South College - Asheville, NC?

JazzyJaz · Aug 31, 2011

Hi there! Here is my opinion of South College. I was one day from registering for classes and completely had this feeling that this school wasn't the best choice for these reasons:

- It's a private school so it cost more

- Completely unorganized, they forgot to even make sure I paid the application fee of $50

- As much as they glamorize that they cater to those who are looking for night classes, they tried to make me take day classes as I told them I was a working parent as most of the students are

- I already had a bachelors so I had most of the prereqs except for one semester.

- It's about $5,000 each semester no matter how many classes you take.

- Between that one semester and the nursing program I was quoted about $25,000

- Everytime I went to the school they had different people working because people kept leaving

- And the kicker.......NONE OF THE CREDITS TRANSER ANYWERE!!

Personally if I'm going to spend $25,000 I need my credits to transfer to mars and back!! :lol2:

As of right now I'm at AB Tech and I'm happy about my decision. I apply to the program in a couple weeks and will start the program next fall IF I get in. Had I had went to South College I would have finished a year sooner and $25,000 more in debt vs maybe less than half that at AB Tech. I hope this helps!!

BuffaloGirl · Aug 31, 2011

Hey Jazzy,

I completely forgot about this post, lol :). I went up to visit SC because they refuse to do any inquiries over the phone and met with an advisor with my transcript, then met the nursing director as well. They all gave me their sales pitch and my impression of them reminded me of car salesmen. They said that someone was going to approve my math class because they couldn't wrap mind around it or i'd have to take a class there, plus wouldn't it be better to take classes with us to get those extra 11 pts. I looked over their point system and pointed out that since I made A's that would make up their 11 pt difference for being a contender into their program. So they went and got my math class approved, but something just told me in the back of my mind that if I did apply to their nursing program, my math class would not qualify me even with an override, maybe I was being a negative Nancy IDK. Afterwards, they constanty called and emailed me at home, harassing me to apply. I wasn't going to apply unless absolutely certain I wanted to go since my job just laid us off, a $50.00 application fee is a lot of money when I gotta feed my kiddo. So, to help with my decision, I also went to their nursing seminar and as you said, it was very disorganized.

After crunching the #'s and put into account the "something doesn't feel quite right", I decided not to apply. If I am going to spend that much, I better be coming out with a BSN, not an Associates. I also didn't want to fight to justify why i've taken this certain required math class that is the pre req for most NC community colleges. My decision is to apply to a few local CC's instead and hope to get into the fall 2012 ADN program. Maybe it is like this with all private schools (I am not an expert as I have never been to one beyond SC) to make applicants feel as this is just a money making scheem. South College maybe for some, but it is not for me.

JazzyJaz · Sep 4, 2011

BuffaloGirl you hit the nail on the head.......A SALES PITCH! I felt the same way. I'm glad someone understands, for a minute I thought it was me. AB Tech has a program too where you do 3 years at AB Tech then the last year at WCU and earn a bachelors. For those 3 years you pay CC tuition then the last year you will pay WCU tuition. It's just another option. Nevertheless I hope you are able to get into a program. Keep me posted! We shall encourage each other through our journey!

BuffaloGirl · Sep 5, 2011

Hey Jazzy,

I agree, encouragement is always appreciated. One of the best things they told us @ SC (during the nursing seminar) was we should look @ each other as future classmates and not as competition. My girlfriend is wanting to take the EMS/T program with ABTech and she keeps talking about going to visit but we can never meet up due to schedules :\

I didn't know about that program! I was thinking about taking it with Mayland and completing it w/Lees-McRae but i'd rather pay 3 yrs of CC tuition then 2, lol. I'll defiantly keep you posted, as I'd love to have someone to talk to about this journey! :) TY for everything..

redpirarara · Feb 12, 2014

As far as South College goes, expensive: Yes however, accredited and a good program. When looking for a school you should look not only at the price but the statistics (graduation rate, teacher/ student ratio, accreditation, job placement rate and NCLEX pass rate)

South college has a 90% graduation rate

South College has a 93% NCLEX pass rate

Blue Ridge CC is on probation from the state due to, last I saw, NCLEX 33% pass rate.

AB Tech has a 76% NCLEX pass rate. and a wait list, they say they don't but if you don't have your pre-requisites completed good luck getting them done in a reasonable time period as some classes are only offered once a year and fill up quickly. A friend has been waiting 2 years to get in due to this.

I just graduated from the program, 1st time pass the NCLEX, was on the wait list at AB Tech would just be starting the program, went to South College, and I'm out, working. I had 3 job offers from hospitals before I graduated and 10 after.

Its a personal thing, I guess. But the staff was more than professional and the program is challenging. So If you want to wait, wait, if money is an issue, it was and is for me, it is an issue. Yes it is a private for profit school however my experience at the college was great. I had all the same concerns about the college but after enrolling I was pleased. South College is a good school with a good rep at the hospitals. I had no problems at all. Also on a side note, 2015 they will have a BSN program, fully accredited. And for all the people that say credits won't transfer to other schools, well they are wrong. I'm enrolled at a RN-MSN program, not online but at Duke University and they took everything.

So if you want to wait for a cheaper alternative, then wait but my experience with the staff and school was a positive one, and my 21 classmates (which all passed the NCLEX the first time) will share the same experience. Anyone who wants to PM me about my experience please do.

TLJ0513 · Jun 27, 2015

Blue Ridge may have been on probation a few years ago but they are not now. AB Tech is on probation now. So far out of the 2015 graduating class at Blue Ridge all but one have passed the NCLEX

jake899 · Mar 22, 2016

Here's my story about South College Asheville. I started in 2012 with high hopes to have a RN degree within 2 years. I went through all the pre req classes and even met with the advisor many times. They worked very hard to loop me in from the begining and yes i agree they are just like salesmen when it comes to getting you in there and not telling you the small details until it is to late. It is 5000 dollars a quarter regardless how many classes you take and the fact that they advertise night classes isn't so. As they did not offer much at night maybe 2 or 3 and that was pushing it. Also after i had been there a while i found out that NONE OF THE CREDITS TRANSFER ANYWHERE TO KNOW SCHOOL AT ALL!!!!!!! Yeah they advertise that they are a glamerous school but in reality they are not. they are not recognized. Yes i did graduate from one program not Nursing. As the advisor at that time would try to push you off to other programs if you didn't score all A's nearly. So after my pre reqs for Nursing and applied i was turned down even after i scored As and Bs with a GPA of 3.63. I believe that a lot of favoritism is played there and if they don't want you in there Nursing program your not getting in regardless of the grades or effort. After they pushed me away fron the RN program they told me to do Medical Assisting as it is kind of like nursing. I completed that and graduated. I then went back to try to get in RN program again and applied and turned down as so many are. During that time from 2012 to 2016 they have went through 4 deans and 4 program coordinators. So the college is very unorganized and not prepared. Yes i have spent a lot of time at South College and i am aware of what goes on and how they work now. They promised me in the begining and RN degree which i never got and they never were to interested in really helping you to succeed. Some of the program coordinators over the years are currently and were darn right disrespectful and hateful to students that didnt get in or were in already and not helping to succeed. In 2015 last year i finally got in to the nursing program after 3 years of trying and managed to complete nearly half of the program then my grade fell below 80% just barely below and they dropped me from the program. During my time in the RN program they would cram ridiculus amounts of book work which included racing through 8 or 9 chapters a day in Medsurge or other classes which we only met in those classes like twice a week and that was it. So it was so much cramming. During the first quarter they lost some great students due to that reason and they weren't willing to help them to succeed. During my time there was 26 people in my class then it fell all the way down to about 9 currently left which may even be less than that now. So the pass rate is very very low and they make it so difficult to even get into the program then when in it's not that organized and not to great. After dropped i sat out for 6 months and tried to re-admission into Nursing. I had to take another pharmacology test and score a 90% or better to get back in and satisfactory on skills check off. A few people in my class were trying to get back in. I scored an 80% on test and didn't get back in. New cooordinator informed me that it was the end of the line for me at that point meaning that she wasn't going to let me back in to the program. She then deferred me to do something else with my life and try another program even though i have spent and dedicated so much time and hard work for Nursing. I then left South College last year and all that i have from them is thousands of dollars in debt with no Nursing degree as they promised but i am a Certified Medical Assistant. During those years there i alot seen a lot of very good instructors get fired. Alot of instructors in the Nursing program kept getting fired to and replaced constantly so it made it even more difficult because there turnover rate on instructors is so high and the programs are so unorganized. I seen a lot of potentially good nurses get dropped because they came out making Cs which is passing in most colleges but still a lot of potentially great awesome nurses that were in my class got dropped including myself. I have started a new college and attempted to transfer all my pre reqs from South College which new college is widely recognised and very accredited and yes credits from my new college. But they would not accept South College's credits. So iam starting all over from the begining with re-taking pre-req classes and trying for Nursing again.

jake899 · Mar 22, 2016

Also when it comes to passing the NCLEX test. The pass rate is low from what i hear from the other students and previous graduates. There are people out there that have graduated from South College and cannot pass the NCLEXRN. So before going there you better research and do your homework.

jake899 · Mar 22, 2016

Agree with you yes i have experienced them and yes nothing transfers at all anywhere. I spent three years there

jake899 · Mar 22, 2016

Agree with you i have some experience with them myself. I posted my story below.

sticksbabyb · Mar 25, 2016

redpirarara I would love to PM you, but it want let me