Made a HUGE mistake by attending Career Point!!!

[tulsamommyof3]

Well I had posted a question awhile back asking about Career Point. I got a couple bad responses and a very few good. I would have to say I should've listened to the majority!!! I attended Career Point for 3 months. At first it didn't seem to bad, besides paying for class credits that don't transfer to other colleges. Most of the teachers were decent. Not very many teachers actually taught though. I recently withdrew from Career Point due to some things that went on up there and the Dean allowed it too. I experienced racism and 50 year old women going off in class like idiots for no reason and nothing being done about it. They try to express up there how it's preparing you for the workfield! I have never seen employers allow they're employees to act like that! And all of it came from 50 year old women! Career Point may be okay for some people. BUT IT'S DEFINITLY NOT THE SCHOOL FOR ME!!!

[Red Arrow]

I was not one of your replies but I'm sorry to hear it didn't work out for you.

[tulsamommyof3]

I had a terrible experience there! I'm mad that I spent 3 months of my life there! Another thing they put me in Medical Coding then got rid of the teacher! Therefore the last month I was there I have to pay for a class I didn't even have a teacher in! How can they make you pay for a class when there is no instructor???

[custosnox]

Sorry to hear you had a bad experiance.  I recently read an article that gives the advice to stay away from these trade schools.  They do not give you the training you need, overstate the potential available immediatly after graduation, and put you in deep enough debt that you are likely not to pay it off in a decent amount of time.  Not to mention the problem of the credits not carrying over.

My personal advice, since this is what I am currently doing, is go to TCC.  There are plenty of financial options available, especially if you have kids.  Not to mention transferable credits for most of the area four year colleges.

[tulsamommyof3]

I am planning on going to TCC. I have attended TCC before and enjoyed it there. I had teachers who actually taught and the other students were way more respectful to one another than at Career Point. I'm kinda mad I wasted 3 months of my time. But am glad I got out now instead of a year down the road. LESSON LEARNED! I am going on and moving forward. I am going to start TCC real soon in the Nursing Program. I can't wait! By the time I finish my kids will be beginning preschool so I will be able to begin my career.

[custosnox]

Doing better then me, I'm hoping to finish up before my kids start heading off to college.  I have heard that they have a pretty good Nursing program, and I have shared class with several who have been working towards becoming an RN.  I did find out that it is always a good thing to check out teachers BEFORE taking a class, it really simplifies things.

[sgrizzle]

I would also recommend Tulsa Tech which might be called a "trade school" but it is a public school, can get you college credit, and lots of financing options available.

[Conan71]

+1 sgrizzle. 

The best way to screen a lot of these privately-owned career schools is to find out about their placement service and placement rates after school.  Many of these operate on student loan funding, not private pay, and they exist to collect money as their primary goal rather than giving you a marketable skill you can actually put into a job when you are done.  I wish you best of luck in the future.

[Gaspar]

I would also recommend Tulsa Tech which might be called a "trade school" but it is a public school, can get you college credit, and lots of financing options available.

I agree.  Tulsa Tech produces graduates with CURRENT skills too.  I've interviewed people from some of the heavily marketed trade schools who received certificates for "legacy" technologies and skills.  It's hard to get a job as a programmer when you were trained in Cobal.

In fact I think that Career Tech is still teaching their systems grads admin of systems running on Windows 98/ME  and Server NT.

[tulsamommyof3]

Thank you everyone for the suggestions and best wishes. I am going tomorrow to withdraw completely from Career Point. I am frustrated that I am giving up on part of my education. But, I'm not going to attend a school that lets people act the way they do at Career Point during school. It's ridiculous up there. Also when my dean found out I was withdrawing, she called me Twice from her personal cellphone trying to argue with me about what was said!!!! She also sent me a text message after I hung up on her twice!!! WOW!!! All I want to do is move on and put the experience of that school way far behind me! I am being treated like I did something wrong & am lying about what went on. When I'm the one who was harassed and was put down. I just don't get why I would waste 3 months of my life and money to lie about something. BUT, that's why I am moving on to something better!

If anyone else has suggestions of a good school let me know please.

[Quinton]

I worked security there a few years back.I could tell you some scarey stuff.

[heironymouspasparagus]

TCC - great school.  Good nursing program.
The qualifier; if you even think you might want to go on to 4 year, start AT THE BEGINNING talking to the 'next' school about course requirements and what will and will not transfer.

Or just start at the 4 year school to start.  Many will have a two year program as well.


General philosophical point; there is no program of 3, 6, or even 9 months that will give you a professional career that leads to the job and financial situation you appear to be working toward.  Falls into the generic "free lunch" syndrome.  Medical coding in particular is high on the list of those type of fantasy dreamland things.  There IS good money to be made in the field and it is important work.  It is just that you can't get there in 3 months.  If you really want to do that, count on 1 year to 18 months, plus some experience (years, not months).  Know a friend's daughter that does that and makes a decent living, but again, not in 3 months.

Vo-tech in this state is very good.  Probably excellent!  TCC is good.  TU is good.  OSU is good.  NSU is good.
You have a richness of opportunities now that I would have "killed" for.  Congratulations and good luck!

The single most important thing is to never give up.  If you can't get there from the initial direction, back up, look around, find another path and go at it again.

[tulsamommyof3]

I appreciate that advice heir. I wasn't going for Coding specifically. I was going for my Associates in Medical Administrative Assistant. Which was an 18 month program. Coding just happened to be one of my classes. I plan on keeping my head held high and moving forward to TCC and putting Career Point behind me! Good thing is I have a great husband who is very supportive of me. I will probably attend TCC. I have to have a school that has day and evening classes being we have a 2 year old and 7 month old twins. Plus daycare for all 3 would be outrageous! We really don't have anyone to help us with them being both my parents are deceased. And his parents are not allowed around our children due to VERY good reasoning. So, we are pretty much on our own. But, we've made it this far and plan to go further in life. We're in the process of buying a home and nice car. My husband works while I attend College. We kinda tap in and out. lol. When he goes to work, it's me and the girls. When he gets home I tap out he taps in and it's him and the girls. And really I wouldn't have it any other way. I know we can do it. We're both still young being 26 and 25. I want to be successful to show my girls that if we can do it at our ages with all our responsibilities and having 3 children. Then they can do it after high school. I want to be someone our girls look up to. Something me nor my husband had growing up. Thanks so much for the advice! I appreciate any advice given.

[RecycleMichael]

General philosophical point; there is no program of 3, 6, or even 9 months that will give you a professional career...

You must not know about welding, pole dancing, and professional poker.

[cecelia]

tulsamommy, I was one of the ones who warned you. I'm just glad you found out before you put any more time or $$$ into it.

One suggestion for everyone is always ALWAYS check accreditation. You want a school accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, link here: http://www.ncahlc.org/  And, yes, TCC is accredited by them, as you can see from this link:

http://www.ncahlc.org/component/option,com_directory/Itemid,184/form_submitted,TRUE/institution,/lang,en/showquery,/state,OK/submit,Search/