North-West College-Van Nuys (NWCVN, North-West College - Pasadena) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

Originally founded in 1966, North-West College is a vocational school with five campuses in the southern California region, in Glendale, Riverside, Pomona, West Covina and Pasadena. The school was established by Marsha Fuerst, its current Executive Director, whose family has been specializing in the allied health field since the early ‘50s. In addition to its many medical programs, the school has expanded since its early days to include programs in areas such as criminal justice and business. The school offers certificates, and programs range between one and two years in general.

Information Summary

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Overall Score (about)	Insufficient Data
Admission Success rate	N/A
Student Ratio Students-to-Faculty	N/A
Retention (full-time / part-time)	55% / N/A
Enrollment Total (all students)	182

Academics

Academically, North-West College – Pasadena is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges. Additional accreditations for specific programs are given by bodies such as the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Schools and Vocational Education, the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, as well as the California Board of Dental Examiners.

In all, there are eleven different certificate programs available at North-West College – Pasadena: Pharmacy Technician, Surgical Technology, Vocational Nurse LVN, Medical Assistant, Med Insurance Biller, Massage Therapy, Dental Assistant, Eyecare Specialist, Med Admin Assistant, Medical Receptionist, and Paralegal. All of the programs at North-West College – Pasadena are overseen by experienced professionals in the given field, such as pharmacists, dentists, paralegals, etc.

The school’s graduate services, principally its very successful job placement support service, has earned North-West College – Pasadena a strong reputation in the medical and business areas. Many regional clinics, hospitals, offices and other companies have formal agreements with North-West College – Pasadena for internship/externship opportunities.

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Admissions

Applicants are admitted to North-West College – Pasadena based solely on their demonstrated ability to benefit from one of the school’s courses, and not on the basis of race, religion or gender pursuant to equal opportunity guidelines. On average, almost 80% of applicants are accepted to one program or another at the school, making it only slightly selective. Applicants must prove basic competencies through placement testing to determine whether they actually have the ability to benefit from an education at North-West College – Pasadena.

Applications are available in print or online, and can be submitted electronically as well. Applicants who have yet to receive their high school diploma or equivalent are welcome to apply and may begin studies, though finishing a program is dependent on completing one’s high school studies beforehand. After submitting the application form, the applicant will be contacted for a personal tour of the campus with an interview with an admissions officer, who will help facilitate as much information as possible about the career path(s) that the applicant has in mind and will help determine if the school really is the person’s best fit. Should a student be interested in applying for financial aid at that time, a subsequent interview would be arranged at this time for said purpose.

Financial Aid

As a participating institution in the federal Title IV financial assistance programs, North-West College – Pasadena offers opportunities for accessing federal student loans, grants and scholarships. Allocation of such aid is based on the given student’s financial need for assistance, which is determined both by the information entered into one’s Free Application for Financial Aid and by the school’s financial aid staff. A large percentage (over half) of North-West College – Pasadena students receive financial aid of one kind or another; it comes in various common forms, such as Pell Grants and Perkins Loans, FFEL loans as well as private and institutional aid.

Student Financial Aid Details

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Local Community

Pasadena is one of the principal cities of Los Angeles county, and it is a vibrant cultural and economic hub for the region. The town is well known for being the site of the Rose Bowl sports competition, and it has also built itself a reputation for being the home of many diverse cultural as well as scientific organizations. The population of Pasadena is roughly 150,000 as of 2009 and it happens to be the nation’s 160th largest city.

The school itself is located in a prime part of town, and the campus is within a few short minutes’ walk from the route of the Rose Parade, the Rose Bowl Stadium itself, the City Hall, and many different shopping, dining and other establishments, making it a particularly good location from students’ point of view.

North-West College-Van Nuys