Hondoros college-cincinnati

animal1993 · Jan 31, 2010

Hi Andrew!

I just completed the LPN program in Dec, and am now in the RN program. I feel like I have learned A LOT in a year, and am fully prepared to pass the NCLEX. However, I wouldn't necessarily say that Hondros is 100% to thank for that. I have had some amazing professors who have given me a solid foundation in their respective areas of expertise. I have also had professors who couldn't teach someone to tie their shoes. I am fortunate enough to be able to learn the material on my own, when a professor falls short of teaching it to me. Having said all of that, I will say that my overall impression of Hondros is mostly positive, as I have heard horror stories from people I know who are attending other nursing schools. I think the biggest problem I have seen with the school, is that they tend to be unorganized in some areas, including the enforcement of their own policies.

The financial aid advisor has always taken care of my paperwork in a timely manner, and I have had no problem obtaining my funding. It will always depend on how timely you are in filling out your FAFSA, and keeping in contact with her.

If you are seriously considering attending Hondros (and I think you would be happy there, as long as you are willing to put in the effort that it requires), keep in mind that as of right now, they do not have NLNAC accreditation, and your credits WILL NOT transfer to any other schools. If you already have classes that can be transferred in from other colleges, this may not affect you. However, if you are planning to get your RN, and you don't have those classes to transfer in, you will have to continue on at Hondros.

I hope that answers the majority of your questions. Feel free to let me know if you need any other information. You can also check out the other Hondros threads for more information and opinions.

Have a good day!

tldc00 · Feb 4, 2010

I am also looking into going to Hondros. My main concern is their scheduling. Can anyone tell me how this works??? Are you there 5 days a week and is it all day? I am scheduled to attend an information session tomorrow and my financial part is all complete. I didnt go with Butler Tech because its Monday thru Friday 830-5pm and I heard Hondros is a bit more flexible with schedules, is this true? Thanks!

animal1993 · Feb 4, 2010

I wouldn't say that the schedule at Hondros is any more flexible, but you usually will not go M-F. Your schedule will change EVERY term, which is 11 weeks. Some terms will have a heavier course load (and schedule), and others will be lighter. There are also a few online courses that you have to take (unless you have those credits transferred in), and I would highly recommend getting them out of the way ASAP, so that you will have more time (and energy!) to devote to studying for the exit HESI (which you have to score at least an 850 on in order to graduate) which you will take in your last term. You will also need to consider the clinical schedules. Most clinicals for the LPN program are 1-2 days per week, usually scheduled from around 7 a.m. to around 2:30 p.m. (some of them are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

I personally have not had any conflicts with the scheduling. However, I chose not to work while I am in school, and my parents watch my children for me. If you need to work, you may need to find a job that can be flexible with your school schedule; not the other way around.

Good Luck!

tldc00 · Feb 4, 2010

Thanks for the info! I wont be working while going to school either, but my husband is on 2nd shift and I have 2 kids. So the schedule being a little more broken up will help me out tremendously. How many days a week do you typically have class in a classroom? I am really excited about this, but nervous in the same sense! I just really wanted to see an example of a typical schedule for a term to kinda give me some idea.

mitchsa · Feb 9, 2010

Hi TLDC! I'm in the 3rd term of the LPN program at Hondros right now, and I really like it. I thought maybe an example of what your schedule might look like would help. First term I had lab 12-4 on Mondays for the first five weeks, off Tuesdays for first five weeks, clinicals Mon and Tues weeks 6-10 from 7-12, and lecture classes ranging between the hours of 8 AM and 3 PM Wed-Fri, with hour or so breaks in between class. Second term, Mondays 8-2, Tuesdays lab 12-2, Wednesdays 2-4, and clinical EITHER Thursday or Friday, 7-4. Third term, Mondays 8-5, Tuesdays 8-3, Wednesdays lab 11-1, and off Thursdays and Fridays with the exception of 5 random clinical dates throughout the term. As you can see, the schedule changes each term, but the days off are such a huge help when it comes to studying. Good luck with your decision!

tldc00 · Feb 21, 2010

Hi Mitchsa! Thanks for the info! I just was real curious as to an example of the schedules may be like. I do understand that they change each term. I actually got accepted and completed my enrollment last week and I am now in the process of getting all of the documents they requested. I am suppose to start in Spring, April 5. I am nervous and excited in the same sense. I have been told several times that first term is the hardest. Why is that, just out of curiousity??? It just seems like there arent as many classes as some of the other terms. I also was curious, with your overall experience so far with Hondros...what do you think? Is it a good school? And how are the professors? I am really hoping to continue into the RN program once I complete the LPN. I just hope this school works out for me. Any input is GREATLY appreciated, especially from a current student like yourself! Thanks in advance!!!!

mitchsa · Feb 21, 2010

Congratulations on starting this upcoming April, tldc! Your post sounds EXACTLY like something I would have written before I started last July. You sound optimistic, and that will get you through! I have to say, I really like it at Hondros. It is a good way to jumpstart your future career as a nurse. I have friends in other nursing programs that are further along than I am, and I am able to keep up with what they talk about, so I know I'm learning what I need to know through Hondros. I have classmates that can't seem to get past the negative, and I'm sure you will have classmates like that too. The things they bash Hondros for seem very petty to me, but I suppose everyone has their limits. You just have to remember that Hondros is a new school, and it's a give and take situation for all of us. We work hard for a degree, Hondros gets feedback on how to make their program better. The professors are great for the main nursing classes (Fundamentals, Med/Surg, OB/Peds), and the other ones tell you what you need to know. You might have heard first term is the hardest because it can be overwhelming. I went to UC for two years and never put in as much time and effort as I do at Hondros. You just have to come up with your own way of studying. My best advice would be to stay ahead of the game. You can always pick up your books before each term starts, and the syllabi for your classes are usually available on CAMs (you'll learn about this) about a week prior to the start of classes. Hondros provides a great N-CLEX PN book first term, and they recommend you do 25-50 questions a day. The book is especially helpful when you get to second term and need a study tool for Med/Surg, because a lot of the test questions are similar to the questions on the CD that come with the N-CLEX book. I hope this information is helpful! You might or might not know this, but it was the only thing that caught me off gaurd about Hondros. At orientation, they told us that the RN program only has 32 spots available (we started out with 60 first term). I know you want to go on to the RN program, so please do not let this scare you!! Believe me, you might have 60 in the beginning, but your class will get smaller and smaller with each passing term. Plus, some people either don't want to become an RN, or they have to take a break from school to work. There are 43 people in my class now. If I can answer anymore questions for you, let me know! Before I started in July, I had a million questions for Animal. You can go back and read our old posts too, that might be helpful. Congratulations again!

animal1993 · Feb 22, 2010

Hello again!

Here is a link to another Hondros thread. (I hope it works!) You'll probably find answers to most of your questions there, as we have all had many of the same questions that you do.

https://allnurses.com/ohio-nurses/new-student-here-273603.html

Congratulations on your acceptance! Mitchsa has given you some solid information (glad you're doing well Mitchsa!), and I think you will find that your nerves will be calmed within a matter of days after you start in the program. I personally found the first term to be the easiest, although it was not without its stressful moments! It is certainly A LOT of information to have thrown at you, and you will need to have a complete understanding of the material in order to be able to make sense of your future classes, but it is completely manageable as long as you commit yourself to reading and studying as effectively as you can. Once you start acquiring the basics, you'll probably find that you don't have to spend quite so much time reading. (Maybe that's what others who have found the first term to be so difficult are referring to!)

As I mentioned in my previous reply, I highly recommend that you get your online classes out of the way ASAP. If you don't, you will probably find (as I did) that your fourth term will be your most difficult. Although the material will be somewhat of a review of what you will have covered in the previous terms, don't forget that you will be stressing over your HESI preparation, and you will have 12 hours of clinicals each week. If you have online classes to worry about, it can result in an extremely hectic schedule, which is made even more hectic when you have children to take care of.

Congratulations, again, and do not hesitate to ask if you have any other questions. You'll find that there is always someone around who is more than willing to help!

miranda02 · Feb 22, 2010

I am going to the information session tonight. I recieved funding from my county and they are paying for everything. Hondros was one of the two schools that they work with. It is extremely close to my house and the county lady I am working with had nothing but good things to say. How hard is the entrance exam? I am buying the study book tonight and sced. my exam later this week. It is going to be really hard while in school and with 4 kids and work, but I have changed my kids playroom into a whole study area just for myself and my family has already told me they would take the kids even more so that I can have more study time. I feel like a teen going to her first day of school again. LOL Any information or pointers would be great.Oh, would it help if I had letters of recommendation? My oldest daughter was disabled and her main nurse and dr. would be willing to do this for me. I just want to see if it would help. :yeah:

mitchsa · Feb 23, 2010

Hi Miranda! Purchasing the study guide for the HESI entrance exam is a great idea. The exam only covers the main topics of the book (none of the science chapters) and I found the book to really coincide with the information on the test. Personally, I don't think a letter of recommendation is necessary. The entrance exam and the background check are the big parts of admission. Best of luck, hope the information session answered some of your questions!

tallandrew1982 · Feb 23, 2010

I got accepted and passed the hesi exam with not too much studying and got an 88 average on it. It was difficult in parts but not that difficult in other parts. The study guide they push is good for more than studying its also good for preparing for what i will be taking in the first term. I start April 5th and registered for my classes and in the process of filling out all necessary financial aid paperwork. So far the school has been pretty good but then again i haven't actually started. I hope school is a challenge because anything worth having taking hard work! I look forward to meeting all of you starting soon at Hondros.