Choosing b/w U of C and MRU for nursing!

[rballer108]

Hello!

I got accepted into both U of C and MRU for their Bachelor of Nursing Program (undergrad, 4-year degree, straight out of high school). I am having difficulty deciding between which school to attend as I have many positive and negative factors influencing my decision for both. School starts in September so I definitely need to make a decision soon!

I have heard that MRU's nursing program is better in the sense that you start practicing in the clinical setting first-year. This would be beneficial for someone like me as I'd do better practicing my hands-on skills earlier and more-frequently in a career like nursing. At U of C, you start clinical third-year - not so good. The early clinical placement is said to make MRU students more experience (coming from hospital staff) as they have been practicing for a while and are preferred over U of C students.

MRU's classes are also much smaller 40-50ish while U of C's lectures can go to 200 and I know I won't do as well in that environment as I am the type that needs to get to know my professor.

U of C has a better reputation overall and although MRU's nursing program is better, the other science courses U of C offers are much better and I can fit in some research stuff which would look good on my "resumé". I believe nursing is what I want to pursue, but I want to keep my options open for pursuing my education like a Master's or even entering Med School. So, I want to take pre-reqs and those would be better at U of C. These pre-reqs are also needed to prepare for the MCAT so one thing is that since MRU is so driven for nursing particularly, it will be a bit more difficult to fit in the pre-reqs whereas U of C gives a lot of option courses in the early years so I can fit in additional biology and chemistry courses needed for preparation.

Also... U of C is offering scholarships that would cover my entire first-year. MRU is not offering and scholarships and the most I can take off of my tuition is $3000 (due to another scholarship).

Let me know your guys' thoughts and if you have any input into what seems like the better choice! THANKS TONS IN ADVANCE!

[rballer108]

Anyone have any experience at these universities?