Different Types of Degrees

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I suppose I'm more fortunate that most, I've been accepted at 2 different types of nursing schools.

One of the schools will get me an Associate's Degree, and the other a diploma. In a lot of the threads, it has been said that the ADN seems to have more clinical experience upon graduation than a BSN. In my case, if I do the ADN, I'll have 51 credit hours of clinical experience, and if I do the diploma, which is from a very highly regarded hospital school with a strict selection process, I will have 69 credit hours of clinical experience. The diploma school also has a much higher pass rate.

In either case, I already have all of the support classes finished, and will only have to do the clinicals. I also have the support classes finished to go directly into the RN to BSN program at a nearby university upon completion of either.

My gut feeling is to do the diploma, since I will get more clinical experience. But I worry that a diploma is not as highly regarded as a degree.

Any thoughts would be appreciated. I have a month to make by decision.

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Go for the diploma - more education is always better....

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Specializes in NICU.
Go for the diploma - more education is always better....

I think there's some confusion here about diploma, ADN, BSN. A diploma program (offered through a hospital) is not a degree, but I agree that it might be the way to go if your choices are diploma/ADN. If the choice is ADN or BSN, I'd do the BSN. You can check out http://www.allnursingschools.com for better definitions than mine. Good luck, whatever you choose!

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Are you planning on continuing on to get a higher degree at some point? If so, an ADN might transfer more easily to a 4-year program than a diploma.

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Specializes in ED, Cardiac Medicine, Retail Health.

You may get a bunch of advice on what to do here. This happens to be a hot button topic amoung nurses. If you do a search, you will find many threads on this issue. Do whats best for you. If you feel the diploma program offers more of what you want, go for it. There seems to be more programs out there that will give credit for diploma programs. Its all up to you! :)

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A hospital diploma program will offer much more in terms of clinicals. The instructors are usually full-time employees for the facility and not guests coming in. So if there are other nursing students there, your group will get the best assignments..................

I know, I am actually a graduate of a hospital program and would never have traded any of it for anything else. It has not hindered me in any way......

And I also hold an MBA now, too............I say go for it.

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Thanks for the reponses. Both will transfer the same. I have all of the "education" classes for the ADN finished, so I can start on the BSN as soon as I'm finished, which ever way I go.

And just a note, the top two in the RN to BSN class last year, were graduates of this hospital.

I do plan on going right into my BSN, but I read so many threads of people who don't for one reason or another, so I can only hope and plan on it.

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Specializes in Junior Year of BSN.

Go for the diploma! There are a lot of diploma/ASN, and diploma/BSN programs. You said you have ALL the prerequisites for the ASN, and BSN then go for the diploma. All the other schools require when you become a RN is that you have the prereqs (A&P's, Micro, Chem, Nutrition, Human Devel.,...Pysc and Soc. you can clep). So if you have all that (check with the BSN program you eventually want to go into). Then go into the diploma program. To look better once you graduate from the diploma program try to be in the top 10-15% of the programs graduates in grades.

Other than that go for it, more clinicals, higher NCLEX and a better reputation amongst hospitals and colleges is whats important.

Hope you do well :p

Thanks for the reponses. Both will transfer the same. I have all of the "education" classes for the ADN finished, so I can start on the BSN as soon as I'm finished, which ever way I go.

And just a note, the top two in the RN to BSN class last year, were graduates of this hospital.

I do plan on going right into my BSN, but I read so many threads of people who don't for one reason or another, so I can only hope and plan on it.

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Specializes in NICU.
Go for the diploma! There are a lot of diploma/ASN, and diploma/BSN programs. You said you have ALL the prerequisites for the ASN, and BSN then go for the diploma. All the other schools require when you become a RN is that you have the prereqs (A&P's, Micro, Chem, Nutrition, Human Devel.,...Pysc and Soc. you can clep). So if you have all that (check with the BSN program you eventually want to go into). Then go into the diploma program. To look better once you graduate from the diploma program try to be in the top 10-15% of the programs graduates in grades.

Other than that go for it, more clinicals, higher NCLEX and a better reputation amongst hospitals and colleges is whats important.

Hope you do well :p

Agreed, if you have all the academics done anyway I believe that hospital diploma programs are better hands-on training. And definitely check the NCLEX pass rates!

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Dialysis.

Hi Gonna Be An RN,

I am also in the same situation, I applied to an ADN program and a diploma program. I have not be accepted to either program yet, but I am impatiently waiting! I should know about the diploma program by May and the ADN program by end of June.

I have gotten a lot of feedback on both programs. Like you said the diploma offers more clinical time which is a good thing but the ADN program offers an associate's degree and more background classes. So there are pro's and con's to both.

The diploma program by me-1st yr. students have two 1/2 day clinicals per week, 2nd yr. students have 1 full shift (7-330) and one 1/2 day of clinicals per week. The ADN program has two 1/2 days of clinicals per week throughout the 2 yrs. I feel like the diploma would be good in the clinical area because it really prepares you to be on a unit for a full day. I shadowed a student nurse @ the diploma school, she seemed really prepared, focused, and confident.

I was talking to that same student nurse the other day and she told me she is bridging her RN to a Master's through the diploma program. So I don't think it's a problem with transferring. I was a little weary of the diploma program at 1st since I want to pursue a BSN but do not have the funds right now to go right into the BSN. I need to get working as an RN, so I have the $$ to pursue my BSN, and besides that I really want to get working as an RN. The diploma or ADN was the fastest and cheapest way for me!

I will be happy getting into either or both! LOL!

Good luck in whatever you decide! :nurse:

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I guess I left out one really BIG factor, but not the total deciding factor. The diploma program fee is forgiven if you agree to work for the hospital for 2 years after graduation. And while you're working those 2 years, you get tuition reimbursement to pursue your BSN.

I just found out a couple of days ago that this is the last year for the diploma program though. It is changing to an ADN, so the clinical time will be cut. But they assure me that the curriculum I have been given will be the one that my class uses. And that has 69 credit hours of clinicals. Nothing around here comes close to that.

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