Of these Los Angeles schools, which one is least "ghetto"

Thirdwatch · Jan 13, 2011

If you're willing to relocate I would just look up community colleges with the highest NCLEX pass rate. Unless you have your heart set on staying in LA, there are really good schools outside of LA county.

I'll tell you, the school I'm applying to has the highest NCLEX pass rate, but it's the most dangerous in the county. I don't take evening classes. They had to add a sheriffs station to the campus because of all the auto theft and battery.

2011NursingStudent · Jan 14, 2011

Define "ghetto".
I am not familiar with the community colleges in California, but as an Illinoisan, I would look at perhaps the NCLEX pass rate for a college, cost, admission requirements, etc.

I'm from Chicago too, don't kid - we know what ghetto is

:)

akadimkz, ADN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

This is so funny to me...Yes what is ghetto??...What does it have to do with your education and your degree????

akadimkz, ADN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

Then again we are talking about L.A. so I can understand you on that note.....

Jingles39 · Jan 14, 2011

This is so funny to me...Yes what is ghetto??...What does it have to do with your education and your degree????

From the sounds of it, being able to keep yourself safe and alive while working on attaining said education and degree. Can't say I can blame them......

allnurses Guide · Jan 14, 2011

My thoughts on it--many of the best schools and universities, and hospitals in Southern California are in what you might call "ghetto" areas. They tend to be very secure because they have quite a bit of security apparatus in place. I was almost hired (just as one example) by USC-Norris Cancer Hospital, not an affluent area by a long stretch. Within the facilities themselves there are open areas, parks, and gardens that are a world unto themselves. Really good faculty don't like a high crime rate any more than anyone else. Also, a low income neighborhood does not equal an unsafe/rampant crime neighborhood.

If I had the choice today, I would choose LACC over Pierce in a hot second. If you are that worried about it, take a road trip and drive through those areas yourself.

Hey, Ghetto schools are great for clinicals. USC in LA teaches Army trama docs, UMB and JHU are in the heart of Baltimore and produce great Doctors and Nurses.
You got to think of the positives.

This is true. Not always, but most of the time they aren't going to have people driving long distances to clinicals.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

Perhaps the OP should ask, which of this areas had less crime, is safer, etc. Rather than using the term "less Ghetto".

Johns Hopkins is in an "economically disadvantaged" area. I haven't seen a lot of people turning it down. And the one shooting in recent history, involved a shooter who came from the more upscale Arlington.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

Well you know, minus the gangsters and whatnot...

I didn't know gangsters bothered with college!

Seriously though, if this is a concern, is it possible to move to a safer area in California? By the sounds of it, LA is not a nice place to live.

2011NursingStudent · Jan 14, 2011

^ (Two posts up) Must people always be P.C.? She's not talking about major universities, she's talking about city colleges. Entirely different ballgame. I'm from Chicago, and while University of Chicago is in a bad neighborhood, you'd go there regardless because its an excellent school/hospital, they have security, etc. City Colleges - no way. At half of them you have to walk from parking under bridges with homeless people and drug addicts, two women just got beaten with bats in a bad neighborhood around here under a bridge walking home, one critically injured, there's no security, you'll get your windows smashed, etc etc. Not that you won't get your windows smashed at a major university, but I don't think there should be a P.C. requirement when talking about areas around metropolitan city colleges that terms like "less safe" must be used instead of "ghetto". I think adults can handle the connotation implied with the term ghetto, and it does apply around some schools.

lifelearningrn, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

The community college system I am in has campus police and security on every campus. They are not in the best or worst neighborhoods. University of Houston's main campus is in a ROUGH neighborhood.. but highly secure and a safe place to go to school/work.

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jan 14, 2011

It has absolutely nothing to do with PC and everything to do with accuracy.

The origin of the word "Ghetto" comes from the crowding and segregation of Jews in many places. And until the last few decades, it meant areas of ethnic concentrations of populations.

I currently live in a ghetto, which has one of the lowest crime rates ( barring vandals painting swastikas around), and highest literacy rates. The vast majority of my neighbors live very spiritual lives, have large well behaved families and pitch in together when there is a need. I can't imagine why the OP would have a problem there.

If the OP is trying to avoid large populations of Jews, Asians, Italians, Hispanics, etc, then ghetto is the right word. If s/he is trying to avoid crime and danger, there are more accurate words.

She is also seeking admission to a career field that requires a certain accuracy AND PC in communication. Better to get used to it.

2011NursingStudent · Jan 14, 2011

It has absolutely nothing to do with PC and everything to do with accuracy.
The origin of the word "Ghetto" comes from the crowding and segregation of Jews in many places. And until the last few decades, it mention areas of ethnic concentrations of populations.
I currently live in a ghetto, which has one of the lowest crime rates ( barring vandals painting swastikas around), and highest literacy rates.
If the OP is trying to avoid large populations of Jews, Asians, Italians, Hispanics, etc, then ghetto is the right word. If s/he is trying to avoid crime and danger, there are more accurate words.
She is also seeking admission to a career field that requires a certain accuracy AND PC in communication. Better to get used to it.

Here's the definition. Looks like she used it correctly. LA has many poor, overcrowded urban areas often associated with a specific ethnic or racial populations.

A Ghetto is a poor overcrowded urban area often associated with a specific ethnic or racial population.