Private Colleges???

[cnafromaz]

I am interested in getting my nursing degree with a private college like Ameritech or Utah Career College. I have heard from several people that students from these schools are having a hard time getting hired. I was just wondering if this is true and should I just be put on the waiting lists at the community colleges for 3 years?

[nurseman78, BSN, RN, NP]

Yeah, I got that e-mail about the new program from University of Southern Nevada. I'm a little skeptical about it, frankly. For one, it's $30,000 a year, so you're looking at $60,000+ debt once you have your RN. They state that they can get you a BSN in 18 months. That would be realistic if it were simply an RN-to-BSN program, which typically takes that long. But they're proposing that you'll go from prerequisites to BSN in 18 months. Every RN program I know takes a minimum of four semesters, or 1 1/2 to 2 years to just get your RN. Plus, they require you to get 90% on every test. Not that that's not doable, but it'd be challenging to get that on EVERY test. And if you have a super compressed time frame (squeezing 3 years of school into 18 months), plus clinicals, that sounds really, really grueling.

Seems a little fishy to me. If you're going the private college route, I'd go with Westminster, Utah Career or Provo College. I know sometimes you get antsy to get into a nursing program, but as a current nursing student (at DATC), trust me, going the regular four-semester RN route is challenging enough. But, to each their own.

[mamamiche]

I am currently in the nursing program at Fortis College in Salt Lake City. It's an associates in nursing program. I am actually in the first nursing class ever at this location, but they have had nursing programs on the east coast for decades. This school is pretty inexpensive compared to the other private schools out there. And the waiting list is pretty short. PLUS you dont need to be a CNA to be accepted!!

[hartx3]

Salt Lake Nurse,

you are entirely wrong about AmeriTech. There pass rates are actually quite good. an they are getting there NCAA accrediation next month.

[I am Legend]

Salt Lake Nurse,

you are entirely wrong about AmeriTech. There pass rates are actually quite good. an they are getting there NCAA accrediation next month.

"NCAA"... LOL.. you Mean NLNAC? NCAA has nothing to do with nursing. The NLNAC is the most prestigious accreditation a nursing school can have and some states actually require you to be accredited through them.

[nursingstudent111123]

Ameritech is now NLNAC accredited but their program sucks! I graduated from there and when they say they have a high NCLEX pass rate it if because they don't allow half the people to sit and take it. I did pass the NCLEX on my first attempt but I do not feel Ameritech is a good college. They only care about the money

[pinkbo0tlace]

Thanks for your honesty, nursingstudent.

I am trying to get into Stevens-Henegar college for RN because I feel it has a better rep out of Broadview, Ameritech, Fortis. There is also one I checked out, called Nightingale School of Nursing in Ogden, but it is brand new... so I'm going with SHC.