Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Nursing Aides And Attendants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Fayetteville Technical Community College and Robeson Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Carolinas College of Health Sciences and Cabarrus.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Cabarrus and Carolinas College of Health Sciences.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Robeson Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Bladen Community College, and Richmond Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider McDowell, Cleveland Community College, Piedmont Community College, and Richmond Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Brunswick, Cleveland Community College, Fayetteville Technical Community College, and CCC&TI.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Carolinas College of Health Sciences.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Cabarrus, Carolinas College of Health Sciences, Piedmont Community College, and Brunswick.
Spotlight Schools Search
Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Wilson Technical Community College • Wilson, NC
Studying CNA (completion in 2004)
• 9/9/2011
"I was able to obtain my certificate in a short time and enjoyed taking the class."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a fairly easy course to take but not the best field to go into unless you get a job at the hospital or at a Dr.'s office. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | A lot of people take the certification class so it must be doing something right in terms of getting the program out there. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Teachers are helpful and informative. The class only lasted six weeks so it was also quick. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned the basics in class, but this material should be common knowledge in what I do. |
| How Difficult | 4 | The class was short and the material was not too hard. Clinicals gave me the most knowledge and experience. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a mix of learning from the book and hands-on in clinicals. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Classes are mainly during the day but clinicals are offered in the evening and on weekends as an option. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The library is always available with computers for student use. |
| Social Life | 6 | Not a lot of outside activities for students but I enjoyed my classmates. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Job placement fairs are offered and instructors have connections with outside employers. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | It is only a community college. It does not have a lot of "extras." |
Rockingham Community College • Wentworth, NC
Studying Certified Nursing Assistant (completion in 2003)
• 10/21/2011
"I would recommend this option to anyone who wants to begin their career in the nursing field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Of course - it was a wonderful course. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone wanting to learn in a fun environment. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | There are a lot of people that graduate from here. They have been successful. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was able to learn within the nursing environment. I actually took my classes inside of a nursing home. The teacher came to us and we took our skills in the same facility. After Graduating I was hired on the spot by the facility I schooled in. |
| Instruction | 10 | The teacher was amazing. She taught us a lot in a short amount of time. When she explained things she went to each student making sure we knew what she was meant. When it came to the skills she had lots of demonstrations and they helped out in a tremendous way. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some things were more difficult than others. Helping someone take care of themselves is the easy stuff - it's all common sense. The hard part was having to remember the measurements for the amount of intake and output of the client. Having to remember the acronyms was a lot to take hold of as well. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were equal amounts of book work and hands on training. They both took time to learn everything. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | We had to have so many hours of class time and skills time. If you missed more then two days you would fail automatically. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The resources were not that great. The library didn't have much material then, but they have prospered some since then as well. |
| Social Life | 1 | I didn't get involved in that. I had children then so I didn't have much time for that stuff. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I was able to take my course in a facility and the day I graduated, before I could walk out of the classroom doors, I had a job there. |
| Alumni Network | Not much I can say about that one. I didn't get involved with campus affairs. |
Southwestern Community College • Sylva, NC
Studying CNA (completion in 2001)
• 11/16/2011
"I am satisfied because I got my certificate and now I am qualified to work and I can make money for my family. I think that they should have more classes available like this."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school if they knew where they wanted to work. I would say that they would find a great job and make money either working in a home setting or in a facility. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I know many people who go through the school to get certified, and for the price it is not bad. There have never been any complaints that I know of, only that they don't offer the course often enough. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school prepared us for all of the required material and the state test. There were many helpful professors and instructors that were RN or LPN to help us in clinicals. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instruction was very precise, but in a situation such as caring for someone at home, there are many unusual things that can arise. With the knowledge that we learned we are able to deal with them. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The material was not hard at all - it was pretty much stuff that you knew to how to do, only with more emphasis on safety and caring. The state test was scary but that is to be expected. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had a book but we also had to preform many tasks using a dummy or a classmate. We had legitimate tests and quizzes on the subjects at hand. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I'd say they are extremely flexible. We had class on set days every week, however you were only allowed to miss one class, I think. If you missed more than that you were taken out of the program, or if your grades were not up to par you were also taken out. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I took my classes at the local hospital. Our instructor came from the next town over. I could call her at anytime and she would always call me back with the information I needed. |
| Social Life | 5 | I made lots of friends during my class, but it only lasted for a few months. They don't offer organized social events that I know of. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They really don't have career assistance unless you are a full-time student. I only took the CNA course - I didn't take any other classes. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have not received any support after the course and I don't expect to. I don't know how their network works - they really just give you your certificate saying you completed the needed hours of class and send you on your way to take your state test. |
Piedmont Community College • Roxboro, NC
Studying Nursing Assistant (completion in 2009)
• 11/15/2011
"I enjoyed my time at PCC. I would be happy to return to complete another program or to get additional nurse aide/home health training."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Word of mouth is the way to go around small towns. Many people recommend PCC and I do so very often. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | PCC is one of the only institutions in my area to provide the nursing assistant courses. They still have a large enrollment. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school had a nice setting in the country, but the facilities were well kept. The classrooms were well equipped with medical supplies and equipment needed to practice. |
| Instruction | 9 | I really enjoyed my instructor. She was very knowledgeable, but had a great sense of humor. She was a registered nurse and provided the class with a great amount of detail. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I am a quick learner and do well on tests, naturally. It is always better to do hands-on work in order to grasp the material. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classrooms were set up like nursing homes and rooms of patients. It was very easy to maneuver around and practice our skills/tasks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | PCC offered day and evening classes. There is a lot of offerings in the summer but there were not any weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | PCC is a community college. Although the campus was small, I think they had adequate facilities. |
| Social Life | 4 | I really didn't participate in any social activities. I was only at the school for a short time, about 2 months. There really wasn't an outlet to get involved in clubs, homecoming, events, etc. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The school has a good affiliation with the home health agencies and nursing homes in the area. It is easy to acquire a position with a PCC reference. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There is really no alumni network set in place at PCC. I have bumped into a few people from my class, but most of them are not in the nursing profession anymore. |
Caldwell Community College And Technical Institute • Hudson, NC
Studying Certified Nursing Assistant (completion in 2001)
• 1/11/2012
"The instructors are knowledgeable. I feel like I got my investment's worth of education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Overall, it is a great school. All schools have their pros and cons. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I have heard from places of employment that my college has the highest number of grads from the CNA program, and how they would pick a grad from my school over other schools. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school was very thorough in its training. The state certification test was a breeze! |
| Instruction | 5 | My class was my instructor's first class. She was pretty lenient with us, I suppose because she didn't know how to handle us. |
| How Difficult | 1 | CNA class is basically common sense. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Clinicals were basically giving residents at a local nursing home showers, which is not really good hands-on training, in my opinion. They were more book oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | They don't offer online classes. While they offer evening classes, they do not offer weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The library is a great resource. The computer lab was a big help too. |
| Social Life | Because most of us were already adults with jobs and families, extracurricular activities were an unknown entity. | |
| Placement Services | 8 | They really helped me find a job. They also have an email jobs network list, where they send you info on current positions open in your area. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I am not aware of an alumni network. |
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