Competition Between LPN To RN Schools
09 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in LPN to RN Schools Tags: financial aid, lpn to rn, nursing, school, school competition, schools
The increase in the number of years Americans are living, along with the increasing number of people both young and old with chronic diseases, the demand for LPNs and RNs remains strong. This demand is despite the fact that we are living in such a dismal economy. This demand for health care workers is the primary reason for the exponential growth in the number of LPN to RN schools.
While the LPN position continues to have a secure future, the job opportunities for the LPN are limited as compared to the many opportunities that exist for RNs. It is because of this issue of career stagnation that many LPNs seek to enter one of the many available LPN to RN programs. The LPN to RN schools have devised creative strategies to support the busy LPN in her quest to continue her career advancement through education. In a predominantly female profession, the LPN is typically a wife and mother working to help support her family. With these programs, the LPN can continue to work, very often with flexible hours, earning about $15 per hour. The continued income helps the LPN pay for the advanced education and soon realize the dream of becoming a RN.
The RN position does offer not only an increase in the variety of nursing careers and the number of available nursing jobs but also more than twice the wage. For many LPNs, this is an opportunity they can’t refuse. So, this is another driving factor behind the dramatic rise in the number of available LPN to RN schools. To the LPN seeking to move forward in her nursing education, there are a few advantages to having so many schools to choose from. The first advantage is the variety of courses and programs. While all lead to the eligibility to sit for the nursing exam, they each strive to be unique and desirable to the prospective nursing students. In other words, the schools work very hard to win your education dollars.
Another advantage is that there is a good chance that one of the LPN to RN schools may be close enough to you to allow for an easy commute. If not, the number of online schools and programs is also on the rise. The strong demand for health care workers and future shortage of nurses has positively impacted the type of financial aid available for the nursing student. Chances are quite good that there is more financial aid available in the form of grants and scholarships versus student loans. Grants and scholarships are certainly more desirable than loans because you do not have to pay back the money you receive.
Be sure to communicate with the financial aid departments of the schools you are applying to in order to get all the information you can about available grants and scholarships. This is something you do not want to delay in doing because there may be a yearly limit on the available funds. One more advantage is related to the competition between the various LPN to RN schools. In order to gain more students, the schools may offer some pretty attractive financial aid packages. It may be best to apply and gain admission to several schools and then base your decision on which one offers you the most in financial aid.
How To Evaluate Online LPN Programs
05 Nov 2011 Leave a Comment
in LPN Programs Tags: LPN, LPN programs, LPNs, online education
If you want to become a LPN and desire to complete your nursing education through one of the online LPN programs, how do you even begin to choose one? There are so many choices, the decision can be overwhelming. There are certain things you should look for when you research the choices available. Setting some preliminary criteria will help to eliminate the less desirable schools and narrow your selection to only those that meet your criteria.
So, what should you look for in evaluating the online LPN programs?
First and foremost, contact State Board of Nursing and ask them for the most recent list of accredited and recognized LPN programs. If you attend a school that is not accredited or recognized, you will not qualify for taking the test for licensing. This should immediately narrow your choice of available schools. Armed with your list of accredited programs, head to the internet and do a search on each one. Don’t hesitate to request more information by completing the ‘request for information’ forms. Usually you can’t even get enough information to make an informed decision until you complete the request form. The information that most online LPN programs actually have online is actually quite limited.
Very few universities openly offer details on the prerequisites needed, required courses and the program costs. If you don’t have adequate information to make an informed decision, you could end up choosing a woefully inadequate program. Not only will you be miserable, you could also spend thousands of dollars and end up with nothing. If the online LPN programs are based in a local college, contact the program director and make an appointment to discuss the program that the college offers and to get more information. A face-to-face encounter may give you invaluable information for making your final decision. Whether the contact is via an email or through a phone call, keep your communication on a pleasant and professional level. Be certain to also dress professionally for the meeting as that the first impression you give to the college may factor into the decision as to whether you will be admitted.
Perhaps the first thing you need to know is what pre-requisites are necessary to apply for admission to the LPN school.
There will be differences in each school and some may require you to complete certain pre-requisites before you can apply or even be considered for admission. For example, high school chemistry may be a prerequisite. If you did not take this in high school, you will need to take it through your local community college. So it may take you another six months to a year before you can actually be enrolled in the online LPN programs.
As you attend one of the online LPN programs, look ahead to the future. Is the LPN simply a stepping stone for you to eventually become a RN? For many aspiring nurses, it often is. If so, you may want to look at schools that allow an easy transition into one of the LPN to RN programs. In fact, many RN programs have set up to allow initial licensing as a LPN and then a smooth transition to complete the registered nurse training required for qualifying for the registered nurse licensing exam.
