Center for Allied Health in Hackensack

lpnserria · May 30, 2008

I'm considering attending this LPN program. I would be attending the evening classes, 6pm-1030 pm Mon-Thurs. It is in Hackensack, NJ but the director informed me that there are a lot (70%) of students that commute from NY that attend the program. Is anyone else interested in this school or has attended? Just want some opinions.
Thanks in advance! :D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

I will be attending the day classes in July. I spoke to a student who told me that most people car pool or take the train to the bus. I'm hoping to find some classmates that want to carpool after the first week of class.

I also checked out several lpn programs in NJ but decided on this one. She said that she loved the program, but be prepared to give up your social life.

MsAmbitious2336 · Mar 9, 2009

hi, im also considering attending this school and I wanted to know if u attended this school. How is the program. I s it worth the debt?

lpnserria · Mar 26, 2009

hi, im also considering attending this school and i wanted to know if u attended this school. how is the program. i s it worth the debt?

msambitious2336,

i am currently enrolled in the center for allied health in hackensack. i'm in my last trimester (it goes by fast). the program that i am in is different than the students who are now entering. i am here 5 days a week from 7:30 till 3:20pm. the new students have longer days (till 4pm?) and are here 4 days a week. the curriculum has changed slightly. i had more classes hence more exams. the new students have a condensed version combining two classes in one (example: nutrition with a&p) with less exams. the content of material learned is the same. we all have the same gpa standard “80 is an 80”. anything below means that you would have to retake the class over again. yes, a 79.4 is not an 80. with that said, all students have the same academic stress factors. now that i may have scared you, here are the other facts. the instructors in this school are the most caring individuals i have ever encountered in academia. they are knowledgeable in their fields and genuinely care for their students. they teach content (textbook and nclex) with examples from their real word situations, humor and try to relate it to the individual. i have not yet met an instructor who is not willing to sit down and help a student who asked for help. nor have i seen one who has not offered to help those who need it. clinical are just “ok”. we have different sites, each one a bit different from the other. what i like about this program is that by the 2nd week you start clinical and you get to practice what you learned. downside to clinicals? bed baths in each rotation and that you may need to carpool since all sites are not walking distance (be prepared to buy an extra uniform since they only supply you with one.) we have to watch nclex videos (your own time), pass an exit exam (with an 80, yes they provide a review) to graduate. procrastinators are warned: start early on packets if you want to graduate in a timely manner. the school offers nclex reviews and other stuff to prepare us for the boards. it is a very intense program but if you are dedicated you can make it. heck, if i'm here you can make it (lol) :up: . in a nutshell: 1 trimester difficult (adjusting stage, reality check), 2nd trimester (gray hairs appear, bags under eyes, your family may refer to you as the visitor to the household), 3rd trimester (bags under eyes may disappear, classes start to make sense(due to the knowledge acquired from 2nd trimester), sense of impending doom due to knowing that all that stands between you and graduating is an exit exam, a packet and an 80) :banghead: .

is it worth the debt? that’s a personal question that you have to answer. i will tell you a bit of why i am here: i always wanted to be a nurse. programs are difficult to get into in nyc. so i commute each day by car to get here. i quit my full time job. placed my family and social life on the backburner. my logic: it’s not a debt but an investment in me (myself). if i do well & succeed i can payoff my debt and have a career that i always wanted. are there cheaper programs out there without paying the exorbitant amount? yes. do i regret coming here? not at all. :)

good luck to you!

MsAmbitious2336 · Mar 26, 2009

Wow, thank you so much for your insight on the program because I couldn't get any information from anywhere. I am extremly enthuiastic about entering the program now. I took the entrance exam last Thursday and passed both sections, now I have an interview next wednesday and I am not nervous yet. I just have a few more questions, how was the interview. And I that even if you pass the exam that doesn't guarantee acceptance into the program. So, right now am a little worried by that because I really want to start the program next month and im ready to sacrifice my social life and everything else. Right now don t care if I have to do a bed bath, I want to be a nurse and I always wanted to be a nurse. Im willing to do what ever it takes at this point. New Yorks schools are outrageous, and I refuse to wait another year to apply for one of their programs. I have no problem with commuting everyday to NJ. How much are the uniforms and wow, we only get one. One more thing about the license, are u going to get a NJ license or NY license? Thanks so much for the information. I will let u know how everything turns out.:wink2:

lpnserria · Mar 26, 2009

the interview is a simple one. if you have done other jobs interviews you should be fine. typical questions: why are you here? what made you pick our program? etc. it's a simple getting to know you interview. they just want to make sure that you are dedicated. dress nicely and age appropriate. i was business formal. i've seen other students come in business casual to street clothes for interviews. i think you would have to put your best foot forward. first impressions... :)

uniforms cost about $35ish each. i hate being dirty so i have 3. the uniforms are all white, so it’s easy to see the dirt. we can take the boards in whatever state we want. i'll be taking the ny boards. you can always file for retroprocity if you take the nj boards.

while you do your interview you can talk to the students. that's what i did. i asked five students about their experiences. some positive some negative, but perspectives are always individualized.

MsAmbitious2336 · Mar 26, 2009

Hey Wildcatrotc, Thanks again for the information I feel a lot better about the interview now. How long did you have to wait to find out that you were accepted into the program because the adivser stated that I will be notified by an acceptance letter. When will you be graduating and where is the graduation held?

lpnserria · Mar 27, 2009

My interview went well. I knew right away. It took less than two weeks for an acceptance letter. I formallygraduate in November. I started in the summer, so my dates don't follow a typical cycle. My classes end in June. Then I have a month to prep for PNcats/ Nclex review/Videos/ packet/Exit exam. Aghh! I should be able to take the boards by Sept (pending test date assigned). Graduation is at Fairleigh Dickinson's auditorium (no affiliation to the school).

MsAmbitious2336 · Mar 27, 2009

:up:Ok, so if I start the program in April then I will not graduate until after I take the boards? so that probably will be May. Then graduation will be in June of 2010? I know that you might not know the answer to my questions...... im just trying understand how it works?

Thanks again and good luck.:wink2:

mommyof2Tees · Mar 27, 2009

Hello everyone,

Can someone please please tell me how much does the LPN (DAY Time) course cost? Thank you!:)

lpnserria · Mar 28, 2009

msambitious2336,

sorry for the misunderstanding. my program's classes end in june. i have to submit my videos, packet and pass the exit exam. you can't graduate until you pass the exit exam. then you take the boards. the 'formal' graduation where you get to have family and friends watch you wear a cap and gown is in november for me. so that means that if passed my exit exam in july, then i "graduated the program". but i would have to wait till november to get the cap gown and walk down an isle. it take about a month to two months to take the lpn boards with the state. since the state will assign you a date to take the boards.

lpnserria · Mar 28, 2009

I paid $18,000. I think they raised the price to $20,000.