RN-BSN, Does it really matter which school one obtains a degree?

[heydelilah]

Hi all,

As long as a program has CCNE or NLN accrediation, do employers really care about where the degree is from as long as I'm actively engaged in practice and licensed?

On a second note, what about MSN programs (I'm thinking public universities, not Ivy's).

Thank you as usual allnurses :)

[hodgieRN]

I would think it doesn't matter as long as it's accredited.

[UVA Grad Nursing]

Are you thinking of pursuing a MSN afterward? If so, you will need an academic letter of recommendation from one of your BSN professors.

I coordinate admissions for a Top 20 graduate program, and for us the academic LOR really matters. Students who have attended some of the larger, online RN-BSN programs never have the opportunity to get to know their faculty. As a result, I have seen many vague, non-committal, brief Letters of Rec from instructors at these online, for-profit schools that do not add anything to a candidate's admissions portfolio. A student who went to a lesser-known school where there was a closer student/faculty interaction often is able to submit an academic LOR that is much more helpful to an admissions committee.

Admissions at our school is competitive. Last year we had 3-4x as many applications for our FNP and PNP programs than there were spaces. A vague, 1-paragraph LOR can put an applicant at a comparable disadvantage when evaluated against the rest of the pool.

[heydelilah]

Thanks for the feedback. UVA grad, I was planning on attending a local BSN program (cost and convenience) that has hybrid classes for exactly the reasons you describe. Not sure if I'll ever pursue a grad level degree in nursing, but the information is good to know.