Should I transfer to other LVN school? Is this school normal?

[makidesuu]

I just finished the 1st level (3.5 month) of the LVN program last week and noticed that 35 out of 60 students were dropped. Moreover, I found out that there is about only 10 students made it to the last level (level 4) of the program and other about 50 students who could not make it to the last level were either repeating the 2, 3rd levels, or gave up.

This school enters as many as students in the beginning even if there is no enough student tables and gives us all the book on the first day of the program and have us to sign the receipts. So we owe for books already on the first day even if the cancellation date with no penalty fee is 1 week later.

When I talked with the representative before enter the program, she said to me that their pass rate for NCLEX is 100%. However, I found out that the test was actually taken by only 10 students.

We have an exam every week and whoever cannot get 75% of the total score for the 2nd time will be dropped automatically. If you fail for one time, you have to get 75% for the make up test. However, If you fail for a new test again, then you cannot continue the program and wait for the next semester to redo the level. I think school usually accumulates all the score and divided to get the final % for each student at the end of the semester and decide to drop students, not the middle of the semester. Also, since the make up test will be held on the same week of another test, the students have to study for 2 different materials in a week, which makes even harder for the students.

I contacted different school yesterday and they said they will consider my transfer after checking my grade and school curriculum. The pass rate for NCLEX for this school is 75%, but they hold 28 to the last level out of 30 students.

Could you please give me advice on this? Should I just stay for the current program even if there is high drop rate? or should I just transfer the different school?

makidesuu:(

[bluegeegoo2, LPN]

What are some tips to keeping up and passing?

Find "study buddies" and form a casual study group. I say casual because who wants another commitment in nursing school? Anyway, I had 4 other people that I sat with and we were each others support team when one of us was overwhelmed, tired, exasperated, or just plain wanted to quit, the rest of us would rally together and help out the one who was "down". I truly believe if it wasn't for my group, I really don't know if I would have made it or not. Oh! And study, study, STUDY!!!! Even if you think you know the material frontwards and backwards, read it ONE MORE TIME. I hope that helps.

[asoonernurse]

1. No sleep.

2. No social life.

3. No sleep.

4. Study hard.

5. Study harder.

6. Study hardest.

7. No sleep.

8. Make it #1 over all else.

9. Live it, breathe it, be it.

10. No sleep

What are some tips to keeping up and passing?

[CT Pixie, BSN, RN]

Its very common to see such a high drop out rate. Its not just reserved to LPN school either, most RN programs also see a high drop rate.

Reasons for dropping can range from realizing nursing isn't for them to not keeping grades at the minimum grade required by the program. Add to that people who are asked to leave the program due to excessive absenteism, safety issues in clinicals, personal stresses and problems.

I started with 60 students. We are down to the last 3 days of school and we now have 31 students. Of those 31, 5 students are from previous classes that didn't pass a semester. A majority of our loss of students came in the first 3 months of school. Many just never came back, I assume, due to realizing that they weren't cut out for nursing school. We lost a couple due to excessive absenteeism, and quite a few due to grades.

I don't think anyone now is on the verge of failing out, but we still have to take an exit exam that we have 2 chances to pass.

One the first day of classes we were told to look to our left and to our right. Then we were told that the chances were very, very high that one of those two people would not be there at the end of school. And it was true. The woman sitting to my left went to school for 3 days and then never came back. The one to my right is still my nursing school buddy, but the one to her right failed out 5 months into the program

[HannaBee]

where are you going to school?

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

How does your school select its students? Do they use a merit or lotto system? I think its more fair to use a merit system to weed people out than to allow anyone with a C average in and then have high requirements to stay in. I am in a BSN program where they select their students by over all GPA, pre-req GPA, TEAS score, medical experience, 2nd language. I am in my senior year and no one has failed yet; however the JC that I was on a waiting list for, which uses the lotto system (2.0 only requirement) had people failing within the first few weeks.....I had a 4.0 pre-req score and nursing school is hard, I am down to a 3.5 GPA; I don't know how anyone can do it coming in with a C average and still get good grades (A's and B's), I am not one of those with a mindset of "C's get degrees" I do know that there are some great C average nurses out there, but they wont be going on for their masters (a 3.0 is required to even be considered)

[HeartsOpenWide, RN]

One the first day of classes we were told to look to our left and to our right. Then we were told that the chances were very, very high that one of those two people would not be there at the end of school.

thats so sad, they said the same thing to us "look to your left, now look to your right"...but they said, "more than likely you will see these people on stage with you at graduation"...

[HannaBee]

My school started with 60 and barely hung on to 30. Not sure how many in the original class there were, maybe 25 because we gained people who had failed other levels at a different campus. And so many were hanging on in danger of failing every level. It was hard, very hard. If I didn't rent a studio 4 blocks away I think I would have failed because what I did most of the time was study. I went without TV for 7 months (broke down in the last 4 months and bought a TV)...but yes, it's hard! Hang in there! If you are in a program try your hardest to just get through because I think they are all hard!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Moved to the LPN Nursing Student forum.

[dizzy lizzy]

Sounds normal. My class started off with 55 ended at 31. It is a pretty intense program. I really think that's how it goes. Just soak everything in and be the sponge. Hang in there and you'll get through it.

[dizzy lizzy]

Your already there just stick with it. It will be the same at the other school.