Kaplan, Carrington, or Unitek?

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Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.

Recently, I have decided to take a detour from my CC RN path to pursue becoming a LVN. I was looking for something fast (in the California Bay Area, we have no occupational centers, adult schools, ROCPs, or job corp centers that offer LVN training so unfortunatly, cheap is not an option) because by the time I would get accepted into one of the only CC LVN programs left (SF CC, I hear you have to apply a couple of times before becoming accepted) I would be ready to apply to for the RN program. On top of that, all the private RN schools around here are BSN and up and the schools that offer associates in RN admit LVNs only to my knowledge; and I would like to eventually get my BSN from a four year state college instead. I am aware that my credits will NOT transfer to state or community colleges if I go to a private school and that I will be paying atleast $30,000 and up and I am prepared for that if the school has a felxible payment plan that I can pay off in a reasonable amount of time. I am just curious as to what experiences people have had with the three schools that I am looking at and if would they recommend them.

The schools I am looking at currently are:

Kaplan(Stockton campus, NCLEX-PN pass rate:86%)

Carrington(Antioch campus, NCLEX-PN pass rate:87%)

Unitek (Fremont campus, NCLEX-PN pass rate:92%)

I was also curious if anyone knows whether these schools have:

-Flexible payment plans (one that might extend payments past the year it takes for the program)

-Financial aid/grants/financial assistance

-A strong clinical component. Good clinical sites that include acute-care centers as well.

-Flexible program hours

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Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.

Also, the reason I am taking a detour is because my CC is re-building their science center over one semester closing classes during that time and the other CC don't have any science classes that work with my working schedule, adding time onto the already year-a-half I will need to complete the remaining classes for the Degree and the pre-reqs. Plus, considering how impacted the programs are here and with people who have 4.0s even having problems getting into RN programs, I can be working and I will still be a nurse even if I apply and end up not being able to get into a RN program and it will also open up Private and non-private LVN-RN programs as well.

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Specializes in ER, IICU, PCU, PACU, EMS.

Moved to CA Nursing Programs forum for more of a response.

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My wife went to Unitek college in fremont and they had financial aid and some other options. We looked for schools with acute care options but none would say they did or didn’t for LVN. Every school we looked at had financial aid but we went where she felt like people would be focused. They have BSN online and I don’t think you have to do their VN to do the BSN or RN. Hope that helps.

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I am decided on these schools as well but in the Sacramento area. I'm tired of waiting for this lottery system.

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Specializes in Geriatrics/home health care.
My wife went to Unitek college in fremont and they had financial aid and some other options. We looked for schools with acute care options but none would say they did or didn’t for LVN. Every school we looked at had financial aid but we went where she felt like people would be focused. They have BSN online and I don’t think you have to do their VN to do the BSN or RN. Hope that helps.

actually, I went to unitek and talked with them after I poste this, you do have to do the vn before rn, and that's the irritating part because I would like to go straight into a RN program. Also, they do have financial aid for their LVN program.

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im in the same boat im in sacramento i like how carrigton college has the WASC accreditation which can be transfered to community colleges but $40,000 for lvn i cant get myself to pay that and unitek is $30,000ish which i like but doesnt have the WASC... have you ladies choose a school yet or any good feedback to which school would be a better choice?

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Hello I'm moving to antioch ca in may and wanted to know.what school did you guys decide.

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I'm starting Carrington in Sacramento in March. I have a friend that went there for LVN and then did his RN there. He said it was worth it.

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Hi is the rn program at carrington college hard to get into? That's my plan if I don't get into the rn

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Hi is the rn program at carrington college hard to get into? That's my plan B if I don't get into the rn program at SJVC.

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