TCC Nursing program compared to others

lovely1213 · Mar 13, 2009

I think we may have an instructor in common. I took AP 1 & 2 at NE campus over the summer and ended up not attending class or lab by AP2. I figured I could read, why waste my time in class. I just applied to the nursing program for fall so I can only answer by reiterating what I've been told by people I know who have graduated from TCCD. "It is challenging but doable, and structured... a terrific program." I guess we'll see. I'm applying to TAMU-CC as well because it is completely online and I thrive on independent learning. I'm also afraid of having the same experience as you... powerpoint reading straight from the text with zero insight. I just hope that I will have resources to be successful there if I am accepted and choose that route. Good Luck in your class... you'll get through it. Just my 2 cents.

no1shome · Mar 13, 2009

you'll probably have good instructors and bad instructors no matter where you go, check out the BON website, they show the pass rate for the schools in the area, which is usually a decent indicator of the education (whether the studets are prepared for the NCLEX). TCC isn't bad. I've had a lot of instructors there (in my pre-req's) that were like that, just means you have to study a little outside of their instruction to make sure you know what you should... instead of just a glance at the subject.

smvtx23 · Mar 13, 2009

Thanks for all of the awesome info!! I will check out that website for sure. Good luck Lovely 123 on your application!!

sgonzalez1203 · Mar 13, 2009

I am currently in my second semester of TCCs Nursing Program...and I love it!!! Every instructor we have is an RN...they are passionate about what they do. Don't judge TCCs Nursing Program by the actions of some A&P professor. She/He isn't an RN...Those pre-req classes just have to be suffered through. Memorize...Memorize...Memorize....and then when you actually make it in to the program...all of that 'memorizing' goes out the window...and you'll have to adapt to application based testing...instead of "What is Intrinsic Factor..." you'll have questions like "What is the priority nursing action....."....Whatever school you apply to...Good Luck! But know that TCC has a great program and you get "Real-Life" experience from tenured RNs....

smvtx23 · Mar 13, 2009

Whew!! That is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so much for the info! I am applying soon and hopefully will get to experience it all:)

Heloisea3 · Mar 14, 2009

I will be graduating from the TCC nursing program in May (knock on wood). Like all nursing programs, you will have good professors and bad professors. You just have to work with what you have and pray that you get through it. That being said, I am overall disappointed with the nursing program at TCC, and I know that many other students that started with me feel the same way. I do think they are attempting to make some positive changes for the new people that are coming into the program and for those that are a few semesters behind us. However, I personally feel that my class has been thrown under the bus several times by the nursing department. I really regret not going to a different school. I know there are people who will argue with that, but that is just my opinion. I am happy that I have made it to my last semester, and I will be glad to be finished in May, but that doesn't mean that I have to recommend TCC to people. I chose to go to TCC for financial reasons, but I should have just bit the bullet and went somewhere else instead. There are several reasons that I feel this way. The primary reason is that a group of students were caught cheating last semester and were allowed to stay in the program. In response to the cheating, the professors completely changed the exams in a "we'll show you" fashion, and a HUGE number of people ended up failing Pedi because of it. A lot of other students barely passed by just a few points. Meanwhile, the cheaters moved onto their last semester and will be graduating with us in May. It really hurt us to see a lot of really good nursing students who had been doing well up to that point fail because of that. The majority of those who failed were not people who had struggled in nursing school until this happened. Of course, you expect some people to fail each semester (that's just the way it is), but not that many. I think that TCC really needs to evaluate the effectiveness of some of their staff and make adjustments. I'm sorry, but when a professor gives a test and only 3 people pass it, there needs to be some changes. That is just my 2 cents. I know a few students who have failed out of the program at TCC and managed to get into other programs. While they feel like their other nursing programs are equally as hard as the one at TCC and have good and bad aspects to them, they feel like the other programs are more supportive and they are better prepared with things such as pharmacology (TCC doesn't require a pharmacology class).

I do not mean to suggest that every single thing about TCC is bad. I have had some good professors, and I have learned a lot. I have also managed to get through the program without failing anything as have many of my friends. However, based on my experience over the last two semesters, I wish I would have went somewhere else, and I will never recommend the program at TCC to anyone. Yes, I know that I will probably get flamed for my response, but I have a right to my opinion. I would recommend that you try to talk to as many first and last year students as you can from each of the programs you are considering. Nursing school is hard, and no program will be easy, but some have more resources in place to help students than others. I am sure you will be fine no matter which program you get into. To be fair, here is what I consider to be the pros and cons of TCC:

Pros: good variety of clinical experiences

high NCLEX pass rate (the pass rate is very high and better than many other schools around the area)

some good professors (I would say half are good and half are bad.....same as most other schools)

Cons: The bad professors (some of them have no business teaching, but this is found in all nursing programs)

TCC does not require pharmacology, and they do a horrible job teaching it. Other schools are way ahead on this.

TCC tends to make ALL students suffer for the behavior of a few (ex. can no longer print in the nursing computer

lab because of one student, assembly for all students because of one student, a quarter of the students

failing a class 3/4 of the way through nursing school because of a few cheaters.)

smvtx23 · Mar 14, 2009

Wow! That is really good information. I want to make sure that I make the right choice. I understand that there are problems wherever you go but I beleive that having the support of your instructors is most important. I will definatley see about checking into all of my options. Thanks again for your info:) Good luck on graduating in May!!