How to decide after being admitted to more than 1 program? (Tips?)

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Hello all,

Applied to 3 programs this year.

Gained admittance to 2 (still waiting to hear back from the last one)

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for narrowing down the decision of which of the programs to ultimately select to go to?

(I've already looked at the nclex pass rates over the past few years for both schools but other than that I don't know what else I should be considering - other than perhaps location of the school itself)

Any tips on how not to drive myself crazy and commit to selecting the program I'm going to attend?

Thanks!

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Cost, location, clinical sites(although you may not be able to know this), whether program is ASN vs BSN.

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Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.

Yup I would look at clinical sites and employment rate after graduation. I picked my school because 100% of the students had a job last semester before we graduated. Also in specialties that we wanted.

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I dont know if I would look at employment rate because it all depends on the market in that area. As i have written before I know of graduates from Ivy league nursing schools and 6 months later they have not been able to find a job. Not finding a job -I dont think thats a reflection on the school. Just my 2cents.

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Specializes in Primary Care; Child Advocacy; Child Abuse; ED.
Yup I would look at clinical sites and employment rate after graduation. I picked my school because 100% of the students had a job last semester before we graduated. Also in specialties that we wanted.

I didn't go to an Ivy League school, I was just saying if you have more than 1 option and the schools are similar then you can look at employment of their students. I mean we are going to school to get a job.

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I understand everyone experience is different. I was just giving my 2 cents based on my experience (26 yrs as a nurse)and working in a large metropolitan area with many nursing schools and having quite a few friends that are nursing instructors. I wish the market was that good in this area to employ all of the grads from one of their nursing programs.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

The market is really important as far as getting jobs, and really, the market changes really fast. I had a hospital job (this was prior to nursing school) in 2008, and I remember there being pages of nursing positions one week, then POOF, every single one was gone, and there were never posts like that again. But do consider that many people DO get hired where they did clinicals, if they're smart. I've seen it from classes above us, and that's how I lined up my job (I'm graduating Saturday). That said, I am, to my knowledge, the only person in my class with a job offer. The market SUCKS here. I am BEYOND grateful for the offer I have!!

If the schools are in different locations, consider where you'd like to work, and go from there, if the NCLEX pass rates are comparable.

You might also look at class size, where they do clinicals, RateMyProfessors.com, and overall reviews of the school.

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