I need some help, or just your opinion

[SuperstarInTheMaking]

I am on the brink of "officially" enrolling in an EMT-Paramedic program in my area. It's at a place called AllState Career School. Not a traditional college. I like the facility and I like how the program sounds, but it seems awfully expensive and I want to be sure I'm not being ripped off. Here are the details.

It's broken into two parts. The first 6 months the training is for the EMT-B certification. They also teach EVOC training. The class is pretty much half classroom and half hands-on with dummies. They take you out in the parking lot for simulated entrapments and everything. After you're certified as an EMT-B, they help place you in a job in the field, so that you're using your skills while training fo your paramedic cert. The paramedic end is a bit longer. The course, from start to full-fledged paramedic is about a year and a half.

Now for the part I'm not too sure about. The course is, in total, roughly $23,000. This includes all books, uniform, "starter kit" (like a fanny pack with basic steth, penlight, etc.), all clinical fees and tuition. Financial Aid will pick up some of that, and they have payment plans that allow you to wait until you graduate to pay it back, but they couldn't tell me roughly how much financial aid will cover. Does this seem like alot of money? What did you guys pay for something like this?

The EMT path is definitely one that I want to take. My concern is that I could probably get my EMT-B training if I joined the local firehouse. Are the EMT and firefighter volunteers generally seperate? If I could get the EMT-B cert through the firehouse, I would probably attend some classes at the local community college working toward an RN degree. To put in in perspective, the community college is like $1300 a semester. I've taken some general courses so I'd probably need to go for another 3-4 semesters. Which is the better idea?

I know I've asked a ton of questions and I know this is a super long post, but the best people to ask are those who live it, so, who better? Any information or opinions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Ridryder911]

Why would anyone pay more for a class than they would make? $23,000 ! Wow! Go with the college get college credit and promote upwards... sorry, for that amount they are going to get you a job that may pay below poverty level? Then what? What if you hurt your back... or find out that it was not what you really thought it was? Your stuck with training in lieu of transferable education...that will not transfer to nursing.

Save the extra thousands of dollars and one can purchase several uniforms, stethoscopes, and all the other whacker goodies.. later for Christmas.

R/r 911

 

[Canoeman]

Superstar -

This just seems like a regular community college Paramedic Program to me an YES it sounds very expensive. There are many programs that are much cheaper and perhaps even better if you are willing to look (and relocate - travel) ----- please do your homework.
I personally do much of the training with candidates through our local college program at our service. None of these kids will ever be that much in debt.
Be patient with how you spend your (or maybe not yours)money.

CM

 

[VentMedic]

Take your prerequisites at a TRADITIONAL college. Then there will be no worries that they will transfer. By the time you get your EMT-B and a few sciences on your transcript, you may have a better idea which direction to go. I saw that the traditional 2 year degree program for paramedic in your state (as in most) has similar sciences as nursing. The cost per credit in your state for the traditional system is around $90. You could get both EMS and RN degrees for less than $10,000. Check the education benefits of your employer (or future employer) and they may chip in a few dollars also.

"Help place you with a job"? You'll know where to look for a job and where you want to apply after a few clinicals in EMT school.

The interest will still accrue on the student loans during those 2 years that you are not paying. The $23,000 will quickly become $30,000 by the time you finish. This could easily turn into a $50,000 education. That is my late night Suze Orman speech.

ALLSTATE CAREER SCHOOL, aren't they the big rig trucking school that advertises all over the country?

 

[SuperstarInTheMaking]

I thought it seemed ridiculous considering what the community college costs. It was just the only one I found in the immediate area. The lady at the school says they have current students in jobs making $19/hr. I don't know what the average is, but that number sounds good to me. Until you consider what kind of debt I'll be in. I guess I'll pass and head for the traditional RN degree while I research other places to get my EMT-B. Does anyone know if I can join the volunteer firehouse strictly for EMS? Or how about EMT training in the Delaware/ SE Pennsylvania region?

And YES, it is the same ALLSTATE with the trucking school. They have a seperate building a few blocks away that's their "healthcare division." They have your basic medical assistant programs and whatnot, but if they're charging anything close to what the Paramedic program costs, I don't understand why anyone would opt for that over community college.

Oh, and none of my general credits from community college transfer there. I asked. I guess because it's not a traditional college.

Thanks for the help. I really could've gotten screwed on that one.

 

[Ridryder911]

Great a real low for our profession! Truck driving school and Paramedic school by the same people!... Yeah, that brings real credibility to our profession.

R/r 911

 

[VentMedic]

Great a real low for our profession! Truck driving school and Paramedic school by the same people!... Yeah, that brings real credibility to our profession.

Could be helpful for the AMBULANCE DRIVER curriculum.

 

[Guardian]

Anyone who wants to be a paramedic so bad they would pay 23K is my hero. That is some serious motivation. I would love to meet these people.

 

[VentMedic]

Anyone who wants to be a paramedic so bad they would pay 23K is my hero. That is some serious motivation. I would love to meet these people.

Unfortunately that is how many private trade schools get people to enroll and then saddle them with a serious amount of debt. These are young people who are motivated and want to get started right away on their careers. The promise of a swift education without all of the state college paper work, pre-enrollment testing and transcript hassles make these schools attractive. These schools ARE accredited but usually not by the same system that traditional colleges and universities are. Many of these schools are reputable. Unfortunately though, since they have a different accrediting system, the credits earned are usually not able to be translated into a state academic system. The student then must make another huge investment to continue their education if so desired at another private school in the same or similar system.

SuperstarInTheMaking appears to be very motivated and luckily is cautious enough to seek advice before leaping into a financial committment. Too many young people are not that cautious and end up abandoning their dreams to work at higher paying union jobs like construction, coal mining or factories to repay the student loans. These jobs still pay alot more then many medical professions requiring a college degree.

Good luck SuperstarInTheMaking. I think everything will fall into place for you.

Sorry I don't know the answer to your volunteer questions. Every area is different and I don't want to offer the wrong answer that is specific to my area.

 

[Alexakat]

Just to give a comparison...

My EMT-B class was taken through our local community college. It was January - June. It was a 9-credit hour course (although I was not applying it to a degree program). Tuition for the course was 600.00. I had to purchase pair of navy blue work pants & duty boots as well for my hospital clinicals & ride-alongs on the ambulance (required for the course).

My book was about 50.00 (which, believe it or not, is inexpensive for a textbook!).

The paramedic course was 2800.00 - books & "other supplies" about 225.00

23,000 sounds like a lot to me...I would most certainly go the community college route, for sure! College credit courses can always count for something. If you decide after taking the EMT course you want to pursue another degree, the courses will at least count as electives. I don't think the other school will be able to offer that.

Good luck!

 

[oldschoolmedic]

Take the 23-grand you're planning on pissing away, enroll in your local community colleges ADN program, pay ALL of your tuition for the program, then take the remaining 19-grand and have the party to end all parties, or buy a car, but for the love of God do not spend that much to become a paramedic.

Oh, and if you believe they have EMTs pulling almost twenty an hour right out of school, I have a seldom used Ford F-350 type one driven exclusively by the oldest emt ever, only on Sundays, and then only to church for standby at the baptismal pool.

Good luck with whatever you choose, but if you do some research you'll find most emt classes are about a grand to a grand-and-a-half.

 

[SuperstarInTheMaking]

Thanks for all the info. It's been really helpful. I'm going to start the RN program at my local community college in the fall, and that should have me covered with most of the basic classes for EMT. I plan on getting both degrees eventually.

Is anyone familiar with any EMT programs in the Delaware/ SE Pennsylvania area?

 

[sandboxmedic]

23,000??????? RIP OFFF....dont do it. Go throught he local college so you have some substantial, verifiable credits and something to build on later. I hate companies like that, I know of a few back home, its basically medics starting their own business and raping the uninformed for money. dont do it!

 

[BossyCow]

A friend attended one of these programs. At the close of the class, he found that they did nothing to insure his enrollment in either state or national registry. He ended up scrambling to get his certifications after classes were concluded.

 

[firecoins]

my EMT class at communty college was $1100. With the medic add an addition $5500 at the same community college. I may go to NYC for my medic class which will cost $7000 not including commute costs. $23000??? too much.

 

[MMiz]

You'll be served much better by going to a local community college. This program seems like many of the scam occupational career schools that charge absurd amounts of money for a career that pays very little.

Go to a community college and I'm confident you'll receive a much better education at a fraction of the cost.