LPN School, Americare Insitute in Hanover Park Illinois

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Anyone from you guys have an information about this school? The second batch will start soon around August 2007. Im still devating If I'll go to this school paying more money for an LPN program instead of waiting much time to get into community college. I am pretty much sure that I wanna take LPN first than go straight to RN.

Here's the website http://www.americare.edu/

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Specializes in ER, Pre-Hospital.

I noticed on their website that they say they are "fully accredited by the "North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement". Don't confuse that with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools which is the recognized accreditation body of schools. Not sure what the NCA on ASI is...but it looks like they accredit high school and vocational schools. So..my point is that one needs to be sure that Illinois...or indeed the state in which one desires to practice, will recognize the program.

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Specializes in CNA.
I noticed on their website that they say they are "fully accredited by the "North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement". Don't confuse that with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools which is the recognized accreditation body of schools. Not sure what the NCA on ASI is...but it looks like they accredit high school and vocational schools. So..my point is that one needs to be sure that Illinois...or indeed the state in which one desires to practice, will recognize the program.

Hi there, i have an interview with this school this week but i have some reservations about going. 1) the cost $14,000 :o 2) the accreditations or lack there of 3) if you want to follow up with rn some schools wont accept their previous classes i asked the receptionist about all of this and she says accreditations are "no big deal". i beg to differ if we will be paying that much for a school. Community colleges are affordable but unfortanley dont accomadate a full time working schedule. :uhoh21: I really wish IL would offer night classes for people like me. Oh well. if you learn anything else let me know. Ive seen some pretty ugly posts on similar schools like Oylmpia college and J'Renee Facility in Crystal Lake. Thanks and Good Luck.

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Hi, I am in my second year at Harper College to become a MA. I am very interested in the Americare Institute because it has evening hours and after this year I need to have my own insurance, thus having to work full time. I am worried though that it is too much money and if there is any other place out there that has an LPN program at night that is cheaper and accredited. I really would like to become an LPN. Would it be beneficial for me to set up an interview with the school, or does anyone know anything about it?

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$14,000 is a lot to pay for an LPN degree. If it was a BSN or RN I'd beg to differ. If this school isn't fully accredited I wouldn't waste my time. I would continue to apply to community colleges where you'll be paying around $80 a credit hour to become an RN. I realize there are long waiting lists but this school doesn't seem great, especially if the receptionist herself is saying that accreditation is "no big deal". That's b/c they probably can't get what they want!

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The nursing program at Elgin Community College offers day and night classes. It's an accredited program with an excellent reputation. They also allow their students to sit for the NCLEX-PN after the first two semesters, and then continue on toward the NCLEX-RN. Of course, you do have to live in district...

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Hi there, i have an interview with this school this week but i have some reservations about going. 1) the cost $14,000 :o 2) the accreditations or lack there of 3) if you want to follow up with rn some schools wont accept their previous classes i asked the receptionist about all of this and she says accreditations are "no big deal". i beg to differ if we will be paying that much for a school. Community colleges are affordable but unfortanley dont accomadate a full time working schedule. :uhoh21: I really wish IL would offer night classes for people like me. Oh well. if you learn anything else let me know. Ive seen some pretty ugly posts on similar schools like Oylmpia college and J'Renee Facility in Crystal Lake. Thanks and Good Luck.

$14,000 is a lot to pay for an LPN degree. If it was a BSN or RN I'd beg to differ. If this school isn't fully accredited I wouldn't waste my time. I would continue to apply to community colleges where you'll be paying around $80 a credit hour to become an RN. I realize there are long waiting lists but this school doesn't seem great, especially if the receptionist herself is saying that accreditation is "no big deal". That's b/c they probably can't get what they want!

I am SO happy I found this site!! I was looking for stuff about Americare and J'Renee and Omega and stuff, but you really can't get an accurate view of the school from people who work there. So far I found that that Americare is the only one that is fully accredited by "NCA CASI." Here's what I found out about NCA CASI:

First I went here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Central_Association_of_Colleges_and_Schools

Then I found this:

http://www.northcentralassociation.org/

Which directed me to this:

http://www.ncacasi.org/

Then the pain in the butt site led me to this somehow (I don't know... I just clicked around):

http://www.advanc-ed.org/

And if you go to Schools and Districts, then click on Illinois, it shows you a list of accredited schools I think. I just CTRL+F and looked for J'Renee and Americare and Omega because there's a LOT, and some of them don't have anything to do with nursing.

So I think that means they are accredited? But what exactly IS accreditation? I mean... I can google the definition, but what does that mean to me in terms of schools? I mean, obviously it sounds like its better, but why?

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i am so happy i found not only this site but your posting. the research you did was very helpful to me. last night, i was reading the various postings on americare and saw a lot of opinions and speculations and had actually decided not to even bother contacting the school but your posting changed my mind. after reading more about accreditation through the links you provided, i thought it was worth checking out. i must agree with your description of the "pain in the butt site" though because it was rather confusing. but somehow i found confirmation that they are accredited:

http://www.nca.uillinois.edu/whats_new.htm

if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, there's a listing of 2007 new members and americare is the first on the list.

i then wanted to find an answer to your question: "but what exactly is accreditation?" and i came accross this: http://www.ncacasi.org/standard/. i have to admit that i haven't had a chance yet to read through the whole 36 page document advanced accreditation standards for quality schools but i did learn that nca casi, which is a regional accrediting body in the midwest merged with another accrediting body in the south and the new organization is called advanced. so, maybe that explains the confusion between one website linking to another.

so, having done that additional homework (which you got me started on) i decided to go visit the school today. it looked very impressive compared to j'renee and omega. (actually, there's no comparison... it was much better). and when i asked about accreditation, they showed me their nca certificate as well as the accreditation plaque that they just received.

accreditation is very important to me because i want to know that i am going to a quality school, especially if i am paying that much money. i would love to go to a community college but i sat on a waiting list for a couple years and got tired of waiting. i figure although it is more money, i can get licensed and start practicing as an lpn and pay that off more quickly than if i continue to sit on a wait list and working as a cna with a lower salary. so, although it's not my first choice, it's the best choice in terms of private schools. if you take the time to visit j'renee and omega, you'll know what i mean. and, the cost is actually less than j'renee and omega.

hope this post is helpful to other lpn school seekers out there!

i am so happy i found this site!! i was looking for stuff about americare and j'renee and omega and stuff, but you really can't get an accurate view of the school from people who work there. so far i found that that americare is the only one that is fully accredited by "nca casi." here's what i found out about nca casi:

first i went here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/north_central_association_of_colleges_and_schools

then i found this:

http://www.northcentralassociation.org/

which directed me to this:

http://www.ncacasi.org/

then the pain in the butt site led me to this somehow (i don't know... i just clicked around):

http://www.advanc-ed.org/

and if you go to schools and districts, then click on illinois, it shows you a list of accredited schools i think. i just ctrl+f and looked for j'renee and americare and omega because there's a lot, and some of them don't have anything to do with nursing.

so i think that means they are accredited? but what exactly is accreditation? i mean... i can google the definition, but what does that mean to me in terms of schools? i mean, obviously it sounds like its better, but why?

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If you read my other post, you'll see that I've been doing some homework. And I actually found out that there is only one recognized accrediting body called North Central Association (NCA). It is just divided into two separate commissions that accredit different levels of schools. The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/ accredits degree-granting schools while CASI accredits a range of schools, including non-degree granting post-secondary schools: http://www.ncacasi.org/about/description_history

So, since Americare just has a certificate PN program and doesn't grant any degrees, like an ADN or BSN, their accreditation falls under CASI.

I took your advice to confirm that they are recognized by the state and found them on the top of the list of Illinois Approved Nursing Education Programs:

http://www.idfpr.com/dpr/WHO/schools/NurseSchools.pdf

Thanks to your advice and CarloYo's research, I now have all the information I need.

I noticed on their website that they say they are "fully accredited by the "North Central Association on Accreditation and School Improvement". Don't confuse that with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools which is the recognized accreditation body of schools. Not sure what the NCA on ASI is...but it looks like they accredit high school and vocational schools. So..my point is that one needs to be sure that Illinois...or indeed the state in which one desires to practice, will recognize the program.
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I go to this school and I'm trying to find transfer options or get out as soon as possible.

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neveragain00- I'm just curious because I am looking into going to Americare and am nervous to ask what is so bad about it? I know it is pricey but its the only school that has night classes that are part time, what can get better than that! Its too bad Harper doesn't have a night school program. I thought I heard about possible talks of one because I am in the CMA program right now. But if you are looking into anywhere else let me know because I would like to do Nursing so badly but its hard when I have to work full time during the day.

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bumping this up for someone looking for info...

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