San Jacinto College - Applicants

Soft_Kitty_Cat · Dec 8, 2006

I'm not kmbridges, but I got into San Jac through option A! :w00t: Wasn't my first choice since it is a distance away from where I live, but I will make the sacrifice and go wherever I can get in. I'm just scared of not having enough time because of all the driving I will have to do in addition to working part-time. I went to orientation and heard testimony from some first-year nursing students who had to quit their jobs in order to keep up with the school work. I'm not in a position where I can quit. Does anyone else who attended/attends San Jac have any advice?

lilypad2424 · Dec 8, 2006

I am in the LVN program @ SJC south, and I can tell you that you are going to have a very stressful time working. How far away do you live from the school? I don't have first hand knowledge about the ADN program, but i have 2 very good friends in the program with me now that failed out of the ADN program and decided to go the LVN route. I'm not trying to scare you, b/c you can do it, I just think you should talk to some of the current students so you can prepare yourself. I am bartending part time to pay my way through school, and it's worked out well for me so far. I too live 30-40 minutes away from school. It can get pretty hairy when I have to work until midnight and have a test @ 0730. Soooo, my advice is just prepare yourself in advance. Look into student loan options now in case you have to quit your job, or find something else. Always stay on top of your work so you don't freak out when they throw extra paperwork on top of you at the last second. And......Have fun! Enjoy this time in school!

kmbridges · Dec 8, 2006

It has been a WHILE since I have posted. I am in my last week of my first semester!!!!!! I need to be studying RIGHT NOW - but it is time for a break. I am in the night program at San Jac (ADN) -- they only offer the night program every two years (this semester was the beginning of the two years). Out of the 30 people I am in class with ABOUT 27 of them WERE working at the beginning of the Fall semester. They had a HARD time trying to keep up with everything that you have to do. Most had to go to less than 20 hours a week at work and many had to completely quit their jobs. We had 3 drop out just in our class.

I find it hard to doe everything they want you to do and I do not work at all. I quit when I found out that I was accepted into the program last summer. I do, however, have two kids and a husband that I NEVER see bc I am always doing homework or studying.

This is the harderst thing I have ever done!!! You have to be dedicated and determined. If you are both of those, then you will have no problem - without or with a job.

AmyB · Jan 2, 2007

Congrats kmbridges!!! I didn't realize they had a night ADN program. It would seem that school would be all you would be able to do - study and read during the day, classes and clinicals at night. I can definitely relate to not ever seeing kids and DH. We had to reintroduce ourselves after graduation. Best wishes!!!

tiffswan · Feb 10, 2007

I seriously cannot decide which program to apply for at San Jac...LVN, RN, or Radiology...it's driving me crazy!!! Does anyone know what the typical schedule is like for school/clinicals? My GPA overall is 3.53...I still need to take A & P 1, A & P 2, and Micro. Help!!! Anyone also know anything about Alvin CC?

nokueze · Apr 26, 2007

How is the lvn program at san jac

lilypad2424 · Apr 27, 2007

It's coming down to finals at San Jac. Sooo, I'm feeling the anxiety begin. The LVN program is pretty good. There are a few things that are annoying, but that's anywhere. I have the best clinical instructor of the bunch, so I got pretty lucky there. As far as hours go......here's my schedule,

Monday: 8 a.m. - noon (classroom classes)

12 - 3 p.m (pharm)

Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 11 (geri class & mental illness)

11:45 - 2:45 (med/surg)

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday are clinical days. We go in 8 hour shifts. I am in my geri rotation 6:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

Hope that helps.

lilypad2424 · Apr 27, 2007

If you can get into the ADN program, I would go that route. LVN will take you a bit longer, though it's not quite as intense, and you can get a job after a year.

kmbridges · Apr 27, 2007

For those fixing to have finals --> Take a deep breath and good luck! It is crazy when finals come around. I have a test on Monday and Wednesday (Med Surg and Pharm) and then the next week I have: Monday: Med Surg final; Tuesday: Clincal & HESI final; and Wednesday: Pharm final!!! THEN I AM OFF FOR 3 WEEKS before I start my third and LAST Med Surg! I am at my halfway point --- so if I made it this far then I know everyone else can!!!

smilesalot · May 2, 2007

For those fixing to have finals --> Take a deep breath and good luck! It is crazy when finals come around. I have a test on Monday and Wednesday (Med Surg and Pharm) and then the next week I have: Monday: Med Surg final; Tuesday: Clincal & HESI final; and Wednesday: Pharm final!!! THEN I AM OFF FOR 3 WEEKS before I start my third and LAST Med Surg! I am at my halfway point --- so if I made it this far then I know everyone else can!!!

hello kmbridges!! i hope you don't mind me asking some ? for you....how long does the San Jac ADN program take? who chooses class for you? ( i mean if you are in the program already)

thanks and hopefully i will hear from you..

freestylepnoi · May 6, 2007

I posted awhile back, I am at SJC south, graduating next week from the ADN program. Like most people I took the LVN route in 2004, graduated, got some experience at a medsurg floor and then went straight for my associate degree in nursing.

I strongly recommend talking to the counselors especially the nursing department to figure out which classes will transfer. There's a misconception that nursing classes will transfer between central and south which is not true. The pre-reqs like a/p, college math, those will transfer between colleges. Pharm, Health assessment, and classes with RNSG I do not believe transfer between both the campuses, so be wary and always check to see if those RNSG will count between the two campuses.

The LVN program is more extensive, requires much more time than the RN mobility program, believe me I've done both and I was in school much more in the LVN program. Is it difficult, yes, very difficult. Theres a misconception that 1 year it shouldn't be so bad, but keep in mind that the program is geared towards preparing individuals with little or no health care experiences in taking care of sick people. I come from an IT background, so this was a whole new thing for me.

Tips for the LVN program, it's best not to work while your in this program it requires hours of practice because you are in the classroom for such a long time for lectures. I have seen people who try juggling work and school, which usually is like mixing oil and water and eventually they fail out. It can be done, but it is more difficult. Be open to perform any nursing actions when the opportunities open themselves to you, do injections, hang ivpb, start IV's, know why you are giving meds, side effects, pt. edu. Know the nsg. process in and out. And when things are so stressful that you feel like you are going to lose your mind, take a deep breath, and tackle each problem based on priority.

ADN program is totally different. More focused on long term planning and knowing patho of diseases/conditions. You will learn each disorders more in depth than you do in the LVN program. Get your experience at a Medsurg floor, try to land a medsurg job after you get your lvn license, this could mean 2 less classes you will have to take, and such an easier route. The other route are made for EMT's and requires more clinicals etc. Remember you need a total of 1 year experience at an acute care unit to get in the nsg. route. Tips, get in a group and study TOGETHER. You wouldn't believe how many questions I was able to answer because my group bounced questions against each other, it really does help. You can have a part time job with this program, I held two jobs, which is okay. But like I said the ideal would be to have no job at all, but classes are 2 x a week so ask yourself if you need all that time. Be prepared and know your deadlines!

Good luck everyone!

kmbridges · May 10, 2007

The ADN (Central) Generic Program takes 2 years with out prereqs. It is a Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall and then another Spring (OR switch the fall and spring depending on when you start). I have no say in what classes I take. There is a progression of classes. You start with Foundations, then med Surg, then Complex Med Surg and then Advanced Med Surg.

Like I have said before, I am in the night program (only opens up every two years) and I have only 1 teacher. The days program has MANY teachers to choose from, but you follow the order of classes. There is an outline in the catalog. You can take all the NON RNSG classes before hand. I did that and it has made it easier. YOU STUDY ALOT for RNSG classes so not having other classes to worry about is GREAT!

I do not know ANYTHING about the LVN or transitions program so I can't help you there. I applied for the RN program and got in so I did not talk to anyone about other classes. I DO AGREE WITH THE PREVIOUS POST --> TALK TO YOUR COUNSELOR!!! GO to the CENTRAL CAMPUS and talk to someone there!!! I went to North and they MISLEAD me A LOT!

If you have any other questions (anything) I am glad to help! I remember when I was applying and having A TON of questions and wishing I knew someone in the program to ask! I just finished up the semester and THANK GOD I passed ALL my classes! SO I have 3 weeks off before I start the summer clinicals! YEAH!

15 classes down -- 11 more to go!!!