Choosing the Right School...

I'm a nurse, but sometimes I... explain to people how I chose my school.

Of course, choosing a nursing school is one of the biggest decisions a aspiring nurse can make. One must take in to account the curriculum, each particular school's pass rate, location, etc. It gives me a headache just reflecting back on it! However, it is also a very exciting process. This school is where you will spend the next two to four years; this is where you will meet some of your closest friends, and make great strides toward becoming your desired profession.

Through this blog, I have hoped to reach out to my readers and help them through events that I've already experienced. I want to explain my thought processes, and hopefully make the whole process easier for all of you! That being said, here are my tips for choosing the right nursing school for you:

1. Decide whether or not you want to complete a two-year program, or a four-year program. There are pros and cons to both, but in the end I decided upon a four-year. I wanted a more traditional college experience (four years), and most employers eventually like to see a bachelor's degree. I was lucky to have parents who fully supported me through school... but both routes lead you to RN-dom!

2. If you've decided on type of program, you should begin to look at locations that interest you. Do you want to be close to home? As far away as possible? I chose a school an hour away from my hometown. This allowed me to be on my own and make new friends, but still be close to my family and friends from high school. I got the best of both worlds!

3. Look into the schools that interest you... do they advertise their program's pass rate for the NCLEX? This is important; the lower the pass rate, the less people passing the NCLEX on the first try. You want to choose a school that provides a solid education for passing the NCLEX.

4. Become aware of whether or not your schools of interest require application to the nursing program after a year of prerequisites. I chose my particular program because we started off in the nursing school our freshman year. It was fun to get right into the nursing, and I didn't have the stress of getting into the program!

5. Tour your school-- do you like the facilities? Can you meet any of the professors? If so, do you like them? It is true... you definitely know if a place is right for you when you visit. I definitely felt at home in my nursing school.

6. Finally, take into account the hospitals/nursing facilities surrounding your school of choice. This is most likely where you will be spending most of your clinical hours, and it's important to know if there are many opportunities nearby. It's also possible to work as a nursing assistant during school, and the closer hospitals are to you, the more opportunities you will have to network!

Happy searching to each and every one of you! Xoxo.