If you could go anywhere in the country for nursing school...

[DidDidDid]

Hello all,

Like so many others on this site, I'm trying to decide where to go to nursing school. I've considered local options, but my wife and I have been discussing moving away from our hometown, and we think this seems like a good juncture to do so. So I've decided to open my horizons to pretty much anywhere in the country. So where would you go if you could choose anywhere? Here's my scenario:

I'm 25, male, living in Missouri, I hold a bachelors in accounting, am married to a CPA, and am taking pre-reqs for nursing school, planning on beginning a nursing program Jan 2012. In my hometown, Springield, MO, there is a community college and a state university, as well as two hospital programs. I had been planning on applying to one of the hospital programs, an accelerated BSN for about $28,000. A couple of advantages are that most graduates are offered jobs at the hospital, and the hospital offers some student-loan forgiveness. I know the NCLEX passage rate is high, and graduates are offered jobs at excellent hospitals in the region. In all, this program seems like a no-brainer for my situation.

However, part of the reason for me becoming a nurse is so that my wife and I are less attached to our home town and can move to another city if we choose. So lately we've entertained the idea of moving to go to nursing school rather than waiting till after. So while choosing a school is the main concern, choosing a city where we'd like to live is just as important.

My wife and I have lived in our fair city our whole lives and fear we may never leave it. We'd like to move somewhere where we can "get a bit of culture" and get away from the midwest, perhaps the northeast, maybe NYC, perhaps the northwest. My wife should be able to find a good job while I'm in school, and I am open to a quick accelerated BSN program or an ASN program. I really don't want to spend 3 years in a university BSN program. I also want to avoid out of state tuition, either through scholarship or maybe a private hospital program where there is not out of state tuition.

Really, I have a blank canvas, but characteristics such as a great program, a good value, a cool city, beautiful country, program incentives, perhaps programs that are particularly male-friendly, these are things that could give me direction. My wife and I would like to be adventuresome and this seems like a good time to try something new. If we can't find a good fit, we'll likely stay in our hometown where I will go to nursing school. Baby-making years will soon be upon us, we'll become more attached to our hometown, and we likely won't ever leave.

Any suggestions? Thanks!