Please advise me on my choices

loveblossom · Aug 19, 2011

I would apply to both PLUS all of the other schools with good pass rates.Nursing schools are HARD to get into because they have so many applicants.If you did get accepted to both I would choose Wright because from what you typed that's a 1+1 program and you could start your LPN work,then continue school while getting experience and a paycheck.

sgthanzo · Aug 21, 2011

@SkimKim:

Questions...

1.Do you plan on going to school full-time?

2. Do you plan on paying your way through school?

3. If your answer to question 2 is to get a "pell grant" subsidized by a loan(s), have you thought of doing "incremental" licensure (LPN track first, then bridge to an AAS-RN program) so you can get a job as soon as you're "licensed;" then pay your way through a "bridge" program?

4. What's more important to you? A school with a good NCLEX pass rate? Or a school that's close by and/or accessible to where you live?

5. Do you mind waiting 4 to 6 months for an AAS-RN program? Or, do you have a set timeline in your mind to complete your Nursing degree; all the way to getting a BSN?

Have good solid answers for the five questions above and I think most of the graduates and/or school reps here will be able to give you a pretty good idea on which schools may provide you the right (not necessarily the best) options.

Good luck!

skimkim · Aug 21, 2011

loveblossom and sgthanzo, thank you for the replies.

sgthanzo:

i am planning on being a full time student. i already have a bachelor's degree from university but am currently taking a course on anatomy and physiology ii at a local community college to meet the prerequisites. i consulted with the financial aid and was told that unfortunately i am not eligible for aid except for loans. given my situation, i concluded by having lpn from wilbur wright, i would be able to earn money while pursuing the bridge to an aas-rn program. i am actually not sure of wilbur wright's reputation for nclex pass rate. i have been weighing the different options that would be the best in receiving the nursing degree. i was told by my acquaintances that the best way to achieve a bsn degree is to apply to chamberlain nursing program but most of my classes will not be transferable. i would have to wait until next july to apply. i am not sure what i should do. i cannot afford to waste any more time. i am trying to find options where i could receive a bsn in nursing as soon as possible to be able to provide for the medical bills in the family. please help. i will appreciate any advice. thank you.

my e-mail is [email protected]

sgthanzo · Aug 21, 2011

@SkimKim -

The community colleges, like Wright, Oakton, Harper and Truman offer the most affordable options for LPNs and AAS-RN programs. However, you may find yourself on a waiting list due to high demand (for low-cost federal and local-government subsidized education).

Regarding Chamberlain... DeVry purchased them several years back; and DeVry-Chamberlain has a reputation for turning out solid graduates. One thing that will get you though is the cost of going there to get your BSN. I believe their per credit hour cost is somewhere around $2K. It is not uncommon for an undergraduate to rack up more than $60K of tuition for a bachelor's degree program. For people who have financial sponsors or money tucked away somewher, this may be the way to go. For students who are just scrounging by, they usually see themselves with 30-yr unsub loans if they decide to go this route.

If you don't think the two options above aren't what you're looking for, your next option is to find a "Tier-2" private vocational school with a solid NCLEX-PN pass rate (at least 80% and above). They are called "Tier-2" because their tuition is somewhere between the Robert Morris / Chamberlains and the Community Colleges out there. Most private vocational schools with consistent and solid NCLEX pass rates generally have "reasonable" tuitions and have a variety of clinical site partners that enable the students to understand what "critical thinking" and the "Nursing process" are all about.

Here's the link where you can find the NCLEX pass rates of all the Nursing schools approved by the Illinois Board of Nursing:

http://nursing.illinois.gov/PDF/IlApNursingEdProgPassRates01292010.PDF

Also, the more mature private vocational Nursing schools generally have Title-IV Financial Aid (Pell grants and government loans) already in place. They're also well on their way to having an AAS-RN program (if they don't already have one).

Ambria (ambria.edu) on the Northwest suburbs is one school with a solid LPN program; and a new AAS-RN program. In Chicago, you'll find Northwestern Institute (nwiht.edu) as another good option. NWIHT has very solid morning and evening LPN programs; and they usually open a batch every two months (one will be this september). Their class sizes are also small-to-medium to ensure a good instructor-to-student ratio. There are probably 1 or 2 more private vocational schools out there that offer a good, "Bridgeable" PN program. Key is to find them amongst the herd.

A word of caution on "some" private vocational schools: Though they may have been "approved" by the State Board of Nursing, there are many of them who have yet to establish consistent NCLEX pass-rates. They usually have only been in operation for the past 2-3 yrs max. Some of them may even be on "probations," meaning their pass-rates have been below 75% for the past two years. They generally drive their tuitions down to "attract" uninformed candidates. Likewise, their clinical partnerships are restricted mostly to home health agencies and sub-par nursing homes (if any). They also tend to have very "loose" course-transfer policies so they can entice candidates to registering on the same day. They tend to have different stories depending on who you talk to at the Admissions-level.

Bottom line...

Though you think you don't have much time to get into a program of your choice, one thing that I'd advise is that you take AS MUCH TIME AS NEEDED to do your research. Talk to as many schools as possible; but tell yourself NOT TO COMMIT until you have studied all the data in front of you. Ask each school where they see themselves 3-5 yrs from now. This will let you know if you'll have an opportunity to complete your "bridge" with them (or with their partner schools) as an AAS-RN or as a BSN, long-term.

Likewise, don't allow yourself to get "sweet talked" into registering/enrolling right away. A good school will put your "needs" as a student first, before their "quota." They have a higher "mission" of making sure those who walk their hallways do indeed become competent and successful nurses (with affordability in mind).

Feel free to post more if you have additional questions.

Best of luck on your on-going search...