intehflames

I'm a current OTech LPN student. OTech is not fancy at all (and that's all I'm gonna say about that, lol) but it's a good bang for your buck.. I wouldn't spend a ton of money at a private school for an LPN degree. I looked up Centura's website and there's pretty much no information on there, you have to contact them if you want to know anything, which is a bad sign IMO (crappy school or CRAZY expensive).

I started on January 25. I am learning a lot but the program I'm in seems kind of disorganized. We start on our first nursing home clinicals in two weeks, and I don't feel prepared at all. We only have access to our skills lab on Fridays (the upper-level LPN classes use it the rest of the week) so I'm kind of worried I'm going to get to the nursing home and not know how to properly transfer a patient or even how to put the freaking footrests down on a wheelchair.

Thanks. :) That helps out a lot. I'll see y'all there tomorrow. Name is Gina and I have red hair, if that will help you recognize me, hah.

Does anyone know if Orlando Tech is open at all tomorrow (12/31, New Years' Eve)? I need to buy a parking garage sticker.. that lady at orientation said we're not allowed to park in the visitors' parking lot out front once we become students.. and I know the school will be closed on Friday since it's New Years' Day. Oh well.. if I don't get it by Monday.. hopefully they will not notice my car out in the parking lot.. lol. Anyone purchase their uniforms yet?

I was there at the orientation as well. I agree that the lady was a bit disorganized with her information. Do we have to wear our uniform the first day of school (January 5) or not? At least the program is only 10 months. Just think, we'll be graduating in a year.

Sometime this month. I'll let you guys know as soon as I receive mine.

Thanks for the info Onmyway. I've heard the same thing about new grad RN's having a tough time finding work in FL. Honestly, I think an LPN may have a better chance of getting a job and getting their foot in the door somewhere.. due to all of the retirees that migrate down here, there's TONS of LTC facilities. My uncle's wife was an LPN for like 10 years, and finally got her RN license in about 2005 and she's now the head nurse at a nearby LTC/assisted living facility. Makes pretty decent money too.

Has anyone received their orientation invitation letters in the mail yet? I'm pretty sure when I turned in my packet the receptionist said they'd be mailing out letters in October but I haven't received one yet.. and I'm kind of worried about it since orientation is supposed to be held sometime in November. Carolina, I'm not sure where you would go to test out of classes. Hopefully they will give us all that information during orientation.

I'm going to be attending a full-time LPN program in January. I can't get a pell grant because the government says my father makes too much money (I'm 22). My school, a technical school, does not accept federal Stafford loans. My school is not listed on Sallie Mae's website as an approved institution so I guess I can't take out a Sallie Mae loan. Are there any other good private loans out there for technical school students?

I e-mailed Central Florida WIA on Friday and still haven't received a response back. I wanted to know if I could get the job search requirement waived, seeing as I will be attending a full-time LPN program. If they haven't emailed me back tomorrow I'm going to give them a phone call and hopefully be able to set up some sort of appointment. It doesn't help that my school (Orlando Tech) doesn't really give a specific date that tuition is due. I'm guessing sometime in December. The financial aid lady didn't even seem to know specifics! But I need to know NOW so I can get my fin. aid situated. Argh.

LPN program in 10 1/2 weeks? I don't think that's possible anywhere.. lol. I do know you can test out of some of the basic classes if you hold a CNA license, or so I've heard. Are you planning on taking RN pre-reqs AND going to Orlando Tech full-time at the same time? I wouldn't recommend doing that.

Oh man. I don't think I could do that. That's going to be hell on you. I plan on trying to work only on the weekends to ensure I have enough time to study and focus on school during the week. Meaning I'll be even more dirt poor than I am now.. but I live with my parents and don't have any expenses other than car loan/insurance and a credit card bill. But I know a lot of people have households and children and can't afford to quit their jobs or cut back to part-time. State financial aid? I didn't realize there was such a thing.

My name is Gina. :) Yeah, I'm just worried about class time rolling around and not having the funds to pay for school. I asked the lady at financial aid when tuition is due and she said it wasn't due until you "register".. which is the first day of class. You really have to pry for information at this school, I've noticed.. I spoke with a girl who is already doing the LPN day program who was waiting to see financial aid as well.. she told me it's a very fast-paced program, really intense. Exams every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Anything below 80% is failing. Get ready to not have much of a life for the next year, lol. It'll be worth it in the end though. If anyone who's going to be in my class wants to add me to messenger, my MSN is [email protected]

Ah, that's good. I think I will call them up tomorrow and ask them about it. My financial aid advisor really didn't tell me much about the program.. just gave me a flier with the URL on it and told me to check it out. :/ I hope I can at least get a little tuition help out of it.

I'm curious if anyone has used Workforce Central Florida's WIA program to help pay tuition for their LPN. One part I don't understand is that they make you apply for 10 jobs as a part of the application process? I'm doing it because I want to try to get into the program but still.. I don't get it.. I already have a part-time job and I'm going to be starting school full-time in January so I really do not want another job, lol.

You're welcome. Yeah, I thought a dental checkup was kind of unnecessary but you're required to get one. Now I just have to worry about how to pay for the program. I spoke with financial aid on Monday.. they don't do Stafford loans, my father makes too much for me to receive a pell grant, but the lady had me fill out some forms and put me on a waiting list to get money from the Student Financial Aid Fund http://www.orlandotech.ocps.net/financial_aid/student_financial_aid_fund.html Said that it was too early to tell, but if there were still funds available I could possibly get my tuition (sans books and uniform) totally paid for from that. Since I'm 22+ she also recommended I try to sign up for Workforce Central Florida, they'll pay for your tuition too if you qualify. So hopefully between those two I can get at least SOME of my tuition paid for without having to borrow it from someone or take out a loan..

The next program starts in May 2010. January is already filled up. If you want in you need to haul butt up there because I'm sure it'll be filled up by the holidays. http://www.orlandotech.ocps.net/our_programs/practical_nursing.html First you have to attend an orientation, and then you have to take the TABE. I can't remember the days they offer healthcare orientations.. call and find out. Then you have to take the NET, I believe they only offer that on certain days. For the NET, buy a good test prep book, it helped me tons and I passed with flying colors. I bought McGraw-Hill's "Nursing School Entrance Exams." Upon passing both the TABE and NET you'll receive a packet with forms.. you will have to get a dental checkup and a physical, proof of immunizations, etc. Only when you have everything inside the packet completed and turn it in will you be officially on the list for the program.

This worries me.. Caringtouch, do you mind me asking what LPN program you graduated from?

It's awesome there's actually a few of us that will be in the same class together. I wish our info session was sooner.. we ARE supposed to get our orientation invitation letters in November, correct? I was pleased to find out that they revamped the Orlando Tech website.. it actually has easy-to-find information, and doesn't look like it's from 1998. I was also happy to find out our January program is only 12 months long, not 15 like I thought. We'll be LPN's in a little over a year. I filled out my FAFSA a couple of weeks ago.. I'm going to stop by the financial aid office tomorrow and see if they can give me any info. I know for a fact I can't get a pell grant because I'm still considered a dependent of my parents, and my father makes too much money, though not enough to help me drop $4500 for tuition.

Yeah. The September program filled up back in April and I was one of the last ones to get into the January program. I'm excited but I will feel much better once I get the financial aid crap out of the way.

I'm slated to begin the LPN program at Orlando Tech in January.. anyone else?

I will be starting an LPN program in January. I'm currently job hunting because I want to move closer to where my school will be. The thing is, my LPN program will be full-time days, 8a-3p Monday through Thursday, I think. So that kind of kills my chances for a full-time 9-5 job. My current job has cut my hours down to pretty much nothing and I will have to be able to afford rent, car insurance, etc. after I move out of my parents' home. I can work a FT job now, but I'm not sure that I would want to start a day job and have to quit it in 4 months, I hate that, I feel like I'm deceiving my employers. And then I'll still have to scramble to find a flexible retail or food service job for the evenings/weekends before school starts. I almost got my CNA certification but I did not want to have to pay $150 that I really don't have just to be able to make a little above minimum wage. What do you guys think I should do? Nix the getting a FT day job and just work one full-time or two part-time retail/waitressing jobs in the meantime so I have something already when the time comes to start school? I'm also curious what other people do for work while attending LPN school. Thanks.

Hey, I just passed the NET for Orlando Tech LPN a few weeks ago. It was not really that difficult at all. The worst part about it is that it is a timed test, so you have to work very quickly or you'll run out of time. No calculators are allowed. If I remember right, I think the only things they counted were reading comprehension and math. Just make sure you pick up a NET study guide, you can buy one off Amazon.com or any bookstore. Good luck. :) Perhaps I'll see you in September or January.

Hey, I'm planning on attending Orlando Tech for LPN either in September or January. I passed the TABE and NET tests last month, and I only have to complete my program packet (dental exam, physical, references) and I'll be in. However, I think their September program has already filled up. They do not look at your community colleges transcripts unless you have an associate's degree. All they need is your high school transcripts to prove that you graduated, and your HS grades have no bearing on your acceptance. They do LPN program orientation every Thursday at 8 AM, 12 PM and 5 PM. You can either take your TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) that day or wait until the next Thursday.. it's not that difficult though, I passed the first time, it's just basic grammar/math stuff. The NET (Nurse Entrance Test) is a little more difficult, but again not that difficult, just buy a NET study guide from Barnes and Noble or any other bookstore and study it for a week or two. I think Orlando Tech probably has one of the easiest LPN programs to get into.

Wow, really? I live in Lake County and I attended FL Med Prep in February but I haven't had the chance to take my state exam because of finances + college, but I plan on it probably sometime in May-June. Sign up on job hunting websites like Monster and Careerbuilder. I saw Avante had openings on there for CNA's like a month or two ago, and you didn't even have to have your CNA license yet, just have CPR certification. You might have to look at home health agencies too. That, or expand your search outside of Lake County.