"Prestige" Nursing Schools

PICUGuy · May 8, 2017

I guess I just don't see the point necessarily. I went to a no name school for undergrad and ended up getting a job at the Hopkins PICU. So if your end game is to work at one of the top hospitals, a degree from a prestige school isn't necessary. I finished my MSN Ed from a no name school, and decided to look into NP programs due to a lack of educational jobs in my area. I was accepted to the two programs I applied to (Hopkins and Georgetown). I got in because of my grades at the no name schools, and because of the clinical experience I got at Hopkins. So if your end game is to go to one of the top schools for a graduate degree, going to a prestige school isn't necessary. Then life happened and I had to defer going back to school for the moment. However, I talked to the NPs working on my unit and found that only one of them went to a high end school (Vanderbilt), and all of them told me not to waste money on a prestigious school because in the end employers don't really care all that much. So apparently, if your end game is to be a provider for a top institution, you still don't need to go to a prestigious school!

Still don't know what I will do personally when I do go back...but it makes me want to rethink dropping $1600/credit! I suppose for someone like me who would be happy teaching or eventually working as a provider at a private practice, it just doesn't seem necessary. Especially when it's my clinical experience that has been opening doors.

chacha82, ADN, BSN · May 8, 2017

Some of my coworkers name drop where they went to school or talk about getting jobs at UCLA, Duke, etc...but that's not where we work...I am very happy with my hospital education and zero debt. For me, being able to work and put money into savings has been a relief, since I had several years of money problems. My hospital school of nursing is known in town, I doubt anyone would know it three hours away but it was a good program and I could afford it. No one has ever turned to me during a code and been like "Hey, where did you go to school?"

Purple_roses · May 8, 2017

I go to a "prestige" school and this "prestige" is noticed by ultimately everyone in the country. It is due to both the difficulty of the courses and the extensive medical research that takes place. The atmosphere itself is also extremely competitive since people from around the world come to study here. Also, Some of the most notable groundbreaking medical discoveries have been made here. I believe this is the main area where the "prestige" is. Although it may be true that we may all end up with a BSN and become a registered nurse (assuming we pass the exam) no matter where we go to school, the OPPORTUNITIES available at each school differs. In the above-mentioned school, I have the opportunities to participate in research at internationally reknown institutions/hospitals. This will help me advance in my nursing career or any medical-related career I pursue (ie., Masters degree, nursing research, etc). I have SO much on my resume that I would not otherwise have gotten if I didn't go to this school.

I think the OP's point is that you don't need that stuff on your resume in order to get a job. And even when getting your masters and doctorate: do you know what grad schools and future employers care about? GPA and *experience* as an RN in acute care. The point is that students are getting themselves into a ton of debt in order to get the equivalent of fancy gold stars (that don't do much of anything) on their resumes.

Now if you received scholarships that payed for most of your schooling, then absolutely take advantage of the opportunity.

Purple_roses · May 8, 2017

I'm not allowed to have an opinion? In NO WAY did I comment on the quality of education in nursing programs between different schools. I was merely pointing out how many of these schools provide students many very good research and employment opportunities that can be used for resume-boosting when pursuing future goals...

You can attend a community college or state school, then join the NSNA and throw in some volunteer time and be set for good job opportunities. I didn't even do half of that though to be honest. I graduated from a community college. I worked my ass off in clinical and was hired on one of the floors I did clinical on--my work ethic got me that job; they already knew me before the interview process.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 8, 2017

A good school is at most a tie-breaker... not a huge advantage.

On the other hand...

A bad school can get your resume filed in circular bin especially as a new grad.

catsmeow1972, BSN, RN · May 8, 2017

Did you pass the NCLEX and can you do the job.....yeah that's about it. Fancy schools may come into play if you are aiming for grad school or a DNP. Barring that, "prestige" means very little in the work-a-day world.

More $$$$ spent does not equate with a better education.

Lulu Belle, RN, EMT-B · May 8, 2017

There is a lot of conversation on this board about for-profit schools that will take all your money and give you a horrible education. If I were ever to post a question about an experience I had at my school, particularly if it were a negative experience, I would want to clarify that I go to a legitimate and reputable nursing school. Not to brag, but to give context so that people can make more accurate judgements about whatever I am asking.

Personally, I would not use the term "prestigious" even if I felt my school was fitting of that title. Even so, when I see posts such as OP described, I sort of assume it's that persons way of saying "I swear my school isn't a diploma mill!"

Jedrnurse, BSN, RN · May 8, 2017

The BS-ing starts early with this one. She/he's not even in nursing school yet and flaunting their "prestigious" education.

Sorry, don't you mean "BS(N)-ing"....?

umbdude, MSN, APRN · May 8, 2017

There is a lot of conversation on this board about for-profit schools that will take all your money and give you a horrible education. If I were ever to post a question about an experience I had at my school, particularly if it were a negative experience, I would want to clarify that I go to a legitimate and reputable nursing school. Not to brag, but to give context so that people can make more accurate judgements about whatever I am asking.
Personally, I would not use the term "prestigious" even if I felt my school was fitting of that title. Even so, when I see posts such as OP described, I sort of assume it's that persons way of saying "I swear my school isn't a diploma mill!"

In the world of nursing, a NP from Walden will not be much different from a NP from UPenn. This is so strange to me as I worked in finance for 13 years, where anyone with a school like that on his resume will surely get his resume thrown into trash with a bunch of laughs.

Cvepo · May 8, 2017

We all wipe the same ass when we graduate whether you went to a "prestigious" school or a no-name.

BSN_to_ICU · May 8, 2017

I went to "non-prestigious" university. I was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, NSNA, treasurer of one club, volunteered with hospice, was a mentor, worked, etc., etc. I was asked ONE time about my extracurriculars in my interviews and NEVER a single thing about what school I attended. They care about YOU as a person and how well you will fit on the unit more than anything else.

SummitRN, BSN, RN · May 8, 2017

I was asked ONE time about my extracurriculars in my interviews and NEVER a single thing about what school I attended.

Why would they ask what school you went to during an interview? They already knew that because it was on your application and resume.