Yes, many years ago I trained at college in natural nails only: a Level 2 Diploma in Nail Treatments (manicure and pedicure). What I would say is that they sadly taught out-dated methods - and unfortunately many colleges still do!
Also the course did not include kit or products, and I had to buy the range they used which was cheap, pretty ineffective and so not something I was happy to use on clients once I'd qualified. So then I had to purchase other ranges and learn how to use each one, as well as having to re-learn how to remove cuticle effectively.
As the previous poster mentioned, CND Naturally is another option available to you. It is an in-depth course, teaching you modern technique, the most up-to-date treatments (including CND Shellac) and includes an excellent starter kit (including CND Shellac and the CND UV lamp!)
Plenty there to think about, but if you wanted to chat through CND Naturally further, you could always call the lovely people in Education at Sweet Squared during office hours on 0845 210 6060 x