North Hennepin or Hennepin Tech??

[Sunshine1500]

I am trying to decide if I should go to Hennepin Tech for the LPN program and then do the Lpn-bsn (now offered at Metro State), or go to North Hennepin for the RN program. I figured it out and the LPN and RN will both take me about the same amount of time to complete...assuming I get into to North Hennepin the first time I apply.

My question is do most students that apply to the North Hennepin RN program get in as long as they did everything they needed to do as far as pre-req's. Also I noticed that instead of classes for nursing it looks like each semester is divided up into one 8 credit class. If anyone on here has went to North Hennepin, please let me know is this 8 credit class is just a combination of classes.

Thanks.

[misswitz]

I heard North Hennepin CC was getting rid of the Nursing program I am sure it is just a rumor but might be worth checking into a girl at work told me this who goes there she is transferring to hennepin tech to avoid the hassel!

[AKFLIGHTRN]

NHCC is NOT getting rid of there nursing program. They just went through re-accreditation. I start the RN program next Monday (24th). NHCC uses your grades in pre-reqs to rank you to make their decision on who gets in. The more you have done and the better the grade, the more likely you will make it in. There are 80 day slots and 50 night slots. You have to decide which program when you apply. Once you make it into the program, the nursing classes are what make up the 8 credits per semester. This first semester I will have Nursing Fundamentals (5 credits) and Assessment (3 credits). Hope that helps.

If you have any questions, let me know

Matt

[EowynRN]

The truth of the matter is, that even though NHCC says it's a 2 year program, it's not. It's a 4-5 year program, because as Matt says, you have to have pre-reqs done to be accepted and it takes at least 1.5 years to get the biology pre-reqs done to get accepted for a normal person. ...and I would not suggest taking more than one of those bio courses at the same time if you are working at least.

The LPN program at Hennepin Tech is I think a strait program, so there's one of the waiting to get accepted drama like with the RN program, and it's much easier. That being said, there are more benefits (and responsibilities) if that's what you want that come with being an RN.

It really depends on what you want to do with your life. I'm thinking now I may want to be a CNM, and to do that I have to get a bachelor's before I go any further after my ADN. So you just have to ask yourself what level you think you ultimately want to be at, and make a decision from there. Good luck!

[misswitz]

Another thing to consider is the economy sucks right now tons and tons of people are going back to school! At orientation for the LPN program at Hennepin Tech on Monday 8/24 they said that they had accepted 120 students!!!! They told us at the informational meeting the previous semester they would take approx 80! They are running out of classes some people did not get into all the classes they needed like Intro to Prac Nursing so they are stuck adding that on to their load next semester! Im glad I went back to school when I did sounds like it might be getting really competitive even at HTC!

[kadymarie]

I just started my first semester in the Lpn program at HTC (so far I love it!). When I first got out of high school I decided to attend NHCC for their RN program, but after taking some of the pre-req's (math, chem, interpersonal comm, english) I decided to make the switch to HTC. I am an A-B student and after talking to students who had applied with the MAJORITY of their pre-req's done and a 4.0 GPA, and still were denied I decided that it would be easier, and way less time consuming to take the Lpn-Bsn route. NHCC is a good school, but you can only apply for the program from the end of Dec to Feb (or at least thats how it was a year 1/2 ago) and at HTC you can apply for the Lpn program every couple months-a huge plus. This semester they let in twice as many students as they usually do, so they had some trouble with schedualing...but the administration is trying implent more classes for those who want to attend full time. When I went to the application orientation back in May, the admin. staff said that HTC was becoming more and more popular and that soon they would have to implement a waiting list... my advice to you is that if you work, have kids, a signifigant other, or any kind of social life I would lean towards HTC. Any nursing program is going to be hard work...but HTC definitley has their stuff together when it comes to the Lpn program. :) good luck!

[chuchie, ADN, BSN, MSN, LPN, APRN, NP]

I hear that it can take 1-2 years to get into NHCC and with HTC you can get in right away. Also, please understand that the new grad job market for RNs is extremely tough right now since most of the major hospitals have been laying off RNs. It is much easier to get a job as an LPN and I hear that it's easier to get into an RN program as an LPN. If you become an LPN first then get your RN later then the job market will have hopefully turned around so it will not be so bad, plus you will have the job security of being an LPN while you are in school and awaiting employment as an RN.