Waitlist - PVCC

rachaelofcourse · Aug 10, 2016

If you are planning on selecting more than one CC, this can reduce your wait time. However, I have heard of some of the CC's going exclusively CEP now, so double check that the ones you plan on attending aren't one of those. As far as scholarships, I know the CC system has some and applications open twice a year. Good luck!

KittenEars · Aug 10, 2016

Hi TueyOliver,

We have some things in common, similar age, married (DH=spouse?), I am not eligible for Federal Aid....its a whole maximum time frame thing, I have a 'vocational' degree from an 'un'accredited program where nothing will transfer. This was a big deal for me and my husband, without Aid we've been paying for my pre-reqs out of pocket while I've been working full-time and overtime.

Next week, for the first time in ten years, I am going from a full-time worker to part-time. Admittedly, I would LOVE to not work at all, we could technically take out private loans to fund my education, but we just won't. My husband has an Accounting degree and does well, I don't have to work. BUT here is the kicker...if you work for a hospital they will PRE-PAY up to $5,252 of healthcare related degree.

Perhaps, if you are willing to work part-time during nursing school you can get some "free" $$$ :uhoh3: . I work for HonorHealth, and the requirement is that you work 36 hours per pay period (every 2 weeks) to be eligible.

Just something to think about.

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TueyOliver · Aug 12, 2016

Hi KittenEars,

Thank you for that suggestion! Working part time while doing NS has definitely been on my radar. I know you are eligible to work as a CNA (maybe even a PCT with a bit more training) after your 1st semester. Its not a lot of money but its enough to help cover gas and groceries. Finding work in a hospital has been tricky since I have 0 experience (aside from a little bit of volunteer work) in healthcare. Feel free to PM me to offer suggestions!

schoolforlife · Aug 13, 2016

1. I got into PVCC in two semester. though they say it is longer. CEP and non cep seem to be getting in within one to two semesters.

2. Had a flexible job so no transfer issues.

3. scholarships are hard to find. Check the schools website, thought the normal fast web and such are given as solutions. You might be able to get pellet grants if you are working and never got any before in your second year.

IF you do decide to apply for the CEP program, I would really look and email the different counselors as you will be dealing with them for a few years and if you don't like them, why pay to deal with them? Some of the newer programs, which are accredited, will take more of the previous BS degree so that you are basically only taking the nursing upper division credits. This may only last a short time. If you look at the list, ASU and NAU requirements are very extensive while franklin and UIU prereqs are minor. GCU is know doing a Master program for those with a BS already and no longer offer the BS nursing cep program if I remember correctly. Definitely give it some thought.

Best of luck.

schoolforlife · Aug 13, 2016

The money from hospital come with strings like two years of working for them and most pay based on cost of class and reduce based on grade.

KittenEars · Aug 14, 2016

The money from hospital come with strings like two years of working for them and most pay based on cost of class and reduce based on grade.

This is not the case at the hospital I work at. I am currently in a non-patient care position, making a living wage with benefits and earning PTO, while they pay for my nursing degree.

TueyOliver · Aug 14, 2016

Thank you so so much for all these different insights!

I meet most of the requirements for ASU (thats where my 1st degree is from) already aside from the HCR class and plan on taking my co reqs (Bio 202/205) while I wait for PVCC. I looked into UIU and Franklin but did the math and those degrees would end up being 10-15k more for me vs ASU or even NAU (NAU has more pre-reqs required those so I'd be out of pocket more for those courses).

GCU is awesome but I think that Masters degree is pointless since it doesn't help you if you want to eventually become an NP. I have a friend who had her BSN and worked for county and they eventually just paid for her entire NP program. I feel like the best route to go if you want to get something higher than a BSN. They even paid for her BSN 10+ years back (times are different now though as I'm aware its harder for straight ADNs to get hired vs BSNs).

The tuition is insane at GCU. Its double what other programs are but at the end of the day, starting salary for an RN with an ADN or BSN is about the same (not sure if this masters program would lead to a higher salary - it looks to be geared more towards training nurse educators more than anything..but I could be wrong). I feel like masters programs are useless to go into unless you have the experience and see some kind of career path starting other than entry-level nursing. I feel like these schools just want to charge higher tuition for fancier degrees when at the end of the day, the starting salaries are going to be the same!

If the wait is longer than the time I spend taking those classes, I'll apply for CEP once Bio 205 is completed. But at this point it looks like the waitlist is about the same as you mentioned (which is good for me as I was hoping to start fall of '17 or even winter of '18). Tuition is the biggest factor. The online RN-BSN program seems to a good bet for me. I'm sorta riding the wave of hoping for the best ya know? I think theres opportunity out there for everyone. I really don't want to graduate with loads of student loan debt.

@schoolforlife, how was your experience at PVCC? I went there about 6 years ago to finish up some lower division credits for my last degree and had a great experience. I'm guessing the school is what you make of it but it seems odd to me that they accept only 24 students a semester now with 60% of them being CEP while Scottsdale/Phoenix accept 80-90 with 50% of them being CEP students. Do you think it has anything to do with where the school is located or something? As someone who lives close to PVCC, there are loads of PV high schools feeding into it (in addition to sooo many hospitals including Mayo, HonorHealth ect nearby) so it seems odd they don't accept more nursing students. Either way, I'm going to have Phoenix prob be my 2nd choice followed by Scottsdale just to have a backup.

TueyOliver · Aug 14, 2016

thats good to know!

schoolforlife · Aug 14, 2016

@schoolforlife, how was your experience at PVCC? I went there about 6 years ago to finish up some lower division credits for my last degree and had a great experience. I'm guessing the school is what you make of it but it seems odd to me that they accept only 24 students a semester now with 60% of them being CEP while Scottsdale/Phoenix accept 80-90 with 50% of them being CEP students. Do you think it has anything to do with where the school is located or something? As someone who lives close to PVCC, there are loads of PV high schools feeding into it (in addition to sooo many hospitals including Mayo, HonorHealth ect nearby) so it seems odd they don't accept more nursing students. Either way, I'm going to have Phoenix prob be my 2nd choice followed by Scottsdale just to have a backup.

Yeah I did my 202 and 205 there. I recommend James Valente for 202 he normally teaches part time Tuesday and Thursday nights. If you can get in this semester with him he has the same schedule. My friend just graduated from phoenix and they were having trouble with clinical sits and teachers. There NClex pass rate for the may grads will be lower that PVCC. I was told not to go for them Gateway is really good from what I have heard. You can pick up to five programs, might as well increase your chances. For 205 I took Jeff Hoyt, I thought he was great test are not multiple choice. I did not find him hard, but my fist degree was Life Science at ASU west campus. But other in my class liked him as well. Very knowledgeable and does study guides.

I think the main reason for the low nursing student number is the clinical site issues that even GCU bs nursing program was (possibly is) having and location as the campus is really small compared to phoenix and main gcc.

Over all for what I understand about PVCC is that they gear their program for passing the nclex.

schoolforlife · Aug 14, 2016

This is not the case at the hospital I work at. I am currently in a non-patient care position, making a living wage with benefits and earning PTO, while they pay for my nursing degree.

So when you are done with school , you can just go to a different hospital network without having to pay your current employers network back?

If your hospital requires you just to be full time to receive reimbursement that is still as string.

If there are no strings and you can get everything and be PRN Please tell me the hospital. I would apply right away.

KittenEars · Aug 14, 2016

So when you are done with school , you can just go to a different hospital network without having to pay your current employers network back?
If your hospital requires you just to be full time to receive reimbursement that is still as string.
If there are no strings and you can get everything and be PRN Please tell me the hospital. I would apply right away.

I've already stated the hospital I work at. MANY companies offer tuition benefits! You only need to be a part-time employee working 16 hours per week to be eligible. I know people are going to school to be nurses, teachers, some who are business majors. Companies invest in their people hoping they get to keep a great employee who is ambitious.. they don't walk around holding money and ridiculous terms and conditions over your head.