Tips for Finding the Right Nursing School
by What to consider when choosing a nursing school, from the perspective of the high school senior and the adult learner.
Either way, from here the decision making processes run on the same track. Many of the private career schools offer tracks for licensed and registered nurses. The two things to look for with the career schools is cost and certification rates. It is common for private career schools to charge more than double the price of community colleges and state universities. The private schools’ standards for admission are often lower because of their need to fill up classrooms to be able to turn a profit.
Because of lower admission standards, attrition from low grades can run high. To offset the fail rate, classroom standards may be reduced to make the completion ratio look better. These lower grading and admission standards often result in a lesser percent of students passing the state boards at the end of the program.
The real problem is that most students never know if they are doing well in their studies because everyone looks like they are related to Einstein. This can result in major disappointment at the completion of the program. The only solution is to do really look closely at how graduates do on the state tests. Schools are required to have this information available to prospective students. Not all private schools are bad, but it is a case of let the buyer beware.
For one or two year programs, most community colleges are running very successful programs. It is still important for you to check out the completion rates and the state board results from these schools as well. Often community colleges will present much of this information up front to attract students. The cost at these schools is generally within the boundaries of Pell grants plus modest student loan debt.
If you are considering a practical nursing program with the idea of continuing on to an RN program or a two-year RN program and going on for a BSN, take the time to investigate each step. Make sure that the practical nursing program credits will bridge into the RN program. If you are planning to go on for the 4 year degree, you will need an RN program that awards an associates degree at the program end. Nearly all 4 year programs will accept an associates degree without losing college hours.
Finally, the best bet when looking for a nursing school is find some nurses who are alumni of the program. After talking with 5 or 6 of them, you should be able to have a good idea about the difficulty of the school plus how the students did after graduation. Some schools will show a high licensing rate, but it may require students to retake the state tests numerous times. The school will only show the final result. You need a school that gives you a reasonable assurance becoming a nurse at the other end of your educational efforts.
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