Desperate for advice on LPN programs, Tampa

centralflorida · Sep 2, 2007

Keiser also apparently has an LPN program in St. Petersburg - same set up as Galen, it's way more expensive but you get in quickly. I have a friend who goes to Keiser in Lakeland and loves it.

I would do what I saw another prospective student on these threads suggest - call the human resources departments at local hospitals, and ask them if they've hired nurses from Galen and Keiser, and what they think of them.

Also - some hospitals will pay off at least part of your student loan, in exchange for you signing a contract saying that you will work at that hospital for a certain amount of time. Before you sign a contract like that, of course, you would want to check around and make sure that you like that hospital, and that the salary they are going to pay you is worth it.

centralflorida · Sep 6, 2007

Also, Sharil, there are Brewster and Erwin in Tampa - same idea as PTECH - much cheaper than the private schools but it takes a lot longer to get in. You probably would not be starting school any sooner than next summer, and maybe not until next fall. I guess the question is, is it worth it to you to pay an additional ten grand to get in to school right away versus waiting a year. It might be - a year is a long time to wait. On the other hand, you could always work as a CNA in the meantime and if you were working at a hospital, you'd already have an in when you went to hunt for jobs, and they might pay for you to go to LPN school.

furturenurse · Sep 10, 2007

What about Erwin Tech School? My tuition in total was $2800 about that price and is a very good school.

jbtampa · Nov 2, 2007

I am at Gulf Coast College in Tampa. 17K. Instructors range from good to totally awful, and they have generally one year or less of teaching. Turnover is very problematic there. Cannot recommend.

APBT mom, LPN, RN · Nov 4, 2007

I am at Gulf Coast College in Tampa. 17K. Instructors range from good to totally awful, and they have generally one year or less of teaching. Turnover is very problematic there. Cannot recommend.

I almost went there until they called me and told me that I had to bring $750 to orientation on top of the $150 a month that they said I had to pay once I got into the program "to make my loans cheaper." I got into to Erwin instead and I only have to pay $3800 for everything.