First of all, I do want to state that yes I could've done more research, I could've dropped out before I wasted anymore time. But I stuck with it, because I liked the night class aspect of it and I'd at the age of 28 finally figured out what I wanted to do so I latched on to it.
Also for the record, my instructors Nancy and before her Suzette were wonderful, given the constraints placed on them by Pima.
Every lesson was rushed through at a break neck pace. I've paid for many books, I never cracked any of them the whole time. No exaggeration, no time to!
Although like I said my instructors tried their best, the wonders of animal nursing take a little longer than 9 months to master.instructors would gear their students up with the questions to the finals, and go over the answers with them the day before the test was to be taken. That way it'd look like on paper everyone has been learning.in Nancy's defense, you really did have to study for the quizzes in between finals.in fact no wonder they felt like they had to not only due to the rush aspect of the learning, but there were ALWAYS questions on a final that would not even pertain to the subject studied. Eventually it became a source of jokes from students.
I guess my biggest problem with Pima is that they even offer a "certificate" for veterinary assistance. At the admissions office, I was told that veterinary technicians and vet assistants make about the same money, so why go to Bel-Rea? What she didn't tell me (obviously they're a for-profit school) is that EVERY job available to you with a veterinary assistance certificate could just as easily been offered if you didn't have ANY schooling at all! I was turned down from many possible jobs since I didn't have an actual associates degree in veterinary technology. (Oh, and the credits aren't transferable to any other school and this Pima doesn't offer the vet tech degree.)
By the way, this entire industry is quite underpaid.
When I got a job as a exam room assistant at a veterinary hospital, it was for $9.00 an hour!!! And that's considered good. The woman who trained me got her job without ANY schooling.
Basically the whole point to my rant there is that they shouldn't offer anything less than a veterinary technician degree. I wish I had my $9,000 and my year back.
One more important point, there's supposed to be "life time job placement assistance." Perhaps this is true for other subjects studied like medical assistance, but in my case I've been on my own the entire time.
I wasn't able to attend the graduation ceremony, and since Pima is clear on the other side of town, I left a message on whoever's voicemail to have it mailed out to me. Never got a return call. They still have my certificate.
Honestly I don't really care if I ever get it. I'd say it was a complete rip off except I did figure out what I really want to do as a result of this experience. I have to start over with school (for a bachelor's) but I least I learned a valuable lesson about not jumping into school so hastily.
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