I did in fact do my homework...I did ask flat out to the admissions person (Tom Brown) if in fact Porter and Chester was a certified dental assisting program because I had been leaning toward Tunxis college but the program was full.... Tom said and I quote "...It doesnt matter what school you choose because given that they are CODA accredited the curriculum is overseen by the ADA and the only reason for the elevated tuition is due to Porter and Chester being a private school.
I gave Eric all the info I pulled up in my research...as well as brochures that are still sitting in their lobby claiming they are an accredited program. What was not reported was how when I approached Tom Brown in regards to his lies he got in my face and became extremely threatening.
..or how the director of the school Lindie Couhette forged students signatures onto papers aknowledging the school dropping their accredidation.
...or how they allowed their teacher who came in mid term Miss A to threaten me if I mentioned what was going on to the new incoming students...
Well...I told every single one of them....and every single one left! The school LIES...it is defrauding people of their right to make a concious decision as to the education they want vs the education they recieve. I will continue to fight and make sure innocent people are no longer scammed by these crooks!
I just withdrew from the LPN program at Porter & Chester because the instructor didn't like me and was purposely putting me in situations during clinical that made me require assistance(like assigning me to care for a 280lb paralyzed patient whom I had to bed bathe and lift/strain. ) Everyone else was paired except me, I was alone. Then she kept threatening to dismiss me bcuz I wasn't "capable". There were personal digs she took on my scrubs and my academic performance. I got nothing under a 94 and instead of encouraging me she discouraged me. I left because I knew that she would keep placing me in situations at clinical to make me look incompetent and her little minion assistant was on her side, even though she never once worked with me at clinical. Now I'm getting slammed with over $11,000.00 for 30 days of school?! Students who've wasted time and money at Porter & Chester Institute have my deepest sympathy. This school could GAF about their students, we're all nothing more than commodities to them.
My Daughter was treated so poorly. She was enrolled in the Medical Assistant program, and for personal reasons that were beyond her control, she missed some days and some work. These reasons I cannot post here because of their nature, but as she was dismissed this month, as she sobbed and tried to explain , she was told to save it. That it didn't matter. She was told there was nothing she could say. Well it does.
This school is less than perfect and we are expected to adjust and understand. Academically she was doing ok. They don't care if you work to support yourself, if your snowed in, it doesn't matter if you are not physically able to make it a couple of times because of a funeral.
For all the money we pay, we are treated like it is a privilege to be there, despite of their shortcomings. I have no words to describe the lack of care and guidance, and the kind of pressure we were put under for paying over $8,000 for a 9 month program. We had high hopes for everything we were promised, but it is a sham. Nobody in Porter and Chester cared enough to find out how can they help my daughter to succeed.
She would have graduated in July.
...is nearly impossible to find, ACCORDING TO THE INSTRUCTORS . Trade/proprietary externship is not "work experience" it is "education"; and Porter & Chester is not really "creditable education." Why? The US Department of Labor classifies it as non-professional, the lowest position in medicine, requiring the least amount of training. The med *** who do get paid in the high thirties either have been working for several years or they are fulfilling some management role.
It is NOT a stepping stone to the nursing profession, either. If you are interested in nursing, apply to nursing school. Don't side-step into this. And there's not really a "demand" for med assistants "because of" the Affordable Care Act.
That's another misleading concept. Healthcare is one area of employment with high turnover. That's why you see the same practices' advertising. This writer is angry.
Yes. Because this writer tried in good faith to distance herself from that place and was harmed by coercive tactics. I made my concerns known at that time. They didn't take me seriously.
And these people are still messing with me! They said things that tried to make me sound incompetent. They said things to cause me to believe I would "miss out on a gainful opportunity". Mind, you.
I asked the right questions. They lied. And they never intended to be truthful. Campus director actually said "we didn't tie you to a chair and put a gun to your head." Which is why I fear for my life.
Don't do anything they say. And DON'T YOU -- ANYONE -- EVER refer to me as a "psycho" "***" "poor" or "uneducated". This writer DOES NOT exaggerate, and 95% of the others who posted their reviews probably don't either.
I am a student here in medical and couldn't be more disappointed. It's to fast, not enough instruction and way over priced and when I complained I was made to look like the trouble maker!
I'm going after them I have children to raise! This was such a rip off and lies lies lies! Chicopee Ma! I was brought in with the excitement they would teach me and there would be hands on!
Nothing! It is unprofessional, the instructor picks cliques that keep her occupied and those of us that want to learn also get pushed aside! I'm disgusted nightly!
Currently in the dental assistant program and I could say that I am extremely unsatisfied with this program. When you sign up they tell you that it's all hands on.... Lie Lie Lie. All they really care about is there money and getting students to sign up, could care less about their students and their education. Instructors are rude, staff is rude, very unstructured. They treat you like your in high school, when you're in college. I would never recommend this program to anybody. Stay away from this school.
Example: I was pulled out of class in front of everybody because of a late payment, they told me I was being dismissed. Being so I am on my last week of classes before I graduate I made the payment so I returned the next day, but they made me leave the day they pulled me out of class. In front of everyone. How inconsiderate is that. They don't know whats going on in peoples private lives. Me and another girl in my class got sent home on the same day. Literally pathetic. If I wasn't so close to graduating I would've left and never came back.
If you're looking for hands on, don't come here. You sit in a class all day and maybe get into the clinic for an hour a day.
This is the worst school ive been to in my life and i regret it.. They are all about the money and dont care about your education! They say 80% of students get jobs and only 3 outta 18 kids i graduated with got jobs so im pretty sure thats not 80 percent.. They are all BS .. So if you want to waste 27k on a whole lotta nothing and a bunch of time go here but if you value your time and education i would not recommend anyone go to here.. I went to the woburn campus.
I went to the Canton campus of PCI. If you mention my name to any employee of that school that was working there when I was a student they would know exactly who I am. (Unfortunately most of the staff was changed during my stay there which also made it very difficult for students).
I was extremely involved in all aspects of student life, never missed an opportunity to help at an open house or any other event they had. I became the first and for a while the only student ambassador and was very excited about the chance to voice the opinions of students, I myself was in the night class for dental assisting and for the majority of the time I was the only student in my class. I would go in during the day, take days off my job to go in and let students know if they wanted me to address anything at the meetings they could tell me or leave a note for me in the dental assisting class. I loved going to school there and the teachers I had were the best women in the world if you asked me. I did have a very positive experience at that school. However I will NEVER in my life tell anyone it was a good school to go to.
I had spoken so highly of that school that two of my good friends went there as well after me. And now I feel terrible for doing that to them. The financial department is a JOKE. Not one question I ever had was answered, I was constantly told "don't worry about your loans you won't have to pay them back until after you graduate" It was NEVER explained how much my loans were and when I finally brought my mom in to help me get answers. I was told the grants were what I had to pay back and financial aid was not to be worried about, so imagine my surprise when the whole year I was told I owed 5,000 but in reality I owed 12,000! And when I asked I was told that the paperwork I singed explained that? But the person who explained it did not.
Also, I had NO IDEA PCI was not an accredited school. So now I have graduated with nothing. I paid 12,000 for NOTHING. I have no certifications, I have no degree, all I got from that school was loans. They do not explain to you at all that when you graduate you do not actually graduate with a certificate. And now I have to wait 2 years to take the 300 dollar test to even get certified. So I could have taken a 2 day 500 dollar class to be radiology certified. Instead I went to PCI for a year and paid 12,000 for it? Maybe this school should try to actually explain things to students before they get so much debt, but then no one would go there would they?
This school is another scam, just like ACI, just like Lincoln tech. It's no better than any of those scam schools. I could have gotten a 4 year degree from a community college for the amount I paid for 1 year there, but I would have graduated with an associates. Now I have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to show for my time in school, besides debt.
I go to the Rocky Hill CT campus and I am in the LPN program. I just got back from clinical today and I can’t even compose myself. I have come home from clinical and class like this several times. The program was great until about one month in (thats when you can’t get back any of your money if you decide to drop out) that’s when the instructors started showing their true colors.
We have one instructor who is extremely spiteful and the most unprofessional grown woman I have EVER met in my life. There was a delay earlier in the year but she told us that delays didn’t apply to us so, the entire class (except 3 people) showed up at 8:30am when we were informed by reception that class didn’t start until 10:30am due to the delay. So, 17 people sat in the classroom, angry about what we were told by the instructor.
The instructor walks in around 10:00 and says something along the lines of: “What, do you think you are all wonder students and delays don’t apply to you?” Several people told her that she told us they didn’t. “I never said that. Do you guys shovel faster than everyone else that you can show up at 8:30? Well, I guess they shouldn’t have even called a delay since all of YOU were able to show up on time.” She was very rude, VERY sarcastic. I could see if 1 or 2 people showed up at 8:30, then it would be a misunderstanding. But, 97% of the class showed up thinking the SAME thing.
We were also informed at the informational session that clinical started at 1 to 2 days a week and towards the end of the course we would be going 4 days a week. Class starts at 8:30am and clinical starts at 8am. We started clinical in November. We had one week where we went 2 days and that was for orientation at the facility. We have been going to clinical 4 days a week for 2 months but, we weren’t informed of this at start. We also just learned (through accidental means) that in our 3rd and 4th term clinical starts at 7:15am. We were then scolded because we were angry that we weren’t informed of this from the beginning. We have two people in class that come from Massachusetts to go to this campus, both of them have young children. The supervisor (who accidentally told us, and was surprised that we didn’t know) then asked “If you knew about this, would you have chosen a different school?” To which she heard many answers of “yes” or “maybe”. No one was angry just about the 7:15am start time, we were angry because we were NEVER told from the beginning.
Also, if you are in clinical and it is your lunch hour, don’t go sit in your car. Apparently if you sit in your car the employees will think you are on drugs or drunk, according to the teacher’s thoughts. And then you will get your lunch hour cut down.
These teachers are spiteful, rude, mean, and treat you like children even though EVERYONE is an adult. They are trying to teach professionalism but, they can’t even manage to demonstrate the proper way to act professional. They only pick on the negative things, they favor students who have former medical experience (CNA’s, MA’s).
Bottom line, I completely, COMPLETELY regret going to this school and I will never recommend it to a loved one, or a complete stranger. If you want to get scammed out of your money, then go right ahead and apply to PCI but, my recommendation to you is, save that money and go somewhere WORTH IT.
I myself was in their Medical Assistant program. PCI is an education money mill. They are completely a rip-off and they really do not care what happens to their students once they are out of their classroom. I found for the amount of money that the students pay, the school was lacking.
The equipment didn’t always work, the computers ugh…. they were a mess, the programs that we had to install on the computers were confusing and for people who have to do these programs with every batch of new students, they sure knew nothing about them. There was never enough equipment for every student to use and learn at the same time. And seriously… they expect to have people comfortable jabbing someone in the arm with a needle to draw blood only after 3 days of talking about it and practicing on a mutilated fake arm.
The teachers, as people are nice, while you are in school, but once you’re out… you’re a nuisance. The rules to the school change every week and personally I don’t feel that we are taught what we really need in the field. MANY girls that have left PCI have not had any luck finding jobs or receiving the promised help of finding “GUARANTEED PLACEMENT”. Many girls have had to get jobs doing whatever they can get because almost all of the places that are applied for say that “They need more years’ experience”. The PROMISES that were given to us were not followed through at all, but were just ploys to get us in.
We were told that once we left PCI, we would be certified in 3 things, PHLEBOTOMY, MEDICAL ASSISTING, and CPR. The CPR was the only true thing… even though that training class was definitely not long enough and was just rushed through. When girls started to ask questions about being certified in the other things, they played dumb… and said that they do not know why we were told that. But many girls were, and they just turned their heads. I don’t think that the instructors are really that educated in every topic.
I personally will tell everyone and anyone I hear are going to check out PCI to go elsewhere. The school is a fraud and so are the people working there!!!! All they want is money… Shame on us for trusting them. I can go on forever about my horrible experiences at PCI but I won’t. I have made some great friends from going there but…. I just am disgusted on how I and others have been treated! NUFF SAID!!!
I was a graduate of the 2009 class.Because nursing is a very respected career, my advice to you would be to take the long road.
The education you will get in a college could never in a million years be compared to this place. I do not know they get away with taking students to day care centers to babysit be considered part of nursing clinical. We were taken to Monkey Gym or something like that, to sit and watch kids play. Then to a day care center where we were paired with kids to watch.
This was supposed to be part of clinical. During our neonatal or Labor clinical, we watch women give birth and watch little babies. Not once were we told or taught the role of a nurse in this dept. But I guess that this is required to show the state that we were actually doing our clinical there.
The instructors they hire are RN's, who have no teaching background besides their past RN work?? Their job postings clearly say no experience needed. This is because they read off a book, exactly what you will be doing as well. One of the instructors I had quit in the middle of course because it was that ridiculous.
She was not able to teach class the math. The class was having a lot of difficulty with math, so we just breezed right through it and never spoke about it again. They also had racial issue and the students who started the problem, got away with it, leaving the ones who were discriminated to suck it up. Something that is clearly stated in policy that is not tolerated, but it happened and covered up very well.
The instructors had issues. I know this because one of the instructors told us that whatever was discussed among students and instructors could not be forwarded without students permission, and the instructors still gossip about the concerns students had. They made instructor leave or maybe she left after the Director of program at the time yelled at her for starting gossip. It was so loud that we heard it all the way in our classroom.
Honesty is not part of their policy, but lying, covering up racial profiling is. My advice to you would be to RUN as fast as you can and take the long way out. You will be paying triple money and not get the education you deserve. It's too late for me regret, but i can pass down what I experienced, saw, and now realize after taking classes at a community college that this place is all in for the money.
Technical schools are great for medical assisting, auto, etc. Quick careers. Not meant for NURSING. Nursing is not just a career, but a job with many rewards for someone who really has the passion for it.
Goodwin college is probably even better. To be honest, if you are thinking of nursing, go straight to RN. As an LPN you'll do the same work as an RN and get paid less. Go to Barnes and Noble and look for LPN notes and RN notes by Lippincott.
You will see exactly what I mean. As an LPN you will do exactly what an RN does, exact same thing, except that they get the big bucks. I worked in an ER with the most passionate nurses, at the time I was in school and they told me that it would be a waste of time, because I will go for RN afterwards. And it was very true.
If ur after $, most likely you'll settle. But if you're passionate about it, you will go after the RN. So if you have nursing in your heart, don't waste your time in a technical school, especially if you're young. Leave technical schools for the older population, 40+.
Take the long road, the education you will get can never be compared to Porter and Chester. Their instructor turn around is very high. They don't get paid enough, the majority have no experience at all, and moat RN's do it as extra income. If you think I'm kidding, work at a hospital so you can see how these RN work.
They work like slaves, nonstop! It's a wonderful field full of opportunities, but you can always tell the ones who do it for the money. They're always sitting down delegating and never want to do patient care. It's not part of their work.
If this is the type of nurse you have your eyes set on to be, don't bother, we have enough of those everywhere. Think of your loved ones and how you would want for them to be treated. I worked with best RN's, and those are the ones that know that bedsores are 100% preventable. If you work in a place where bedsores are caused after patient was admitted, please run.
It takes an entire team to prevent them, not just the CNA's. I was lucky enough to start off as a CNA, and be able to see nursing from all angles. I love what I do and love more that I had the opportunity to work in St. Mary's ER with some of the best nurses ever.
Not all are good, but some are the best. These are the ones who take that extra mile to make sure their patients look like a million bucks before being sent to another unit. RUN RUN RUN, DONT WASTE UR MONEY IN HERE FOR NURSING.
TAKE THE LONG ROAD, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.THE EDUCATION IS INCREDIBLE!
I attended 6 months in Branford, 2012.I had the MOST AMAZING, CARING INSTRUCTORS, TRUE R.N.'s who were DETERMINED to graduate THE BEST LPN's OUT THERE.
I drove from Enfield to Branford EVERY DAY, 5 days a week. Gas was $4.50+ and lost my unemployment. I had to take a 6 month Leave of Absence. The Only Term I had to return to was Rocky Hill.
I can finally talk about it without crying. What a TOTALLY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE!!! I NEVER COULD'VE IMAGINED THE ABSOLUTE UNPROFESSIONALISM & FAVORITISM Shown from MRS. B.
She made my LAST 6 MONTHS NOTHING BUT ***!!! She was on her way out in 2013...I HOPE SHE NEVER, EVER, had the opportunity to do what she did to ANOTHER STUDENT! She was granted the license...She PASSED THE TEST....she WAS NEVER THE NURSE I WAS LEARNING TO BE FROM THOSE WONDERFUL INSTRUCTOS IN BRANFORD!
I can't imagine having her if I were ill & she Should NEVER have been an Instructor.
Not a legitimate "education", as to "medical assistant program." People cheated, girls were loud and aggressive, and horsed around with equipment and needles, there was frequent yelling and foul language, "teachers" changed grades on a whim so they wouldn't have to deal with extra help. We sat at tables and read from books like elementary school, and had to spend extra money on craft supplies every month for elaborate projects that ended up in the trash.
I was teased and berated by a couple of snarky brats for three months. I did nothing to those people. I tried every option to withdraw according to their policies, but the director threatened to "sue me" for the repayment, and a "teacher" threatened to "send her husband after me". The administration wouldnt return my phone calls.They took thousands that I paid and buried it.
I am not exaggerating. I tried to get away from them but they coerced me with lies--two teachers there told me "it's just a game." Not even my bank's Fraud Department could find my thousands, because Porter 'n' Chester corporate people wouldn't respond! They're really not a school. They're an investment Ponzi Scheme! A dangerous one!
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