I am graduating with my BSN in 1.5 months and I am already looking into graduate programs. Specifically, I am looking into online FNP programs, of which there are a good number of and they are growing.
This questions is directed for those who are involved in the hiring process or are very familiar with it: How important is the school name vs. their nursing school ranking/speciality ranking?
For example, Georgetown University is a great name, but it's not in the top 20 ranking of universities. Nor is it in the top 25 ranked nursing graduate programs. Arizona State University, for example, is ranked in the top 25 nursing graduate programs. Georgia Southern, another public school, is ranked top 25 of FAMILY nurse practitioner programs.
In the nursing world, and among employers and those looking for DNP students, what is more impressive? Do they know the rankings well or are they looking for the well-known names?
Before you comment: I know stellar nurses can come from average programs and less-than-average nurses can come from exemplary programs, and that schools don't always make the nurse.
If I might throw my $0.02 in here... Taking the for profits off the table and just assuming that we are talking about reputable, accredited schools, one of the very few times that the name of the school might matter is if you went to a nursing school that was affiliated with a teaching hospital. In that instance, the nursing school and the hospital are likely very tightly aligned and the hospital is familiar with the educational preparation of the nursing students that are graduating from there. I can imagine those students having a slight unspoken edge when it comes to employment and/or graduate admissions at the affiliated hospital or nursing school. Otherwise, it's not like medical or law school where the school you went to matters.
Do you know why they preferred a B student over an A student?
The thinking is that the B student is well-rounded, may have spent more time developing other interests, hobbies, volunteer experience, and developing soft skills rather than the perfectionist spending all of his or her time in pursuit of the "A" grade. It makes sense to me, for the most part.
llg - Thanks for your post, out of all the ones listed on this thread I think it was the most balanced and informative. To sum up what you're saying, schools WILL have a bearing on employers if they are on either end of the list: either the very top or the very bottom. If schools are towards the middle of the pack, than other factors will have more weight. That makes complete sense, and I would think that is also how it is for doctors, lawyers, and every other profession out there. Personally, I don't understand WHY a person in HR would NOT look at the nursing school of a candidate. Of all folks, I would think that HR would know that just as a school does not necessarily make the nurse, neither does the license. It's a combination of BOTH education and experience. Especially in today's evolving nursing standards, where education is becoming increasingly important in the profession.
nurse recruiters prefer the type of degree (BSN, MSN). But experience and background are most important. However, I did have one person on a recruitment team tell me that they looked at specific schools when all else is equal because top schools are way harder to get into. However, that is not going to get you a job.
So....how do I find out the reputation of a school? I am having trouble with that. I am looking at grad schools, and for instance, I know that Vanderbilt has a good reputation (and a high price tag)....but some of the others I just dont know anything about them. Are any of these "bad" name schools, or are they all ok?
So, calidianya, you mean the specific subset of hospital that care are more research oriented? Is it safe to say the university hospitals are more this way?
Exactly. And it's usually not just university hospitals in general, but the world-class, world renown hospitals at the top of the pack in a certain specialty. I interviewed at one in the top five hospitals in the country for the specialty I was interviewing for, and the level of snobbery I experienced did not impress me. I will never apply to one of those kinds of places again.
Exactly. And it's usually not just university hospitals in general, but the world-class, world renown hospitals at the top of the pack in a certain specialty. I interviewed at one in the top five hospitals in the country for the specialty I was interviewing for, and the level of snobbery I experienced did not impress me. I will never apply to one of those kinds of places again.
I'm not surprised this was your experience but it is a shame and likely in some part due to the fact that many pay such poor wages. Ever notice that a majority of their nursing staff is young brand new nurses? There are a handful of lifers who teach at the university but the rest leave for better opportunities. Imo its similar to academia where the pay is so lousy that many feel they need to fiercely protect their turf and flex their superiority by having a ton of virtually meaningless credentials.
I don't think anyone cares about the US News and World Report rankings of schools (or hospitals, for that matter). If you go to a nationally known school your resume might grab someone's attention but won't make or break you being hired. I worked at a hospital that was consistently ranked #1 or #2 by US News and World Report in their specialty. When they were #2 they disregarded the rankings and said they knew they were #1 no matter what US News and World Report had to say. When they were #1 they plastered the hospital with advertising about it. These rankings have less meaning than US News and World Report would have you think.
If you go to a nationally known school your resume might grab someone's attention but won't make or break you being hired. I worked at a hospital that was consistently ranked #1 or #2 by US News and World Report in their specialty. When they were #2 they disregarded the rankings and said they knew they were #1 no matter what US News and World Report had to say. When they were #1 they plastered the hospital with advertising about it.
You are totally right on about this. I live in a state with two very large and well known hospitals and I swear they have banner wars. Hospital A post 10 flags, next day hospital B hangs 15 even BIGGER flags.
SierraBravo
547 Posts
If I might throw my $0.02 in here... Taking the for profits off the table and just assuming that we are talking about reputable, accredited schools, one of the very few times that the name of the school might matter is if you went to a nursing school that was affiliated with a teaching hospital. In that instance, the nursing school and the hospital are likely very tightly aligned and the hospital is familiar with the educational preparation of the nursing students that are graduating from there. I can imagine those students having a slight unspoken edge when it comes to employment and/or graduate admissions at the affiliated hospital or nursing school. Otherwise, it's not like medical or law school where the school you went to matters.