we made it or not, but how did everyone do on the TEAS test???? I have heard alot of horror stories about test scores.

I am not knocking the quality of the BC program, and to be sure they have the opportunity to teach things that they want students to know coming in, which would be an advantage. However, unless you are telling us that the students who did not get CNA training at BC (and went somewhere else) were unable to learn, pass, and become competent qualified nurses, then BC (being that it is much more expensive and at night only) is not a viable option for many of us. Especially since CNA training is not covered by any kind of financial aid. For those of you who can afford the extra and do nights go BC! For those of us who cannot, if you made it through pre reqs, have the drive, and get into the nursing program, I expect you will do just fine regardless of where you get your CNA training.

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Specializes in RN, Retired.

I'm sure than many of the students who took it elsewhere will make it through just fine, especially the ones who are already working in LTCs or hospitals. But be aware that you may be playing catch-up and having to put in extra independent study time to do so. If that's what you have to do to make it convenient or inexpensive, so be it. But choosing to do so won't carry any weight with the instructors if you don't know everything they expect you to.

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knowing this in advance means that we could potentially buy the bellevue text for CNA and get ourselves up to date though. To me, that is way worth knocking out my CNA training in 10 meetings that work with my schedule.

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Bandaide, you make it sound as if the instructors give preferential treatment to those that went to BC. Is this the case?

Perhaps it was just poor word choice on your part but cost and time availability are not just about being "convenient or inexpensive", words I suspect any single parent without help would never have used. Childcare availability is not a matter of convenience, and cost is a real life factor for those of us who are living below the poverty level while we attend school and raise children. The few hundred dollars must not seem like much difference to you, and it is nice to be in that position, as you seem to be, however not everyone is.

Having to work harder and learn more on your own, to catch up with those who had the option to attend the more expensive, evening only classes at BC, to me is not a reflection on ones choices in a negative way (as your tone seems to come across). If anything it speaks more of the student who is struggling through. It is always easier to make it when you don't have to consider such things and have not been confronted with such positions.

Unless I missed it, no one suggested that the instructors would or should give weight to the fact that those playing catch up are doing so because they chose CNA training elsewhere, your tone just comes across as very snotty, like those of us who go elsewhere could have gone to BC and just choose not to. Reminds me of the kid who lives at home and whose parents pay for school rolling their eyes at the kid who has no help and is working full time while they attend.

If I had my choice, I would go to BC for my CNA training (for many reasons). However it is not an option for me and I suspect many others are in similar positions.

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Anyone check their mail today? I was just wondering if it would be a disappointment to run home on my lunch.

And to cstatic: I'm taking my CNA through a cheaper program here in Bellevue. I think if you have enough experience working in the field, it really shouldn't matter where you take it. I also work full-time and it is the only way that I can make it work. Don't worry about it!

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man i just want these dumb letters to come now more so to ease my anxiety haha, i've been checking my mailbox like a mad person all month. my mail hasn't come yet today, how about anyone else?

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The mail has come and gone! Nothing...

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Yeah nothing in the mail here either. That whole early April thing was bogus! I am also probably not going to be able to swing taking the CNA class at BC. I'm looking for a weekend program and found one in Burien. Does anyone know of any other weekend ones?

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Specializes in RN, Retired.

Cstatic, I'm sorry that you find my attempt to give students a heads-up offensive to you. The instructors do not favor students because of where they took their CNA course, they have expectations for certain knowlege and experience. Some schools do not provide that to their students.

I do realize that real life often dictates what we are able to do. I thought it important for applicants to realize that if they have the option, there are differences in programs (BC is pretty specific given that the large majority of the student in the CNA class are planning to go into nursing, and to go beyond having a career working in a LTC so that the information given is focused toward application to nursing practice). Being single, having small children and limited financial resources does make going to nursing school more difficult. My classmates struggle with finding child care that starts early enough in the a.m to make it to clinicals, or that stays open late enough if they are assigned to evening clinicals. There are extra books that may be helpful that are an added cost (we share with our classmates or they use the library copies.) Some students have financial aid that will cover the BC CNA class because it is a credit class, whereas the for-profit schools are not for credit, so that could affect their choice of program. Not all applicants to BC will have the above issues - for them, they may be able to choose a program without the same restrictions, and they are not acting "snobby" because they have the option. They have a right to know the differences. Median age in my class is over 30 - most have had prior careers and some like me have had to take the time before applying to save up what we need to make it throught the program.

When you start a program, and I suspect that all programs are as equally intense and time consuming as Bellevue, you will likely find that there are not enough hours in the day to get everything done and still grab a few hours of sleep. All of us in my class agreed on that. I don't know where I would have found extra time to study more on top of what was assigned. I hoped to let people know so that those who might want to prepare over the summer could do so. Thankfully, we have learned to study smarter and in a more time efficient way and are not as sleep-deprived or stressed out.

RoseRNhopeful, you can look online on the bookstore course web site to find the title of the book. If you have a problem, let me know. I bought mine on Amazon, as it is much cheaper. That's true of most of your nursing books as well, but there are a few you need to buy through BC in order to get the online access with the book that you will need for taking some quizzes and learning modules. The ATI book set is included in your tution and you only have to buy it the first quarter and that includes taking the ATI exam for the course at the end of the quarter. If you want to buy e-books, you can get them as a package with your hard back ones for 80% off. I don't know if you can get only e-books or not. The publisher's rep didn't have his act together to order the package through him, so we had to buy just hardbacks in order to get the reading done before the beginning of the quarter. If I rode the bus every day like some of the class, I would really want the e-books. I think that there are copies of most of the books in the library but some are on reserve so you would have to study there. Thankfully, once you buy books for the first quarter, that is pretty much it for the first year. We bought one more book for second quarter, but I didn't use it much. I know we have one or two more to buy in second year, but it won't be a big expense like with first quarter.

Good luck! I hope you get your letters soon!

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Thank you for sharing. I got my CNA about 15 years ago and haven't worked as a CNA for about 12 years. I do have a CNA class textbook. Wat exactly should I know from the book? I don't want to waist my time with the whole thing. I would appreciate your input.

Thanks,

Sandy

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please let today be the day! if not, then i'm sure the reason this has been taking longer than projected was because they had to figure out how to go about dealing with two different test versions.

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Nothing in the mail again :(

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