Does the school really matter...?

[ninjakat2115]

there are several schools in my area that offer the nursing major with the end product being a bsn. from state records, one school's annual pass rate on the nclex was 78% (elmhurst college) while another was 91% (loyola university chicago).

my work ethic throughout school, and life, is that if you work hard at something, you will achieve it. no one else is going to be around to do the work for you so you must put forth your best effort in order to get the final desired result.

with that being said, will attending one school from the other affect my qualifications as a nurse? will future employers use this type of information as a way to conclude that i am not as qualified as another applicant?

so...essentially... does the school you attend really matter?

[sgthanzo]

Katwab - It is true that schools with sustained higher NCLEX pass rates "generally" produce "sharper" nurses. BUT... at the end of the day, though... the only thing that matters is "Did you passed your NCLEX, or not?" Passing your NCLEX means licensure -- and a validation with your desired workplace that you've "earned" the right to work as a Nurse. Now all you have to do is "impress" them on interview day to land that job. "Talk the talk, then walk the walk."

One note of caution, though -- be on the look out for schools with wide, varying pass rate patterns. Meaning... their score card looks spectacular on one year, then drops 6-10 points the year after.

As long as your candidate school has a stable (and above passing) pass rate from one year to the next, the rest is really up to the student to ensure licensure.

'hope the above helps.

Hanzo