amonroe457

To be brutally honest, it sounds like a very dumb idea! LPN school is hard enough not being pregnant, why would you want to put even more on your plate? I couldn't even imagine being pregnant and having to do a clinical, they're ever labor intensive. What happens if you have complications and can't attend the rest of your schooling for the year? Have you really put any thought into this other than you want kids an x amount of years apart? Also, check with your school to see if you're even allowed to be pregnant while in school. My school does not allow pregnant woman to attend for health reasons.

It’s very hard to be declared an independent student when you’re under 24. Whether your parents claim you or not on their taxes doesn’t matter. Both of my children had a dependent status on their FASFA when they were under 24 regardless of the fact that they were financially supporting themselves and I did not claim them. The first year my daughter went to school, she was 22, she didn’t provide any of my information and the school wouldn’t let the verification process go through until they had all my information. @keepasking- I think someone miss informed you somewhere along the line, I may be wrong. It said you paid for all of college via loans, but no grants? You can get a loan from the government or banks because you’re going to be paying it back doesn’t matter if you’re independent or dependent. I’m going to assume you didn’t get grants because you didn’t provide your parents information on the FASFA while you were still considered a dependent. The whole goal of doing a FASFA is to get grants, money you don’t have to pay back. From your story, if you filled everything out properly and you provided your parents info, you probably would’ve gotten grants.

Sorry, about posting peoples names =X I'm starting an LPN program in September and I figured it would be good if I got a little CNA experience first. All the other programs at vocational/community colleges in the area are full until fall. This place was the only program with no wait list and now I know why... I didn't even think of how the companies basing their program off of illiteracy, but that's a definite sign to avoid this place! haha.

This is a rant because I'm so mortified at some programs today. I looked into Karing With Kindness in, NJ and I warn you not to attend... I drive by their place all time so I figured I give them a call. I call and ask if I could have some info on their CNA program and the lady on the phone, I acted as if I interrupted her she told me "I have no idea, Xxxx isn't here and doesn't come back until Monday" and she hung up without saying anything else... It was Tuesday and although that left a sour taste in my mouth I called on Monday to speak to Xxxxx. A different lady picked up and told me Xxxxxx would be in on Tuesday at 10. So I call the next day, on my break at work around 12ish, "Xxxxx has gone home for the day, call tomorrow, she'll be here at 10"... I call Wednesday at exactly 10, the lady picks up and informs me that Xxxxx is there, but she's outside right now. She takes my name and number and tells me she'll have Xxxxx call me when she comes back in... Meanwhile, I'm thinking you have a potential student/customer here and you can't put me on hold and go get her for a minute, since she's probably just outside smoking or something!? I get a call back TWO AND A HALF hours later. Completely lacking the answers to anything I ask, I ask when I can come in for more info, she says "uhmm now I guess". I go only cause it's 2 minutes away from me. It's a very confusing place, I ask around for Xxxxx, and eventually someone says they'll get her. I begin asking her questions, about the costs, clinicals, schedule, ect and she starts texting on her cell phone!?!?!?!?! I left after that. I did learn that no one running the program is even an RN... This has got to be one of the most UNPROFESSIONAL places ever! If you're in South/Central New Jersey avoid this place!!!!!!Anyone know any decent CNA programs in Central Jersey?

There’s DEFINITELY people being too picky. Some people can’t fathom spending all that money on nursing school and working in LTC, home health, or a doctors office. Everyone wants to work in L&D or the ER because it’s glamorized on TV. Is there a show that glamorizes what it’s like to work Med-Surg or take care of the elderly? Sometimes you have to take what you can get and some people just rather not. I do agree there are unmotivated people out there. I work the front desk of rehab facility and have done so for the last 20 years. Everyday resumes come through fax or email, and what happens? They’re usually trashed or deleted. We do not open emailed resumes sent as an attachment due to viruses and things like that. I’ve looked over the resumes that come via fax and 90% of them aren’t resumes, but a listing on personal info much like a job application: name, address, phone number, where they worked, and where they went to school. The whole point of a resume is to sell yourself and explain how amazing you are, why you’d be good for the job. Not to mention most of them are written with absolutely horrific grammar… The HR manager at my job LOVES when people walk in with confidence and ask to speak with her and personally hand her their resume. It says a lot about you and very few people do this! Those people land interviews with her and she offers most of them a job, even if it’s per diem or on call. It’s better than nothing. If you want a job show some initiative and hand resumes out in person, it will make you stand out! I personally think success depends on who are you and what kind of personality you have more so than the economy. There’s new grad LPN’s who get amazing jobs right away and there’s experienced RN’s who have a tough time getting work. It just depends. **New nursing grads, please take a resume writing class if you can. I guarantee some of you may be able to find work or land better jobs if you improve your resume!!**

@ LJB-1015 It is a very good school and is very reputable. The instructors actually told us when we went to the entrance exam that healthcare facilities hire graduates of this program over others in the area because of how good it is and that they actually donate things to the school, such as simulation dolls. It is very hard and very fast paced. My daughter had time for nothing but studying and school during those 10 months. There would often be 3 tests in a day, amongst other things. You also have to keep your grades up, anything less than a 75 on a single test, will get you dismissed. The instructors are very knowledgeable but very critical. If you can’t take criticism, don’t bother going. They actually told me that at my interview. At the entrance exam, they couldn’t stress enough about listening and following directions. Basically, if you don’t want to be screamed at, do as they say. It’s also very competitive, they only take 90 students for the whole year and there were easily 50+ people at my entrance exam alone and they have multiple throughout the year. I saw an article online on app.com that mentioned a graduating class of 40 for the previous year. I think a 50% drop out rate says it all, it’s tough! It’s a stressful program, probably especially for those right out of high school or those with other obligations. I do agree with your advice if your daughter wants to be an RN, then it’d be better to go to an ADN or BSN program. If she wants to do home health or LTC than let her do the LPN program. It’s her decision, don't try to control it.

Are you attending OCVTS for your LPN? I came up with the same projected price for the program if you are. I'm from NJ too and planning on starting the program in September. I came to this site a few days ago to find some info on the same thing... I'm 45 looking for a career change, but really feel like that's TOO much money. My daughter graduated the LPN program at OCVTS a few years ago and it was ALOT cheaper. LPN programs in NJ tend to be more expensive than those in other states, as do Patient Care Tech programs and CNA programs. Ocean County College charges almost $4,000 for their PCT program and Brookdale's CNA program is about $1,600. I actually applaud you for not making a quick decision about this. You said you're under 24 so you're still young, it's really not worth it to put yourself into debt at your age. In my opinion since you're in your early 20's do the ADN program. You can work you're way through and most colleges have payment plans so you don't have to pay all at once.