PROS and CONS LVN vocational school

[xxpnoisnxx]

Concorde Career College is charging $20k

[New To Nursing]

What does LPN stand for??? I know of LVN.... are they the same???

Just curious.

I am contemplating a nursing career as well and am completely lost in this game.

[kristylee]

The school I'm going to is only $10,000 and and is 11 months. There is a 2+ year waiting list to get into the RN program, so I figured I'd take the LPN/LVN route and then transition into the RN program for the last 2 semesters.

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

What does LPN stand for??? I know of LVN.... are they the same???

Just curious.

I am contemplating a nursing career as well and am completely lost in this game.

They're the same thing.

[stephera]

That is alot for an LVN program. Here in Texas I think the most is 5,000!!!

Hello, Im very interested in getting into the nursing field and I was looking at going to an LVN school for $20,000 where there are NO prerequisites. Its a straight one year course which lets me get my LVN license quickly. Although Im looking forward to taking this route can you guys give me the pros and cons of an LVN school instead of going to college and getting pre-requisite classes. I heard somewhere that i will be unable to get an RN degree if I take this route. Can someone please elaborate. THANKS!!!

[Maggie in NC]

Before you spend 20K, you may want to check out the school accreditation-especially in Cali-I read they are pretty tough.

I can't speak for California but in NC, if you want to be an RN after finising your LPN, you have to take transition class and about one more year of nursing school. You must also be licensed with one year of LPN/LVN experience when you apply (Some schools have different requirements.) I have seen webbased schools that will put you through from LPN to BSN. I believe Excelsior does that.

20K for school...wow that is ALOT OF MONEY for an LPN/LVN! You can do a whole 4 yr BSN in NC for that!!

[txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN]

really? I had no idea they charged that much,I have several friends that go there. I went to JPS and they charged i think 6,000.

Concorde Career College is charging $20k

[avahsmiles]

20k for school...wow that is alot of money for an lpn/lvn! you can do a whole 4 yr bsn in nc for that!!

i agree, i'm sure alot of people wish that they could go for the bsn, it certainly is much cheaper, so is a junior college rn program. the problem usually lies here:

1. prereq's aren't met to get accepted to bsn or rn programs.

2. some people do not want the responsibility of an rn.

3. people don't want to spend a long time in school.

just my opinions on this .:)

[Blackcat99]

Hello, Im very interested in getting into the nursing field and I was looking at going to an LVN school for $20,000 where there are NO prerequisites. Its a straight one year course which lets me get my LVN license quickly. Although Im looking forward to taking this route can you guys give me the pros and cons of an LVN school instead of going to college and getting pre-requisite classes. I heard somewhere that i will be unable to get an RN degree if I take this route. Can someone please elaborate. THANKS!!!

I went to the vocational nursing school of Calif. in the 1970's in Los Angeles. I don't know if this is the same one as yours but we didn't have to pay that much money. In those days if you didn't pass the LPN class you were then required to pay them $5,000. If you passed you didn't pay a penny. If this is the same school you will not be able to use any of your LPN classes for credit for your RN. If you are planning to become an RN do not go to this school.

[Soon2BNurse]

Concorde Career College is charging $20k

I briefly went through Concorde and decided after 4 months (out of a year) that I wasn't learning enough there to put myself in a position taking care of someone's life. After all the paperwork and all, if I had stuck it out the full year, it would have cost me about $14,000.

[NurseFirst]

The school I'm going to is only $10,000 and and is 11 months. There is a 2+ year waiting list to get into the RN program, so I figured I'd take the LPN/LVN route and then transition into the RN program for the last 2 semesters.

This, actually, is something that I've recommended to people. It would have been something I would have considered, if I were facing the barriers to getting into nursing school that my school now has. Unfortunately, in our area, LVN is a 3 semester program, and the "transition" programs seem to be dwindling in number.

When thinking of $20K, you have to consider what the trade-offs are. For one, LVNs in California make as much as RNs in some parts of the country (according to some of the rates I've seen people mention here.) Second, if you can get into school immediately, it may be better than waiting a year to get into a cheaper alternative--since you can be out and working that much more quickly.

I would second, however, making sure that the courses have some way of "transferring" or moving you toward an RN, even if you don't think you want to go that way at this point in time...might as well keep as many options open as possible. I know that there seems to be a move among a number of vocational ed schools to offer LVN programs...but, like I say, I don't know how voc ed credits would transfer to RN programs, which are, by and large, academic programs.

NurseFirst

[harleytx]

I'm in south east Texas. Attended a community college to obtain my cert. to apply for the NCLEX-PN. Cost around 4,200/ the program I attended took one full year. Pe-reqs required: English I & II, one History, one Government, Psych. I, 2 free electives, Biology, A & P I, Nutrition, Nursing Law & Ethics, Dsg & Calculations ( must make a 100 on all four exams), & Pharm. We do have LVN to RN transition programs that require more pre-reqs. and a GPA of 3.0. Good Luck!