Alot of people badmouth Everest, including me. I've been saying I would never pay 12-15k to enroll at a program with such a dubious reputation. I've also heard sometimes they don't teach you what you really need to know to become certified in your chosen field and that scares me even more than the cost. I am an advocate of going to publicly funded schools over private, for-profit schools, but now I find myself in a situation where Everest is my desperate last option.
I am planning on moving to an area where it is difficult to find CNA work without training in EKG/Phlebotomy. Ironically, it seems hard to find any schools close to where I will be living that actually offer this kind of training. To the best of my knowledge hospitals there don't do on-the-job training. There are at least half a dozen state-funded schools that provide that kind of training where I live now, but every last one of those schools only offer fulltime day classes and I work in the daytime. Everest offers evening classes so it looks as if this is my last resort only option.
I've heard lots of negative things about Everest, but nothing in regards to their PCT program so I don't know how bad or how good it is. Does anyone have any opinions or information?
12-15K is RIDICULOUS!!!! As someone else said, you can get a nursing degree for less than that and they make a lot more money than a PCT. I know you said you don't want to be a nurse, but that example just goes to show you how unreasonable the tuition is. Is "PCT" even a degree, like an associate's or something? Because if not, then 15K is even more shocking.
There has to be a community college in your area that offers a CNA course. Have you thought about working as a nursing home CNA while you finish your English degree? And then you would at least have something like teaching to fall back on.... right NOW you say that you'd be content doing CNA work long term, but you probably don't want to get stuck doing that forever. It really is very stressful, you get treated like dirt by everybody, and the pay is so bad you can't live comfortably. Not to mention you might end up with an injury and then you wouldn't be able to work. I like it for now but there's no way I want to do it forever.
I am a nurse. I know of this from several women who tried the course recently. Can't get into details because it would create a whole world of issues and debate but can tell you they are way over-priced and unprofessional in so many levels. My guess there are a number of people who owe for their loans and didn't get to complete the course because they had to leave due to unprofessional and even violent conditions.
Most PCT job listings that I have seen stated that no certification or prior training was needed or that a CNA certificate was sufficient to be considered. I paid $40 for my CNA training at the local adult school. Most of that fee went toward the cost of the book. I see no reason to pay $15000 when one can get trained for free at many LTC facilities or hired with no training, at a hospital, where one will be trained on the job.
Not many places will hire without training. Yes there are places that will train but not many and not many people get hired into that. Unfortunately, you are better off with a class. But these prices are outrageous and they are preying on poor single mom's. This Everest deal is very very shadey and corrupt. At least one school in particular.
Ev1987
347 Posts
Have you thought about taking an LPN progam at Prism or Lincoln tech instead?