San Diego City College ADN FALL 2018

Esm75u · Feb 7, 2018

Hello,

Anyone know how long the LVN to RN step-up is

jga0730 · Feb 10, 2018

2 semesters

jga0730 · Feb 10, 2018

Any of my fellow step up lvns nice enough to share their contact info with me? Do we have to pass an ati exam before we start this fall?

Spidey426 · Mar 7, 2018

As a student who recently dropped out of the program (willingly)... RUN!!! If you have another option, go there!!! The teachers don't care anymore, the program is run on the threat of failing, it's ranked in the bottom for SoCal nursing program, graduation rate is about 30% (something they don't tell you during orientation, they will push how they have a 100% NCLEX pass rate, but it's because so few students take it), AND I've recently learned that many employers do not look highly upon City (the program doesn't do nearly as much as other programs do, so those programs take priority). Be prepared to be COMPLETELY disappointed. I thought I could overcome it, I am a 4.0 student after all, but no. It's not even that it's hard, it's more like unfair. The test answers depend heavily on who wrote the question, the teachers do no care if 90% got a question wrong on an exam, sometimes a teacher who didn't even teach the lecture picks the questions for that unit. There is a TERRIBLE disconnect in the program between expectations and reality. There is no transparency. They lie. ALOT. Some of the teachers should've retired ages ago (they are completely out of touch with current medicine even though they preach evidence-based practice). A bunch of hypocrites. We are in our 2nd semester, out of the 60 starting students, we have already lost about 20. 1/3 of our class gone after 1 semester. OH, and you have to live in a bubble because if you get injured you can just forget about staying, they will kick you out of the program. The program tells you at every corner "if you don't do_____ you'll be dismissed from the program" there is no reward system either, just when you think you're getting traction they take the rug from under you. If even one person reads this and decides to go elsewhere, I will be happy.

Do your research for proper programs, don't settle, you deserve a good education (and while City is a great school), this program will not give you the education you seek.

There is an independent study component of any nursing school, so be prepared for that. However, if they say something isn't on an exam, don't believe them, if they say something is on an exam, don't believe them. I wasted a lot of time studying things they stressed, and then there wasn't a single question on the exam about it. "Follow the objectives and you'll do well" NOPE! Getting an A on an exam is like seeing a unicorn. Get use to Bs/Cs and for your once perfect GPA to tank.

Oh, and there's a lot of additional costs they neglect to mention: student dues anywhere from 50-100/semester (to pay for you graduation ceremony, ink and paper), scrubs from dove- run about $90/scrub set, ATI - $550, other online resources that are never used, and they stress getting the new editions but constantly refer to the old editions of books, so save yourself the money and get the cheaper older edition.

Sorry for the lengthiness but I needed to be honest since this program is not.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save yourself the money, grief, stress, heachache, sadness, fear, and heartache and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!

Sincerely,

Someone who really just doesn't want you to repeat my mistake

pansiegoboy · Mar 7, 2018

As a student who recently dropped out of the program (willingly)... RUN!!! If you have another option, go there!!! The teachers don't care anymore, the program is run on the threat of failing, it's ranked in the bottom for SoCal nursing program, graduation rate is about 30% (something they don't tell you during orientation, they will push how they have a 100% NCLEX pass rate, but it's because so few students take it), AND I've recently learned that many employers do not look highly upon City (the program doesn't do nearly as much as other programs do, so those programs take priority). Be prepared to be COMPLETELY disappointed. I thought I could overcome it, I am a 4.0 student after all, but no. It's not even that it's hard, it's more like unfair. The test answers depend heavily on who wrote the question, the teachers do no care if 90% got a question wrong on an exam, sometimes a teacher who didn't even teach the lecture picks the questions for that unit. There is a TERRIBLE disconnect in the program between expectations and reality. There is no transparency. They lie. ALOT. Some of the teachers should've retired ages ago (they are completely out of touch with current medicine even though they preach evidence-based practice). A bunch of hypocrites. We are in our 2nd semester, out of the 60 starting students, we have already lost about 20. 1/3 of our class gone after 1 semester. OH, and you have to live in a bubble because if you get injured you can just forget about staying, they will kick you out of the program. The program tells you at every corner "if you don't do_____ you'll be dismissed from the program" there is no reward system either, just when you think you're getting traction they take the rug from under you. If even one person reads this and decides to go elsewhere, I will be happy.
Do your research for proper programs, don't settle, you deserve a good education (and while City is a great school), this program will not give you the education you seek.
There is an independent study component of any nursing school, so be prepared for that. However, if they say something isn't on an exam, don't believe them, if they say something is on an exam, don't believe them. I wasted a lot of time studying things they stressed, and then there wasn't a single question on the exam about it. "Follow the objectives and you'll do well" NOPE! Getting an A on an exam is like seeing a unicorn. Get use to Bs/Cs and for your once perfect GPA to tank.
Oh, and there's a lot of additional costs they neglect to mention: student dues anywhere from 50-100/semester (to pay for you graduation ceremony, ink and paper), scrubs from dove- run about $90/scrub set, ATI - $550, other online resources that are never used, and they stress getting the new editions but constantly refer to the old editions of books, so save yourself the money and get the cheaper older edition.
Sorry for the lengthiness but I needed to be honest since this program is not.
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE save yourself the money, grief, stress, heachache, sadness, fear, and heartache and GO SOMEWHERE ELSE!!!!
Sincerely,
Someone who really just doesn't want you to repeat my mistake

Thank you for the comment it help us be ahead of whats to come.

What is your plan? are you going to re enroll to city college next year?

Spidey426 · Mar 7, 2018

I am transferring out. I'm applying to the CSUs. I may do some summer school at City, but that's it.

Plus, I've been going there for 3 years now, as much as I love the campus, all of this gives me the perfect opportunity for a change.

BTW beware of Professor Cooper, she may seem innocent/nice/clueless but she's the biggest shark of them all. It's only been her exams that majority of the class has failed. On our pharm final she gave a study guide, and the actual final had nothing to do with the study guide, in addition the final contained information from a book that was not required for the class, the final was taken on friday the following Monday we started Med-Surg and she lectured, low and behold ALL of the final questions were apart of her lecture (so a huge kick in the face, especially for the people who had to leave the program bc of that - which was 8 people).

BILLABONG128 · Mar 21, 2018

I got into the LPN-RN Bridge Program, and after your reading your post it has made me very concerned. I am going to be commuting from Las Vegas to San Diego for 2 months for the LPN-RN transition course. I am going to resign my nursing job which is a HUGE SACRIFICE just to go to school in San Diego, and now I'm thinking if it's even worth it. If the program is that bad idk what to do because the schools here in Vegas aren't that great either. The community college here is ridiculous and sounds just like what your describing. I decided to apply at another state because I thought the school would be better. I don't want to have beatdown instructors who could care less about the students education.

Can anyone else share their experience please, especially if you did the LPN-RN Bridge. I don't want to waste my time with this school if all they are doing is setting students up for failure. I rather wait to get into a semi decent school that I will actually pass NCLEX.

heez63 · Mar 21, 2018

I have a friend who went through the bridge program last year. She actually kept her job as a clinic nurse while in the program. I told her I got in and she didn't give me any crazy warnings She said it was hard and stressful, but... she made it. Nursing school is hard. If you made it through LVN school you would probably be ok. The commute though will probably be killer though.

does the program suck? I don't know. It is nursing school though and from experience as someone who has been through nursing school as an lvn, it wasn't awesome. Much of the post from former city student sounded a lot like my LVN program. But, city college is pretty much my only option at this point. Plus, I don't want to wait to get into a different program as I'm already midway through my 30's so I have to get this career moving. AND, the application process for even getting into nursing school is a son-of-a-*****, so I don't want to have to go through that whole process of getting all that stuff together again. Seems like even getting into nursing school (in SD county anyway) is hard enough.... so, as for myself I'll roll with it, Raise the dial on my Bull **** meter and do my best. Good luck to you though on whichever path you choose. Go with your gut feelings.

BILLABONG128 · Mar 21, 2018

Thanks for your input I really appreciate it.I graduated from LPN school in Guam and it was tough, but at least I was the first in my class to pass the NCLEX. I'm foreal in the same boat as you are. I don't want to have to reapply to another school or take more prerequisites and the TEAs all over again. I'm giving up a lot just to move there for 2 semesters. The program should fly by fast though. If your friend was able to work and still pass the program, then it shouldn't be that bad I hope. I just want to get my RN already so ya I'll definitely just suck it up.

heez63 · Mar 21, 2018

Guam's awesome! Was in the navy so I got to visit a few times.

But yeah. We'll be good. One of the things that got me through LVN school were the other students around me going through the same thing. All we can do is study and try our best.

BILLABONG128 · Mar 21, 2018

That's cool I worked for the Guam Naval Hospital in pediatrics. Ya that's true. Thanks again.

Spidey426 · Mar 22, 2018

the bridge program (aka the second year of nursing school, I can't comment on because I only experienced first year). There were several students in my class who did the bridge program and are now re-doing it because they failed out. Some of them even re-did the first year of nursing school. The limited experience I've had with the second year instructors is slightly more positive than the first year teachers, although med-surg 3 is taught by a less than ideal instructor as well. Personally, as far as community colleges go, MiraCosta apparently has a great program (a few of the really awesome instructors from City left to teach there). I am turning 30 next month, and having to start the whole nursing application process isn't ideal, but I'd rather be a great nurse and have good job prospects.

good luck to you!