Orlando Area Nursing Schools????

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Im trying to find a good, reputabl school here in the Orlando area.If you have any info on the approx. wait times as well, that would be REALLY helpful. A friend of mine went to Americare, but I cant seem to find out much about it.. I know FL Hospital has a great program, but I also know its extremely difficult to get into. Also, if you know of any places NOT to go, feel free to add those as well! Im completely overwhelmed just LOOKING for a good place to go.. it seems theres tons of places, but its hard to know whether or not they're worth the money!

thank you in advance!:wink2:

Specializes in CNA/Nursing Student.

For ADN programs, I know Valencia Community College has one which is supposed to be good but I believe it has a waitlist, just not sure how long. Also Seminole Community College has one, and I don't believe they have a waitlist, I think they base it off of what pre-reqs you have taken, gpa, etc. They also have a articulation agreement with the University of Central Florida where you can start working on your BSN while finishing up the ADN at SCC. SCC also has a LPN program if you were interested. For the BSN, the only places I know of off-hand are UCF and like you said, Florida Hospital. Americare, I believe, just offers the LPN program and I haven't heard many good things about them, plus I know they are really expensive. Orlando Tech Vocational School also has a LPN program, one of the oldest I think in Orlando, and they're relatively cheap. Hope that helps and good luck!

Thank you!!! Any chance you have heard of Herzing? Im hearing good things about them so far and I have an interview with them Thursday... But Im still wary... its a 24 month program and they are regionally as well as state acredited... If you or anyone else has any opinions on em, please let me know!

Specializes in CNA/Nursing Student.

Haven't heard of them personally, but when I was living in Orlando I focused more on the community colleges. Good luck with the interview!

Specializes in Surgical ICU, Anesthesia.
Thank you!!! Any chance you have heard of Herzing? Im hearing good things about them so far and I have an interview with them Thursday... But Im still wary... its a 24 month program and they are regionally as well as state acredited... If you or anyone else has any opinions on em, please let me know!

I haven't been through the application process at Herzing, but I know the user Csantos has been through it. Also, I think he will be attending the school so he may be able to offer some insight.

You might want to stick with the reputable nursing schools. Valencia community College, Seminole Community College, UCF and Orlando Tech. and Florida Hosp. Orlando Tech only offers the LPN program though. I have been working for an Orlando Area Hosp for 15 years and I can positively tell you to stay away from Americare. The hospitals are not hiring many graduates from that school. Also where ever you decide to go check out their accreditation.

Good Luck.

Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

i actually am starting the program with Keiser university...

Hersing is a place not to be... very poor, not organized, and very unfprofessional like manner....

Keiser is awesome, they have a great 24 month rn program...!

Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

There is a huge pre req list on florida hospital, the valencia cc program is great... and the seminole also! they actually just started a new health building now in 2008 by altamonte...

Altoough the CC's here in the Orlando area are great... there is about 3 semester of pre reqs, (a few of them useless) plus i found really hard to work with their class schedule!!! even on pre reqs!

you basicaly dont have a steady class schedule not even during your pre reqs... wich makes it crazy to handle if you have to work ...

I was going to start last december on SCC but even though i was one of the first to register, the class times were wack and not even a part time job would be able to fit in it!

So i researched a little bit and decided to go with keiser school, they have a pretty good reputation and also a great program, despite of the fact that they are a University, therefore the price is high, their schedule are great, and they work with you, not around you...

By the way, keiser now has their own health and nursing building, wich is fresh, with fresh labs, and brand new stuff!

that is my choice...

Specializes in SNU/SNF/MedSurg, SPCU Ortho/Neuro/Spine.

Ok... let me tell you a little about what the standards for Keiser are...

For you to get in the program you have to take the wonderlic test (like any other university)

in order to be accepted in their program you must have a wonderlic score of 26 the bar is set high on the test, even though is not a hard test...

(wonderlic test = it is a test where they give you 50 question and you must answer as many as you can.. it involves critical thinking math and english (i had a little problem with english proverbs, even though i do speak good english i was not born here, therefore some of the proverbs just dont make any sence to me:clown:)) my actual score on the wonderlic was 26 so i just made the line.!

Than you must to take the NET (RN) test, wich you can search in theis forum, or search my post with NET information.

After that, you must to gather all your other admission pappers just like at any other :nurse:ing school, and then you are set!

you will get your recomendation from your advisor and Dean, therefore interview with the Nursing Board... and then... GET aprooved!

At keiser you must mantein a 3.5 GPA during your classes other wise you are OUT!

they do work very well with the students, and the classes are taken in a different manner, instead of taking 3 or 4 classes together, you will take 1 class per month, wich is better so you dont get brain damaged:banghead: while trying to assimilate different fresh info at the same time!

you must take the KAPLAN after every class, and you must pass!

they guarantee you a max of 10 people per instructor in the lab classes but usualy it is less than that!

you must complete 375 hours of clinicals...

_____________

any question about Orlando let me know!

From Csantos:

(i had a little problem with english proverbs, even though i do speak good english i was not born here, therefore some of the proverbs just dont make any sence to me))

I WAS born here and I'd never seen a test with proverbs - and some of them made no sense to me either :no:

Anyway, I'm still deciding whether to enroll in an RN program in the state where we now live. It's still an IF - trying to figure out the financing, etc. - the program is such a huge decision for all of us in the "pre-nursing" situation. We have plans in place to move to Lake County, Florida in about 2 years. It's great to be able to meet another future "local" like you on the boards.

Good luck on your RN schooling and career :yeah:

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