Ivy League Schools worth it?

[medic1969]

I'm wondering how much difference it makes to graduate from an "Ivy League" nursing school like Duke. What impact is there in graduating from a place like Duke or Emory vs. a state school or even community college.

I'm finishing up my ADN and looking at Rn-BSN programs. I have the grades and academic horsepower to get into top tier schools, but I can't see spending major $$$$ for a degree that I can get much cheaper at a local state school.

Also what are the top-ranked online Rb-BSN programs?

[elkpark]

Well, first, "Ivy League" refers to a specific group of schools, and neither Duke nor Emory is in that group.

What school to attend is a v. personal choice, and people have different values that come into play when making that decision. However, there are significant differences in the educational and clinical opportunities you get at different schools (although a surprising number of people here seem to either sincerely not recognize that (that all education is not the same) or are just determined to refuse to admit it). I attended an Ivy League school for graduate school and, while it was expensive, I got an excellent education with opportunities and exposure I would not have gotten in less expensive schools. My faculty were national and, in some cases, international leaders in their specialties. I was in contact daily, in class and clinical, with some of the top people in the country in my field. We were held to much higher standards than I would have been in many other schools (the program was insanely difficult and demanding, but, ultimately, worth it). I made professional connections during that time that have continued to benefit me over the decades since graduated. And, frankly, the name of the school gets people's attention and has given me at least an edge in job-hunting.

Working with colleagues over the years with my same credentials, it has been obvious that I got a much richer, deeper education in my specialty than they did -- even my colleagues have noticed and commented on it, and have asked me how come I understand so much more, and am so much better at what we do, than they are, when we have the same degree and certifications.

Anyway, the short answer is that you get a better education at the better schools. To be honest, though, given the limited scope of a BSN completion program, I'm not sure (even) I :) would spend the extra money for a BSN completion program at a top tier school. Finishing the BSN is really just sort of a formality. If you were talking about a pre-licensure BSN program, or grad school, I would urge you to definitely at least consider it, but I would be hesitant to spend any more than necessary on a BSN completion program. When it was me finishing a BSN, I went to the nearest state university to me, got a good education, and was able to pay for it out of pocket while working full time.

But, again, that is a v. personal choice. Only you can decide which of the considerations involved are most important to you. You certainly would not go wrong with either Duke or Emory; they are both known for having excellent programs. Best wishes for your journey!

[Atl-Murse]

Starting pay is the same . So I would say " worth" is personal. Financially ? nope

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

The Ivy League consists of the following schools:

Dartmouth

Princeton

Harvard

Brown

Columbia

Cornell

Yale

University of Pennsylvania

Duke, while not Ivy League, is a very fine school, as is Emory. For your BSN, I would not go to those schools if it requires you to go into a lot of debt. If you have the money or your parents are willing to pay to give you that experience, I'd say go for it!

[medic1969]

I should have put "Ivy League" in quotes. I know that Duke and Emory aren't technically "Ivy League" I was looking for a short-hand expression for Top Tier schools. I guess I should have used Top Tier or some other phrase.

[medic1969]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. It means so much to me.

Let me see if I can summarize your advice. Get BSN completion at nearest state university. Get Grad degree at top tier school for top notch education and contacts. Worth the extra money. Is that it?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

LOL - we're a picky bunch, right??? Actually "top tier" has a specific meaning in academic circles, as it denotes a university that meets very specific criteria.

I agree with PPs - for an undergrad degree, any program that achieves a consistently high NCLEX pass rate will do the trick. You may also want to check out the clinical rotation sites associated with a program, because your experience as a student generally gives you an advantage when it comes to new grad opportunities in that organization.

It's a very different situation when it comes to graduate education - that's when the University really DOES matter. For instance, if your goal is academia or research, MSNs & PhD's from U Penn are enormously better off than Podunk U when it comes to career opportunities.

[elkpark]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. It means so much to me.

Let me see if I can summarize your advice. Get BSN completion at nearest state university. Get Grad degree at top tier school for top notch education and contacts. Worth the extra money. Is that it?

Yup. Could be considered "worth the extra money" -- again, a v. personal decision. There's no single right or wrong choice.

[medic1969]

What would you consider the top tier schools to be for graduate nursing education? I'm looking at CRNA schools.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

You might want to post your question in the CRNA forum. They would be able to share how important having a degree from a prestigious school was in their own job searches and might offer suggestions based on your geographical location.

[AceOfHearts<3]

What would you consider the top tier schools to be for graduate nursing education? I'm looking at CRNA schools.

Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, VA) is one of the top schools for CRNA programs. I know someone who went there and that's all I pretty much know.

[amb218, BSN, RN]

In my experience, going to an Ivy League school has helped me tremendously! It was actually cheaper for me to go to this school than to a state school in my home state. It really just depends on the kind of hospital you want to work in and the specialty. New graduates from the school I attend get offered positions in ICUs at the top hospitals in the country. Employers actually seek us out because they know how prepared we are and that we'll work hard due to the intensity of the program. Another bonus is that we have a very high NCLEX pass rate and everyone feels very prepared to take the NCLEX after 4 years of school and therefore, most people don't need to take extra classes or anything to further prepare for it after graduation.