Negativity around private for profit nursing schools

Nursing Students LPN/LVN Students

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Starting this program in nov. and seems like everyone just telling me not to go Kaplan college LVN program in sacramento. Saying it won't prepare you enough etc. no hospital will hire you etc, what's everyone honest opinion on this?

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

How much is the tuition?

If you're paying in excess of $20,000 in tuition and fees, I'd seriously consider another option. Community colleges, ROPs (regional occupational programs) and adult education centers will all train you to become an LVN for less than $10,000.

The nursing job market in California has been horrid for several years, and you would not want to be stuck with massive student loan debt without a way to repay it after graduation. Good luck with whatever you decide.

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Program is 29k... After financial aid and grants I would only be paying 6k for a 12 month program.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.
Program is 29k... After financial aid and grants I would only be paying 6k for a 12 month program.
.

You will max out your loan amount for undergrad should you decide to return to school for your RN...that you have to pay back , alluding to what The Commuter said.

I would look into a program with a lower cost. :yes:

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Well I was just going to pay the 6k in cash. This was actually the cheapest one I could find in sacramento the rest were 3-4k more expensive haha but besides the money... The education is worth it right?

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

That's not what I was saying.

The federal government has "loan limits" in terms of schooling; depending if most of your program is paid for by loans; you may end up pricing yourself if and when you decide to get your ASN or BSN...my point is you don't want to "invest" yourself out of advancing yourself...

Info about loans and loan limits:

http://www.direct.ed.gov/applying.html

I would tread lightly...almost 30 grand for LPN school when most BSN programs are priced the same and give a higher level of flexibility and advancement?

Investing into education needs to be within reason; I can't see the justification of paying that amount, for a PN program, when the public options are within reason.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Hospitals are not taking on LVNs very often if at all in the area. But The job market for SNFs is different.

Lady Free made an excellent point about pricing yourself out of advancement...the federal loan limit for undergrad is 57k so after paying for an expensive LVN program you probably won't have enough left to complete a private bridge program.

I considered the following before I took the expensive plunge into private LVN school:

How much money do I need to make? Take into account taxes and the cost of health benefits?

Are employers hiring new grads? What are the paying? I asked several DSDs this question.

Can I afford to payoff my student loans on my take home/net pay and still make what I need to make?

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

PM me for more specific questions about this program....

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I'm an LPN, and I'm also an A&P tutor for other LPNs trying to complete their pre-reqs for the LPN to RN bridge program. I went to a tiny, dirt-cheap but incredibly difficult LPN program that directly transitioned into my local cc (4.5k in tuition). They graduated 8-10 students out of the 30 who started the program, and we got amazing clinical experience, worked closely with local hospitals to build contacts, and came out thoroughly prepared to start working in the field. The people I tutor are always from private for-profit LPN programs, because nearly every public school offers ASN only now. How did the for-profit nurses do? Horrible. Awful. Not just in their overall knowledge base, but in their study habits. Their programs were easily, designed to pass them through and keep the money rolling in. Not ONE of them (I have four LPNs I tutor right now) can handle the courseload of college level A&P/Micro, and if anything ever changed my opinion of Kaplan/Kaiser and similar schools, this did! They are all incredibly smart ladies, but they were not adequately prepared by the schools they went to.

Worst part? My local LPN-RN bridge program has no waiting list. They only take the top 30 students by GPA, and the current average is 3.8. Getting a C in your pre-reqs? That'll dash your dreams, and it'll be back to for-profit for the rest of your education.

I know there are many people who went for-profit and are satisfied with the education they received, and thrive out in the field. But this has been my experience dealing with the students who came out of them.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Med-Surg, Psych, Geri, LTC, Tele,.

Nekozuki.... I agree with your observations.... I attended community college to complete most of my BSN prereqs. I did have to work very hard to obtain A grades in my classes like Micro, A&P 1&2, Gen Chem, etc. I also agree that my education at a private vocational school was in no way as rigorous.

(My husband and I split up so I had to alter my path)

In spite of this, I don't feel comfortable telling anyone that they aren't equipped to be a nurse because of the place they went to school. I personally don't believe in choosing a school because of the name. In my opinion, if the board of nursing approves the school and you know of working graduates, then, if you've considered the factors mentioned in earlier posts and feel comfortable, there's no reason they should not attend.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.
I don't feel comfortable telling anyone that they aren't equipped to be a nurse because of the place they went to school. I personally don't believe in choosing a school because of the name. In my opinion, if the board of nursing approves the school and you know of working graduates, then, if you've considered the factors mentioned in earlier posts and feel comfortable, there's no reason they should not attend.

You are absolutely right. One becomes a nurse through their own hard work, regardless of the name or reputation of their school. There are many ways to do so, all of which have many success stories.

The OP posed a question about honest opinions on the negativity surrounding for-profit schools, so I felt obliged to answer as thoroughly and truthfully as I could. To me, cost and quality of education are the most important parts of a nursing program, and I feel many students and potential students don't understand the full range of options, nor the consequences of a 50k student loan decision.

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Wow, I wish I heard of this news earlier. Do you have any suggestions on LVN programs in ROPs or even adult education programs. I have been looking at community colleges recently!

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