Chamberlain Nursing School... Is it worth it?

Nursing Students Chamberlain College Nursing Q/A

I am beginning my nursing journey. Gathering all the info I need. Getting my classes together. Going to take my pre reqs at a community college.. Going to meet with an advisor tomorrow. My question is this: Is Chamberlain worth it for $90,000+? I'm 21 with a 5 year old son. I wrote down many questions to ask myself and one being where I want to be 5 years from now. And that is a Registered Nurse working with children at a hospital. I've been all year weighing my options about pursuing my nursing degree once all my pre reqs are completed and City Colleges of Chicago I will be waiting until Fall.

I am in no real rush to get in school but I was hoping to get in Malcolm X by the Spring or the Fall and the fact that it isn't a guarantee whatsoever kinda bothers me. I don't want to waste 2 years of my life waiting to get into nursing school whereas at Chamberlain, I could be right after I finish my pre reqs and in 2 years I will be one step closer to getting my BSN. Is Chamberlain worth it? It is CCNE accredited. I've been doing my research on this school and know a couple of people who is either attending it or have graduated from there.

Should I go for it?

I am looking at it form a different perspective than some. I'm not so worried about my loans and funding for school while I am there because I think that's negative and can be very stressful. I will worry about it when I graduate and become the Nurse I've only dreamed of.

Are there any current or alumni students of Chamberlain School of Nursing that can shed some light on me and give me more info and just help me in this journey? All is appreciated. Thanks!

Specializes in Trauma, Orthopedics.

New grad nurses in Chicago don't make enough for that to not be an astounding crippling blow. If that's the only con you have, it's the only one you need. Run far, far away.

Specializes in PCT, RN.

Good luck!

One of my good friends is a nurse in Chicago and loves it. Hoping to be there soon too and I hope to see you in the future!

Hygiene Queen said:
If you can get a CNA job with an employer that offers tuition reimbursement, you could get a good chunk of your nursing school paid by your employer.

Some employers require you to work as a nurse for them for a period of time after they pay for your school-- some do not.

I went to a community college, got tuition reimbursement and a nursing scholarship through work. My education was practically free and I was not required to stay with my employer afterward. I also had my job handed to me because they knew me and my work ethic.

Just tossing out another option for you.

That's amazing. I have a question for you. With CNA, is there schooling for that that is free? Do you think if I went to school for the year to become an LPN and did a bridge program from LPN to RN, do you think that would be a better route for me?

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
MarquieshaH said:
I wanted to see if there were other cons to look at.

Here's another con for you: Chamberlain is an investor-owned for-profit school owned by DeVry Corporation. Investor-owned schools have been under hot water and increased public scrutiny for charging outrageous prices for their educational products.

Here's a third con for you: some hiring managers and HR staff secretly toss resumes and job applications into file number 13 (a.k.a. the wastebasket) if certain investor-owned schools are listed on the candidates educational section.

TheCommuter said:
Here's another con for you: Chamberlain is an investor-owned for-profit school owned by DeVry Corporation. Investor-owned schools have been under hot water and increased public scrutiny for charging outrageous prices for their educational products.

Here's a third con for you: some hiring managers and HR staff secretly toss resumes and job applications into file number 13 (a.k.a. the wastebasket) if certain investor-owned schools are listed on the candidates educational section.

I'm so over that school now. I don't want to be in debt and paying outrageous interest rates on loans... That in itself really is enough to make me run far far away...

Hygiene Queen said:
I'm not sure about free CNA class. I worked in a nice nursing home that would hire you without being certified. You had to get certified within a certain time frame and they paid for it... but that was over 20 years ago. Some places might still do this, but I really don't know.

The Red Cross also has CNA classes but I don't know the cost (but I think it cost more than a community college-- not sure).

Our community college charges $100/semester hours (the class is 7), $25 background check fee and a $65 lab fee.

CNA Programs in Chicago City

Also, know that hospitals don't require their patient care techs to be CNA's. I think they would be more likely to hire one, though. The hospitals are the employers that typically have decent tuition reimbursement.

As for LPN to RN... that could be another option.

There's many ways to go about becoming a nurse without massive debt.

Good luck to you :up:

I think I'm going to just go speak with an advisor and see whats best for me. I do want to work and go to school and I think if I chose to go the CNA route as far as working right now, that would be the perfect experience I need to land a job after I graduate from school. I know some people have a hard time landing a job immediately due to lack of job related experience. Also, I believe if I start taking my pre reqs for the Nursing school, by the time I'm done, a year will have passed already... Which will make me closer to starting at a community college. I really don't want to pay so much for school... Thanks for your help!

Emilija said:
I'm going to give you my honest opinion. I think $90,000 in loans for a nursing degree is outrageous. Also, I've worked in Chicago for a year (I had four years experience as an RN) and I still took a hefty pay cut. I was shocked that the pay was worse in Chicago compared to where I came from. As a new nurse, prepare yourself to get the bottom pay rate. It ain't pretty.

I don't know much about Chamberlain or if it's any good, but that is a lot of money to saddle yourself with. You really need to think long and hard about this. My best friend, who is pursuing her CRNA at Rush, isn't even shelling out that much.

I honestly was just going through mood swings of feeling like I'm wasting my life away. I feel like not really doing anything now, well I just got offered a job at Wrigley Field , so thats that, but before that feeling like I'm wasting my days and then to top it off to hear that I would have to wait an additional year or two to start the Nursing program at my school of choice was just bummer for me.

I myself was looking into this school, but I have a friend that graduated from there. Although she said it was a good school, the cost isn't worth it .

Thank you everyone for your input. I am definitely not choosing that route now. That loan calculation was enough to make me run far away from this school...

WOW!!

And I thought paying $30,000 for the online RN to BSN program at Chamberlain was bad!

Specializes in hospice.

MarquieshaH, GOOD FOR YOU for thinking about this ahead of time and really evaluating what you'd be doing to your future with that much debt. I wish more young people were like you. :yes:

Specializes in ICU.

I agree with most of the other's comments here~ don't go to Chamberlain, don't take out so much in student loans! Please be aware that many employers will no longer offer tuition reimbursement. Since there is such a surplus of nurses, they simply don't have to. Some hospitals only reimburse 3 credit hours per semester, meaning one lousy class, so that would take forever to actually accomplish anything. Also know that many hospitals won't hire anyone without a BSN degree. As an LPN, you probably won't get a job in a hospital. You really need to look at what hospitals, clinics, etc., in your area require in order to get a job. Look online at their job openings and see what kind of degree you need. Good luck!

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