Concorde Aurora LPN training

tsalagicara · Apr 10, 2009

Hello! :) I first started out at Concorde in Aurora for their LPN program, last year. I don't want to say too much here, but feel free to PM me. In a nutshell, though, I would personally not recommend them at all. Not just for the price (which has gone up to $28,000 and they seem to raise the price every academic year) but also for all the drama (which I admit that every nursing school has - but Concorde's seemed excessive to me) and gossip that nothing was done about, obnoxious behavior by other classmates during class and lab, cheating on tests, teachers that don't seem to care, etc, etc. There are a lot more reasons as to why I left, though, including that I became very ill. The program lasts 13 months and is a M-F, 8:00 am - 3 pm kind of deal. Clinicals start in the middle of the 2nd quarter. A new LPN class starts every 10 weeks, I think. Now, not every class of students is bad and there are some really good teachers in the bunch. The program and schedule works for a lot of people and some love it, but it doesn't work for everyone. However, if you have no children (or if you do, you have reliable daycare) and don't have to keep working full time while going to school, it could work out great for you. It is true that there are no pre-reqs required in order to start. The pre-reqs are rolled into the program. You do need to go through a couple of interviews, get a passing score on the NET, and have financial aid set up before you can start. I guess I did say a lot after all, huh? Well, regardless, feel free to PM me and I wish you the best of luck on your journey! I hope you get into the program that is right for you. :nurse:

pearl77 · Apr 10, 2009

Cara, :)

Thank you for your reply. I cant figure out how to send you a PM.

Could you send me your email adress?

theFretfulStudent · Apr 10, 2009

I was in the LPN program at Concorde for 3 sessions before I switched to the RN program. The LPN program was GREAT and I learned a lot. The RN program was kind of a nightmare but still worth it. I really recommend the LPN program.

PSchmidt68 · Apr 18, 2009

Could you elaborate on the RN program, why was it a nightmare?

theFretfulStudent · Apr 18, 2009

Huge organizational problems as well as high instructor turn over. We had instructors even leave us mid-session. All of this is understandable but the administration was down right rude about our concerns and often left us to deal with their messes. We were as flexible as a people paying $40,000 should be expected to be and they still treated us like garbage. I have to admit the education we received wasn't bad, but we were certainly spent those 16 months waiting for them to drop the ball. :angryfire

PSchmidt68 · Apr 18, 2009

I am a Medical Assistant and we had the same concerns at Cambridge College, that was 7 years ago and now it's not Cambridge anymore. We actually had an instuctor who in the middle of the Phlebotomy clinical leave the room, to talk to his girlfriend on the phone, while students started to draw blood! He lasted a week and I believe that we went through 3 instructors for our MA class.

When did you graduate? Do you feel your education has helped you as a new nurse? BTW, did you have to take the Wonderlic test at Concorde along with the NET? Would you recommend Concorde now?

theFretfulStudent · Apr 18, 2009

I think my training was actually pretty adequate but I cant find a job.....so who knows. :cry:

I would recommend it if you are willing to deal with some drama, and we took the NET. I cant remember what the minimum score was.

IlikeBoB · Apr 18, 2009

Huge organizational problems as well as high instructor turn over. We had instructors even leave us mid-session. All of this is understandable but the administration was down right rude about our concerns and often left us to deal with their messes. We were as flexible as a people paying $40,000 should be expected to be and they still treated us like garbage. I have to admit the education we received wasn't bad, but we were certainly spent those 16 months waiting for them to drop the ball. :angryfire

When did you attend?

theFretfulStudent · Apr 18, 2009

For the RN program? From Aug 07-Dec 08

Still no job....grrrr.

IlikeBoB · Apr 18, 2009

For the RN program? From Aug 07-Dec 08
Still no job....grrrr.

I am going to be attending the next session for the RN program in May. Other than the instructor changes how would you rate the program overall (inlcuding clinicals, course layout, other students, etc). Also, if you don't mind me asking, you don't have to answer if you don't want to, but how many students would you say that you know didn't find jobs after graduating from this program?

Thank you so much! I want to mentally prepare myself to expect the worst but hope for the best for this program.

theFretfulStudent · Apr 18, 2009

The training itself is good, and I feel that we have very competitive clinical training. I even had small rotations in an ICU and an ER (very uncommon for ADN students.) If you are willing to never know where you are going to be the next day or if you will get a call at 5am telling you to be at your clinical site in an hour then you will be just fine. The other RN students were great, some of the other programs were.....a little disrespectful. There were fights and people selling clothes out of the trunks of their cars or blaring music which was pretty foreign to me.

I know many of my classmates found jobs but only a couple ended up in a decent hospital spot. Most of them are working long term care or corrections because they had to pay the bills. Jobs will come back so that is not something you should worry to much about. Hell we even had a girl hired right into a NICU! It is a good idea to work as a CNA in a hospital while in school if you happen to have a license. Just know the first year of work may be in a less than ideal situation. Also, if you are offered a job during school TAKE IT. I passed one up thinking I would be working in a hospital and now I really regret it.

Hope that helps!