Glendale Community college Fall 2012

Trust me when I say the fact that they split up the schedule will be absolutely life saving for you. GCC hits you hard first semester. They start coming at you with NCLEX style questions even in the summer intersession and this is not common at most nursing schools. This is why the pass rate is so good. The other benefit to GCC is the teachers and especially the teacher you will have in summer. She is an absolute angel. The staff works hard to network so that their graduates have job opportunities when they get out One of my big questions at orientation was how many of their graduates have jobs within six months of graduating. GCC was a 60% with this and most schools range between 20-30% which is huge.

Also as far as clinical experience...I was on the floor with a student from PCC this semester and he seemed lost. He asked me what semester I was and was shocked when I said first because he was second and was far from as comfortable or as knowlegable as I was with the wound care nurse.

Thanks SoCalCrystal!

You really helped us out! I am sort of in a financial rutt and I would love to know a few things. How much are the uniforms and where do we get them from? My parents want to by them for me as well as a stethescope and I don't have a ballpark estimate for them. I know orientation would clear it up but I would like to let them know as soon as possible before they make summer plans. Would you mind giving me a list of the things I should be preparing to buy? I know the school may provide or issue specific things but what I am responsible to purchase on my own? Thanks!

Yes, thank you so much for the info, SoCalCrystal! Really appreciate you putting your help out there! I have a question regarding this first round of summer classes...are they really tough since they are short courses, or are they more of "get your feet wet" classes? I know one of them is dosages and the other is nursing perspectives. I am thinking of calling off a camping trip for my family had planned over July 4th weekend because I think I will be swamped with studying! Anyway, any input you have would be great.

I, too, noticed that not a lot of people have been posting here...which leads me to believe that lots of people are declining. That is good, since everyone should go where they feel the best fit. I think people are thrown by the night/weekend schedule if they get it and weren't expecting it. As for me, it is the best possible fit. I woulda done COC if I didn't get any other acceptances, but so happy for GCC! @Denisenike--are you day or night/weekend??

Thanks SoCalCrystal!

You really helped us out! I am sort of in a financial rutt and I would love to know a few things. How much are the uniforms and where do we get them from? My parents want to by them for me as well as a stethescope and I don't have a ballpark estimate for them. I know orientation would clear it up but I would like to let them know as soon as possible before they make summer plans. Would you mind giving me a list of the things I should be preparing to buy? I know the school may provide or issue specific things but what I am responsible to purchase on my own? Thanks!

Ok let me see if I can go through your questions one by one :)

Uniforms - you purchase uniforms through dove apparel which is what most nursing schools use for their uniforms. Nice thing about GCC is that you do not have to buy your pants through here and if you are having trouble purchasing a uniform you can rent one from the NRL (nursing resource lab), trust me they have a lot. However, if you are looking to purchase through the website the prices look like this...

Top - $48.00 - I purchased two...honestly you only need one

Pants - $29.00 - to me they weren't the greatest pants so I returned them and ended up buying dickies with more pockets.

Name pin - $12.00 - you will have to purchase this

Patch - $4.00 - if you order a top you will have to purchase the patch to sew on

Jacket - $50 - I highly advise against this because honestly I never needed it at Kaiser and if you need a sweater but a zip up white hoodie, they are ok with that.

Ok Stethoscope.....

We actually managed to order them as a group and I found a discount coupon so we ordered the Littman Lightweight stethoscope from allheart.com. Honestly it is a great stethoscope, not too exspensive (trust me when I say dont buy the uber exspensive ones - doctors and other nurses may run off with it)

This is a link to the stethoscope most of us bought....it was recommended by one of the clinical instructors and I absolutely love it

Littmann Lightweight II S.E. Stethoscope | allheart.com

As far as other supplies I suggest a pen light and bandage scissors....allheart.com also has kits for these that are not too exspensive or you can buy them separately. Other then that I didn't really use much else in clinicals and it becoms a pain even just carrying them around. Honestly most nurses at Kaiser didnt even carry a stethoscope.

Other costs....first semester hits you hard because of books and other stuff. Some of the books you buy 1st semester will last you through the program though (ie Med-Surg). The bookstore sells them in a bundle and I highly advise buying them this way. You can buy used but some of the books come with codes for online access and you will need these so have caution when buying used because they may not come with the codes.

Every semester you will also have to pay for Kaplan NCLEX prep access....the fact that GCC uses Kaplan will be a blessing when you go to take your boards. It is a NCLEX prep essentially and they have it split up into a payment program for GCC students. The cost is $112.50 per semester and at the end of fourth semester there is a Kaplan review to prepare you for boards. Well worth the money and absolutely required.

There is also a $90 fee (I believe it was $90, but dont quote me) in the beginning of the program for supplies. A few weeks into your first semester you will get a bag...it includes a catheter kit, IV kit, wound care supplies, etc....this is what that $90 or so dollars pays for.

Aside from that I think there are a few expsensives here and there but nothing major....

[Yes, thank you so much for the info, SoCalCrystal! Really appreciate you putting your help out there! I have a question regarding this first round of summer classes...are they really tough since they are short courses, or are they more of "get your feet wet" classes? I know one of them is dosages and the other is nursing perspectives. I am thinking of calling off a camping trip for my family had planned over July 4th weekend because I think I will be swamped with studying! Anyway, any input you have would be great.

/QUOTE]

So your intro courses.....I don't want to say they were hard, nor do I want to say they were easy. I got As in both classes and from what I know so did most people. We also have a very smart class, though I will tell you during spring it was not the same story. Anyways Fundamentals and Dosage and Calc (now remember this is only my opinion) were not hard classes. What is hard, is getting adjusted to NCLEX style questions. Its like all the options are correct but one is just more correct than the others...its quite irritating. Its a completely new way of testing and it is a a lot of critical thinking. If you are a student who did well in your pre reqs you should be fine with this. Dosage and Calc is just basic math and Essentials of Med Administration was not rocket science (again my opinion) but they are your basics and some of this was completely new to people while others (like me) have had some health care experience.

As far as your camping trip...my advice, dont miss class but honestly take your books with you and do a little reading, but its really nothing major.

As a side note....nursing school will consume your life. I am a single mother and I can tell you its hard. Aside from class time you will be spending more time on campus. You are required to watch videos, do skills labs, etc and you have to put in the time to do so. GCC is a wonderful program with amazing instructors who do absolutely everything they can for, but know that this will likely be the hardest thing you have ever done. There will be tears, frustrations, nights where you want to quit etc.....but it will all be worth it, Honestly I am stressing about my final on Monday and I can tell you in the last few weeks I have cried more than once, but its no different at any other school. This is a serious profession and you are dealing with people's lives. GCC really prepares you for that.

Well, I did my drug screen and Live Scan today! Now, just gotta wait until orientation. I am so excited to finally get this show on the road! I declined my seat at COC, I am waitlisted #19 at Pierce, and LAVC hasn't sent out acceptances yet...but as far as I am concerned, it's GCC all the way! I really like the campus, and I guess I can look at the parking situation as an opportunity to work out! Those steps are awesome! Haha. I feel so fortunate and am anxious to start. Look forward to meeting some of you in a few weeks!

I got accepted to LAVC, went to orientation and hated their program.

PS...we call the stairs cardiac hill. I have a love hate relationship with those things

Oh one other thing....GCC is great because they actually hire tutors for you.You will have a tutor for your summer dosage and calc class and then during Fall there will be a pharm tutor. I suggest attending all of these.

I got accepted to LAVC, went to orientation and hated their program.

PS...we call the stairs cardiac hill. I have a love hate relationship with those things

sorry to butt in, but you already got a call/email/letter from LAVC??

does that mean everyone else has as well?

what exactly didnt you like about their RN program?

sorry to butt in, but you already got a call/email/letter from LAVC??

does that mean everyone else has as well?

what exactly didnt you like about their RN program?

I got into LAVC for this spring semester. I currently am in GCCs program (just finished yesterday - woohoo!!)

When I attended LAVCs orientation last Decemeber I just did not like the teachers, the way the program was structured, etc. It was a lot of personal reasons too...I have a 6 year old son and I am a single mother and GCC seems to understand that people have lives as well and try to work with you and your schedule. They allow a lot more freedom in when you accomplish things like assignments and skills labs. I guess I felt like GCC treated you like an adult that could handle responsibility and doing things on your own, while LAVC treated you like everyone was fresh out of high school and needed to be very structured and have their hand held through everything.

I got into LAVC for this spring semester. I currently am in GCCs program (just finished yesterday - woohoo!!)

When I attended LAVCs orientation last Decemeber I just did not like the teachers, the way the program was structured, etc. It was a lot of personal reasons too...I have a 6 year old son and I am a single mother and GCC seems to understand that people have lives as well and try to work with you and your schedule. They allow a lot more freedom in when you accomplish things like assignments and skills labs. I guess I felt like GCC treated you like an adult that could handle responsibility and doing things on your own, while LAVC treated you like everyone was fresh out of high school and needed to be very structured and have their hand held through everything.

That is good Crystal

I have two little ones and I was afraid of ever saying anything about them because of discrimination and being tested by being given horrible clinical hours etc. GCC has always been flexible and I love most of my science professors.

I got into LAVC for this spring semester. I currently am in GCCs program (just finished yesterday - woohoo!!)

When I attended LAVCs orientation last Decemeber I just did not like the teachers, the way the program was structured, etc. It was a lot of personal reasons too...I have a 6 year old son and I am a single mother and GCC seems to understand that people have lives as well and try to work with you and your schedule. They allow a lot more freedom in when you accomplish things like assignments and skills labs. I guess I felt like GCC treated you like an adult that could handle responsibility and doing things on your own, while LAVC treated you like everyone was fresh out of high school and needed to be very structured and have their hand held through everything.

opps i thought you meant this year. lol but hey your done! you must be soo happy!

as for valleys program, it seems weird that they would treat their students like children. ive heard really good things about GCC nursing program but hardly any info (good or bad) about valley. :/

im hoping i can get in to any program ASAP :/ once again, congrats!

Thank you for answering our questions, SoCalCrystal! That's awesome of you. I will go on that camping trip since it is probably one of the last times I can get away with my family before things get super heavy in the Fall! And thanks for the info about GCC vs. LAVC. Still waiting on that acceptance letter from them, but pretty confident GCC is where I will be. Hearing you say that they seem more accommodating regarding your child helps me so much. DeniseNike, I, too, have 2 little ones! I really think we aren't alone. The night/weekend program is going to help me so much in that area, since I can still do drop offs and pick ups and trade off responsibility with my husband and mother. But, I know it is still gonna be SO MUCH work and sacrifice!! The only thing LAVC has going for it, is that it is only 2 miles from my house! Oh well. Orientation is tomorrow...super excited!

How was orientation?

Orientation was nice, very informative. At first everyone seemed so tense but after the prof warmed us up, it was more relaxed. Nice diverse group of people. And honestly, yes it will be a lot of work, but I welcome it!