Lawson or JeffState

bamagt · Feb 4, 2009

Are you taking A&P2 in the summer? If so then you won't be able to apply for the fall semester, you'll have to wait for the spring semester.

Jeff State is most likely the better school

csmithrn2b · Feb 4, 2009

I will finish A&P 2 in April. I think JeffState is better also, but I could be a semester ahead if I went to Lawson. Just looking for some input, maybe from some people who have attended Lawson.

2Nurture1 · Feb 6, 2009

Hello CSmith, I am currently attending Lawson State, and you're right the points are considerably lower across the board at Lawson than Jeff State. However, if you plan on applying to the Summer program, the deadline for submitting the application is April 15th. So the question is, what day in April will you have completed A&PII? Of course, you can get in for the Fall with the whole 197 points, that's excellent by the way provided you get an A. The deadline for the Fall semester is June 1st. Frankly speaking, from the horror stories I've heard first-hand in regards to the program at Jeff State are horrible, and the evening program at Lawson is definitely the better choice. What school are you currently attending? Ask around, just ask people and began networking with others. You will find the answer you're looking for. The ulitimate decision is up to you, I just thought I could advise in that area. I wish you all the best..... :up:

09RN · Feb 6, 2009

Something to think about...you should consider the schools NCLEX pass rate. If your not a a school that has a good pass rate then why borther? Doesnt matter if you graduate from school if you can't pass boards!!!

Jeff State is a good school. I think Shelby campus is better than Jefferson campus. I have heard that Shelby campus has higher percentage of students passing their boards.

Another hint...be done with ALL pre reqs before you start the nursing program! It helps! Those that are taking other classes are the ones that tend to get in trouble:mad:

Alert&Oriented · Mar 26, 2009

I would just like to comment here . . .I was accepted to Jeff State last Fall. Had A's & B's in all nursing classes. However, the 'dosage calculation' test, you are only allowed to miss two problems. I missed three and was immediately kicked out of the program and forced to withdraw from all classes. ALOT of money and time wasted. I will be going to Lawson State this Fall!

californiadreaming · Mar 26, 2009

I would just like to comment here . . .I was accepted to Jeff State last Fall. Had A's & B's in all nursing classes. However, the 'dosage calculation' test, you are only allowed to miss two problems. I missed three and was immediately kicked out of the program and forced to withdraw from all classes. ALOT of money and time wasted. I will be going to Lawson State this Fall!

Alert and Oriented:

Would you please contact me at my allnurses link? I have some questions you possible could answer.

https://allnurses.com/members/324569/

Thanks.

bamadebRN · Mar 28, 2009

In all fairness to Jeff State about the calculations test, you have two chances to pass the test with a 90% or better. It's really not that big of a deal. Once you know how to do the calculations, you should have no problem passing with 90% or better. If you can't get 90% or better, then you don't know calculations enough to be a nurse! Would you want YOUR nurse calculating YOUR meds who only gets the dose correct less than 90% of the time?????

Medication errors represent the largest single cause of errors in the hospital setting. More than 1.5 million people in hospitals and nursing homes are injured each year by medication errors, according to a new report from the Institute of Medicine; and more than 7,000 people die annually from medication errors!

Requiring nursing students to pass with 90% or better on calculation tests is a GREAT thing, and I wouldn't expect anything less. Think about it!

Alert&Oriented · Mar 28, 2009

In all fairness to myself . . .

Medication errors are due to alot of factors, not just the nurse, but I understand your point.

I was not allowed two chances because of my cancer treatment on one of the scheduled days of the tests, and not allowed to make it up.

We were given a memo in the summer, before the semester started, stating that we "purchase the calculation book, pick one of the two methods for calculation and be ready for a test the first week of school." When the instructor was asked to explain calculations using the ratio-proportion method, she could not - she said she didn't know how!

Regardless, 11 students out of a class of 18, failed this dosage calculation test!

I am 45 years old and had been a paralegal for 15 years before I decided to get into nursing - I have had to calculate much more difficult math problems than medication math!

I truly love Jeff State . . .my siblings as well as my son have attended the college. But, the nursing program? Unorganized and too many cliques.

nurs4kids · Mar 31, 2009

This is probably a bit late, but I had to defend Lawson after reading the posts here. I attended Lawson back in the 90's before it was integrated (I was the token white girl). I could not have asked for a better education. I had attended Jeff State and UAB prior to going to Lawson and only ended up there because of a scholarship. I hated Jeff State. Lawson's nursing program rocked in the 90's and I seriously doubt it's changed much. I don't know their current NCLEX pass rate, but they use to have the top rate in the area. If you leave Lawson and can't pass NCLEX, then something is terribly wrong. Both schools are great schools. Lawson is tough, but for a reason. For anyone to say Jeff State is the better school is just a matter of opinion...in my opinion.