Stanford Brown Vs. Concorde Career College

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I know neither Stanford nor Concorde are your traditional nursing school, but they do both allow you to sit for the NCLEX and thats what matters in the end.

I have been accepted into the RN program from both schools and I was trying to figure out which one would be best. I understand they are both overpriced and many people have complaints about there other programs, but for anyone who has some insight and experience with their RN program - Please share.

I am a Nursing Student at Sanford Brown here in Jacksonville. The comment about SB having a poor pass rate is totally wrong..the Nursing Program here is NEW..i.e. the first class is coming up on the NCLEX. SB will be rated when the first class sits for the NCLEX. As to whether or not the class material compares to FCCJ (or whatever it is called these days)...The material is the same, but the delivery is structured more realistically. Meaning, you hit each system area (i.e. respiratory, cardiac, etc) during EACH clinical, which really helps one get prepared for the NCLEX. SB has both day and evening classes. Concord only has DAY classes. I was accepted to both Concord and SB, and went with SB so that I could attend evening classes Mon thru Thurs..Concord's classes were/are all day long, Monday thru Friday....kinda hard to keep a job with those hours. Couple of more points about the nursing programs here in Jacksonville... FCCJ might be cheaper...but...just TRY to get someone from their nursing department to return a phone call...GOOD LUCK.. I tried for 3 months to contact them about enrollment requirements, etc before I relocated to Florida from up North. Never got a single call back..and never got anyone to answer the phone either....I did try to do a walk-in visit only to get serious 'tude' having interrupted the office staff's day... Keep in mind this about SB....the course runs around $35K...but...here's the deal....you take the NLN...if your score is high enough, then you can apply to the program..you don't have to run around getting pre-req's etc...then applying and having to wait to see if you get in (which, I am told, at FCCJ the wait time can be up to 3 years!)..The tuition cost INCLUDES all your books...all your pre-req's..NCLEX Cost...HESI costs...and all your classes...and you don't have to kiss anyone's behind to get into the program...I moved down here in May and started the nursing program at SB in July... Oh..and NO..you DO NOT have to take the MA or PT program to get into the nursing program at SB (I didn't!)...if the rep tells you otherwise, contact the Nursing department chair directly.... Good Luck!

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I got the cost break-down a few days ago for Concorde and it goes something like this... The total cost comes out to around $39,800.. now the way this is financed is Stanford Federal Loans and Finacial Aid covers around $28,000...so you are left with a $12k gap that you must cover on your own. About 2/3 of this must be covered before you start class....oh and this must be paid for you to even be considered into the program....

Hey...did you get into the program at FCCJ?? Did you know that Work Source will help with school costs to the tune of around $7K? Check out Sanford Brown..yeah...$35K or so with no pre-req's, but once you are in the program, you are IN the program..start to finish takes 18 to 19 months...so well worth it in my opinion...Plus...they have evening class....next evening class starts in July..you should drop by the school and check it out.....also..read my post about it under your original post

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My advice is to visit your states nursing board website, and find out the pass rates for each of the schools. Yes being able to sit for the boards is important, but if you cannot pass what is the point. I know our local SB has very poor pass rates, and I have been strongly cautioned against going there by many people in the medical field in my area.

I agree that you should check the State website..but...your information about SB having a poor pass rate is totally laughable.....The Nursing Program at SB is NEW...which means there haven't yet been any students taking the NCLEX from Sanford Brown....there is a class coming up on the NCLEX in a few months....only THEN will the Pass/Fail rate for Sanford Brown be listed....As to people cautioning against it..Interesting comment....But really unfair as every school has it's good students and bad students... To check out the ratings, pass rates etc...go to : http://www.doh.state.fl.us/mqa/nursing/nur_edu_info.html I took a look at the NCLEX scores for RN on the pdf found at that site... For the period 1/1/09 to 12/31/09 Pass Rates for schools in Jax with scores...Keep in mind that Concord and Sanford Brown did not have any students that completed the RN programs as programs at both schools STARTED in Calender year 2009.... FSCJ (FCCJ) Pass rate is 84.88 JU Pass rate is 84.29 Keiser Pass rate is 60.98 UNF Pass rate is 89.81 The national average, in order to KEEP a program going is 88.91...so the ONLY school that meets that in UNF...Keiser looks like it is in danger of losing it's program...those are the numbers from last year...There will be new ratings posted soon ... We'll see how Concord and Sanford Brown do.....I am pretty certain that Sanford Brown will OUT PERFORM FSCJ

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I'll take that bet! :yeah::lol2:

BTW....

Ch. 2009-168, Laws of Florida stipulates two mechanisms by which a program shall be placed on

probation. One is failure to submit the required annual report and the other is in the event the

program's graduate passage rates on the National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensing

Examination (NCLEX) falls 10 percent or more below the national average passage rate for first-time

takers. During the period of July 1 through December 31, 2009 no nursing program was placed on

probation. Though all programs met the requirement to submit an annual report, it was clear that

requiring this of new programs that have nothing to report is a point of confusion.

So your statement about keeping a program active is false.

And you have no foundation for which to base your statement that your class will exceed well established programs..... but what the heck!

GOOD LUCK!

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Specializes in Family Practice/IM/Pediatric.

I'm thinking of enrolling in SB this July. I enjoyed all the insight. I have applied to FCCJ twice, for both programs and DID NOT GET IN. I missed it by 25 students. Talk about bummed. I can only take evening courses and they only offer it every other year. It is very frustrating to go through. You are so right about the turn-around time on a call. WOW!!

How was the NLN? That's the only thing I'm wigged out about. TTYL

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I don't know where you got your information from, but FSCJ (aka FCCJ) has EVE/WE every year...one class starts in summer, the other in fall. No EVE/WE for a spring start. But saying it is offered every other year is not quite accurate.

(I am FSCJ NS 3rd term for RN in the EVE/WE program.)

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

Stanford is an Ivy League university in California.

Sanford-Brown is the nursing school that is the subject of this thread.

Stafford Loans are the federally-guaranteed student loan programs.

To those who have misspelled these ... PLEASE spell them right :D ... An employer would frown upon anyone misspelling their school's name on a resume.

From what I understand, if you attend nursing school in FL and want to get licensed in NY, all that's really required is that your school is approved by the FL Board of Nursing. CCNE or NLN accreditation is not an issue for licensure.

http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursing.htm#educ

However, I wouldn't even look at a BSN program that is not CCNE or NLN accredited if I was looking to further my education at the graduate level, which I am.

I personally would not attend a school for a nursing degree that advertises on TV or one that is brand new, that's just me. It's not like our options are limited out there. I myself am originally from NYC and plan to return there once I am done with my prereqs (here in FL). More than likely I will be attending a school that has name recognition, is established and has an impressive NCLEX pass rate. I won't want to settle for anything else just for the sake of getting into a program as soon as possible. I will just keep trying until I get that, it's worth the effort because my own career is at stake.

One should never underestimate the importance of an education you're paying for.

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Specializes in Family Practice/IM/Pediatric.

Well MOMof 5,

Thanks for the new news!!! I was not misinformed. When I applied last, it WAS only every other year. That's why it's taking me so long to get in. Believe me, I did my research. Not many schools offered or offer Night classes.

I did call and talk to them today and will be applying to the Fall semester. Maybe, I'll see ya there. When do you graduate?

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First I want to say CONGRATS for being accepted into both RN programs :) But I do suggest that you do some research about each Program, the most important thing to find out is what State Colleges/Universities will you be allowed to transfer to once you graduate. You can also get in contact with your local Hospitals and find out if they hire students from either school that you have been accepted to. Good luck!

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I know neither Stanford nor Concorde are your traditional nursing school, but they do both allow you to sit for the NCLEX and thats what matters in the end.

I have been accepted into the RN program from both schools and I was trying to figure out which one would be best. I understand they are both overpriced and many people have complaints about there other programs, but for anyone who has some insight and experience with their RN program - Please share.

Go to a nursing program in a hospital, college or university instead. You'll be equiped with a better education for at least as much money as you'd spend at SB or CCC.

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Well MOMof 5,

Thanks for the new news!!! I was not misinformed. When I applied last, it WAS only every other year. That's why it's taking me so long to get in. Believe me, I did my research. Not many schools offered or offer Night classes.

I did call and talk to them today and will be applying to the Fall semester. Maybe, I'll see ya there. When do you graduate?

COOL!! Great to hear it and good luck.

I graduate in August! :nurse:

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Looks like I will be attending Concorde. ( Concorde starts May 15th and Sanford starts all the way in Aug...and that was the basis of my decision) It sux they did not take some of my pre reqs and I have to retake Algebra and Speech. From what I have read I believe one of their semesters = 10 weeks and they have a total of 6 semesters.

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