How much does your school matter when it comes to getting hired as a new grad?

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Hi all! I am brand new to this website after stumbling upon it when trying to ascertain some information about my newly chosen career path.

I am currently taking my BSN prerequisites at a Junior College and it's getting to that point where I need to decided where I would like to apply. I live in California and I am definitely interested in staying here. I know of just about every BSN program in the state, but there is very little information when it comes to which programs are the best!

I know that where your diploma is from isn't the only factor in getting hired, but I truly believe that some schools must have better reputations than others, yet there is absolutely NO information on it.

For example, I have heard from multiple different sources that Dominican University in Northern California has a reputation for not being the most rigorous program and the surrounding hospitals know it and some Dominican grads have a harder time finding a job right away...

I have gravitate towards the programs that seem like they are the most difficult to get into, like San Francisco State and CSU Long Beach, because I want to work hard and get into the absolute best program I can manage!

I'm just curious if anyone has some info on how much weight hospitals put into where you get your diploma (especially in CA)

Thank you!

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I have wondered this as well.. I'm in a similar situation as you. Attending a community college with a couple of 4-yr colleges nearby, one with a pristine rep. Of course I'd prefer to go there, but it's not practical for my situation.

When I've asked this question to nurses in the field, everyone has told me that as long as you pass NCLEX, you're an RN. Period.

Hope this helps!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I cannot speak for your particular situation, but I can assure you that there there are significant differences among nursing programs in my part of the country - in terms of recruiting preferences. Programs that have made more deliberate efforts to ensure that their grads are better prepared for the workplace are the ones that employers prefer.

I know of two BSN programs that include an 'extra' semester in which students focus on applying their skills/knowledge ... through work experience. And graduates from these programs are heavily recruited. One of these is a state university & the other is a private faith-based university. They are both highly competitive.

As an educator, I can assure you that I have found very little correlation between NCLEX success & actual clinical competency. Although it is (slowly) evolving, NCLEX remains largely a measure of recall - NOT clinical ability. It is a 'necessary but not sufficient' characteristic of competency.

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Specializes in Trauma.

I am still a nursing student so obviously I have never been in a position to hire nurses. I am currently in an ADN program, because that was the quickest way for me to get started. Upon graduation I will immediately apply to an RN-BSN program. I have several schools to choose from locally to get my BSN. I already know which school I will choose. This is because this school's nursing program has a great reputation nationally. I do not know if I will still be in this area in 5 years so I figure having a BSN from this school will give me an advantage when applying for positions in other states.

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Well, it might matter a great deal, but the trick is that you never know when it's suddenly going to matter. People in nursing in a particular area are usually pretty familiar with the reputations, good or bad, of nursing programs in that area, and some programs have a particularly good or bad reputation nationally. It is well worth the effort to go to the best-regarded program you can a) afford and b) get into.

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Specializes in Pediatics.

Honestly, you should apply everywhere and worry about reputation after you know you've been accepted. The only sure advantage is a BSN program over an ADN.

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From what I've learned, it depends a great deal on your location and where you want to work. There are many certifications that hospitals want (because the insurance companies want them to have them) that require a certain percentage of RN's to be BSN's and a certain percentage of Master's graduates too. Currently in Arizona, graduates with BSN's receive at least one job offer almost immediately; many of the community college grads take a few months to place. Average starting salaries are also different. However, a friend of mine in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area says Associate graduates are placed immediately.

I think all state schools should be required to publish their graduates placement results.

Just my opinion!

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