ECPI University — Attraction in Virginia Beach

I got my first Bachelor's here for Criminal Justice and it was good. Enjoyed most of it, don't remember any major problems at all.

Started going for my second Bachelor's with the STEM extension doing Cyber Security, not so good. Most of the teachers are cool, but there is one when you are taking IT classes, you will likely have him. He is very condescending! He takes it upon himself to try and teach you life lessons that he thinks you should know or have. He says he follows the rules of the school to the letter, where discretion is an option to the teachers, he takes none! So just know if you are taking IT, don't get too accustomed with the other teachers who will give you breaks with due dates, because there is one who gives NO breaks! He says he is willing to offer help, but his way of offering help is thru "challenging" yourself to find the answer yourself. Now, normally I'd have no problem with this. I like being challenged and I like to challenge others, but his way isn't normal or nice. Like I said, he can be very condescending, while challenging you, he can make you feel like an idiot, which turned me off from wanting to ever ask him for help. Hey, we all can be idiots at times, right? Of course, it doesn't need to shoved in your face! Plus many times, when you are asking a simple question, he will in turn ask you a question and it turns into a whole convoluted back and forth, and a waste of your time. Ask a fellow student, Google or go with your best guess. My main complaint so far, is with his Ethical Hacking class. He didn't teach any ethical hacking, as far as how to do it. How do you take the recon, the scans and then hack a computer? I didn't know, hence why I'm in school. He wanted you to rely on the iLabs and Google. And you can ask him for help, but be prepared for an inquisition.

Problem is, he is one of the main teachers for IT. So it's not just one or two classes you will likely have him for. I've had him for at least 6 at this point and by the end it will probably be 12 or more. This isn't even everything. Unless you are already in IT and semi-comfortable, I don't recommend going here. Otherwise, you may come out frustrated and not having learned a whole lot.

6 days later: Things just got worse. Now they are assuming every student is cheating. They are requiring students to prove they aren't cheating, just for homework assignments. If you've ever done an IT lab in a virtual environment with only one small screen, its a little cumbersome. But in order to prove I'm not cheating it means either taking double the screenshots or maximizing the screen to see what you're doing and then minimizing them to take the screenshot. This is a purely selfish policy. They don't want a cheating student to get into a job and make them look bad as if they didn't teach that student what was expected for the degree.

DON'T GO TO ECPI FOR...

DON’T DO IT!! the worst decision you could make is coming to ECPI! Currently a student here and basically trapped in this unorganized, unprofessional, joke of a “school”. No one will take transfer credits from here so once you start you’re stuck. But first they’ll suck you in. They’ll show you their “Anatomage tables” that you will only use during A&P I and II lab. They’ll bring you upstairs to the ICU unit and tell you about their medical mannequins, how they are so advanced and talk to you, but only one of them barely works and they only saw two word phrases. They’ll tell you how it’s set up just like a real hospital, but there’s never supplies for anything. The instructor is alway scurrying around trying to ration supplies for the most basic task.

They WON’T tell you how the director changes the dress code almost monthly, they’ll tell you you can wear black shoes then the next month they’ll say you can’t wear those anymore. We’re only allowing white shoes. So now you can go out and buy a new pair of shoes just because. They won’t tell you how they will take their time getting back to your emails IF they decide to.

**They’re not going to tell you how this is a date dumb program, you will retain almost nothing from their accelerated LPN program. You’re cramming information into your head every week to try to regurgitate it for a test at the end of the week and then learning 2 to 3 more chapters of information to data dump that on the next week’s test. After being here for 6 months see why no other schools offer 5 week courses. There’s no way that people that are graduating from this LPN program, Have any idea what they’re doing once they get in the field.

Clinicals are a joke you stay on the same floor/unit for the first two terms filling out S bars and giving bed baths. During nursing Concepts III, you’ll take a dosage exam two months after you’ve completed your dosage course and if you don’t pass that dosage exam (that has nothing to do with concepts three) then you can’t even move on in the program. The amount of work that you’re expected to do during this program is unrealistic you’re not retaining anything and if you are, it’s for a short period and then it’s gone by the time you start the next chapter. Anytime a concern is raised Mrs.Hughes and Dr. Alexrod will simply say “it’s an accelerated program” and smile and walk off.

Do not waste your time, your money, your sanity at this so-called university. If that means getting on a waiting list at an actual university or nursing school, get on the waiting list! Do not come here, you’ve...

There are definitely some areas for improvement with ECPI/MCI but overall I had a good experience. I went through them for LPN and then the RN Bridge program immediately after.

Positives: The majority of their teaching faculty will go above and beyond and truly care about the students. Mr. Seigel, Ms. Thomas and Ms. Smith to name a few really truly care and want the best out of you and they deserve a shout out. I really felt prepared both times for the NCLEX The ATI program they use is great. Take them seriously and use the resource! They have a lot of great clinical rotations It gets you where you want in the fastest way Though I felt like I should have just went straight to RN and skipped the bridge, I feel like the LPN truly did make the RN program much easier. I had no issue in the RN program and it was good reinforcement. I don’t think I could have retained all that I did if I would have just done the RN program. I feel very prepared to start working as an RN. They do push the LPN program first which can be frustrating to people, but the positive of it is it does help, it will just cost more money and time.

Negatives/Room for Improvement Communication regarding clinical schedules- Yes, it is possible to have a family, work, have a military spouse and complete this program. But you definitely need to be prepared to drop plans at the drop of a hat because of last minute changes and last minute schedules. Obviously this could also have something to do with the clinical sites, but regardless, do not expect to be able to have schedules well in advance. Often they will be last minute with 24 hours notice. If you know that going in it will make it a little less frustrating. Communication and organization as a whole- Questions do not always get responses or answers when you reach out and that can be frustrating. This could be from lack of support/personnel for administration. It’s a fine line of feeling like you are nagging/beating a dead horse and just trying to simply communicate.

Overall I had a good experience. No school will be perfect without room for improvement. This is my honest review. I would recommend attending this school for nursing and I am glad that I went. It was doable going back in my 30’s with a military spouse and children and I am thankful that the school was right here in...