Kaplan college in San Diego RN program

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Hi, I will be starting the RN program with Kaplan as soon as we relocate. My husband's in the Military so the wait lists at other colleges turned me away from them.

Do any of you go to Kaplan? If so, how did it work out for the student loans and stuff , I am confused. It seems as if tuition is around 45000 for the couple years of the program. I am eligible for the pell grant and the military grant of 3000 per year. But would the loans be able to cover everything else since it's a vocational school more than a traditional college? Thanks!

Mdgl26 I can't respond to your private message! I don't know what happened to my post! Hmmm it must have been the bad grammar. Pretty much told dj.. To get his facts straight before bagging on Kaplan nurses!!!!! That's all. I wasn't attacking I was simply stating the facts that I do know and that most of his info was 99% bs :) that's all! There will always be people hating and talking bad but we have to do what we feel is best. And if Kaplan is what we choose than so be it. There's no need to come on the thread and keep attacking all of us who have made it in:) hope my English was better to understand this time around :p

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Specializes in ER psych.

If you think that most of my info is 99% BS, then fine, you can disregard it.

But for those who chose to make educated decisions based upon reliable information, then they're free to do that as well.

I will give you facts that are indisputable. I work in one of the largest ERs in Southern California. I work closely with 50-100 ER nurses, new grads, students, externs and preceptors on a daily basis. I talk to them about school, hiring and new grad programs. I relayed that information on my previous posts verbatim.

If you choose to accept the information, then you will be a better informed and prepared student/new grad.

If you choose to disregard the information and act as if you're better than everyone else and positive thinking alone will land you that job over every other qualified nurse whose applying, then more power to you.

I'm not trying to rain on anyone's parade, be a "Debbie Downer", etc. After all, I'm gonna be in the same boat. But an informed nurse, is an educated nurse.

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I was

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the admissions lady told me today that RN students must be available from 8am -8pm!!! monday through friday...

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Please save yourself and don't go to this school. Dear god.

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Hi y'all!

I'm in the process of applying for the RN program starting up in January course at Kaplan...I was curious to see what others who recently started the program think of things so far and if there're any recent alums who can give some of their impressions from their experience at Kaplan (would you recommend it/not/why?) and their current job prospects...

I already have a bachelor's degree but, by itself, it doesn't amount to much in terms of job opportunities...that said, already having my degree blocks me from getting into public and private school BSN programs period. The only local option I found was to do a Master's at USD for something like $80,000. While I'd have a master's it wouldn't be an MSN and I'd only be getting an RN and a graduate degree out of it for more than what I'd be paying at Kaplan (since I'll be getting some of my GE's transferred in). The other option was community college but with the immense waitlists just to get the pre-req courses I'd need done and then getting through the waitlist it'd be years before i'd even be able to start. I'm curious to see if anyone has other ideas that would allow me to stay in San Diego, but would be cheaper than the full cost of Kaplan...

I'm not really concerned too much about the cost. I got my bachelors from UCSD, a public university and as an in-state resident...my combined costs of tuition, books, fees and housing was just shy of $25,000 so considering Kaplan isn't subsidized by the tax-payers it's not that exorbitant of a tuition price-tag for two years @ $54k, especially considering it's a science degree

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Specializes in PICU.

hey tritons9....i am in my second semester so when you get in i will just be going into medsurg and pharm.....Kaplan is a great school for one thing....getting your RN and passing the NCLEX....isnt that what nursing school is for? People are always dogging on Kaplan for stuff but it is actually a pretty good school. The first semester is not realistic though as far as the kind of work load you will get later on....be prepared going into your second.... As for all the nimnods saying that Kaplan is crap....please go get on a 3 year waiting list at a JC program so i dont have to spend two years in school with you. :):):):)

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Hi CalemoEKG!

Thanks for the response! From everything I've been told it sounds like Kaplan students have a very good rep. while doing their clinical rotations with hospital staff so I'm excited to get started.

Since I'm transferring in some credit, I'm going to be hitting the ground running...how many hours a week are you actually in class? when do clinical hours start?

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Hi Tritons09,

I just started the program last September. I have a BS degree and no medical experience whatsoever. I'm taking all GEs since my courses were too old to transfer. All I can say about the classes for now is that they're too easy, even A&P I and Math. But yeah, I'm not expecting the nursing classes to be as easy but I'm ready for it.

I've talked to one recent Kaplan graduate who got a job out of state. I also have a classmate now who's wife graduated last semester and got a job right away in one of the hospitals in SD. My cousin is a nurse manager in one of the biggest hospitals in SD, and she told me that they like Kaplan students a lot because they do pretty well in clinicals and it doesn't matter where you get your degree as long as you have your RN license and do good during interviews.

As for the ridiculous $54K price tag, if you do the math, its not really that difficult to pay. And of course you know you can delay paying it until after you find a job.

As for the hours, Im at school Monday/Wednesday from 8am to 2 pm, Tuesday from 12:30 -5:30 and Thursday 12:30-2, no classes on Fridays. My clinicals won't start until the last month of my 2nd semester which is April next year.

If you have most of the GE credits then maybe you can take your "fundies" on your 1st sem , the reps will not tell you this. I have a classmate who only have two classes this semester because her rep didn't tell her she can already take her "fundies".

BTW, I study every night and weekends in the Geisel Library of UCSD (I'm actually in the Geisel library right now working on my a&P study guide). My wife works in the school of engineering and we live 3 miles from the campus. UCSD's library is so much better than Kaplan's :lol2:

feel free to ask anymore questions that you have. :)

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Specializes in PICU.

I am in my second semester and i spend 20 plus hours on campus a week..not including lab time you need to get or personal study time(alot of reading for fundies). I agree that the first semester was easy.....The second is when you get the "trifecta" they call it...A&P2, Micro, and Fundies.....I start clinicals next month so ill let you know how it goes!!!! :):):)

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Hello Everyone, I've been reading everyone's post about Kaplan College in San Diego, since I am really considering geting into this program. I am currently a LVN nurse and I will be attending to the info session this coming Monday. So, I would like to know if anyone has get into the RN program as LVN. How many credits does one get for being LVN? I currently live in Riverside; So, you will understand how delicate this decision of moving to San Diego is.

I need eveyone's input about this.. is it easy to obtain a job as LVN in San Diego?

Thank you,

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Specializes in ER.

Hello. Thought I would put in my input. I graduated from Kaplan about a year ago. I had a bachelors in psychology so when I got my units transferred in my tuition was cut down to about 32K or so. The way I saw it was that a new grad nurse makes at the lowest 40K a year and it increases every year after the that. The time that is wasted waiting on a JC is money that is wasted. That's 80K that could be made going to Kaplan for 16mo (thats how long my program was) vs making 0$ on a waiting list. Kaplan was a great school. As my preceptor told me every nursing school has issues and I'm finding, from talking to my co-workers that this is true! Your life basically belongs to nursing school for two years so if they are a week late getting you your schedule oh well it's not that big of a deal! The instructors are great --- (pharm) is extremely intelligent ------- is the best and everyone is really nice. I now work at a county hospital in the inland empire and it doesn't matter one bit where you went to school. Some say that San Diego has a negative attitude towards Kaplan but I don't believe that is true either. After you pass NCLEX nothing else matters and where you graduated from makes no difference once you have ur license in hand. Hope this helps

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