Gateway LPN Fast Track

brandy2010 · Jan 22, 2010

Oh wow thats awesome I now have hope again. What all did you need to do before you actually applied. I'm trying to get all the info I live 3 hours away and thinking of doing the drive or moving. Any info that I can get before doing that drive would be awesome and whats the schedule like. thanks so much

sweetjen2006 · Jan 22, 2010

Oh wow thats awesome I now have hope again. What all did you need to do before you actually applied. I'm trying to get all the info I live 3 hours away and thinking of doing the drive or moving. Any info that I can get before doing that drive would be awesome and whats the schedule like. thanks so much

Yes! i believe you got confused with other schools, cuz i know the lpn to rn and other school outside the marcopa program are like a year working a lpn, but not here, you pass the pn program at gateway or southwest or maricopa skilled center, it gives you ability to bypass the 2,000 waitlist of god knows who lol, and into block 3,if your lucky and score great and do great in the pn program it gives you a better chance of just going straight to block 3. so it would pretty much feel like your in the rn program. but just didnt wait 2 years. people are catching on so pn program at gateway has a waiting list but it reasonable but who knows how big it can get. all you need to apply is your cna certificate or pass test for the cna. i needed to get alot of immunizations for the program as well and records. the schudule for the program is day and eve program. day is like 12 to 4pm and clinicals like thurs fri, from like 8 to 4 something like that. then eve program is mon and wed 5 to 9pm and saturday clinicals 7 to 7pm for me anyways.

brandy2010 · Jan 22, 2010

Ok not bad times actually. I checked with Pima's center for training and development and they have the fast track LPN program but they said you have to work a full year as an LPN before they will let you in the 3rd block. I wouldn't mind doing the drive if I could bybass and do the 3rd block without the wait of working a full year and maybe coming back to this school, cochise college where I live.

brandy2010 · Jan 22, 2010

Did you have to take the NET test? It says you need to score 50% on math and the reading part but no ones mentioned it. If the classes are only 2 days a week I'll drive 3 hours to get this done. I've done the pre reqs so I'm ready and been ready. I did the medical asst program 4 years ago and I wish I would've just done the RN and maybe not have to wait like this. Also did you need your finger print card before you turn in your app. ? I'm waiting for it to get here hopefully soon.

sweetjen2006 · Jan 22, 2010

Did you have to take the NET test? It says you need to score 50% on math and the reading part but no ones mentioned it. If the classes are only 2 days a week I'll drive 3 hours to get this done. I've done the pre reqs so I'm ready and been ready. I did the medical asst program 4 years ago and I wish I would've just done the RN and maybe not have to wait like this. Also did you need your finger print card before you turn in your app. ? I'm waiting for it to get here hopefully soon.

oh geez you live in sierra vista lol. ironically i lived in tucson 2006 to 2008 and went to a great cna program down in sierra vista at horion health care institute, i love vinnys!!!!! i drove there from tucson for three weeks 5 days a week. cute town, slow drivers, anyways back to business, i moved to phx area cuz more possiblitites for nursing. you have until april deadline to get all these materials for this gateway program so dont stress and all info you need to know is go to gateway fast track program and download the old app it will give you insight of what things you need. you'll need a net test 50 math and 50 reading. get it done up here cuz theres a waiting list at cochise for even the net test. remember if you drive, and we even got a girl in my lass driving from yuma, warning is a their is a strict tardy and absent policy and driving puts alot on your car, and its a chance. you have classes for eve two times a week but also the clinicals days.

brandy2010 · Jan 22, 2010

yes i agree very slow drivers that drive me crazy. Have you started yet? I've heard mixed things about it. I'll prob take the NET here which they switched it to the HESI and if I dont get in Aug class I'll do the drive or stay up there a couple nights or evenutally move. I dont plan to stay here I was just finishing school. How long is the school? It looks like 2 semester right? I seen the spring 2010 app. and it didn't look bad looked like clinicals on Sat but said can change. Do they have the clincials at a hospital up there? If so I think if the hospital down here agrees you can do it local. I know some ppl who went to PMI in Tucson and he did the clinicals in SV. At are college you have to have all your pre reqs done before you can take the NET/HESI and they count as points towards your score, I wonder if that also applies to this school. This school down here only has a class starting every fall thats bs and I think they should start every fall/spring would be helpful for the 250 who take the test every spring and actually give someone a chance. They have alot drop out cause they can't hang and if your on the alternate list you can only get in if they drop out before Sept if not you have to wait a year and still not sure if you get in the next class start.

TinkRN8 · Jan 22, 2010

The catch for the LPN fast track jumping in to block 3 is this, you have to work for a full year as a LPN before you can get into block 3. I'm also trying to get this done faster and the waiting is killing me. I have all my pre reqs done I'm just waiting to get in. If you wanna do your bac you can do that with UofPhx and they only require you to have worked 3mths as an LPN and it's a little more work but it's a way in. Now with the private schools everyone keeps saying that it's so expensive just remember if you can get finicial aid it pays every bit of it so dont worry about the price it pays off in the end making more money then you did before you had your degree.
Good luck everyone

Ummm...that isn't correct. You don't have to work a full year as an LPN to apply for advanced placement into block 3. As long as you get the score on the HESI and entrance and have all the pre-req's done and there is a spot, you are placed in block III. I am currently in block II of the fast track program. Once you finish the program you have to apply for the advance placement w/in 6 months to make that transition. Now,

TinkRN8 · Jan 22, 2010

The catch for the LPN fast track jumping in to block 3 is this, you have to work for a full year as a LPN before you can get into block 3. I'm also trying to get this done faster and the waiting is killing me. I have all my pre reqs done I'm just waiting to get in. If you wanna do your bac you can do that with UofPhx and they only require you to have worked 3mths as an LPN and it's a little more work but it's a way in. Now with the private schools everyone keeps saying that it's so expensive just remember if you can get finicial aid it pays every bit of it so dont worry about the price it pays off in the end making more money then you did before you had your degree.
Good luck everyone

Ummm...that isn't correct. You don't have to work a full year as an LPN to apply for advanced placement into block 3. As long as you get the score on the HESI and entrance and have all the pre-req's done and there is a spot, you are placed in block III. I am currently in block II of the fast track program. Once you finish the program you have to apply for the advance placement w/in 6 months to make that transition. Now, if you are not in the fast track program or at one of the skills centers, that may be different.

brandy2010 · Jan 23, 2010

Which one are you in? If you earn college credits then you dont but if it's clock hour you do. Thats what they told me.

AZMOMO2 · Jan 26, 2010

Brandy2010- I graduated from the LPN program this December and here is the 411-

1.) They change the program ALOT from semester to semester. You may not get the hours you want. So be warned. Classes 1st semester maybe from 2-4 days depending on which program you actually get into. My semesters I had class Mon 1230-230, Tue 1230-4, Thur & Fri 8-4 ( When clinical started it was Thur & Fri 5am-2pm), 2nd semster is was Tue 12-4, Thur & Fri 8-4 (clinical started it was Thur & Fri 2pm-10pm, some sat 7a-7p and some sun 7a-7p) I was in the day program.

2.) Yes they are VERY strict about hours ( being late even a minute can get you written up -3 write ups for anything and you can be kicked out) If you get the day program Thursday and Friday in the beginning are usually lab days and you have to be there at 8am. TRAFFIC IS AWFUL at that time of day.

3.) Clinicals for first Block are in an LTC and in the north or east valley mostly. (Mesa, Glendale, VA in Phoenix etc) Block 2 Clinicals are mostly at (Banner Good Sam or VA)

4.) You must have all of your pre/co reqs completed for the nursing program and get at least an 800 on the HESI (Although they place higher scores first at Gateway). You are not guareenteed a place in Block 3 however ( only if there is space- but you can go to any of the MCCDNP locations) or you may wait a semester. ( I have to take 2 classes to apply for next semester myself, but my HESI score was VERY high)

5.) Have you looked into Central Arizona College its closer, is based on a point system and does not keep a waitlist so the odds of getting into an RN program directly may be higher. They do not have advanced placement at this time.

6.) Check with your local Nursing program to see what they require for advanced placement or if they even have the option...( Not all programs do) before you make the choice to travel this far.

Good luck!

brandy2010 · Jan 26, 2010

Thank you so much. I dont think traveling that far would be wise due to traffic and never knowing if there is a wreck that would delay even longer. I might have to get up at 2am to make it there on time lol

There is a program at Pima community college they actually have 2 the regular LPN well its the latter program for there RN program which if I got in quick I would complete the whole program. Then there is the Center for training and development. It's a little easier to get into and doesn't require all the pre reqs even though I have them. It's not college credits though and they require you to work a full year as an LPN to get into there 3rd block so I was alittle confused on the whole thing and wasn't sure if all schools with fast track LPN programs were like that. But I would see how that could be I mean it's not easy to get into nursing school and if it was that simple to just take a fast track LPN program everyone would do it so working for a year and learning and proving yourself to be able to slip in 3rd block without any testing isn't bad.

I think I'm just anixous to get this over with or alteast be in the program already. I still might be able to get in this coming fall semester at Cochise were I live but I'm just nervous about it. I am preparing for the HESI now for the march or april testing. They also count points towards the HESI score for science and english classes which your psy's count with the english. Science classes are 4 points each and Eng/Psy 2 points each so its nice they do that it is hard work. I wonder if all colleges are like that?

I will check into the Centrel Az college and see what they offer also.

Thank you so much for the VERY helpful info the schedule they provide doesn't say all the actual times you will really be there it only listed 2 to 3 days which is the only reason I actually considered it but I'm horrible with tardiness. I'm def guilty and driving that far would not be a good thing plus I have 2 little boys I dont think I could manage all that. I guess I'll stick to something closer unless I move up there which at the moment doesn't sound bad this small town is wearing me down...8 years to long I say.

Thanks again.

miteacher, ADN, MSN · Jan 27, 2010

I thought you were able to select the time slot you wanted (either night & weekend) or the other program. I thought that you could do classes during the week from 5-9pm and then have the clinicals on Saturday.