I need advice on choosing a school for my RN

[ColdHandsWarmHeart]

I am torn between 3 schools in San Antonio. Which are San Antonio College (ASN program program) accredited by NLNAC, Baptist School of Nursing (ASN) accredited by NLNAC and finally UT Health Science Center (BSN)The baccalaureate program is accredited by the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas and the baccalaureate/ masters are both accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education. I am not too sure if hospitals in the San Antonio area are requiring a BSN as I hear so many different answers. If anyone can verify that would be awesome. If a BSN is not required I would rather wait to get it later on in my career. However I have heard that Baptist is more hands with more clinicals but once you work for them they dock your pay. Again it's hear say. As for price. San Antonio College and UT Health Science are the cheapest. Another question I have is what is the difference in accreditation for these specific programs? Please Help! Thank You in advance!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

I am very familiar with SA nursing schools. The ones you are considering are fully accredited. Be sure to take a look at their NCLEX pass rates also http://www.bon.texas.gov/nursingeducation/edudocs/RN-5YR-passrate.pdf since this is an indicator of the quality of nursing education they provide.

The San Antonio market has many hospitals that are actively pursuing "Magnet" designation - which requires a higher percentage of BSN nurses. So, they are giving preference to BSN grads. Smaller hospitals are still ADN friendly. You may also want to investigate the overall transferability of credits from an AS in nursing as opposed to an ADN. Believe it or not, there is a difference...

Entry to UT HSCSA (my BSN alma mater!) is extremely competitive. Your choices may actually be determined by which program accepts you rather than any other issue.

Have you looked at Incarnate Word? They are more expensive, but have a smaller class size so more individual attention from instructors so their overall attrition rate is lower.