Congratulations! You’ve decided to attend nursing school. You’re about to embark on a fantastic journey, one that will culminate with you entering a valued and rewarding career. But first, you’ve got to select the best nursing school to fit your needs. Sound like a challenge? It can be. But we’re here to help make the process as easy as possible.
What to look for
Be sure to consider these items when you’re analyzing, evaluating and considering nursing schools. Simply knowing you want to attend nursing school is the first step. Use this list to help further define your needs.
- Degree: Which type of degree is your ultimate goal? Do you want a Bachelor’s degree or a Master’s degree? Are you looking for certification?
- Specialty: Do you want to specialize in an area of nursing, such as trauma, cardio-thoracic, or pediatrics? Knowing this early on can help you select an academic plan and your courses of study.
- Schedule: Are you going to attend school full-time or part-time? Does the difference matter to you? Many programs offer flexible schedules for students so they can plan their academic careers with ease.
- Reputation: Find out whether your prospective schools, colleges, or universities are accredited. Look into which groups gave the accreditation, whether the institution has received awards, and investigate the overall reputation of the school.
- Finances: Make sure you have your finances in order. Consult your school’s financial aid office to learn more about your options. Find out whether you can get scholarships, grants or loans, and investigate your opportunities. You might be able to get a large portion of your education costs defrayed or even paid for.
- Costs: Believe it or not, this is different from finances. Look into the total cost of attending nursing school. This includes tuition, books, lab fees, room and board, and basic living costs. Will you be working while attending school? How will you pay for housing, food, insurance, transportation? Look into all of these costs ahead of time so you’re prepared. You might find that a school offers housing benefits, roommate assistance, or on-campus work.
- Requirements: Last but certainly not least, understand what’s expected or required of you. Does a school have entrance requirements, such as a base GPA for high school, ACT or SAT scores? Letters of recommendation? Essays? Investigate what they need from you, what they expect, and what they require for you to be a stellar candidate. Attending nursing school is about finding the right fit, for both the student and the school.
