Another reviewer warned to not walk but run away from this place and I couldn't agree more. I saw the bad reviews on here, but it was the most convenient place for me to take the CNA class (I work right across the street) right after work. I chose convenience over quality and I am regretting it to the umpteenth degree.
I'm currently a student here in the CNA class and not one of my classmates have a good thing to say about the school. We bitch about this place every chance we get. What do we complain about? The biggest complaints are listed below.
We're currently in the seventh week of class (out of what was supposed to be 10 weeks, but more on that below) and all students were supposed to have their paperwork (immunization records and prior schooling documents) submitted by week three before clinicals started. Most of my classmates did not get all of their paperwork submitted and that's on them, but the school waited until the sixth week to crack down on this and suspended clinicals. Where were they when we were approaching the deadline three weeks (now four) ago?
Before clinicals were suspended for improper paperwork (which I understand, but they should have cracked down on this sooner) we had clinicals suspended twice. Once because the rat hole that they had us doing clinicals in had a surprise inspection from the state because the place was so shoddy and again for an instructor problem. The first one was a serious problem because all of my classmates and myself live on the southside and the place we were doing clinicals was way north past the Loyola campus. We drove all the way up there at 7am, only to stand around for a half hour with no instructor in sight and the director of nursing telling us we need to go home because they have a surprise inspection. This is all after being told that our original clinical site, on the southside where we're all from, was cancelled the night before clinicals started.
I'm in the middle of communications with the office right now and I'm being told that the end date for the program has been altered and they don't know when the end date will be nor when we will have our rescheduled clinicals. My problem with this is that if we miss any class time, we have to pay $35 per hour to make up for lost time. However, when they screw up, there's no repercussions. We get an attitude and them pointing their finger at the student agreement saying we need to abide by all changes.
This place has potential. They have a decent lab and they have convenient classes, which is why I went to them. They also have small classes (I was one of eight and now I'm one of seven) which provides for individual attention, but they just don't always seem to know how to relate the material. The one instructor I have, she's a real sweet person, will throw questions at you out of context and will get mad if you don't know what she's thinking. Still, she does a good enough job and tries to help as much as possible, so this review isn't directed at her as much as it is for management of this place. They are just a clusterf*#k in terms of organization and they just can't get their act together.
Finally, they cost about as much as any community college, but I know people that have gone through community colleges and from what I've told them about this place they think it is a nightmare. As of this writing, the initial cost of the program is $995. You also have to pay $40 for a drug test and you have to set up a profile on line. Keep an eye on this, though, because the company screwed up my results and my paperwork got lost in the system which delayed my file from being complete. Although I wasn't told about this until week six. You also have to pay for an all white scrub set and white leather shoes, if you don't already have these. If you have any tattoos on your arms you need to have a long sleeve white shirt and if you don't any tightie whiteys you need to buy some as your clinical uniform is all white. They don't mention this when you sign up, even though I did specifically ask about additional program costs. My scrubs, white gym shoes (since I don't own white leather shoes), white long sleeve shirt, and tightie whiteys all ran me about $100. You will also have to purchase a gait belt (transfer belt) which you can get for as little as $7 on Amazon. So total program cost is about $1140.
Since I'm still in the program with an undetermined amount of time left I may see some retaliation for posting this if they find it before I finish, but it'll totally be worth it if I can keep anyone else from making the same mistake I've made. Go to a community college or any other program because these guys are a circus act, and not in a good way. Heed the warnings on here. I didn't and I'm seriously paying for it now, both figuratively and literally. read more
