How Do You Choose the Best Nursing School?
It's essential to pick the right nursing school or program. Before you commit yourself to 2-4 years of study, be sure to choose a school that's right for you so you can achieve your goals. A bit of time and research on your part may help reduce disappointment and stress later. Here are some ideas to help you locate the best fit.
Consult an admissions counselor
A recruiter or admissions counselor is an excellent source of getting information about the requirements of the program and making sure you're on the right track to admission. You wouldn't want to take courses you're not interested in or discover that the courses don't meet the program's requirements.
Check if the school is accredited
A school may not be accredited but be approved to offer nursing degrees by its state's nursing board. Why is this important? If you graduate from an unaccredited college, your job opportunities will be limited and so will be your ability to further your education at accredited nevada state board of nursing schools.
Talk to people who've actually done it
Find somebody who's currently attending that nursing school or recently graduated and ask them serious, common questions. What things do they like about the school? What would they change? You can also look at nursing school reviews and find out what others are saying about that school. To read more on the importance of getting in to the best nursing schools, check out http://www.ehow.com/how_2070992_become-registered-nurse.html.
Talk to nurse managers or nursing recruiters
Job fairs are an amazing place to locate nurse recruiters. Once you find one, ask them if they've employed graduates from the institution you're considering. Are you interested in shadowing on some unit?
NCLEX pass rates
Ask how many students have taken and passed the NCLEX exam. This information may usually be found on the internet or can be given by an admissions official. As this is your main objective, you want to pick best nursing schools in Utah that's proven to help students become nurses.
Go beyond NCLEX pass rates
Ask how many students finished a program out of all those who started. A pass rate of 98% on NCLEX exams is superb, until you find out that only 30 out of 120 students finished the program. Nursing school is tough, but figures like that are alarming. Were students properly assessed before admission? Why did many of them quit? In any school, some students will drop out. However, good schools typically have a strong pre-admission process as well as a plan that provides support to students who are struggling.
