I have been wanting to go back to school for the past two years. After much deliberation about the timing and financial investment, I devoted myself fully to the MA program at Carrington College California, Pleasant Hill. My admissions adviser was pleasant and encouraging every step of the way, although she wasn't always able to answer my questions right away. However, things changed the moment I attended my orientation and saw the way the instructors and Dean presented themselves. I'm limited to 4,000 characters so I won't be able to do this review justice, as this school is by far the most unprofessional establishment I could ever imagine, but I feel obligated to preach caution to ANYONE, and I mean ANYONE looking to enter this "learning institution". This school is compromised of some of the most UNEDUCATED, UNPROFESSIONAL, INAPPROPRIATE, IMMATURE, POMPOUS and DECEITFUL people I have EVER encountered! Be warned! Their accreditation may be legitimate at other schools, or for other programs, but it absolutely under NO circumstances pertains to the MA program at this campus. In addition to incompetent instruction and a program director who is a complete distraction and white background noise, the Dean of Academics is a completely pompous twit. She is apparently racist against white people as she made it known she felt she was better than me while she was interrogating me like a criminal when I voiced my concerns with the program. She also told me, and I quote " we don't want your money". She also told me "you aren't meant to be a medical assistant", as if she knows anything about me. She told me she "hears excuses like these every term and she tells those students BYE!" when I voiced my numerous concerns about the tools, the level of knowledge and field experience of the instructor, the functionality of the tools and the constant disruption from other students as well as staff during instruction. She is a bigot and dismissive regarding the students perception and achievement within her programs. The instructor, the one who doesn't even know how to teach her program, threw a hissy fit regarding a comment I made, which she misunderstood and turned into defiance when in fact it was not, and STORMED out of the room like a child. Upon her return, she THREW a folder onto the table and dismissed me to the Dean's office like an elementary student being sent to the principals. Please, please, avoid this mess. Enroll into another program at another school. Contact your local medical offices and inquire as to who they hire and where. You'll see, they don't suggest Carrington. I CANNOT CAUTION you enough as to the flaws of this program. Again, I don't know about the other programs, but MA is LACKING fundamental tools. From the most minute to the most intricate of machines, they're old, outdated and function poorly. The thermometers aren't accurate, there are NO Bunson Burners, but instead, they ask the smokers to donate their Bic's. The stethoscopes may or may not work, depends on which one you race and win for. The scales aren't calibrated accurately and you aren't taught to, in fact, you're encouraged to ignore it and get through your work. Don't ask questions, you'll be made to feel stupid and they aren't going to be answered because in reality, she doesn't know how to explain it. And Lord have mercy if you're paired with other students who don't care to help you, as the majority of the program is ACTUALLY taught to you by veteran students who have NO obligation to be instructing you. Your success should be dependent upon YOU and your instructors, not the other students. Remember, you're paying $17 to 30 THOUSAND DOLLARS. This.is.not.okay