I would like your opinions on decent school vs well known great school

[crb613, BSN, RN]

in my area anyway. Do you think as long as you want to learn & give it your all you can be just as good a nurse if you attend a average school? I got all my pre reqs at a school that is well known in my area for "producing" excellent nurses. I chose a different nursing program closer to home & since that time all I hear is how great the other school is. I was at our local hospital today & the nurse said you can tell a grad. from school X as soon as they walk on the floor they know what they are doing. I keep hearing this same thing over & over & am worried to death I chose the wrong nursing program. I would like your opinions & if I can I am seriously thinking about transferring. So what do you think??? I just want to be sure I learn as much as possible & be the best nurse I can be. Thanks

[mom2michael, MSN, RN, NP]

I'm pretty confident in saying that the school only provides you with the tools to become a nurse, you are the one that makes the choice to become a good nurse (or the best nurse you can be). With that being said, I would examine what makes X school so much better and then decide if that's what you want from your school or if you are happy with your current school and what they have to offer. Perhaps make a list of the pros and cons for both schools?

[SarasotaRN2b]

I agree with Mom2Michael. Who knows, she might have gone to that school herself and just has loyalty to that school.

[aruray]

I am going to disagree. Every nursing program is different. There are good, knowledgeable teachers and there are bad ones. I believe that no matter how intelligent a person is, that person will need guidance from a nursing professor no matter what. I mean what are going to school for, attending classes, if it all just boils down to reading the book. Anybody can read a book but its not gonna help you jack in nclex. My advice is, find nursing students in both schools, attend an open house for the nursing dept, ask the students questions like are they happy about their program, their teachers and what teaching style do they implement. do they read off the ppt or do they take time to explain impt core concepts. how are the students performing in the hesi or nln every semester. Then pick the school that you feel will teach and train you to be a good nurse. It makes a whole world of difference finding the right nursing program and teachers!. In any kind of setting, how can you expect somebody to become brilliant if she was taught poorly? Does that make sense?