Is it a good idea to go a college like unitek or western career college

[curiousninja]

instead of a community college or state college

since those programs are so impacted.

I know they are really expensive but unitek offers a degree program but do hospitals and other settings hire new grads from those colleges

also have any of you attended unitekin, or western career college in Sacramento...

i would really appreciate hearing your experiences

what was the curriculum, how many tests do you have, did the clinicals prepare you adequately

also if you attend those programs can you then go back to get your masters, or bsn

please your comments would be appreciated

[UVA Grad Nursing]

Accreditation is very important if you want to work at certain hospitals or intend to pursue further education (at the BSN or graduate levels). In looking at the websites for both schools, neither have regional accreditation (Western Association of Colleges and Schools -- WACS). Regional accreditation can be very important if you want your credit to transfer to any other school. Regional accreditation is also important if you want to qualify for federal financial aid (Pell Grants, Stafford/Perkins Loans, etc). I'd encourage you to also check with some of the BSN and MSN programs in your area (like UC-Davis) and see if they accept transfer credit from either school. You do not want to realize later that you have taken out tens of thousands of $$ in loans and discover that the credit does not transfer.

I do not know those schools personally so cannot comment on the quality of their education.

[iheartangelinajolie]

I know a few nurses that went to Unitek for their LVN then their RN. One of them is the director of nurses at a building and another works in a hospital. Both of them make well over $100,000 annually. The quality of education depends on you. A majority of it is self learning. It's an 8 month program and you have to put in the effort.

[sauconyrunner]

My short answer is that No it is not a good idea. Longer answer is that it may be in your individual situation. Where I work, we don't hire nurses who are graduates from similar programs as we have found them to not be as well prepared as those from the CC or local university. There is also the issue of pass rate for boards- I dont know if it is high for their programs or not, but the main goal in a nursing program is to pass the board exam, so you can practice.

So there are a lot of factors here, and as you can see from the other people posting, results will vary.

Good Luck to you.

[sailornurse]

A quick look at the website for Unitek, and no listing for accreditation by NLN or CCNE, which without this could limit acceptance to other schools for BSN or grad school/MSN.

[nursie_nursie_415]

Some hospitals specifically will not hire RNs who graduated from schools that are not NLNAC or CCNE accredited. Unitek is ACCSC accredited & Western Career/Carrington is accredited by ACCJC & WASC - no mention of NLNAC or CCNE on either website.