Schools in Southern California

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Greetings -

I posted this in the student area but thought there might be some insight here:

I have been reading the boards for sometime and this is my first post. I was able to find a lot of information on both of these programs. I went to an information session at West Coast last Friday. I was not overly impressed with the admissions rep - but understand that it is very much a trade school and had that feel to me.

My situation is as follows - I am 41 years old, little prior college experience. I have 12 units from Saddleback College and am currently enrolled in 7 units.

I am a Mom and wife. I will have two children at home in the fall - a 7th grader and 10th grader.

The economy, like many has hurt us.

I see that they are approved by the RN board in California. My questions are as follows and thank you in advance for any time and consideration:

1. How long does a school hold onto that approval? Meaning the RN board approved it - what if I am enrolled and they "change" their minds? That is a concern.

2. Does going to school there impact my chances of getting into an new graduate RN program at one of our local hospitals where the competition seems to already be fierce?

I have read some pretty harsh things regarding West Coast and know it is expensive. Any other feedback is welcomed and encouraged. I am very worried about getting all A's in my core classes to get into Saddleback's impacted program - as well as waiting 4-5 years before being able to work.

Thanks so much!

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Still hoping for some feedback :)

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

I'm not sure for how long it is approved. I went through the process of registering for the program, and was so angry and put off that they kept enrolling me in the wrong prerequisite classes that I had already received credit for from them. I ultimately decided to not attend the program because the advisor that I had worked with was so incompetent. Consider other avenues as well. Everest in ontario has a associate's degree RN program now. And is definitely cheaper than West Coast. The best way to alleviate cost would be to do most of your prerequisites at the community college, and then apply to both saddleback and the trade schools.

As a forewarning: there is not a nursing shortage in California, especially of New Grads. If you are planning on entering nursing in the hopes that it is a stable and recession proof career, it is not. Look at some of the recent posts in California about trouble finding a job. I have many friends who are currently working as LVNs, especially in the bay area, because they cannot find work as an RN and have had to stay at their previous jobs.

Good luck!

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Hi Nikki,

Thank you so much for your feedback. I appreciate it. Where did you decide to go? It is a long commute for me to attend a school in Ontario but I will check into it. Thanks for the suggestion. I have a few classes that would count at West Coast.

Thanks as well for the information regarding new grads. I appreciate it. I am looking to go into nursing for a variety of reasons - one of course is for employment. The other is long term goals of spending time overseas assisting the poor in a variety of different programs.

I contacted several of the HR departments for New Grad programs in the area and am waiting to hear back if they consider new grads based on where they attended school or simply on their recommendations, interviews and passing the board.

Again thank you so much!

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Usually the school doesn't affect you so much. If you pass boards you are licensed, and that's what hospitals truly care about. I became an LVN first at a trade school, if I could redo it I would have gone to an ROP program. MUCH cheaper. I had already done my prereqs at the local community college prior to this. Then I applied to CSU San Bern, got it. Economy hit home hard, applied to an LVN to RN program (trade school) in Bay area that took 9 months.

I graduated January, Passed boards early february, had started job hunting in October. And I've had one job offer in med-surg (luckier than most right now I guess)

All my friends up north have not been able to find a job, and I know people in this area who have been job hunting since last summer. Economy sucks.

Good luck!

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Don't know how far you have to travel. You could consider the Mt. St. Mary's nursing programs in the greater LA area. This school has been around a very long time and has a good reputation. The cost is expensive but it is less than West Coast and you would be getting a degree that is respected in the area. Just a thought.

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Caliotters - thank you so much - I have heard of that school and will map quest to see how far it is from home. I am in Southern Orange County. My husband suggested to simply to the tradiational route last night of going to a community college and transfering to UCI or BIOLA after the 2.5 year or so it will take me but I have to look more into that as well. I am not getting any younger...

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If the drive is too far you could consider this solution if you can afford it: some students with a very long commute will rent a room or even an apt in the area of the school/clinicals for overnight use when facing a school day and travel home when the schedule permits. Ranks in that area of ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

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Caliotter3 - completely agree! I would prefer obviously to find a more viable solution of a school within driving range as I am a parent of two girls - 12 and 16. If it was just my husband and myself that would be easier. But I do agree with you and have thought of that. Thank you again!

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It really is a pain when you live too far away when you have something that you want or need to accomplish and moving around is not always so easy. Good luck finding the right school for you.

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Thank you so much Caliotter3! I will keep plugging away. I have doubts about West Coast and would prefer to do a more traditional route but also know that I am not getting any younger :).

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Specializes in med/surg/tele/neuro/rehab/corrections.

Really check around before you put your family into heavy debt over a private school.

I too felt I wasn't getting any younger so I applied for LVN school at an Adult school *(used to be ROP so publicly funded) and went that route. Now I work as an LVN and just got accepted to the community college for the LVN-RN bridge. That was a much quicker way to go. I waited one year in between instead of 4 to get into an RN program. I've known LVN's to wait only 6 months just until the LVn to RN program started up. Perhaps you might want to consider doing that. I didn't put my family in debt, although I accrued some myself on credit cards, and I began to earn money while still in school working as a CNA then got a job as an EMT tech in the ER which was great experience.

Another plus in my situation is that my son is college age (and soon yours will be too) and it is a great relief to know that we can afford for him to go to SDSU and when he graduates in about 2 years he will be debt free. To graduate debt free, it is a good feeling. We didn't have to borrow money for him or me. Debt, even school debt, carries a heavy burden.

LVN's might be coming more in demand as hospitals want to save money in this downturn of the economy. Other than hospital work or clinics you can work in a Skilled nursing facility or Long term acute care or psych facility. They pay reasonably well. (Of course RN pay is so much better) If you are looking for hospital work then a good first job is at a long term acute care because it is considered med/surg experience and you don't have more than 5 patients.

Right out of school, my classmate, with no prior medical experience, was hired at a psych facility earning $23/hr. But then she just loved psych. I can't take it. LOL

I currently work on the ward in the hospital where I worked as an ED tech. The hospital saves money by hiring LVN's and I get experience while I go back to school to get my RN. :)

I've heard about hiring woes in the Bay Area but have seen posts here about hospitals in So. Cal hiring so I don't think it will be that much of a problem finding a first job. Just don't be too picky :lol2:

Keep us updated okay? Whatever you decide :heartbeat Good luck! :mad:

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