The Bel Rea Institute of Animal Technology

1. No parking. Yes they just added twelve new parking spaces to the declining, sunken dirt back lot. So I hope the ground doesn't swallow your car while your in class. Also you will need an alignment because with your 28 grand they can't seem to figure out how to fix the pot wholes in the parking lot. You are not able to park up front because that is for staff but then they block off one of the only front spots int the back for the come as they please VET.

2.) Students are to wear the BEL REA scrubs ONLY. They cost about 50 bucks for a pair and they are about the crappiest pieces of clothing you will ever buy. Oh and they only have three sizes so I hope your not too small or too big. You have to wear them at all times while on campus. Even if you drop in between jobs to pick up a schedule. They say its a security issue but if they were so concerned about security I would have had a place to park this winter and not had to walk in the dark from the school to a side street to get in my car.

3.) Non accredited teachers and manuals. Very unprofessional I would not recommend Tammy, Cindy or Janell if you want any sort of professionalism or to get your moneys worth in class. Janell they must of pulled her off the street by the way she talks about her crazy drinking nights. Cindy they pulled off a farm where even the men are afraid of her and Tammy comes into class screaming about how she put a girl in a concussion the night before. Most of the teachers yes have a degree in something but that does not make them qualified for the money you spend to actually teach you.Not everyone learns the same way and when asked for help you get "look it up on the internet" or see a TA . Sorry but I did not pay to use the internet or a Ta. I paid for my teacher to TEACH me. The TA's most of the time have no idea what they're doing. You become a TA to make school credits through the book store to help pay for books. Which we all need because they are so expensive. You have to get an A in the class which is easy because if you memorize the manual you can pass the class. But because all they have done is memorize the next ten weeks rolls around and they are suppose to tutor you and they can't remember anything. You will spend more of your time watching videos and reading the manuals that have no accreditation to them. The manuals are solely based off of the teachers experience. The teachers make up their own manuals and "wing it" You have no idea if what they are telling is the truth unless you research it yourself and I am telling you do it. Look for yourself and you will find that the information is not updated, grammar is improper, and the teachers don't have to reference anything in the back of the manuals on where they found the information. If they can't back up their work then they shouldn't be making money off manuals.

4.) Scheduling.... Its a JOKE. You have to line up outside two hours in advance to sign up for classes to receive what schedule you want. Which doesn't matter because Leanne switches what she wants to make quota. Oh and sign up is a six am folks. So your looking at being in line at four am. With the internet that we have these days why are they doing this. There are mothers with infants standing in line in the cold with babies on their hips at four am to sign up. That is craziness. And your not even guaranteed the classes whether you were first or last in line. I signed up a 6:39am and still didn't get my classes and I am a sixth quarter student. Leanne who is the person who schedules classes uses the excuse IT IS WHAT IT IS! If you ask me that is no way of COUNSELING a student or speaking to a person. Unexceptionable and Very unprofessional and when I told her my financial stability (life) depends on the schedule I previously had chosen with her in her office and that is her response you can only imagine how it makes you feel as a paying customer. After you have been told over and over again they will work with your schedule. But she never has any options and the same excuse rolls for every student that has a complaint. So if you plan on signing up for the school please make sure you are not in the position to have to work. The funny part is, is that we are in school to become Vet techs and over more then half of us work in a practice now. They keep you on this short leash as though they are teaching you a lesson in life. Maybe a 18 year old needs that but the majority of the school is 22-40. We are adults and if I am passing the class, happy with my grade then you need to keep your mouth shut if I decide to skip a class because my life is more important then reading a screen when I have the same words in a manual Besides I pay to go here who are you to tell me how to spend my money. If I don't want to come then that is my twenty bucks that is lost and it is non of your concern. But then they say you can't work at your job if it conflicts with your school schedule? That makes no sense to me. We get more hands on in our jobs and are able to apply the school work to our jobs better then we do sitting in front of a screen hearing a person (not teacher) ramble off what is on the page in front of you. Besides it gets you set for your internship. So if we work in the field why would you want to take that away from your students and not work with their schedules.

5.)Favoritism. Every FEMALE teacher plays favorites. Your grade DOES depend on the teacher liking you or not. I don't care what Admin or the teachers or Paulette says. It happens I see it everyday. I did a lab the other day. IM injection. A girl was told not to use two hands on the syringe and she marked her off. We all were using two hands because the FAKE animals skin was so tough it was pulling the needle off the syringe when aspiration. The guy behind her did the same thing and she said it was fine, gave him a chuckle and a little pat on the shoulder and said that she knew he knew what he was doing. I was after her and I did the same as her and she marked me. Sorry but I have been in the field for six years and two and a 1/2 years I have been at bel-rea. I know what I am doing and she knows that as well because I also worked with the lady and she didn't like me then so right there When I chose the classes I knew not to choose her. At last Leann again changed my schedule and I got stuck with the teacher that least likes me. Only because we had disagreements when we worked together. To me that is a Conflict of interest and I should have NEVER been placed in her class. But Leann doesn't pay attention to those things. So it happened and now my grades reflect the fact that I didn't do well when in all actuality I did but there is no one to go to or no way of proving it. Even if the six other ppl looked at me like what?? No body wants to stand up for themselves or others because they are afraid their grades will be affected as well. So keep that in mind if you need someone to back you.

6.) Financial Aid: BE CAREFUL! Read all your paperwork and DON"T sign a thing if you don't know what they are asking. First day orientation they line you up like cows and you sign your life away as fast as they can shove you through the line.It is stated that this school is a PROFIT ONLY school. It is set up to take the financial aid you receive and leave you with almost nothing to live off of and remember you can't work so hope your 18 and mom and dad are taking care of your bills. You get switched around from one adviser to another without notification.Just like schedule changes NO NOTIFICATION. Sharon I recommend not going too because she doesn't have a clue what is going on. I swear walk in and ask her a question. She has no idea who you are or where your file is or if she is even the one who has the file. I advise calling ahead and giving your information and setting up a time because no one is ever prepared or can find all your paperwork. It saves you from them wasting your time. You'll find they always want you prepared but the teachers can't show up on time, post your grades every time you take a test, or be prepared for the lecture. I can't tell you how many times I went to class and the teacher was greater then ten mins late or did not have lecture notes together. But that's ok for them. Sorry in the real world it doesn't work like that and they should know better to be that way if they expect us to have such high respect for them. The school sets you up to fail, so that you have to pay more OUT OF POCKET to finish your classes. Whether they dropped your class or the teacher failed you because of one point.(doesn't happen unless the teacher likes you) or its your own fault for not memorizing everything in the manual. You pay for it and the excuse is "it is what it is". I haven't failed a class but I surely have had a teacher give me that one point to move on. So the rules aren't set in stone.

Some advice: Get to know the teachers, try and get on their good side, Don't sign up for PACS its a waste of time and you don't want to clean cages. McDonalds pays more and you can avoid a ton of DRAMA from the women who run the PACS there. Unless you have no experience with animals and love drama then I would say its better then nothing on the resume. I recommend : Dr. Haynes( take him for everything you can. His a REAL DOC and knows how to teach a class and do an outline. Gina is great, Amy Johnson, Jessie, Brenda, Angela over Tammy because Angela goes through the material and knows her shit. Tammy wings it and her notes are very unorganized and hard to follow. Angela is tough but you learn the material and all the notes are easy to find when your studying because she goes in order. You don't spend half your study time looking for the correct answer or rewriting the manual. Kieth hes a no bullshit no drama guy. Simple easy and no smart remarks when you have a question. Janet king. And my all time favorite. Scott Newman. He is really there to help you succeed. And since he just had his book published he is about the only capable of writing a manual. All of the teachers I mentioned are great. You can ask them questions without them ripping your head off or giving you a "Are you stupid" look. The rest if you can avoid which you can't for all that's why its important that you get to know the ones I didn't advise because those are the ones you have to watch your grades and favoritism with.

All in all. If you study you should pass just fine. You should know that the surgery supplies, xray machine, and several other Practical labs and utensils are much out of date. It is important to know the old but more important to learn the new since we are in 2010 and xray machines are digital now. Such as the surgery plate you use to ground your patient during surgery for the cautery it can burn your patient and I am talking third degree burn here. I have looked it up and they haven't sold plates for that reason in years. They use gell pads to ground patients now. The sterile tech teacher didn't even know that. Pretty ridiculous

But with all places there are good and bad. I know I posted mostly bad but I feel it is important for a student to know what type of challenges that might be ahead of them. So you can be a step ahead if Bel-Rea is for you. I wish I would have had a REAL person talk to me before I decided on Bel-Rea. This school use to be great. When it was small and not over marketed. That is when the students mattered. With all the money, marketing and explosions of the school on Tv. You are only paying for the name to be on a certificate. You are not paying for a quality education. They can say what they want about other schools but the other schools can site their work and your books are REAL information from REAL medical research books or papers that are published. Bel-Rea only teaches their way so if you get into practice be aware that you might not always know the best way because Bel-Rea doesn't have the time to properly teach the students with updated material on more then one way to do things. They need to keep the revenue moving and the classes full. The classes aren't bad just study. Its takes a lot of your time and you can't half ass it through some of the classes. Research your work and ask questions. Get these teachers to get their asses in gear and start reviewing more material and references to help you through. You pay them enough its the least they can do. Even if they are bitches do it anyways and stick up for you classmates and yourself. Don't let them treat you worse then anyone else and if it happens make a stink then maybe we wouldn't have so many unhappy students who talk so badly about the school. When you go in for your "show around" after your done go sit and listen, talk, ask questions to the students AWAY from the staff cause they won't let you do it cause yes its that shady. But that is truly the only way you can find out if Bel-Rea is the school for you. Do your research on the school. Forward any complaints to Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. 2101 Wilson Boulevard,Suite 302 Arlington, Va 222201 (703)-247-4212,The better business Bureau. For the AVMA go online and find this and it will give you more info. Policy on filing accreditation complaints with the Council on Education:

The COE will review complaints related to college compliance with the accreditation standards. Complaints and/or comments must be written, addressed to the COE, and signed with a personal signature for consideration/investigation. Contents of complaints/comments will be shared with the school/college, and the COE. The school/college will be given the opportunity to respond to the complaint/comment and that response will be used by the COE in resolving the complaint.

The COE is interested in sustained quality and continued improvement in veterinary medical education programs, but does not intervene on behalf of individuals or act as a court of appeal for individual matters of admission, appointment, promotion or dismissal of faculty, staff, or students. So if something is off or seems shady contact all three with written letters. Things need to change for the students who spend the time and money at this school. I want this school to be great AGAIN. I feel I got cheated on something I was so excited about. My experience has been nothing but hardship every ten weeks with scheduling and trying to get my financial aid worked out so that I am still able to work and put food on the table along with trying to move forward with my education. They make the classes hard but the hardest part is trying to live while under their every second of control. I want you all to know I am an B student so I am not a Ace by any means but I am not dumb and I don't like being stepped on and I definitely don't like to see ppl who can't stand up for themselves go through the abuse. Which is what it is. Example: A friend had a heart attack. The teacher was mad cause she missed all her classes while having a stint placed and wanted her to retake the class and pay for it all over again. Thankfully Paulette(Director of the school) figured it would be easier to pass her then to have a lawsuit on their hands. They like playing shady until you have them in the corner and then the ball is in your court. So remember that as well. Do well in school and make an effort to pass all your classes whether the teacher sucks or not. Education these days are what you make from it. So do your best, learn what you can and then work on the experience and hands on. Remember just cause you don't go here doesn't mean your education is any worse or any better. Just means your pocket book will be a little more fuller. Good luck to you all and become amazing techs. To any of the staff that feels they don't want this information shared sorry but you need to get on your game and get your coworkers on their game as well. If you want to erase it I will just keep posting. Its important for ppl to know what is REALLY going on with all their money.