Tcat Ripley lpn

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 5, 2015

Hi there kjones, I'm in the same boat as you. I took my compass exam at the Covington location back in July & I did great on my English but I needed to bring my math up (which I already knew).

I retested about 6-7 weeks later & passed my math. I was so thrilled that I felt like (and still do) that I've already been accepted into the program. I was soo worried about my math & now that I've gotten over that hurdle, nothing can stop me!

I had my scores sent to the Ripley location for the same reason as you. Its the only location that has an upcoming lpn class starting soon. Covington has one starting in April but its only part time & I'm too impatient to wait. I want to start now!! :)

How did you score on your math & English? I made a 94 in English & a 73 in math (I brought my math up from a miserable 28)!!

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 7, 2015

Are there any other TCAT Ripley hopefuls for the lpn class that's starting January 4, 2016? I've been keeping tabs on their website for any updates I could get & originally their deadline for the compass exam was 10/30/15.

I even spoke to one of the staff @ Ripley about their orientation for the Jan 2016 class & I was told that orientation would be held on November 2nd & that I would be receiving a letter & email confirming the exact time.

However, I noticed last week that the school has pushed back the deadline to 11/12/15. I was livid when I read that. I don't understand why the deadline is being pushed back 12 days considering that the program has way more applicants than there are seats available. And that means orientation is being pushed back as well.

I've been waiting so patiently to get that letter or email confirming the exact date and time of the orientation & I can hardly stand it. And to see that its been pushed back just frustrates me.

I don't think I'll have a problem being accepted into the program because I am a CNA (and I know they look favorably on applicants who are currently working in the heathcare field) and I believe my scores are pretty competitive but I'm just dying to get the final confirmation that I'm in! I think the "waiting" is the hardest part of this process. :nailbiting:

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 10, 2015

Let me correct that date from my previous post...Ripley pushed the final day to have your test scores in to 11/11/15, not the 12th as I previously stated.

If I'm accepted, I'm going to have a nice long drive to school. But it will be worth it. I wished I had applied sooner so I could be working as a lpn now.

I procrastinated for a long time because I had such a hard time in college with my math (to the point that I couldn't pass it), that I believed it would be extremely difficult to conquer the compass math. I was so wrong & for once, I'm glad I was.

Even when I made the decision to take the exam, I had to wait a few months because Memphis, Whiteville & Covington were not testing at that time. But I finally got to take my exam at Covington & it was the best decision I made.

Though I didn't pass the math, I was thrilled that I made a 94 on the English & it gave me that boost of confidence that I needed to face my math. And when the instructor of my compass exam informed me that the school offered free tutoring, that was like icing on the cake. I was ready to start studying!! And when I took my test again 7 weeks later, I passed.

Now I'm just anticipating the orientation & the interview. It can't come soon enough. I'm ready for my acceptance letter. And I'm ready to start nursing school!

kjones3725 · Oct 16, 2015

That's great... Your scores are very similar to mine. 96 in reading 68 in math. Im just hoping and praying that I get in.

kjones3725 · Oct 16, 2015

So where will you be commuting from if accepted. Im from Jackson. I also notice the moving back of the orientation. It's puzzling to me.

kjones3725 · Oct 16, 2015

Im not a cna, but im currently working in home health, and the work I do is very similar to what cna's do... I've also already started brushing up on my biochemistry, and anatomy, and I also will be trying to familiarize myself with pharmacology, and medsurg to try to give myself a head start on everything.

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 16, 2015

Oh, wow. You made really good scores on your compass exam too. That's awesome! I called Ripley and spoke to student services before I passed my math so I could get an idea of what they consider a competitive score and the lady that I spoke to was not helpful.

She kept telling me that there are other factors they take into consideration not just your compass scores. I told her I understood that but I knew the test scores played a huge part in their decision making. So I asked her once again what they would consider a competitive score and she just repeated herself. She wasn't giving up any information.

But when I passed by math at Covington my instructor did tell me that my score was nice and competitive so I don't think we'll have a problem when it comes to our scores.

I also work in home health. My back can't handle bathing, grooming, dressing & changing diapers for 20 patients every day so I prefer working in home health (at least as a CNA). And the fact that you work in healthcare already will still give you an advantage over students who do not.

If I'm accepted into the program, I'll be driving a minimum of 50 miles one way. I'm from Memphis & I don't like the area of the TCAT here so I'm willing to make the long commute. Most people probably wouldn't travel that far but I've got a Honda and they're known for their quality and I'm so ready to get started that I don't want to wait until next fall for a full time program to begin. I can't wait that long!! :nailbiting:

Well I hope to see you in orientation and I'm hopeful that we will both get accepted. Keep me posted if you find out any more information about the program and I'll do the same. Do you know anyone else that's applied for the January 2016 class in Ripley?

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 16, 2015

You're very smart to start studying before class begins. I'm doing the same thing. I'm going to do my best to learn the dosage calculations before class begins. I heard pharmacology is the hardest course.

Do you mind telling me what you're using in order to familiarize yourself with pharmacology and medsurg?

kjones3725 · Oct 16, 2015

Im using my cousin pharmacology and med surg books. She graduated from tcat Brownsville as a lpn last year. Im also going on YouTube and watching nursing nursing lectures. I've also heard of people being accepted into the Ripley and oher programs with scores that are not as go as ours, so I'm very curious to know what other factors do they consider when accepting student. Im hoping to see you in orientation aslo, and hoping that we both get in. Are going to apply for other locations as well.

TennesseeNurseToB · Oct 17, 2015

The only other factors that I know of are "the interview" & "working or holding a license" in the healthcare field (such as CNA / MA license). Because again, this makes us stand out more than the rest of the applicants because the school sees this as "our next step" in furthering our education & careers; where as everyone else will be new to healthcare and have no prior experience or knowledge about it.

And I have heard of people having to do their interview over again. So make sure when they ask you "why do you want to be a nurse" & "what do you think the duties of a LPN are", you have your answer ready off the top of your head. My tutor at the Covington location even told me that her own daughter had to do her interview twice.

I know they want you to have your answers to these questions well thought out & readily available because they want to get the impression that you're serious about being a nurse & if you are, you should already know the answers to these questions.

The only other red flag (that I know of) when doing your interview is, when being asked "why do you want to become a nurse", do not say that you want to be a nurse to help people. That is the stereotypical answer. They don't want to hear that. Yes, helping people is great, but that's not the only reason to be a nurse & being a nurse isn't the only way to help people. I think that kind of answer is too broad & shallow because they want to get the impression from your character (not your words) that you're compassionate about other people.

And that's nice that you get to use your cousins tcat books. That's a good advantage to have. I went to barnes and noble to find a LPN book so I could get a head start on my studies but the only books I found were for LPN(s) that are currently working in nursing. So I'm just sticking to youtube & Google(ing) different things.

I am definitely going to apply to other locations if I don't get acceptanced at Ripley but I hate the thought of having to wait that long. The next Covington class doesn't start until April & its only part-time. Several locations have a 2016 fall class that's full-time & they all finish 1 month earlier than the part-time classes at Covington.

Are you planning on going to a RN school after tcat? And are you planning on working while going to school?

kjones3725 · Oct 17, 2015

Oh yes I plan on getting my RN Afterward. Im currently working 4 hours a day, 7 days a week. My job is very laid though, so I do plan on continuing to work and go to school, but I may see about cutting from 7 to 5 days a week. That depends on my if Im able maintain. I've also already applied for the Jackson campus and plan on doing the same for about 5 other campuses if Im not accept to the Ripley program. But im really hoping to get into Ripley because all those other schools don't start til may of 2016.