Choosing between schools?!

[Brookelin]

Hello everyone! I'm having quite a predicament and really could use some advice from fellow nursing students or current nurses. I've been taking my pre-nursing classes through my local community college. They also have partnerships with some of the universities around here for concurrent BSN programs, which is the path I plan to take. My problem is choosing which college!

One option is Northern Arizona University. It will cost about $13,000 for the 5 semester BSN program. The other option is Arizona State University, which will cost about double, at $25,000 for a 5 semester BSN program. I did some research on the schools themselves and NAU is ranked #127 amount nursing schools, whereas ASU is ranked #21. That's a HUGE difference, but does it even matter? Will it be an advantage for me to have ASU on my resume when applying for jobs? I know the market is tough out there right now and there's a lot of completition, so I could use any advantage I can get. But I don't want to waste $12,000 on a "better" school if it really doesn't give me any advantage. Considering I haven't been in the job market as a nurse yet, I don't know what hospitals are looking for.

Thoughts?

[i♥words]

I'd try to look up NCLEX pass rates for each university. That narrowed down my decision considerably and I ended up choosing between the two schools in my state that had the highest percentage.

As for money, I'm not always sure that paying more really means you are getting more. But a #21 ranking sounds pretty good.

There is something in being able to say "I went to such-and-such prestigious school," but if you graduate and pass the NCLEX then you're an RN, and that is the most important thing.

[Andrews_RN]

I went through NAUs program and while I think it prepared me well I think your figure of $13,000 is off. It is a rural health program and the money you will spend travel long to clinical sites in gas and paying to put yourself up while you are there really adds up. At ASU most of your clinical sites are in the Phoenix area and you don't have to travel much.