Poll: San Francisco Bay Area nurses, I need your advice on choosing a BSN program

[gingersnapper]

SF Bay Area nurses, I'd really appreciate your advice.

I'm trying to do all I can now to set myself up for the struggle of finding a job in the most competitive nursing market in the country. I could use your guidance on which BSN program to choose that would give me the best shot of landing a coveted new grad job in this area.

I am a motivated, 2nd-career future nurse currently living here in San Francisco, and am hoping to find work here when I finish my BSN. Since I'm an older, focused student with a non-nursing BA, and will definitely go back for an APN graduate program at some point, I'm leaning toward an accelerated program to get this show on the road. However, I don't want to risk blowing my employment prospects here. It would be a dream come true to land a position at an academic teaching hospital (UCSF, Stanford, etc.), but I'll take anything I can get and be grateful!

I'm also planning on getting both my EMT-B and CNA certifications this summer while I wait to start nursing school. I know this would come in handy to work part-time during a traditional BSN program, but if I go the accelerated route and don't get to work before graduation, at I'm thinking at least it'll help prepare me for nursing school and will be two more certifications on my resume.

I've been admitted to 2 of the following programs, and am waiting on the 3rd. Which would you recommend?

• Oregon Health and Sciences University Accelerated BSN (OHSU ABSN)
  
  • ​15 months
    
  • 1170 total clinical hours, including a 360-hour preceptorship
    
  • Academic teaching hospital with a national reputation
    
  • Moderately expensive option (comparable to 2 years of UC tuition)
    
  • Location: Portland
    

  [*]California State University Northridge Accelerated BSN (CSUN ABSN)

  • 15 months
    
  • 945 total clinical hours, no preceptorship
    
  • Least expensive option
    
  • Location: greater LA area
    

  [*]​California State University East Bay BSN (CSUEB BSN)

  • 27 months
    
  • 870 total clinical hours, including a 240-hour preceptorship
    
  • A summer off for possible externships
    
  • Extra room in my schedule for working part time as a CNA or tech
    
  • Most expensive option when accounting for tuition + living expenses + 1 year less income
    
  • Location: Concord
    

​The poll will close in 2 weeks, as I need to decide as soon as I hear from the final school. Any comments or further advice you may want to share would be much appreciated. Thanks so much for your help!