Left....or right?

[Toomuchcoffee]

No this is not about what handed are you, this is about me coming to a junction in the road now with me almost completing my prereqs at a community college I attend, and needing to decide between going to a state college or UC.

A little about me; I'm a 22 year old male living in California and am debating between attending a UC or state college in order to get my BSN. The biggest difference between them for me at the moment is the amount of prereqs each requires. It appears to be UC's want more prereqs completed, as well as more advance courses than state colleges do. This would require me to go to my CC for an additional year, as opposed to if I went to a state college.

What do I want for a career goal? I don't know honestly, I picked nursing because I enjoy science a lot, it fascinates me. Nursing seemed like a realistic goal that could be achieved relatively quickly. I enjoy human interactions, but not necessarily in love with the idea of taking care of someone who's in the worst state ever, don't get me wrong, I can do it but I don't think I'll love it. Nursing also seemed like there were MANY MANY different paths I could take once acquired a BSN and gathered some experience.

I defiantly want to try travel nursing once out of college, assuming it's everything its cracked up to be. I eventually would like to see myself in a management position or a teaching position (at a college). I am not afraid to continue my education where necessary in order to achieve my goals.

That's just me in a nutshell, so now I come to ask you with all I have said in mind, does the college make THAT much of a difference in terms of jobs/pay/future advancement? I am aware some careers it can make a difference at the get go, however it tapers off as time goes on.

Should I really just be looking at NCLEX passing rates? The sad part about that is CSUs are mostly 93%+ passing rates, while no UC broke 90% for 2010/2011.

My head is spinning 360 degrees right now; I'm at a point where I feel very lost (our counselors are worthless). Any guidance is appreciated.

[virgo,student nurse, CNA]

I say get the BSN,and try different things. Travel may be wonderful. Hospital nursing sucks,JMO! Whatever you choose must be right for you.

Best of luck.

[Cortisol]

Once you have your BSN, most people won't care if you did it at a school in the UC system, the state system, or a private university. As long as the programs are accredited, you shouldn't have any issues.

I would go to whatever program suits you best. If you can, talk to students/grads from those programs and ask about their experiences. Don't be afraid to ask about clinical sites, externships, and job placement upon graduation. Just for fun, you may want to research a few graduate nursing programs and see what their entrance requirements are. Don't be afraid to call those MSN programs and ask their opinion.

In some cases, where you went to school can influence your chances of getting a job or getting into graduate school. Perhaps if you want to get your MSN at a HIGHLY competetive university, this may be true in nursing, but I know plenty of nurses who have started as ADNs and have wound up eventually getting an MSN later in their career. It seems as though most MSN programs look at your GPA from nursing school, GRE scores, and experience. :)