Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Home Health Aides
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Malcolm X College, Daley College, Harold Washington College, and Wilbur Wright College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider The College of Office Technology.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Olive-Harvey College, The College of Office Technology, Kennedy-King College, and Malcolm X College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Wabash Valley College, John A Logan College, Frontier, and Lincoln Trail College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Wabash Valley College, Danville Area Community College, Lewis and Clark Community College, and Shawnee Community College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Lincoln Land Community College • Springfield, IL
Studying Nursing (completion in 2009)
• 7/8/2011
" I was very satisfied with this particular program. It wasn't too long or impossible to pass."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this CNA program to others because it was worth the money and time. I would not, however, recommend this college to anyone wanting to pursue a nursing career. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I've heard nothing but good things about the CNA program through this college. The teachers are very helpful and provide all the right resources for the students to succeed. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The teacher I had for CNA was great. She knew how to get us motivated and prepared us for our clinical experience. |
| Instruction | 7 | I think the in-class lectures were kind of boring and hard to follow. However, once we got to the lab part of the course it was much easier to understand. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It wasn't too difficult to pass. As long as you put in the effort to study you were able to pass it pretty easily. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This entire program was hands on. We had individual labs and dummies to practice on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The program is offered at a variety of times. Some are offered during the days, while others are offered in the evening, making it convenient for students that need to work. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There was always someone or something on hand to help assist the students. The library is also a very good size so you usually never have to wait for a computer to be available. |
| Social Life | 2 | This was a community college, and therefore I didn't participate in many school sprit things or special events. I also went back to college in my mid 20's so I was a little too old to be going to dances or other events. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I don't believe they have a job placement program. If they do, then they don't advertise it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm going to say average. I think most people use this program in order to further their nursing education. |
Malcolm X College • Chicago, IL
Studying CNA (completion in 2010)
• 10/13/2011
"Overall I'm very satisfied. I gave an 8 because there are some things about the school I'm not familiar with."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to others because the academic staff was very friendly, and the instructors are great. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Malcolm X has a pretty good reputation for their CNA program and the nursing program as a whole. Everyone recommends this program and the one at Kennedy-King. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My instructor was very knowledgeable. She was very professional and helped with every aspect of the CNA program. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program was fairly easy. We had to complete clinicals at a local nursing home, which was the difficult part. Most of the patients there were terminal. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I say it is a mix between the two. When it came to CPR, taking vital signs, and the clinicals, it was very hands on. We did a lot of reading as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There wasn't an online learning option for this class. They did offer the course in the summer months and also in the evening. The only thing is they wanted you to complete the 8 hour clinical during the course. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The resources are great. The libraries are always open to the students and there is ample classroom space. |
| Social Life | 8 | They were pretty good with the school spirit. They had a talent show that I participated in. I won a $75 gift card to Target. |
| Placement Services | I know they have the service but I didn't utilize it. My mother works in health care so as soon as I received my certificate I got automatic placement at her place of work. | |
| Alumni Network | I really didn't get involved with the alumni programs. If I was interacting with them in any way, they did not make it known to me. |
University Of Illinois At Urbana • Urbana, IL
Studying Molecular And Cellular Biology (completion in 2010)
• 10/16/2011
"I enjoyed my major and my program at school. I enjoyed my social life as well. I didn't want to go back to school, however, so I am now working a low paying job in the Healthcare field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | My major is not appropriate for my current job. The program I was in would maybe be ok for someone interested in nursing, but other than that, my degree does not help in my current position. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | My program had a good reputation. It was still growing in comparison to other programs at my school but was very competitive and had successful graduates. |
| Program Quality | 3 | My major does not correspond to my current job. I did not go to school with this job in mind, thus my degree has been of little help to me in my current job. |
| Instruction | 6 | Good quality of instruction for what the professors taught. However, it was not very relevant for my current position. |
| How Difficult | 9 | My program was very difficult. Most other students in the program were pre-med and very competitive. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a pretty good mix at Illinois. Labs are required for many classes, and students are encouraged to work in research labs on the side. This facilitates the hands on learning experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | It is a large school with many options for class. Some classes can be streamed online. It would be difficult for it to be more flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Many new laboratories have been built in the last 20 years. The facilities are very good for Biology studies. The lab I worked in had state of the art microscopes. |
| Social Life | 8 | There are many student organizations and parties to take part in, so there's always something to do. There is a little less available because it is a small town, however, but it's pretty good for its size. |
| Placement Services | 7 | My school's career services were very good, but I did not use them. Several services were offered to me that I probably should have taken advantage of but did not. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The network is pretty good in my area, but I have not taken much advantage of it. It has not helped me in getting jobs or anything else. |
Rock Valley College • Rockford, IL
Studying Healthcare (completion in 2004)
• 11/30/2011
"Wish the school had more nursing career options. Course wait list and high expectations keep many from exploring the school's options."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Other schools provide the same, if not better, options. RVC does have many convenient and worthwhile opportunities. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The program is offered at other campuses. RVC is known for its waiting list to attend the program. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The instructors are positive and teach all the details important for being a responsible, compassionate aide. You leave the course confident in the tasks required of you. |
| Instruction | 10 | Every student was required to participate in every required activity of daily living. Curriculum was precise and accurate as to what to expect in the field. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The curriculum requires perfect attendance. Memorization, participation and cooperation with other students are required. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was an even mix. Both text and hands on, along with handouts and internet references. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Average flexibility. School offers online, summer, and evening classes. Needs more evening locations and course offerings, along with online. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The healthcare program lacks instructors. Students suffer with impossible entrance requirements and a lack of classes offered. |
| Social Life | 5 | Not very aware of social aspects for adults in the school. Seems like it is more for the younger students. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The school does not offer job placement or career services assistance. Many students would benefit from this type of assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I am unaware of any sort of alumni network or support. If this institution provides any such services, it is unknown. |
Harper College • Palatine, IL
Studying Certified Nursing Assistant Certificate (completion in 2009)
• 3/12/2012
"It's a great school. I learned a lot and I made friends."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Definitely!! In our suburb, this is a perfect school, in terms of the budget and the education. It is the complete package. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | When my employer found out that I studied at Harper College, they knew from the start that I had a great educational background and was well trained. The school name itself was one of the biggest factors in obtaining my job; they trust Harper. Our school is connected to some nursing homes here in Illinois, in case the students are interested in taking CNA jobs. The school gets a lot of students every school year. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It's a good school. Nice ambiance for studying. Brilliant teachers who provide us with proper training and knowledge. |
| Instruction | 9 | They have a complete and very standardized curriculum. They provide classroom discussion (theory and lab) and then send us to good nursing homes for our clinical experience. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I didn't find it difficult, because I found it to be very interesting. I wanted to know more about every lesson and topic discussed. The instructors were approachable and helpful. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's complete. They provide good theory and lab classes. They provide clinical experiences to complete the whole program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They offer different timeslots that will fit your daily schedule. I had no problems with the schedule. It was very relaxed and comfortable. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Perfect. Very updated. Complete. |
| Social Life | 9 | I have friends in school. There are also a lot of social activities that you can attend. It's fun. |
| Placement Services | 9 | They are connected to some nursing homes here, just in case students need jobs. They only have to show their Harper Certificate and surely, they'll get hired. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They send me mail with updates about the school. |
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