Did I take the bait (for profit school)?

[golson]

I'll try to keep this concise, since most of you probably interested in my life story. Also, if it isn't annotated in your profile, can you post whether you're a student or nurse in your response? I've seen a lot of posts here that are making me question my decision to go the for-profit route for my school.

After a stint in the military and some time as a defense contractor, I'd realized that I wanted to move back home to MN, where I'd have to start a new career. I found that I was interested in healthcare, having performed some low level medical tasks here and there in the military (most complicated stuff we trained on were starting an IV and needle chest decompression) and found that I wasn't extremely queasy. A BSN seemed like the way to go. I applied to the University of Minnesota up here and was denied. This wasn't that much of a surprise since my HS grades were terrible, although I was hoping the 31 I got on the ACT, my veteran status, and the fact that 12 years had passed since I had been a student would factor in would swing it the other way. My backup plan was initially to go the CC route and hope to transfer to the U of M's BSN program, but I'd also found Herzing's BSN program about that time. I did some initial research and found that:

- They are approved by the state BON and accredited by CCNE.

- NCLEX pass rates for the first two graduated classes since the program was launched are 83% and 88%.

- Clinicals are done with an established local health network.

- Its a full 120 credit program.

To me, this passed the sniff test, but I've seen a lot of comments about for profit schools on here. I looked at student reviews for Herzing, and found many complaints across the country (its mostly an online school, but the BSN is 100% classroom/clinical), although there were only positive remarks left for the BSN program in MN. I'm trying to figure out if the comments on for-profit schools are solely aimed at obvious non accredited scam schools or if there are other downsides to these for-profit schools other than the prohibitive tuition costs. Am I going to use up my GI bill on this program and not be able to find a job or be at a serious disadvantage when trying to find desirable jobs? They claim a 97% employment rate after graduation, but I don't know if or how that can be independently verified.

[SeattleJess]

Going the cc route to even just get your RN is going to help you maximize your GI bill. You are better off staying away from places where you even have a doubt in your mind. I am a recently graduated PMHNP who went the CC route and I made it just fine and probably in record time since I graduated with my ASN in 2009.

Take some college classes at a cc to get your feet wet see how you are going to do. You will need pre reqs for nursing start with those (make sure they will transfer). Most colleges don't accept an act score from 12 years ago so you may have to take a different entrance test at the community college. If your grades in your pre reqs are good you will be able to go anywhere you want to go!

...or prerequisite grades, either!

[golson]

Virgo, my mistake, they are a feeder just like Anoka-Ramsey and NHCC.

SeattleJess, I took the ACT SEP 2013.

[golson]

OK, just to close this out in case somebody finds this site via a google search (like I did), I contacted three local hospitals' HR departments and asked them if they hired Herzing grads.

North Memorial has not gotten back to me.

Regions Hospital told me that they do hire Herzing grads.

Hennepin County Medical Center told me that they hire from any CCNE accreditted school, including Herzing.

[duskyjewel]

I don't really have a comment as to whether you should go to the school in question, but THANK YOU for doing some research and due diligence, and not just jumping blindly! More people need to be like you.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP]

If you get your ADN from a community college, University of Minnesota won't care one iota what your high school grades were. If U of MN has an RN-to-BSN offering, I would highly suggest you go that route!

[Nonyvole, BSN, RN]

I was talking with a student at a local for profit school that is accredited, has very good NCLEX pass rates, looks amazing on paper. Half of this student's cohort is no longer there. Half. And this student was getting stressed out about their chances of passing.

The students? Hate to say it, but they're not so hot. There are always the hidden gems, but for the most part they aren't at the hoped-for level during their clinical rotations. The ones that do know their stuff spend a lot of time teaching themselves and not doing the bare minimum. I heard one student tell their clinical instructor that the lecturer had said to simply look up the answers in the back of the book instead of trying to answer them on their own first!

And as to NCLEX pass rates being an indicator of how good a school is? My school, which is considered to be one of the best in my state, had second-quarter 2014 first-time tester pass rates of 89%.

[Squad51KMG365]

[..]those job placement rates are bogus. As long as someone has a job, any type of job, they are considered "placed". So if you graduate in nursing but get a crappy job at McDonalds, you are considered placed and having a job..

Ditto to the above comments! I just completed a short course at a career school and we were urged to "get a job, ANY job, even if for only one day" so it would count as becoming employed. Can't say they lied, but did stretch the truth...

Thank you for your service to our country!

[NurseGirl525, ASN, RN]

Good luck to you! I just would like to add why I have such strong feelings against for profit schools.

I attended one back in the 90's. When I was young and naive. They did shady stuff financially and even though I completed 3 quarters there and got straight A's it was all for nothing as not 1 credit transferred anywhere. I wasted 10000 of my own money. I paid off the student loans but I was mad at myself for being sucked in by them.

Second, a good friend was recently taken by one of these schools. I tried to talk her out of it and tried to explain their sales tatics. She didn't listen. Now she hates the school, the people are terrible, and she wants to transfer. But now she is going to have to start over and she has spent a butt load of money she does not have. They prey on a certain demographic of people. I hope things are different for you but I have yet to see a for profit school that does anything different.

[golson]

I recently read that this school is due to renew its accreditation while I'll still be attending there. I'm probably going to slip out to a CC after this semester. I went to their orientation a few days ago and it was like a TV commercial. No instructors there, just admin. They brought a recent grad in to do a "testimonial" who had nothing negative to say at all, and even called the staff "like family". Being in the army for some years, I recognize kool-aid when I see it, and I don't drink that stuff anymore.

[THELIVINGWORST, ASN, RN]

I recently read that this school is due to renew its accreditation while I'll still be attending there. I'm probably going to slip out to a CC after this semester. I went to their orientation a few days ago and it was like a TV commercial. No instructors there, just admin. They brought a recent grad in to do a "testimonial" who had nothing negative to say at all, and even called the staff "like family". Being in the army for some years, I recognize kool-aid when I see it, and I don't drink that stuff anymore.

You really shouldn't be going if that's how you feel.

[golson]

I'm not sure that I can withdraw without having to pay at this point. I can pay with the GI bill, but that only covers the cost if you pass.

[duskyjewel]

As a taxpayer and veteran's wife, can I ask that you please don't waste our money just because you feel out of options?