Fed up with matc milwaukee

[codysfreckles]

In the 2007/2008 academic year Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) has been given a lot of "heat" regarding the nursing programs at the college. There was concern about the long waiting lists to enter the nursing programs. In addition, the LPN program was put on suspension due to a low passing rate on the NCLEX. The LPN program has since been taken off of probation because the NCLEX pass rate rose to 95% and there is no longer a waiting list to enter the programs. You may be wondering how the nursing program accomplished such a feat so quickly. Here's a short list of why the school did not improve their NCLEX pass rate:

- Making an adequate number of tutors available to students that needed them. (When I asked for addition help, I was referred to an instructor who was only available twice a week for a few hours. Our hours of availability did not over lap so, no tutor for me!)

- Providing LPN students with the option to enroll in a NCLEX review course. (There is a review course for RN but not for LPN.)

- Cutting out "busy work" in courses so students can focus on learning the core nursing teachings. (The work load in nursing classes is overwhelming by itself without incorporating busy work. In one of the classes I had to write a nutrition paper on myself, total waste of time!)

From a student's perspective, the end does not justify the means. Some time in the last year or so (I'm not sure of the semester), MATC raised the passing score in courses from 77% to 80%. Also, the fall 2008 nursing policies changed. In Spring of 2008 one of the policies read that a student would be made ineligible to progress in the program if he/she received a "U" (less than 80%)in two of the same courses or three different courses. In fall 2008 the policy reads that a student would be made ineligible for the program if he/she received a "U" in any two classes. This is where it gets kind of confusing. Students who had two "U"s at the end of spring 2008 were still able to register for nursing classes in fall of 2008. Of those students, if they received another "U" in the fall 2008 semester (when the new policy was implemented), they would be made ineligible to continue in the nursing program. In total, those students were allowed three "U"s before being dropped from the program. I was told by department heads that they decided those students were considered under the previous policy from spring 2008 (3 "U"s in any courses or 2 "U"'s in the same course). According to the new policy, those students should not have been able to register in fall 2008 because they already had two "U"s in their academic transcripts. I'm pointing that situation out because of the way the policy changed effected me and those like me. At the end of the spring 2008 semester I received a "U" in one of my courses. Unfortunately for me, I also received a "U" at the end of the fall 2008 semester. Those of us who only had one "U" from the previous semester and ended fall 2008 semester with another "U" were made ineligible for the nursing program. Essentially, we were only afforded two "U"s. While those students who had two "U"s going into fall 2008 were afforded three "U"s.

My argument is that there was unfair treatment when the nursing department decided the new policy would effect some students immediately and the old policy stood for other students. The policy change should have effected all students at the same time. Under the new policy, students who had two "U"s at the end of spring 2008 should not have been able to register. Only one of the "U"s from the previous semester, on their record, effected them while. My question is, why were students like me not given the same.

For those of you who are not in a nursing program or know someone who is, the amount of information that has to be learned is huge! This is coming from a student who has already obtained a bachelor and master degree. I have never failed a course in my college career but in the nursing program I've failed twice! The people who are failing these courses are no dummies! The wealth of information that is to be taught in a course is determined by the State Nursing Board, or some such organization. What is MATC doing to graduate competent nursing students? Well, besides raising the course passing score and changing the policy regarding being kicked out of the program..I couldn't tell you. I read an article in the Journal from last summer. The representative of the nursing program was asked these very same questions. She mentioned making tutors available...one tutor? She also stated something along the lines of not having control over whether or not students partake in the support they are offered. What support?! In addition she mentioned the NCLEX review course that the school offers...what about for LPN's?

Yes, people, I am bitter! Students like me do have the option to request reinstatement to the program. The thing is, if the new policy was applied the same way to all students, I wouldn't be in this situation. The sad thing is students have no recourse to contest being made program ineligible

[rn2bnwi, BSN, RN]

im sorry but , i understand you feel its unfair but their policy seems reasonable .

[blessedstudent]

that is so unfair. the last guy who posted must work for the nursing department at matc!

[rn2bnwi, BSN, RN]

:) lol, no i certainly do not, i did not mean to come across as unsympathetic . I took my prereqs at matc and i know how much heat they are taking just and i feel for all involved. they had to pick a time where the new regulations went into place but the regulation itself is very understandable imho.

[BookwormRN]

I could not make it through the entire post---a bit long and confusing to me....however, I attended NTC in Wausau and in order to get a passing grade, you are required to get 80%. Yes, if you weren't able to do so in so many attempts, you are out of the program.

This may seem harsh, but the line must be drawn at some point...too many folks on the waiting lists.

Did you try study groups? Many of us did just that and it really helped to improve scores and understanding of material.

[chevyv, BSN, RN]

I'm at moraine park in fond du lac and our policy also changed last semester. We went from 78 to 80 to pass. They now have remediation where you get to write a 10 page paper if you don't make the 80 on an exam. So not only do you need an 80 in each class, but you also have to get at least an 80 on each exam. You can flunk one class and retake it and pass. Flunk one more course and your done. The reason for the changes, you may wan to know, is that apparantly we had a 56% nclex pass rate the semester or yr before. They had to make changes. I'm in my last semester and just want to focus on passing the clinical. I'll think about the nclex later. The last theory class I had to write 2 10pg papers. It was the toughest class I had taken in the program! It was also only 8 weeks, this semester they changed it to 16 weeks.

Schools have to dance the dance to the state just like we have to dance the dance through the program. Everyone get held accountable on some level, no matter how obscure we may think it is. MATC is huge! I bet they lost some good revenue when the shut down the lpn program.

I took and passed the nclex-pn by using suzannes plan here. I did not want to pay a few hundred dollars for Kaplan review. Worked for me. Passed with minimum questions.

[amandabell]

have you taken the Pre-NLN Admission Exam test for practical nursing? im set to take it next week...do we need specific scores?!!? any information would be greatly appreciated!!! thanks again! =)

[amandabell]

I'm a transfer student from another technical college. I have already taken the first semester nursing courses (fundamentals and pharmocology). I'm wondering how long if took for you to get into your program...since it is a lottery system...? I'm getting discouraged reading how long it took some people to be chosen.