Has anyone done LPN or RN programs at SVCC, Keysville, Va?

playdbluz · Jul 18, 2010

Everyone will have their own opinion to post about the quality of of a particular program, SO I'll try to keep to the facts.

The programs in keysville and sobo accept 40 to 50 students a year combined. For the class that began this summer, there were over 350 applicants. I saw some VERY good students not get accepted. I know of a woman with a 3.9 GPA who did not get in. Her scores were all good but she didn't have as many or the prereqs done as other who did get accepted.

Try to get your NLN exam and Application in early.

When I applied, I had Eng 111 and 112 completed, Western Civ, Nutrition, Soc, Psy, Humanities, A&P 1, Statistics, and drug dosage. My GPA is 4.0 and my NLN was 99th percentile. My application was in by December. It all helps.

About half of the student who begin will graduate, which seems low, but I already can see 3 students who may not make it due to financial hardship. Others are sure to fall for a variety of reasons. I spoke to the new dean about this and she is in favor of even harder entrance guidelines to ensure only the most dedicated and capable students get it. That will improve the attrition rate, but not overnight.

Of those that make it through the second year, they have a GREAT chance of passing their NCLEX. In fact, SVCC has the HIGHEST NCLEX PASS RATE IN THE STATE. Better than ODU, VCU, even UVA. You can google "NCLEX pass rates in Virginia" to confirm this. I looked into it before I applied.

I am not beating the drum here, as there are things about the program I do not like, as far as the pedagogy is concerned, but those are my personal opinion.

I believe that anyone who makes it in has all the skills and intelligence they need to complete the program, but perhaps not the finances, willpower, determination, ect. If you want it, it will happen.

Good luck

Bipity · May 2, 2011

Beware! My daughter was in this program. Last summer almost half of the class was pressed to drop out. Contact me! This program raises lots of flags.

aliveword · May 4, 2011

Hi Bipity,

Thank you for your response. I just got accepted into the JTCC program which I heard has a better reputation. Hopefully, I can get through it! A friend of mine said that a quarter of the class dropped out so that is a little better than half.

saharamichael · Jul 11, 2011

Hi aliveword,

I posted last year on this thread about the difference between SVCC and Tyler. I am now a 4th semester student at Tyler. I graduate this Dec, woohoo!!!!!! You'll do fine at Tyler. We did lose a lot of 1st semester students Spring 2011. I talked to the 1st semester instructors. One told me that they had a lot of students drop when they started clinicals because they realized nursing wasnt for them. I've only met 1 person that failed 1st semester and she got back in the following semester. Dont worry about how others are doing. They have done a lot of changes to the program. Keep on top of the reading and homework. Ask lots of questions and always be prepared and you'll sail through.

aliveword · Jul 11, 2011

Congratulations, Saharamichael on your progress through the program! :yeah:

I have tons of questions! Would you mind answering some for me?

I registered for Hybrid track classes after midnight but I didn't get the same clinical/lab sections as a friend

of mine so I was little bummed because I was hoping we could study together. Did you form a study group from students in your class sections or did you find students who lived close by your home? I live over an hour away from the school.

I heard that the "Hogan" books are helpful in studying for the NCLEX and the textbook study guides are not as helpful. Did you find this to be the case? Did you concentrate more on the powerpoints or book reading? Do the instructors let you practice your skills until you get them right or are you limited to a certain number of tries? I guess I am the most uneasy about the clinicals and getting the proceedures done correctly and safely! I think that I can handle the gross stuff though.

Any imput would be appreciated :redbeathe

Fina11yKym · Jan 8, 2012

I actually attended and graduated from SVCC- I went to the Farmville Campus ( it is included with the Keysville Campus). There were DEFINATELY things about the college I did not like .... like the lack of orgainization and being told I wouldn't "make it" into the program. I showed them HA! But as far as the Program in just farmville- there was some disorgainization but the instructors will work with you, and genuinely seem to care =) Also we were given the KAPLAN course for 117.00, and it was excellent! I lived about an hour away from school, and about 1- 3 hours away from clinicals ( we had some clinicals in the Clarksville area). I am not sure what the pass rate for NCLEX is but I do know that in my first class there were only 12 people who "survived" second semester. The class this year had about 30 students graduate ( including myself.) From what I was told when I applied to SVCC they supposedly "don't" base it on GPA but the PSB ( or whatever it is now) and the prereq's ( but this was about 3 years ago I applied...so my info may be off now.) I was told this in Alberta. I had a few good professors at SVCC, but like another student posted I felt that another school *may* be a better choice. Especially if you want more of a rotation from Clinicals- the hospital we were at had alot...but we didn't have a good Psych experiance- and we didn't have much of an OB or PEDS experiance ( due to no clients in the PEDS when we were there.. thats right... NONE.)

Hope this helps! I hope it makes sense- I've been studying for my nclex all day and I decided to *check into all nurses.com* Love this website =)

Well.. this is just my two cents, I hope it is beneficial to someone =) :twocents:

saharamichael · Jan 9, 2012

sorry to get back to you so late. I hope your first semester went well. I did graduate this Dec. and am taking the NCLEX at the end of this month. What worked for me was watch powerpoints and read the content covered on the powerpoints in the hogan or saunders review books. Skim through the text. Do lots of review questions.