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Discussion

How to choose ADN program

Hi all. Can anyone offer any feedback on how to choose a community college ADN program? There are lots in my area and I'm not sure how to determine how they stack up against each other, what their reputations are, etc.

Or does it not even matter in terms of applying for jobs once one graduates and passes the NCLEX-RN exam? I guess I'm assuming employers might care where you got your ADN, but am I wrong?

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    First two things I would check are accreditation and NCLEX pass rates. An accredited school is preferable, in addition to a high NCLEX pass rate. (we can save pass rate manipulation for another discussion) After narrowing down the field I would then compare things such as cost, acceptance requirements, program reputation, etc. Good luck!

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    • Expert

    1. Make sure that all of the academic credit you earn while getting your ADN will transfer to a respectable university so that you won't have to repeat courses when you try to get your BSN later. The credits of most respectable Community Colleges will transfer -- but those from some of the less reputable schools and the for-profit career colleges, vocational schools, etc. will not. Don't spend time and money on classes that won't be considered "legitimate" by the schools from you will be seeking higher education later.

    2. Also, money is another factor to consider. Be suspicious of schools that are significantly more expensive than the others. There are some bad schools out there whose primary goal is to take as much of your money as they can get. Once again, a good Community College is may be a better investment because you will pay so much less.

    3. How many students who start the program actually graduate on time? How many flunk out? How many drop out? That information can tell you a LOT.

    4. Where do the students do their clinical rotations? Is most of the clinical time spent in the best hospitals in the region? If not, that might be a sign that the best hospitals do not have much respect for that school.

    5. Where do the graduates of those schools find jobs? Even back when my hospital was hiring a fair number of new ADN grads, there were certain schools whose students they would not hire.

    You are right to be considering the quality of the program you choose -- and not just choosing the most convenient. The most convenient schools that bend over backward to make it easy for students to get admitted and enroll are sometimes the ones most interested in your money instead of your education and long-term career success.

    Good luck!

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    Don't. Choose a bsn program instead. I don't know how old you are and where you live. In my part of the country they are slowly being phased out. It's more aggrevation later on to go back to do a rn to bsn program. But it's up to you. Just make the sure the program is accredited by the NLNAC or the NLN.

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    I second NJnewRN. I live in Maryland, where ADNs are being asked to go back for a BSN. A majority of the good hospitals are listing open positions as "BSN preferred". If you can not afford the BSN right now and need more money to pay for that, then I would recommend the ADN with a BSN bridge program later. Either way, eventually try to get that bachelor's degree.

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    I would go to the BRN web site for your state and see if they publish a list of approved nursing schools and NCLEX pass rates.

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    • Author

    I just wanted to thank everyone for the input. The community on this site is amazing. I've thought about it a lot and am going to pursue a BSN. The ADN is/was tempting because it is offered at the CCs I've applied to for the BSN pre-reqs. So I could easily just follow the ADN program instead of doing the pre-reqs, and be an RN in two years. But I want that BSN, and I will have it faster if I just take that road from the beginning. FWIW, I am 28 and live in NYC.

    llg, thank you so much for those tips. I am still evaluating schools trying to figure out where I'm going to do my pre-reqs, and eventually my ABSN program, and will keep them in mind.

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