How much does the college you graduate from determine your employment?

Sour Lemon · Sep 12, 2017

It matters very little.

PixieRN1 · Sep 12, 2017

Makes little to no difference in my experience.

allnurses Guide · Sep 12, 2017

The vast majority of the time it matters not at all, with the exception of some very bad for-profit schools. You may also encounter someone who is strongly loyal to their own alma mater, but for the most part hiring managers do not care, as long as the school is accredited.

FolksBtrippin, BSN, RN · Sep 12, 2017

In nursing, it doesn't matter. In other fields it really does.

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Sep 12, 2017

In my experience, the school you attend affects where you can do clinicals, and it can affect who hires you for your first job.

caliotter3 · Sep 12, 2017

Clear license to practice and previous nursing work experience are what matters most of the time.

brownbook · Sep 13, 2017

In my experience, the school you attend affects where you can do clinicals, and it can affect who hires you for your first job.

Only in this situation have I heard of it making any difference. There was a community college one town over from me, a smaller rural but well to do area. The hospital and community college in that town had a very close relationship. I think many if not most nursing grads ended up working in that hospital.

verene, MSN · Sep 13, 2017

In general unless you go to a school with an extremely poor reputation it won't matter.

However, there are schools with a very strong *local* reputation which can help in gaining clinical placements, networking, and getting hired after graduation. These aren't always "big name" universities, but programs which are known for turning out solid new graduates into the local market and whose preparation of those graduates meets the needs of local employers.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 13, 2017

I mostly agree with the previous posters.

It can matter at either end of the spectrum (schools with very bad reputations and schools with very good ones) ... but for the majority of schools that are "in the middle," it doesn't matter. A great school can open up some opportunities that are not available to everyone else -- and a bad school can make it hard to get a good first job.

allnurses Guide · Sep 13, 2017

In general unless you go to a school with an extremely poor reputation it won't matter.
However, there are schools with a very strong *local* reputation which can help in gaining clinical placements, networking, and getting hired after graduation. These aren't always "big name" universities, but programs which are known for turning out solid new graduates into the local market and whose preparation of those graduates meets the needs of local employers.

Yes, this is absolutely true. There are three very solid community colleges in my immediate area who are keeping well attuned with what the local employers want out of their new grads, and the local employers love to hire them. There are also at least two NOT solid local programs, one a four year university that is very expensive and the other a for-profit school, and local employers avoid hiring from them.

Reyn04, MSN, RN · Sep 16, 2017

Ordinarily none.

That said I had a boss when I first graduated nursing school... Although I worked on the unit as a secretary, I didnt apply for any nursing positions there. Boss called me at home & she asked me to interview. After meeting with her I also had a peer interview. After my peer interview, I was told they voted unanimously for me & then I didnt get the job (my charge nurse was STUNNED when I told her) - it seemed the boss hired someone from her alma mater. She was known for doing that. She alleged that she thought I wouldnt stay but the 2 women she hired were both gone before 9 months passed.