My wife endured this school. It's the most incompetent, unprofessional, and in structured school that is only trying to get the numbers out. Let's talk about the revolving door of instructors and staff. We both got pretty close to a lot of staff and instructors. Most of them admitted they would be leaving shortly and they eventually did. They will tell incoming students exactly what you want to hear. The truth is, the revolving curriculum is so unstructured, students mesh together during different quarters, into classes they're not ready for yet, but the other students are. You're all mixed together, regardless of where you are in progress. Also, Aspen university nursing plan has just been shut down for the SAME EXACT ISSUES occurring here. Currently talking to a friend who is being pushed back because her CPR card wasn't accepted by the school. Even though other students used the same one. The staff doesn't talk to each other, and once instructor might ok something another won't. There is absolutely ZERO structure. Your images will be pass or fail all depending on who is there that day. Good luck! read more

I noticed that there aren't a lot of reviews for this school campus' LPN program yet. So, here's mine: First of all, let me start by saying that this school is legit! I've just graduated from their LPN program. I have also recently sat for my NCLEX and passed! I'm celebrating! And, I've just received notice that nursing license is officially active. So for any prospective students hesitant if they should enroll or not, wondering if this school legit, do know that, yes, this is an accredited and legit institution (accredited by ACCSC and approved by the Arizona State Board of Nursing). There are pros and cons though, and reasons why I couldn't give this review a 5 star. As of the school's areas of improvement, wish there was a more active communication during the school's program. There were a lot of changes while our cohort was in the program (change of management, change of process, and even instructors). For a moment, we felt like we were in a circus and riding a roller coaster. There just had to be more structure, organization, and a proper cascade of communication which I would say I've seen them try to improve and have been working on towards the later part of our program. I hope they've worked on that now and still are. Another downside is that this school is only nationally accredited (not regionally) which means it's harder to transfer your credits somewhere else. I still went for it because I wanted to skip the daunting task of doing useless prerequisites and I was in a time crunch. Price-wise, this school is expensive! But, if you have the means to support yourself, don't let this stop you. Oh, last grievance, our class did not get a graduation! Lol We were pretty bummed. They blamed COVID of course. Now, let me talk about the positives and what I love about this school. We had amazing instructors! At least in the beginning and on our last block. Shout out to Bill, Nilsa, and Tahira! They really cared about our success. They were patient enough to answer our questions, give us resources, listened to our needs, and made themselves available for us to learn and grow in knowledge and skills. They understood nursing is a tough program and never judged our learning capabilities but believed in us. I also liked how our schedule was a hybrid of in-person and zoom. The schedule allowed me to work while in school and allowed me to still maintain a social life. We need balance and this school allowed that. Another thing I liked, though not perfect, was the program. It was work but it wasn't overwhelming. As long as you do your part, put in work, and study, you'll be just fine. Perhaps, it wasn't much of a challenge for me because I created my own study curriculum for myself Lol We were given tools to supplement and support our learning such as ATI and additional content mastery books. This helped me prep for our finals and even the NCLEX. A huge plus, even after our cohort graduated from the program, we were still given school resources to prep for the NCLEX. Instructors conducted review sessions via zoom. They've sent us study materials and learning documents to help review. They were there to answer questions and room for our class to support each other. This school also had the infrastructure and skills labs to help us learn unfamiliar processes. It's almost complete with all the tools we need to practice nursing skills. So overall, this school may not be the best but it is still a good school to go to. For me, it truly worked out time-wise and what I needed to accomplish. Look, I'm already a nurse in a year's time. No waitlist. No further delays. Of course, everyone's situation and goals are different, but I can say this school helped with mine. If you think this school's program(s) is for you, go for it. Don't let your fears and apprehension scare you. I hope this review provides helpful information and help those who need to make an educational decision if they should enroll into Smith Chason's LPN program or not. Good luck everyone! read more

Smith Chason College - Nursing skills lab - Vocational & Technical School Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Worked with the admissions representative told her what was doable for me and completed the entire application process to enroll into their Medical Diagnostic Sonography associates degree program just for them to tell me they aren't offering the associate degree program for next year of 2022. Not only that, I had to email the admissions representative multiple times to receive a response back from her. read more

I had an excellent experience at WCUI. The instructors were excellent and I felt very well prepared to begin my career once I finished my program and have been successful in my career since. I have also referred friends and family that have had a great experience as well. I definitely recommend them if you are interested in Ultrasound. read more

The teachers and staff are super helpful and resourceful. I'm a student and from the time I toured the campus to completing my 1st quarter I have good experiences. I would emailed the teachers if I had any questions and I received a quick response from them. I have no complaints. I am learning and retaining information. The office staff are helpful, resourceful, and professional. They have accumulated my unique needs and for that I am grateful. I have no regrets from applying to this school. read more

Great School with awesome instructors! when I first started back in 2018 it was a Bit crazy and unorganized but then a couple semesters in everything got better And it was so much easier to get information. Graduated in the exact time frame I was given and the externship department was very involved! I would recommend this school to anyone that wants To pursue Imaging . read more

A lot of these reviews seem jaded, I'm only giving 4 stars right now because I'm not done with school but I so far have a had an excellent experience at this school and the front desk manager is amazing read more

I completed my degree with Westcoast Ultrasound Institute back in December of 2020. I was in the process of moving and held off to find my career in sonography until I was comfortable in our new city and new home. I reached out to Jason for guidance as it had been a year since graduating and not knowing how my resume should reflect that. Jason was incredibly helpful to me and was a great resource for pursing my career and now I am working as a cardiovascular Sonographer, happy as ever. Very happy to know even after I was graduated I still get just as much help, support, and guidance as if I were still a student! Thank you Jason! read more

This school is terrible!! The homework and tests they give out to students are always wrong and what I mean by that is the student will work their ass off studying and then take a test or do an assignment just for the answer to be incorrect and when brought up to the instructor, they take days to fix the issue or don't fix the issue at all! I can only imagine how many errors there are and how many people ACTUALLY CATCH ON. They have staff who are very unprofessional and will tell you how to speak and what to say while they talk to the student however they please. Very educating, right? They can care less about personal and medical issues although the STUDENT is the one paying for this ridiculous program! They don't let you know from THE BEGINNING WHAT TO EXPECT and they won't tell you that you will be forced to go out of area (70 plus miles away from home) or out of state for your externship site or YOU WILL NOT BE PLACED and instead, will be withdrawn from the program after months of hard work to even pass it! You are expected to keep up with everything, yet they cannot offer a proper tutor for your classes although they LIE and say they offer one for each subject you take! If you have concerns about anything regarding the program, you cannot say anything without an unprofessional email back or you being told you are unprofessional and threatened to be dropped from the program. They have instructors who are petty and will mess with your grades if they don't like you for whatever personal reason. Yes, I am angry writing this email but the anger has built up the many months I have been trying to stick this program out. I would not recommend whatsoever. A couple of my friends just started this program and regret it already as many of us did after the first quarter considering how careless and terrible they are. No graduate from this program has anything nice to say about the school and nothing nice to say about most of the instructors here. Don't waste your money here. ALSO! WATCH YOUR MONEY CLOSELY! THEY WILL OVERCHARGE AND THEN FIGHT YOU ON HOW THEY DIDN'T UNTIL YOU TELL THEM YOU WILL INVOLVE A LAWYER!!!!!!!!!!!!! I attended the PHX campus. read more

April, Katie, & Dr. Hla were such a great help during my lab experience at WCUI! They are so kind, patient, and helpful! They deserve all the recognition! read more

This place is an absolute joke. Do not waste your time and money here!! I Invested 3.5 years at westcoast ultrasound having multiple directors of the program in charge. Laurie is unorganized and talks down to her students instead of encouraging which was extremely disappointing. Students are favored and prioritized based on how quickly they are able to pick up the skills. After years of false hope I decided to step away and continue a different path. I would hate to see this happen to anyone who truly desires a medical career in ultrasound and encourage you to go elsewhere. read more

The more time that passed not working in my field was discouraging but working with career services kept me motivated! They never gave up on me, checking in on me regularly, helped me keep my resume updated. I finally got the job I've always wanted and I have career services at WCUI to thank for this! I recommend WCUI to anyone looking for a great career and a great program that's helps graduates find work for life. read more

Went to WCUI and graduated in March of 2022. It was not easy, but with the help of all the instructors and classmates I succeeded!!! Anything worth having is worth fighting for when it comes to your career. The instructors never want anyone to fail and they give resources to help you out, but it's up to you to take advantage of it. It took me 2.5 months to find my job after several interviews and 1 scan interview. It was frustrating and I felt like giving up several times when looking at jobs that required yrs of experience or RVT, which I have neither, but Jason sent out job leads and had inspirational sayings that kept me looking for my job. It's harder than what people say, but if you keep going, applying, and looking that job is out there for you in the field. I worked to hard to give up so easily. Also, I like the fact that even after you graduate you can still go back to scan at the campus and get help if needed. Me and another graduate meet to study for ARRT in the Resource Room. It's an awesome school!!! read more

Only went here because my coworker went here for US and recommended. I went in for MRI program and was told from the start I wouldn't be making any sort of payment till 6 months AFTER completing the program. LIES. Within a few months of being in the program they started taking over $100 each month?? Now I'm struggling w working only part time & barely surviving w my own bills AND having to pay this while still being a student when told otherwise was very inconvenient. Also, instructors have favorites. Barbara Federico in Phoenix campus is the most rudest, unprofessional teacher I've ever had. My classmates & myself contacted the director about the issues we were having w her in lab and nothing was ever done regarding it. She would talk very low about all of us. Really wish I would've looked more into this school before moving forward w anything. Now I dropped out of this program and the main reason being this instructor I mentioned above and nothing being done about it. Only says a lot about this school. Will hopefully find my way to finish this program even if I have to start all over again somewhere else. Which is devastating since I was so close to externship. So much for all the money already invested in it. read more

The staff markets the hell out of this school and makes promise's they simply have no intentions of keeping. They will even go as far stating that you scored 100% on the placement exams and tell you it's a first but in reality it's nothing more than another lie to get you to commit. Once you commit you lose! How many students have actually been told they aced the exam and it was a first? Can anyone in the staff spell litigation? I hope so because that is exactly where you folks are heading! This includes the recruiters so no; you are not off the hook! read more

I am a former graduate of WCUI. I had a great experience with the staff and professors. The school is very hands on which I absolutely loved. Even since graduating the staff stays in contact and has kept a relationship. They reach out with job leads and opportunities. They are also always willing to help with anything they can. I am glad I chose WCUI! read more

From the staff, to the labs-WCUI does give students a solid foundation in which ever field they choose. From Sonography to M.R.I. they are 100% focused on curriculum. They support students in placing them in externships, which helps them gain employment after passing their boards. I was proud to take their students at my facility! read more

I am currently a senior at west coast ultrasound institute, getting ready to go off to externship with an awesome site placement at a hospital. I would personally say that if you put in the work, then what you get out of this school is worth it. We get ample scanning time in the lab which I personally believe is the most important part of this entire program. You can be extremely book smart, and not be good at scanning. It takes practice, practice, practice. I work in a hospital setting as a CNA and most of our Sonographers went to west coast ultrasound institute, and they are amazing sonographers with registries. Our school has changed quite a bit since some of these reviews. It is actually frustrating to me reading some of these. Our program now offers and AAS degree, with 6 months of extern instead of 3 which is a huge change for the better. We are now able to sit for the ARRT sonography exam right when we graduate, which allows us to then sit for ARDMS or for CCI. There is no more working full time for a year before sitting for the registries.That was the main issue with this school just a year ago. We offer great extern sites, but our extern coordinator is picky about site placement. If you are lazy, get bad grades, are absent or tardy often, you probably will not get placed in a site that is expecting a good student that is ready and willing to learn. You are still going to get a site, but it may not be the site you want. Unfortunately this is a for profit school, not run by the government and with that there will be hiccups and things are not perfect. Which is why I did not give a full 5 stars. However overall, if you are a good student, study the material, read the books, and scan as much as possible this program is worth not waiting 10 years to get a spot in gateway. Bottom line I would absolutely recommend this school, if you are willing to work hard, study harder, and put in your absolute best. If you are looking for an easy ride to make good money then I wouldn't recommend a career in sonography. This is a tough career path not for the lazy or weak minded. read more

I had a great experience at WCUI. All the staff I was affiliated with were very kind and helpful throughout school. By the time I graduated, I felt very prepared to go out into the field to work and was hired on immediately and felt like West Coast really prepared me. I have and will continue to recommend them to anyone interested in the Sonography program. read more

I contacted the school back in August 2020 for their MRI program, did the interview, completed paperwork and paid the registration fee for the program starting in April 2021. I haven't been contacted since with an official start date, to go over financial aide/loan etc. I reached out on 1/13 was advised I needed to speak with Judy and she was cc'd on the email, she was out that day but was returning the following day about two weeks went by no response, sent her a follow up email she said she was in meetings until 4pm would call me after...nothing. Waited a few more days and sent her a follow up email on 1/29 just trying to get some type idea when I would be contacted and notified of a start date and get the ball rolling with financial aide and unfortunately at this point I still have not received a call or even a follow up email. read more

A friend who is a student at the institute told me that you can get free 3-D ultrasounds here performed by students so they can get their clinical hours in. FREE is my middle name, and I'm willing to get a massage and my hair cut by students, so why not an ultrasound? The student tech was very nice and knew what she was doing. She took about a 1/2 hour doing standard ultrasound views and measurements to practice and then switched over to 3-D, which was pretty cool! We had a hard time getting the baby into the right position to see his face, but when we did it was really amazing to see my little guy! They sent me home with tons of photos and I would go back again. They also have a program for discounted ultrasounds if you don't have insurance. Something like $50 for a heart ultrasound and whatever else you would need to have done...as long as you have a referral. read more

I had an excellent experience at WCUI. The instructors were excellent and I felt very well prepared to begin my career once I finished my program and have been successful in my career since. I have also referred friends and family that have had a great experience as well. I definitely recommend them if you are interested in Ultrasound. read more

I graduated from WCUI in June 2020. My experience there was very positive. I learned so much in the time I spent there. The faculty was great. The instructors I had were all very wonderful and helpful. I was able to get a job as soon as I graduated. If you're wanting to get into to the field of ultrasound this school is a good choice. They won't just let you through without putting in the time and effort to learn but they will try their best to set you up for success! read more

I graduated from WCUI in January 2021 and had a great experience. I was able to get in right away and not be waitlisted compared to other schools which was a huge bonus for me. All the staff there was great. They responded to emails quickly and were always there whatever you needed. I would recommend WCUI if you are interested in ultrasound. I have no complaints from my time spent there. read more

I attended and graduated from WCUI 2 years ago. If your career dream is to become a Sonographer - they will provide you the skills and knowledge to do so. If you work hard, stay dedicated, treat your externship as a job you will do well. It comes with its challenges as any would, but this field is a great supportive group for the ones that want to work hard and succeed in it! read more

I did some research (obviously not enough) on this school and then reached out to her more information. They set up an interview with me only to cancel it at 10pm the night before saying that "Debi Roberts" was sick and they needed to reschedule. I get it, things happen, but 10pm the night before a 9am interview is ridiculous, especially when I had taken time off work for the interview. When they did reschedule, they scheduled another zoom interview which I attended. Debi... did not. I waited 15 minutes for her to join and then finally called the school. They got ahold of her and the interview took place. I was supposed to have 30 minutes and I had TEN. Debi rushed me through questions, was extremely rude, refused to talk about the associates program telling me the wait was three years long, she talked down to me, treated me as if I were completely stupid and a total inconvenience to her. I have never dealt with anyone in an admissions office that is so unprofessional. For a school that wants me to spend $66,000 on a bachelors program for Ultrasound Technology, they really need to work on who they hire to recruit for potential students. I didn't get any of my questions that I had answered and I am more confused after talking with her than I was before. There are a number of other schools that I am meeting with and I can promise that I will specifically NOT choose this one because of the horrible experience I had with just the first interview. I can't even imagine how horrible the program must be if the initial interview process was this terrible. Debi needs to be fired and if this school wants to recruit good potential candidates they need to hire competent and friendly admissions staff. She was anything but that. I will be telling everyone else I know who's looking for this type of schooling to look elsewhere. read more

WCUI provides students the necessary skills and education needed to become a Sonographer. If you are looking for a rewarding career in Sonography, and you are willing to put in the hard work it takes to be successful, WCUI is a great way to go. read more

This school is an absolute fraud. DO NOT GO TO THIS SCHOOL. They will take your money and set you up for failure. Not to mention they just lost their ARDMS Accreditation. This means you can't even get a job after you finish schooling with out jumping through a bunch of hoops. The externship program they have is also a joke. They pile 30 students into their clinic, which is attached to the school, and barely anyone gets to perform scans. They are supposed to place students at different extern sites but no sites will take WCUI externs. Students who graduate from this school have an extremely difficult time finding jobs, if at all. Anyone who gave this school a positive review is lying to you. They are extremely shady and I wouldn't put it past them to pay people for positive reviews. read more

Need an Ultrasound?? Please check out West Coast Ultrasound Institute!!! They are producing winners.. The students are mentor, coached and taught to be the best! read more

What kind of place requires you make an appointment and then keeps you (and several others) waiting for so long before you actually meet? Very bad first impression and not a good introduction to the efficiency of this place. And THEN take a walk-in after waiting soooo long for the appointment? read more

I went here to get my gender ultrasound and everyone was so amazing. The front office staff were very helpful in checking me in. I was brought right back and the ultrasound technician spent so much time with us in making sure we got all the pictures we wanted! I definitely recommend coming here for all your ultrasound needs! read more

PLEASE READ !!!!!!! I would have added a -5 stars if possible !! Stay away from this school !!!! They'll rob you out of your money they change staff way before you even get to know their names. All the owner cares About IS YOUR MONEY so that she can touch up her face with some more plastic surgery !! They have cheap equipment, it took them 5 years to buy a new machine, and they have no clinical sites. And please pay attention to the following "you have to work for a whole year before you can get registered ( your license to practice ) " NO ONE WILL HIRE YOU WITHOUT YOUR REGISTRY which equals no jobs for you and you still owe 32000 dollars please stay away !!!!!! read more

I cannot stress this enough. STAY AWAY FROM THIS SCHOOL. It's all about the money, not the education. What you pay will not be worth the experience there. The administration will repeat "that's our policy" every time you have a problem. They won't return calls. They have "teachers" who don't know the first thing about some of the classes they're teaching. They are not here to educate, they are here to make money. PERIOD. read more

I am a graduate from West Coast Ultrasound Institute. I truly believe each school has it ups and downs. With West Coast and just about anything else in life you will get out of it what you put in. I worked hard asked a ton of questions and enjoyed my experience. I was able to find a job right out of school even with having to wait for my registry. With their new bachelors program you are able to sit a lot sooner for accreditation which should make it even easier to get a job post graduation. read more

I currently go to this school, and to say the least it is not worth what I pay for. First off we pay all this money for books, that we didn't even end up using. The instructors are always changing every semester, there is at least 1-2 new instructors every mod. Nothing is ever set and stone; in the matter of 6 months I've faced a possible tuition rise ($3,000), a last minute break change, and unprofessional students and staff. I highly do not recommend this school, unless you like significant change and surprises, DO NOT FURTHER YOUR EDUCATION HERE. read more

Dissappointing, no privacy, and would not recommend. The staff was not at all discreet, asking me several personal questions in the waiting area before I requested we discuss questions in a room; they also almost left curtains open to a general area if I had not asked they lock door and close curtains. They are impersonal and my pictures were terrible. Measurements not accurate. Walked away with two pictures you could barely see. There is a reason they are so inexpensive. This is my third pregnancy and I will be seeking a new referral for my 20 wk. sonogram. read more

This place is wonderful. I cannot speak for the education side of the institute, only for the services provided. My husband and I went there in January and found out we were having twins. We went back recently to have our 18 week ultrasound and this experience was just as wonderful as the first. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and the techs both the 1st and 2nd time were thorough and knowledgable. I personally would not get an ultrasound anywhere else. They radiate personality, make us laugh, entertain our son, share information and can't help but to congratulate us on our blessing. I cannot think of a single thing that would be negative about our experiences and I would most certainly recommend this place to others. read more

Absolutely horrible, I would never recommend this school to anyone. They lie about saying they have externship sites. They send everyone to the school clinic which is over crowded and does not prepare you for the real world. Or they send you to a shady place and then they end up losing their contract with that site.They have false advertisement on their Instagram for reviews for the board exams. So many students are failing their boards and the school doesn't offer help. So many employers won't accept you or even look at you because you came from west coast . I was given a horrible experience and now I am suffering with finding a job because of my externship experience and lack of opportunity I was given. They take credit for finding people sites when those students found them their selves. I was promised a lot and very disappointed with this place. Admin is constantly changing and there is lack of communication with everyone. I do not recommend this place to anyone. read more

I am very proud of the work WCUI does on behalf of the March of Dimes and other non-profits in the Phoenix community. The students and staff at WCUI have been great supporters of the March for Babies event in Phoenix for a number of years and I am looking forward to another successful WCUI March for Babies team in 2019. read more

I would give this school NO STARS if it were possible. I am a current student at WCUI in Phoenix. For being a school with which this location has been open for 5 years, they are the most unorganized school I have ever attended (I've attended school 5 times). I would not waste my money, nor would I waste my time. It's death by powerpoint, the director of education tries to use her power to intimidate the student body as well as instructors and other administrative staff. DOE, has spoken down to the staff in front of the student body. She is one of the most unprofessional staff members I've seen come through this school. We see a lot of staff come and go because it doesn't seem like they care to keep their employees for very long. The "rules" constantly change. They make promises they can't keep, such as a 7 day break in between modules, then change it to a 3 or 4 day weekend. They change the breaks right before Christmas and those who have plans of going home get shafted. Some of the instructors are awesome. Admissions spills out the same lies to every student she is trying to get to come to the school. A bunch of the students have learned this after we talked about how she said we had the best grades on our wonderlick that she had seen in 10 years. Well, it was all a sales pitch. They also have tried to raise tuition on us, and most of us barely make the ridiculous monthly payments they want you to pull out of your pocket anyway. Please, Please, Please DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY on this place. Do the correct thing and get on the waiting list at Gateway CC or go somewhere else. read more