Vancouver Career College?

[DGiRL]

Hi,

I was just wondering if anybody would kindly give me some information on the school. Good or bad, I'd like to hear it. All I'm seeing are the success stories, so I just want to know the possible downsides to that.

Mainly because I'm a prospective student looking to do a diploma program with them.
As it is a smaller private college, I've heard some horror stories like employers not accepting certifications from such colleges or even that a school has closed down and all the graduates couldn't find jobs because employers decided it's not legit enough or whatever.

I don't know if it's just my paranoia but I just want to do some research on the school before I go on investing my time and money into it.
I just don't want to be left out in the cold if shit goes down then bam I'm out of a job and have to take another course with a more mainstream college/university.

Also, if anybody has somewhere else I can inquire about the professional status of this school and whatnot that would be great.

Please remember I mean no harm, I just want to make sure I'm making an educated decision.
Thank you for your help.

[Synaptik]

vcc is well known around vancouver and isnt in a risk of shutting down. the school itself though...i cant speak much for the quality of the education but im sure you're aware of its lack of "prestige" reputation.

overall it depends on what program at vcc you're going into. if its a technical trade im sure itll suffice, but if you're looking at a business diploma or something i seriously wouldn't bother.

what are your other choices? are you considering vcc due to a grade issue or tuition fees?

[DGiRL]

which vcc are you referring to?

vancouver career and vancouver community are different.. sorry im just confused..
but i was looking to do a practical nursing diploma program at vancouver career college
my personal rating, it would be the same as stenberg to me.. i know ppl who have gone to stenberg and gotten hired at hospitals so i just want to confirm vancouver career will be the same?? or if not, ppl to let me know otherwise?

im looking at a private college mainly because i think its easier to apply as a mature student.. i need 3 more courses to grad highschool 2 being GR12 and one grad transition.. but really bio12 is my only priority at the moment..

correct me if im wrong tho?

[willystyle]

I have a few friends that went to Langara and Vancouver COMMUNITY College for their RN and Practical Nursing and I've heard nothing, but good things about them.

I'm not sure about Vancouver CAREER College though, why don't you look into BCIT, Langara and the other VCC?

[JudeChow]

Yes, Vancouver Community College and Vancouver Career College are different things. The latter is a private for-profit institution that offers career training. It is designed to get you working, nothing more, nothing less.

To answer your question, it will depend on the program you are intending to register in. If you are looking to enroll in general business courses programs, Universities, and public colleges (Langara, BCIT, Douglas) would be a better option.

If you are looking to get into say LPN, Early Childhood Education etc. Vancouver Career College can be a good alternative to other institutions. The reason being, since these occupations require a liscence from the corresponding regulatory bodies, where you recieve your education is largely irrelevant, as long it is an approved program from the regulatory body.

Something to also consider when looking into private colleges is the cost of the program, as it tends to be quite high in comparison to public schools. This is because they are not subsidized by the government, hence the higher price tag. The advantage however, is that when you choose a private institution like Vancouver Career College, you start classes faster, finish faster, gets liscenced faster, and therefore make money faster. Many public schools like Vancouver Community College have long wait lists for their high demand programs. What will you do for the next two years? These are just some of things you must consider when choosing the right school.

Just to sum it up a bit, if you are looking into a program where the primary goal is to obtain a liscence of some sort, and the school offers an approved program to obtain the liscence then you are good to go. If your intentions are to obtain a general education then no, vancouver career college is not a great option. If you want to be a LPN, or early childhood educator, or even a Medical office assistant, private institutions may be a good option and get you out working faster.

The cannot speak for the quality of education you will recieve, but again, if the regulatory body of your intended occupation approves of the program then you have nothing to worry about. The best thing to do is to go around and ask some potential employers whether they hire from the school you wish to attend. That will allow you to guage the reputation of the institution within the industry. Indeed, private schools have come under considerable scrutiny over the quality of education students recieve, but I don't feel the issue can be generalized like this. The quality of instruction will depend largely on the school itself, not whether it is private or public, although there has been many horror stories about private schools.

Hope this helps.

Good luck in all your future endeavours.

[XtC_13aBy]

Having to have finished my practical nursing program at vancouver COMMUNITY college and know of people that have taken/taking PN program at vancouver CAREER college, I would say that going with vancouver community college is the safer bet. The reputation of the PN program at vancouver community is much better, and contrary to what the previous person said, recruiters DO care where you completed your education from. Most Vcommunity students end up finding a job within a short time after graduation, while I know of VCareer students that had/having a rough time finding a job. I know of someone who gradded from a private institution in May 2008 and STILL looking for an LPN job. Instructors at Vcareer college is not reliable as there are times when they do not show up to teach for a long period of time; and your money is not returned for the number of classes missed. Tuition is extremely high (in the range of $20,000 compared to vancouver community college which is in the $3000 range) so in my opinion, you are better off working a different job and make money while you are on the waiting list. I also hear from my friend that minimum grade requirements are higher at vancouver career college (eg. atleast 90% in pharmacology).

[sliq]

Was wondering if anyone took international trades and could tell me how it went for them. Able to get a job?

[Zoidberg]

As others have mentioned, it is a good idea to look into other local colleges such as Langara, Douglas, VCC (the other one), Kwantlen, etc.

Eminata for-profit schools: 'I never admitted to wrongdoing'

Vancouver Career College : Vancouver$-$Student$Reviews

There are many other reputable news articles and websites that share insight on Vancouver Career College. Check them out!

Ultimately, the choice of which school to apply to is yours. Best of luck!