Glendale Career College?Anyone going there/experience with this school?

tothepointeLVN, LVN · Jan 29, 2009

Didn't Glendale Career College have their nursing program shut down or put on probation a few years ago due to low NCLEX scores.

Gen2Nurse · Jan 30, 2009

I am not sure, but I would love to hear more about this. I hope they have turned things around. I have checked the past few years and mostly 70's for nclex

mommyofnini · Feb 22, 2009

I graduated from GCC back in October. Their LVN program was never shut down or put on probation for any reason. The school was almost closed because the parent company (Landmark) decided to get out of the education sector.

The CA BVNPT website has such low scores for passing because it's only for the people who have taken the test that year. It isn't based on the classes or school as a whole.

Anyways, I started August 13th 2007 and it was hell. Level 1 was good...we had an ok instructor. Our clinical was at a nursing home.

Level 2 was better though. I liked the classroom instructor. He knew his stuff but he's one of those people that you either love or hate. There's no in between with him. For our class, he did reviews the day before and the day of the tests so we all did really well in his classes. Clinicals were ok. For the first month we were at a nursing home then for the rest of the level we were at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

Level 3 was the beginning of hell. Our first 9 weeks were back at a nursing home for clinical. The instrucor for that was very picky about everything and it had to be her way or no way. She didn't take suggestions from almost anyone but I didn't have any issues with her. The classroom instructor was different in many ways. Her style of teaching didn't match us as a class. She has a thick accent and soft, quiet voice so anybody beyond the first row didn't understand her at all. It's a wonder anyone passed her level. Midway through, she up and quit because of personal reasons so we were without a teacher for nearly 2 weeks. When we did get a more permanent teacher, we were in heaven. She was GREAT!!! We ACED maternity. Maternity clinical was awesome. The doctors and nurses let us get as hands on as we could possibly get as students. Pediatrics came and we got our original classroom instructor back. Peds is her field so we aced that too and were able to better understand her teaching. Clinical for that was in a clinic/doctor's office setting. It was ok beause I was sick the entire rotation.

Level 4 was alright. We had the same instructor as level 2 so I was happy...clinical was back at GAMC. I stayed there the entire 15 weeks of the level because of my schedule. Those who weren't at GAMC were passing meds at a nursing home.

There was a lot of drama within the class and the school didn't help it any by lying to us about nearly everything. When we asked them a question, they skirted around and never did answer our questions directly. Above all that, they lied about when they sent off our NCLEX paperwork/applications. They told us that they would be sent off on October 13th right after we graduated. The board didn't receive them until November 4th. It doesn't take that long to get anything up to Sacramento. When I get anything from up there it takes 2 days to reach me...and that's regular first class mail. That delayed out apps almost a month. No one was able to take the test 'til January excpet for me. I took mine on Dec. 9th because I got lucky with the test date being available when I looked for it. Also, I registered (payed for) my test before anyone else so I got my ATT first. A few good things about the school are that they pay the $75 application fee to the board for us and they will reimburse or $200 testing fee and pay for our license ($120) if we attend all 3 days of the "boot camp" review course they provide and pass the test the first time around. They pay for the boot camp as well. That costs $395 if you pay on your own.

All in all, I'm glad I got into the school when I did. I don't think the classed before or after us went through the same hell as we did. But I don't know because I was only in mine and I haven't spoken to anyone in those classes.

The tuition was $26,850...most of which the people in the class got loans for. My advice, check out every school possible before investing your time and effort in going to GCC. Northwest College is the school who took over GCC and I think they are MUCH better. When they took over, I saw things change. There is a Northwest campus on Brand Blvd in Glendale not too far from Porto's (like 5 minutes walking).

I am just glad it's over and that I will begin working soon. Then I can be done with that school.

If you have any more questions, email me thru here.

I hope this answers most if not all of your questions about GCC.

Cynthia

Gen2Nurse · Feb 23, 2009

Wow!! Thank you so much for all you info. I was hoping to get some real feedback. I did look at the Northwest campus, and was disappointed that the hours were not condusive to my schedule. I was curious about your clinicals. Were they during the hours of 9 - 3, or did they expect you to do those at different times? Also, were they all central to glendale? I am recieving mixed info from the school == the admissions lady says one thing but the paperwork says another. Also, is the school helping with job leads? Are you able to find good jobs in the area?

Thank you again for your feedback.

mommyofnini · Feb 23, 2009

I wish the clinicals were 9-3...the morning clinicals were 7am-330pm (most of the time we got out by 230p,). The evening clinicals were 2pm-11pm but again, we got out early (usually by 10pm).

I don't know where the clinicals are right now but level 1 was at St. Elizabeth's in North Hollywood...not too bad I went there...the other one was Country Villa-Glendale.

Level 2 was Glendale Adventist. I don't know where the school goes now because from my understanding, the school lost the facility...GAMC only takes RN schols now so IDK if it was GCC that lost the facility or the contract wasn't renewed.

Level 3 clinicals were back at the level 1 facilities for 9 weeks then 3 weeks at California Hospital in Downtown LA for Maternity then Kaiser-Sunset for Pediatrics.

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Level 4 for me was at GAMC again and the other half of the class was at Elm Convalescent on Chevy Chase.

There is job placement at the school. I don't have to use it yet. It is offered for those who do want to use the services.

About GAMC...the contract the hospital had with the school wasn't supposed to be up until December 31. I graduated October 10th and the level 4 class after mine was there for somewhat like 2 weeks when I was told they lost the facility. I don't know where they went after that.

About admissions, I wouldn't trust them. I was told the clinicals would be 7-4. The rest of the class was told the same thing. We ended up going thru hell and back but we made it through and everyone who has taken the NCLEX so far from my class has passed.

If you want to see the pass rate for the school, go to http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov and go to school pass rates. It's a link from the home page. I looked last night and they still haven't posted the 2008 pass rates. It was at 77% for December 2007 and that's one of the higher numbers. Northwest Glendale is slightly higher at 82% or 84% (I can't rememer). Northwest- West Covina is a dismal 36%. I was saying in my other post that Northwest is probably better because their instructors seem to be better...we had substitutes for clinicals from Northwest because we didn't have a permanent one for Maternity. Other than that, I am not really sure how they run.

I'm just happy that I graduated and passed the NCLEX. I will be going up to Sacramento to pay for my license in person so I can start working right away. From what I've read on here, I will be able to go up to Sac. to pay for my license andthey will give me a temp that will allow me to work until the permanent one comes in the mail.

I have most of the paperwork still from all 4 levels so if you want to know anything else, let me know.

mommyofnini · Feb 23, 2009

I didn't think about this until I was talking to my husband this morning: when the school almost closed...the administration told us the reason I wrote above. I am wondering if the school was put on probation by the board. They stopped accepting students for a level until they knew we were going to keep going as a school.

All in all, I would NOT recommend going to GCC because of all the lies, deceit, and hell the school gave us.

Gen2Nurse · Feb 23, 2009

I really appreciate the info, again thank you so much. I am saddened that you don't recomend this school. It is the only one that seems to work with my schedule the best. I am hesitant about it, but I am willing to deal with their issues as long as I am able to get the education I need. I can't stand deception though, as I am planning my life around this program. I have two kids, and will have to enrol my 3 year old in preschool to attend. I was under the impression that the clinicals were during the day only. If I have to sttend in the evening then their could be some real problems. Was it mandatory to go to evening clinicals, or could they all be taken during the day? Also, how much notice were you given for the clinicals days and times. How often were the evening ones? Were they only during the week? Thank you again...I cant tell you how much you are helping me.

mommyofnini · Feb 23, 2009

Each class is divided up into 2 clinical groups as each facility can only take up to 15 students at any one time. Level 1 clinicals were during the day. Each of the clinicals after that were both morning and evening. As for how long a notice we received: level 1, we knew our instructors 3 weeks before but the actual facilities and days 3 days or so before...not the week or more we needed. Level 2, we knew 2 weeks before the level began (at the end of level1). Level 3, we didn't know until the last day of level 2. Level 4, we knew 2 weeks before the end of level 3.

They do the clinical rotations on a lottery system. The registrar goes into the classroom with the names of the facilities/instructors on papers in a fishbowl then goes around the room and each student picks a paper out of the fishbowl. That's how clinicals are determined. If what you pick doesn't work for you, then you have 24 hours to switch with someone in your class. Once the switch is made, you both go back to the registrar and let her know. She's the one who makes the rosters.

When I was there, my level 1 clinicals were in the morning during the week...tuesday/thursday. After that I had to take the evening shift because I didn't have anyone to watch my kids during the day. THere were other people in the class who had the mornings. Level 2 clinicals were Thursday/Saturday for me. The other group had theirs on Friday/Sunday. Level 3 were during the week...Tuesday/Thursday some in the evening and some in the morning. LEvel 4 was Tuesday/Thursday. The morning group was at the nursing home and the evening group was at the hospital.

As far as morning vs evening; it depends on which piece of paper you got in the lottery. If you choose morning, that's what you got for the entire level.

I hope this helps more.

Gen2Nurse · Feb 24, 2009

it really does. Especially considering the admin. rep specifically told me there were never weekends. I work the weekend and have no one to watch my kids. I am very concerned here, so I am definatly going to have to reconsider. thank you so much

mommyofnini · Feb 24, 2009

Try talking to the DON at the school. She may not tell you much. It seems that she doesn't know what's going on half the time anyways. She has a board in her office that lists all of the clinical dates and times and locations.

I, too, was told there'd be no weekends. It was great for the first level. Once we got to level 2 it changed. I don't know what is going on there now because there was another level that just graduated after ours and things probably have changed since then.

Go back if you really like the location and such and go armed with all sorts of questions and don't leave without direct answers. They probably won't give you any answers because they want to get you in and enrolled asap.

If the admissions rep hasn't told you yet, the school is supposed to be moving locations sometime in March. Their new location is directly across from Northwest College on Brand Blvd. I am not too sure of the exact dates of the move but we were supposed to move there last year (2008) but things got held up with the city and the contractor and, of course, the school itself.

lailaniboriqua · Apr 16, 2009

Im a recent grad (2-18-09). If you have any questions that havent already been answered, feel free to ask me..:)