Nursing Degrees and Schools

Going to a top school in your field can help you land a better job or get into a better graduate degree program. This is true in the field of nursing just as it is true in other fields. Finding a great university isn’t as hard as you may think.

Rankings

You can start your search for the best nursing school by looking at the top-ranked nursing universities. A number of organizations and publications rank nursing schools according to specific methodology, so you can (and should) look at what they have to say. Some of the most popular rankings include the following:

• US News and World Report
• Nursing Online Education Database
• The Princeton Review
• PhDs.org (for nursing doctorate programs)
• National Institutes of Health

Important Factors

Not every ranking considers the same factors. For example, the National Institute of Health’s rankings are based solely on the amount of grant money they award to each school, while the ranking list compiled by US News and World Report takes into consideration peer review, student to faculty ratio, and retention, among other factors. So what are the most important characteristics that you should look for in a nursing university? Actually, may of them aren’t measured on any rankings list. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Are there good facility partnerships with this program so that I can participate in the best clinical learning possible?
• Do I feel comfortable around my professors?
• What financial aid is available to me if I’m a student at this school?
• What are the campus facilities like or what is the online atmosphere like?
• Are there alumni networks, job resources, and other student services available to students and recent graduates?
• Does the school offer tutoring resources to prepare students for the licensing exams they need to take to work as nurses?
• What are current students and alumni saying about the program?

Visiting the Campus

Finding the top nursing university for you depends on your campus visits. No matter what the rankings say, you should come up with your list of top ten colleges and plan to visit at least three to five of them. When you’re actually on a campus, you can get a feel for the student life, academic program, and more. Even if you go to school online, you can take a virtual tour of their school, which will allow you to see how the program is set up, talk to students and professors, and maybe even sit in on a class or see a sample of the coursework.

Applying to a Top Nursing School

No matter what school you ultimate choose as your front runner, keep in mind that you should apply to multiple other nursing schools as backups, in case you aren’t accepted. By having great letters of recommendation, a strong essay, and an application that is complete and arrives before the deadline, however, you can increase your changes of getting into any college where you apply.