Brown Mackie College review: Veterinary Tech Program 10

It is really a shame when any student fails out of college. And I can only sympathize with how difficult it is. But your daughter is hardly unique. Unfortunately, some students never make it through college. You say your daughter struggles with her externship, you talk about how the school provides tutoring but she has not been able to take advantage of it. Frankly, it sounds like the school did everything they could. I don't think you would find free tutoring or this level of support at a government run school. Finally, you talk about how the school found a way to help her graduate in a related program where she can perhaps meet the requirements. If only my kids were given such support and so many options from their state school. When any child fails out of college, it is a tragedy, but from everything you are saying, this sounds like a school that did whatever they could, but frankly, they can't make an academic program easier for her. You sound like you are saying they should just pass her even though she doesn't meet the requirements. I would be far more concerned about a school that graduated students who didn't satisfy their externship requirements. It sounds like a school with high academic standards and a lot of student support you wouldn't get from a public school. That doesn't make your situation any better, but it is clear the school is not to blame. Regardless of where they go, only a very small percentage of people who go to college ever finish.

Pedro Munoz..you have no clue as to what you are talking about. I went to this school was a 4.0 student..because I failed a class I was kicked out and I was just a few months from graduating Im 28, 000 in debt and no degree. This trashy school is the only one i have ever heard of that kicks students out for failing a class especially if they are paying for them! I know what the lady you commented on is talking about she is so right this school is a scam they lie, their credits are no good anywhere else and to go anywhere else you have to start all over. ..why do you think that is?Its not about education at this school its about MONEY! That place has been a pittiful waste of time Brown Mackie is a freaking joke and has built quite the rep as a joke.

Rhonda6078, perhaps you should have begun with a grammar class.

I was a student in the vet tech program.The school is a sham. Under the current department chair, graduating vet tech students cannot pass the national boards, the VTNE. The school has a less than 25% passing rate. No one wants to hire a Brown Mackie Vet Tech except a few that are willing to re-teach the students. I would never recommend this school and especially the vet tech program. The teachers have no accreditation, or experience to teach. A total waste of money, is it no wonder that no other accredited school will take their credits. Stay far away from this place! Hopefully they will lose their accreditation from the AVMA
.When 9 out of 10 students fail a class, a teacher has to take some responsibility, but they don't, and always blame it on the student.

Concerned58 -
What does the department chair have to do with a student not passing their boards? You obviously do not know that a department chair is a liaison between upper management and faculty. Faculty teach students. Students study.

"The teachers have no accreditation" - What does that even mean? Did you know that ALL career colleges and community colleges hire instructors with only experience in their field and are not require to have teaching degrees? Did you even take the time to research your college before handing them all of your money?

You hope that the program loses their accreditation because you didn't like it? WOW. So the other students who ARE passing their boards and taking the time to STUDY should be punished?! I think its time you grow up and own up.

The real reason for the low pass rate is that the college accepts ANYONE. Most universities have acceptance requirements and that keeps people out that will not be able to make it in the field. Most community college students barely pass their courses and if they get an A it is essentially like getting a B or C at a real college or university. Soft skills, professionalism, experience as well as clinical skills are a huge part of success. Since BMC does not filter with requirements then the instructors must make due with what they get.
So, indymom1 your daughter can pass all academics but is terrible at clinical skills and working in a clinic - which is what Vet Tech do! This means she is not cut out for it. This is something that would have been prevented if she applied at a college that had acceptance requirements. The school does not owe it to your daughter to pass her through if she cannot do what is required - mental disorders or not. I would not want someone working on my animal that could not correctly apply what she learned in books!

Ohreally2014

You don't have a clue to what you are talking about, Perhaps you should check with the AVMA and see what they think of the program. The Dept Head hires the teachers and should be held responsible for the outcome, according to AVMA standards.For your information, I was an A student. Clinical skills are learned during externship and only taught twice a month during classes. Again, you don't know what you are talking about. The reputation of the school among professional veternarians is not good. Experience is hands on, you learn that from a job. Book smart gets you nowhere when it comes down do it. There are hundreds of students who are in debt because of that program, it's not about taking the time to study, it's about what you are taught, which isn't much. You sound like the teachers pet, someone who hasn't a clue, but is happy to comment on facts she knows nothing about.

ohreally 2014

You have no clue to what you are talking about. Maybe you should check with the AVMA and see what they feel about the program, or the Federal Government for that matter. According to the AVMA Standards, the dept head is responsible for the outcome of the program.Yes, some students do well in cliicals, and there are exceptions to the rule, but the truth is Clinical labs are gone to twice a month for classes, and the real hands on is learned either on your externship or on the job. The big concern is most students don't graduate or if they do, can't pass the national boards. The few that do pass, well good for them, but the majority don't pass, and it's not for lack of studying, it's for lack of what they studied because of the instruction they were given. Again you know not what you preach. You sound like the teachers pet who believes everything you are told and excepts it blindly. The amount of failures and the poor reputation of the program, varified by numerous professional veterinarians should scare anyone from going to this program, and I have every confidence that the proper authorities will take action, in fact I know they will!

While I have next to no information regarding Brown Mackie's Veterinary Tech program, these complaints are disheartening because my youngest daughter is looking to enroll in that very program. And, while I have no knowledge of their veterinary tech program, I am VERY experienced with dealing with their nursing school graduates, as I had the misfortune to hire a few of them while at my former facility. These people come out of school completely unprepared to fulfill the duties of the job, and almost always required additional orientation above and beyond what was given to most new hires. Of all the Brown Mackie nurses my former company hired, only ONE of them has turned out to be anything resembling a halfway decent nurse! For that reason, as long as I remained in that position, if I saw "Brown Mackie" on an applicant's resume, it went straight into the wastebasket. There's obviously a reason that credits from this place don't transfer to reputable schools. Apparently, they don't refer to them as "Brown Slackie" in my area for nothing! I'll be sending this comment thread to my daughter for her review. Hopefully, she'll reconsider. If she has to wait awhile before enrolling in a vet tech program (there are no others near where she lives), then so be it. Far better than getting herself tens of thousands into debt and not being able to find a job once she graduates!

The Attorney Generals office both Federal and State along with the AVMA have serious issues with this program and school. The AVMA has put them on probation, I would stay far away from this program and school.

@ohreally2014 I find your comment that most community college students barely pass their courses is very ignorant. Also, saying it is not a real college is ridiculous. I went to Sinclair COMMUNITY college and it is a "real college". I had all A's and worked very hard to do so for my gen eds. I interviewed at Brown Mackie and saw multiple red flags. The tuition is outrageous, the board pass rate is pathetic, and they have had multiple problems with accreditation. After learning all of that, there is no way I would attend that school. I went to the University of Cincinnati instead. Tuition is very reasonable, the board pass rate is VERY high, and they have no problems with accreditation. I took my boards and passed the first time. The school prepared me very well academically and I had tons of clinical experience. I have had the opportunity to work with students who were doing clinical rotations or preceptorships from Brown Mackie, University of Cincinnati, and Sinclair Community College. The difference between UC and BM students is so terrible. Most of the BM students have no clue what they are doing and can't even do some of the most important tech skills such as giving IV drugs and intubating. The knowledge is also significantly different. When asking BM students questions about things they should know, most have no idea or understanding. It's really sad and scary. Most Veterinarians that I know won't even hire BM students because of how unprepared they are. Of course there are some exceptions to this but not many. It truly is the fault of BM. I think before you speak on this, you should have more knowledge about the programs and not be so ignorant.