Looking for LPN school in Colorado

CBsMommy · Oct 12, 2009

I am taking it right now and it's tough. The exams are every week, lasting an hour and a half to 2 hours but the questions are NOT easy. So, you have an average of 2 minutes per question, which may sound like a lot but our last exam was over 10 chapters (and again, it's not easy). We have discussions that we have to do every week, 2-3 page assignments every week and another huge 6 page paper that we have to do. All of it is self taught with the instructor's notes, the book and the workbook. It's doable...but not easy by any stretch of the imagination.

Alice88 · Oct 12, 2009

It sounds like they've put a little more into it than when I took it.

maraluc · Oct 13, 2009

I've been reseaching UCCS/PPCC/PCC for nursing programs. From what I understand working full time while enrolled seems out of the question. How are students paying for their living expenses?! Are there any online programs that are accredited? I need some advice and help before making the plunge. I have a b.s. in business and looking at a career change. Love working in a hospital and helping others and thought nursing might be my best option. Any advice????

albpreemieRN · Oct 13, 2009

I also wanted to add I spoke with our former dean and now head of accreditation this week. She said to come back at the end of Oct and she will have news regarding NLN accreditation. So yes, we are making progess.

RNtwoBE · Oct 13, 2009

bfrdncr41 - thanks for the info, yippee! How's your new quarter going? What is your schedule like with class and clinicals? :)

albpreemieRN · Oct 13, 2009

No problem! I'll let you know when I hear something from her.

This quarter (4th) is supposed to be one of the hardest. We have 2 full days of classroom and 3 12 hr days of clinicals. So far it's going well, we're only in the first week of classes. Hoping this quarter goes fast and it will be a blur!!

RNtwoBE · Oct 14, 2009

Pretty much any nursing program will tell you not to work more than 20 hours per week. I am a single mother, so I can totally relate! I am going to try to work as much as I can, but realistically taking loans out (or hopefully getting scholarships) is the only way I can think of to supplement my income. I haven't heard of any online programs, definitely none in Colorado. Good luck! It's definitely worth it in the long run if you'll be happier and doing something that you love! :)

maraluc · Oct 15, 2009

Thanks, that was sort of what I was thinking... Debt for living is always a scary option because many of the programs I'm looking at are starting at 40K for the total cost of the program! I will look into scholarships and see what might be available - that's a great idea. You would think with such a shortage there would be special programs out there available to assist students either to where they could work full time or the tuition would be more affordable..

Are you enrolled in a program right now?

RNtwoBE · Oct 15, 2009

I know, it makes no sense to me either! I sure hope I can get some scholarships or tuition forgiveness afterwards.

I'm starting at Denver School of Nursing in January in the BSN program. I was considering CU and Regis...Regis is like 60k, so that's out! ;-) And CU is actually my first choice and while I have a lot going for me (4.0 at my main school, lots of community involvement, honor society, etc.), I got a C in both A&P 1 and 2 (I should've gotten a B, looong story) so I don't think there's any chance I can get in. Plus I'm 31, so I want to get started ASAP. :)

Where are you thinking of going?

tsalagicara · Oct 15, 2009

Run, do not walk, as far away from Concorde as you can. I went there for one quarter of the LPN program and it was like being in Hades: Horrible, slanderous, racist and disruptive classmates (which nothing was done about, ever), psycho teachers (seriously), high turnover rates with all faculty/employees, astronomical tuition (right now the LPN program is sitting at $28,000) that they make you have paid for up front -- pell grants, state grants and federal student loans will not cover it all == and if you can't come up with the rest somehow, they expect you to pay them huge sums monthly, out of pocket, until it's covered; sub-par education, old lab supplies and much more... If you quit the program, like I did (because I was near an emotional breakdown from the awful stress of that place and the negative enrvironment, with chronic illness on top of that), they will "prorate" your tuition and try to make you pay them back for the subsequent quarters of the program which you would have attended... and I am not talking about paying back a Federal Loan (which is, of course, a given), Concorde expects money to be paid to them. I finally got that written off because I am disabled now and there was no way I could pay them, and furthermore, how could I owe them money for classes that I didn't take? Nonetheless, before that got straightened out, I had someone from their collections office calling me every day, and got a hit on my credit score due to that. Nothing was ever done about very rude comments or disruptions in the middle of class lessons (from other classmates), cheating on tests, and talking on Bluetooth cell phone devices during class, among other things...

I could go on and on... the things I experienced were only during the first quarter of the program, so I don't know how the rest of the program would have gone education-wise. A classmate of mine, who finished the program, told me it was just as bad all the way through. She told me that she had only 2 decent teachers. The help and "job placement assistance" that Concorde promises to graduates of their programs is not help at all. My friend has tried for help through their "job placement assistance" and gotten no assistance, not even help with her resume or preparing for interviews. As far as I know, she still doesn't have a job yet.

If anyone wants to know anything else about my experiences at Concorde, please feel free to private message me. I am not meaning to sound bitter or whiny by sharing this information; I just want to get the truth out. These are hard times for everyone and I would hate to see someone else pay almost $30,000 to go through all that. Best of luck to you all and I hope you all find the right school for your needs! :nurse:

pjsmom · Oct 17, 2009

If you have good credit then you should just be able to go to your bank (CU's have better rates) and apply for a personal loan. It is not an educational loan or student loan, it is a line of credit and you can use the money for anything. Keybank gave us enough to foot the rest of the DSN tuition.

Music in My Heart · Oct 17, 2009

...hopefully I'll be able to scrape by and make it.

Do you have a detailed budget that covers the duration of the program and a few months after while you look for work?

If not, make one NOW.

In Spanish the word for "to hope" is the same as the word for "to wait" as in waiting expectantly for that which you know is going to come to pass. In English, the word "to hope" is synonymous with "to wish" as in, "I don't really know but maybe it'll miraculously take care of itself."

Don't fall into the latter category. Make sure that you're clear about what you need and that you have a budget that you can follow to get you to your goal.

As to how you come up with the cash, I haven't any good suggestions. In my own case, I took out a second mortgage on my house (and I'm hoping/wishing that I find a job before I run out of cash and join the foreclosed-upon ranks).