How to Choose a Nursing School

Choosing where you want to go to school is a daunting task. If you’re a high school senior you have some great options. Between community college associates degrees in nursing and four-year bachelor’s degrees in nursing there are many schools to choose from. For students who are currently attending a four year university or have just finished a degree from a four year university there are also some options to choose from.

There are at least three major things to keep in mind when choosing a nursing school

The first is a school’s accreditation.

The ACEN and NLN are two national accreditation organizations and most four year BSN programs will be accredited through one of these organizations. You can find accredited schools through their website http://www.acenursing.org and http://www.nln.org. for regional accreditation each state and geographic region has their own accreditation organization.

The second consideration are the prerequisites necessary to start the program.

Most associates degree programs have a few standard prerequisites:

chemistry 1 &2, biology 1, anatomy and physiology 1 & 2, microbiology, nutrition, and lifespan psychology

Four-year degree nursing programs have the same requirements plus the possible addition of basic nursing courses taken during your freshman and sophomore years as well as the possibility of having to take biochemistry and nutrition.

For accelerated second bachelor’s degree nursing programs the previous prerequisites apply as well as other prerequisites such as biochemistry, genetics, healthcare research, and or medical ethics.

The third and arguable the most important consideration is price! For most student’s funds are limited and often students are not keen on taking out loans.

The most cost effective route to getting your RN is to go to a community college and get an ADN (associates degree in nursing) this would limit your ability to work at magnet hospital, however many magnet hospitals will hire ADN RN’s who are enrolled in a RN-BSN programs. Costs for an ADN can run anywhere between 10 to 20 thousand dollars in total and financial aid and grants cover most if not all tuition.

The next cost effective option for school is a BSN from a local college or university. Many local public universities have nursing programs and are within commuting distance. For students willing to drive to classes paying for tuition can be affordable with little to no loans. These cost for a BSN from a local college or university can run anywhere between 40 and 60 thousand dollars with financial aid and grants significantly bring cost down

Going to an out of state university is usually the least cost effective choice for nursing school. most out of state schools will have higher tuition rates for out of state students and students will have to pay for housing. Most out of state BSN programs will cost anywhere between 90-150 thousand dollars. Financial aid will help to offset the cost but most students will seek out private student loans to fill in the gap.

For those students who have a bachelor’s degree or plan on finishing a non-nursing bachelor degrees before going to nursing school they have the option of attending all the previously mentioned nursing schools or to attend an accelerated second bachelor of science in nursing program. Accelerated BSN programs cost anywhere between 40 and 75 thousand dollars. Almost every state in the continental United States has a ABSN program some within commuting distance. For those students who are looking to at schools further away they will need to factor in the cost of living in an apartment for 12-18 months (or for as long as the ABSN program runs).

Just remember that there are many options to get into nursing school and many ways to pay for your education. If you are determined and passionate about becoming a nurse I hope this little post helps you on your journey.

-Vish