Galen vs SAC (San Antonio, TX)

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Hi guys,

I graduated from Galen's LVN program in Feb 2009. I applied to SAC and Galen's LVN to RN program. I received my acceptance letter to SAC about 3 weeks ago. I was sure I was going to SAC (which starts in August and is 3 semesters long). Well today I got a call from Galen that a spot opened up and I can start classes on Monday for their program. I already have all of my pre-req's so I will be working on my nursing courses. I think bc I have my pre-req's the program at Galen will take me about 12 months. Galen is more expensive than SAC. I don't know what to do!! Which school is better to go to for my RN ADN? Any input or thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Specializes in LTC- Tx Dept. of aging and disabilities.

I agree with everyone on here. I just graduated from SAC in May but I took their generic program. But I had a good experience with their nursing school, a few instructors made me want to pull my hair out a few times:banghead:, but i guess it is like that everywhere. Plus, why spend that amount of money when you can get the same thing cheaper right?? FYI, i started at SAC when we had the old nursing building and the old skills lab..... the new one is awesome!!!!!! Good luck!!

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GO GALEN! I have my ASSOCIATES diploma on my dresser :D

I graduated from St Philips College LVN 2005 and wanted to go on to RN program. I took one science class at a time----takes FOREVER. Then you have to apply to nursing school after all prereqs complete. ....LONG process!

SAC has high class failure rate from what I hear not to many complete program.

Pros on Galen

Take transfer credits so instead of 15-18months I graduated in 12 months

--if i went to stp of sac I would be taking nsg courses 5 days a week

galen only go 4 days a week including all prereqs

you get days off if you dont need that course.

Class are set up in quarters (3 months)

You get a week off between each quarter---which is needed :D

I learned so many tips/tricks to remember stuff from my other lvn/galen grads that I was never taught in stp alamo community colleges.

Cons

I was the first graduating class so we have initial accredidation--meaning we get ADN Diploma but have to wait 1-2 years they have to maintain 80% nclex pass rate to use courses as transfer credits

Online will except you for ADN to BSN thats an immediate option

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I would go to SAC, its like half price, and it's a great school for nursing. I've only heard great things about their nursing programs. Go to SAC!

It doesn't make sense to pay like $17,000 for Galen when you could spend about $6,000 at SAC (San Antonio College)

SAC has small class sizes like Galen as well.

I have a degree in business management and I am returning to school because I have always wanted to be a nurse. The problem with SAC and St Philips is that is takes forever to get in the program. They have so many applicants and not enough instructors. I checked into the Baptist Health System and you only need 5 pre reqs to get in, but to take microbiology at an Alamo community college they require you to take 2 or 3 biology courses first. These are classes that will not even go towards the nursing degree at SAC, St Philips, or at the Baptist so why would I waste my time and money on them? I think I am going to suck it up and just pay the extra money to go to Galen. Mainly because even after I take all the pre reqs I would still have to wait 2-4 semesters before I even get accepted to SAC or St Philips because of all the applicants every term.

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I currently attend Galen and love it! I was a little nervous at the beginning because of the cost, but I have had a wonderful experience so far. :)

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Figure Id reply to this post as when people google it its the 1st one to pop up. Just gonna copy paste a replay from my friends FB so its formatted strange sorry but you will get the geist

From what I heard that Gaylen is disorganized and have ****** clinical sites and you go to OLU for your basics which is no fun.

Baptist has the best clinical sites, but costs like 12k and you have to have your pre-reqs 1st. From what I heave heard they are one of the better schools if you can get it.

SAC was disorganized for the 1st few weeks only cause they had a huge computer transition and IT was a hot mess. So far 2 months in I have 0 complaints. Its hard, its a lot of work but none of my teachers so far are out to get me or make me fail.

Dont even get me started with St Phillips and their probationary RN program with a meager pass rate of 72%

For cost breakdown:

English 1 and 2 = 600

Growth = 300

ANP 1 and 2 = 800

Chem 1 = 400

Micro = 400

Generall Psyh = 300

Total 3000.00 for Basics

1500 for books - thats pretty much standard

Gaylen 25k for everything + basics + 1500 = 27k

Baptist 12K + 4500 classes and books 17k

SAC = 4k + 4500 classes and books = 8500

Then of course you have to consider pass rates: from 2005-2009

Baptist 83%

SAC 88%

Gaylen - Too new of a program

St Phillips 72%

THEN you have to determine which is better in the long run. they dont tell you this BUT while they are accredited your credit hours dont transfer to regular college and they arent accredited thru various nursing organizations.

http://www.galened.com/louisville/ab...accreditation/

t's important to be aware that credits from this type of school often are not transferable to other schools (that's because they are accredited by different organizations than those that accredit "regular" colleges and universities). There's even a statement about that in the FAQ section of the Galen website. While many people start nursing school with the idea that they never want to go back to school and will only want to do basic, bedside nursing for the rest of their career, many, many nurses have had the experience of starting out with that thought and then, after a few years of experience, noticing how much wider a range of career possibilities and employment opportunities they would have with a BSN or even graduate education. If you take your original nursing education at a proprietary tech/voc school and want to return to school later on for a higher degree, there is a good chance (and Galen is already warning you about this!) that you would basically have to start "from scratch" because "regular" schools won't transfer in any of your previous credits/courses.

Basically the same reason your vocational school LVN A and P didnt xfer to Sac. It met the programs requirements but not national standards.

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Im currently in the lvn to rn program at galen san antonio. I have been to several schools for my prereqs I am from out of state and also have attended sac and northwest vista college here in town I got my lvn here in san antonio also. I can say Galen is probably the worst school I have ever been to. and thats including a technical school I went to for medical assisting. The teachers and the director of the program are very condescending towards the students we are treated like young children. There is no accountability for the faculty. If the student is one second late for a test or quiz we are locked out from the room. There has been many times the faculty sets appointments and times for certain things such as registration and has not showed up until 2 hours after the scheduled time. There is no mutual respect for their students. It seems as if they do not understand that we are paying a boat load of money to go to this school and we DO NOT have to be there that we chose to be there. I have heard from students farther along in the program that there have been many times when they are scheduled for clinicals and there ends up not being a clinical site for the students to go to. In my experience I see this school as very unorganized and disrespectful to their students ( the heart of the school). The teachers they have teach the class there are several they just place wherever the need is with the teacher having very little knowledge of the subject. For instance in the pharmacology class there is a course coordinator they call her and she has her degree in pharmacology Dr. Stewart she taught the first few units of the pharm class. Now they brought in a new lady who has no pharm backround who is teaching the class she also started teaching the last part of the transitions class the students have to constantly correct the things she is telling the students. Its awful any one of us could stand up there and read off powerpoint slides we deserve teachers who know their stuff and who are teaching things they know and understand. They are setting us up for failure as far as that goes. I am wishing I took the classes online if only I would have known. They are constantly rotating the teachers. Honestly if I hadnt already invested so much time and money in this school I would get out! I already had all of my pre reqs so that wasnt an issue I just thought this was a good school... I was so wrong! Im writing this for those of you thinking about going to galen and spending the money. I hear Sac has a great nursing program I have several friends who have gone through it and passed their nclex and all have said they were pleased with the program. Galen San antonio does not value their students and treat them with the respect they deserve.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

Class size (instructor to student ratio) is a mandated characteristic of all NLN accredited schools of nursing, so any accredited schools will be pretty much the same. The type of instructional staff tends to vary - traditional schools attract career-oriented nurse educators while commercial schools generally attract instructors who are looking for a part-time or supplemental job because they do not offer the same career path orientation.

I haven't reviewed this lately, but in years past, SAC had career progression agreements with BSN schools in San Antonio - so there is no problem transferring credits for their RN-BSN programs. You may also want to find out which hospitals Galen will be using for clinical rotations. The largest hospitals are pretty much filled up with students from the existing schools. Galen students may not have those same opportunities to get their 'foot in the door' if this is the case. Hospitals are more likely to hire new grads who have actually been in their facilities as students.

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I actually have a question. Do you have to go through LVN program at Galen first to get into the RN or can you apply straight to the RN program? Do you know if anyone from the RN program has had success getting a job?

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The cost alone should have been a no brainer. Its about 20k difference between Galen and SAC.

Lets just say the starting rate for new grad nurses make 20 per hr. To pay that 20k debt will take 25 weeks working full-time or 6 1/2 months if You commit all your pay to it. This is not including taxes taken out of the paycheck. Its not worth paying extra 20k just to get the RN degree quicker.

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I currently attend Galen and love it! I was a little nervous at the beginning because of the cost, but I have had a wonderful experience so far. :)[/

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Re: TotallyTot, i am interested in attending the April class at Galen, just wondering if it was well worth it. So many negative things i have heard about it ):

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