Votech or College: What is good/ bad about both?

Fun2, BSN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

Many technical school courses do not transfer to colleges. You may want to further your education later on, but you don't want to have to repeat classes.

Technical schools are usually more expensive.

ASN or BSN make about the same amount of money.

LPN/LVN makes less than an RN because there some differences in what they can do, although probably not much over all.

Whether or not you have another degree doesn't matter in payscale.

good luck! :)

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · Feb 19, 2006

Tech school here was cheaper, that was a plus. Some tech schools, however, do not qualified for federal financial aid.

So far, i am finding that the college i'm going to for my RN i'm going to is way easier than the school i went to for my LPN.

As for how many tests you take during nursing school, that's a hard one to answer. It all depends on the instructors, and the school requirements.

truern · Feb 19, 2006

In my area there's no difference in pay...and technical school is much cheaper, although every bit as hard from what I've seen.

I've been told hospitals here prefer grads from my school over college grads.

LanaBanana · Feb 20, 2006

As to whether tech schools are easier than colleges, it's hard to say. Most of the LPN programs are pretty intense. I saw you're from Norman, so I would check out moore-norman tech http://www.mntechnology.com/enrollment/course_desc.asp?course_id=hlth_pn

Their program, like the one I'll start in May, do allow for some credits to transfer to other colleges. It looks like they have an agreement with OKCCC. Here you can start in the second year of an RN program at the community college if you are an LPN. From what I've hear, MNTC has a pretty good reputation.

Goodluck!

Fun2, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2006

I'm really surprised to know that most tech schools are the least expensive.

$5000 for 9 months for a medical assistant diploma vs $5000 for a ASN......

I think I'd rather pay for the ASN. If I would have known that an ASN existed, I wouldn't have wasted the $5000 to become a medical assistant.

LanaBanana · Feb 20, 2006

I think the price of the program depends on whether the tech school is for-profit or non-profit When I had looked at medical assistant programs in the past, at the tech school it was under $2000. At the for-profit schools (Platt, Career Point, etc) they were about 3 times that. My PN program is just under $3000 plus books, fees, and supplies.

Fun2, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2006

I think the price of the program depends on whether the tech school is for-profit or non-profit When I had looked at medical assistant programs in the past, at the tech school it was under $2000. At the for-profit schools (Platt, Career Point, etc) they were about 3 times that. My PN program is just under $3000 plus books, fees, and supplies.

That's not bad. Good luck. :)

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2006

The fact is that whether you go to a college sponsored program or a Vo-Tech one, they both have to be approved by the state board of nursing. As long as the state board has given them their blessing then you will be learning what you need to know to pass your state board exam at both kinds of schools. The only difference is that each school has some freedom in how they present the curriculum--and that is true for all nursing schools. I think that you will get more individualized attention at a Vo-Tech school if you ask for it. I would also check this out, but the class sizes are probably smaller as well. Many of the Vo-Tech schools are linked in to federal and state aid programs. That is where most of their students get their tuition from. That and student loans which also come from state and federal loan sources. The payback period on the student loans is over a very long period of time (years and years) and whenever you are a student, your loan payments are put on hold (I know, because that is how I got through school). The reason vocational schools are flourishing right now is because of this government loan assistance that is available. And, believe me, like the good entrepreneurs these schools are, they know how to get these resources for their prospective students or else they wouldn't have flourishing businesses.

needhelptomakeit · Feb 21, 2006

thanks everyone for your input!!! it was greatly appreciated. i think i will go the votech route. it seems to be the best way to go for everthing i need. now hopefully i can get accepted to one this year. please help pray for me. good luck and god bless you all.

~valerie~

Fun2, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2006

good luck! :)

thanks everyone for your input!!! it was greatly appreciated. i think i will go the votech route. it seems to be the best way to go for everthing i need. now hopefully i can get accepted to one this year. please help pray for me. good luck and god bless you all.
~valerie~

allthingsbright · Feb 23, 2006

GL!

I thought about going LPN, then RN, then onward. I was given some good advice by some other LPN's that bridged:

It is really easy to stop after LPN because you start working and then its hard to find the time to finish school-getting your Assoiciates is pretty full time.

Plus I wanted to go OB and then teach at some point, so I absolutely need my RN at the very least.

Do you have a specific field you want to go into? If so then find out what you need school-wise to get there. LPN may look like the "easier" route, but in the long run it may not be the best fit for you. Plus teh LPN's at my school have a crazy 5 day a week schedule-they work lots harder than we do it seems with more clinical hours (I'm talking about physical work at their clinicals-lots of bottom wiping is what they have told me). By the time the LPN's bridge in my program they are worn out from all the clinicals-LOL!

Anyway, good luck whatever you decide. It was easy for me to get accepted into an LPN program, but it was much more time consuming to get into my ADN program (I was accepted to both and went RN).