The College Name on a BSN

[Jiminy]

I am currently 5 months away from completing my 2 year ADN nursing degree.(Community College RN) I have applied to a big four year college to finish my final year in order to complete my BSN. The yearly tuition will be about $13,000. There is also the option of going to a private college that is very well known in the medical field but the tuition will be about $16,000. I am currently thinking about scrapping the major school idea and going the online route with a cheaper option. (WGU) However, I want the option to one day apply to a CRNA program possibly. So my debate is:

1. Will I be getting a better education with the big names school?

2. Will the college name on my BSN affect my chances at getting into an ICU?

3. Will the college name on my BSN affect my chances at getting into a CRNA program after a couple of years in the ICU?

I have done a bit of research on what it takes to get into a CRNA program, but I have not read much the "Where did you graduate" topic. I know this is more than one topic to discuss but any input would be helpful.

[RunBabyRN]

Your alma mater isn't of much importance in nursing, unless you went to a school with a really poor reputation. It won't give you an advantage for schools or jobs.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I believe depending on your area, it WILL matter; accreditation is important relating to getting into a graduate program; most graduate programs will take applicants from accredited programs first, before looking at other graduates, so keep in mind what prospective school you want to get into.

I would contact the particular graduate programs that you are interested in getting into as to what they are looking for in order to get a more definitive answer.

As far as employment, again, it depends on the area; I live in the area where there are hospitals that are wildly popular to get into, that choose applicants on a tier system, first picking from local colleges that have relationships with them, which would include their Ivy League nursing program, another university that has a collaborative agreement with them; then local schools that had a clinical relationship with them, along with out of state prestigious schools; then other BSN programs and ADNs that are in school or are almost completed their program.

Again, it's going to depend on your area; you may need to choose what will be best to kick start your nursing career.

Best wishes.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Although I am currently enrolled in WGU's online RN-to-BSN program and have nothing but good things to say about it, you may wish to consider another school if your goal is to become a CRNA.

Due to WGU's competency unit structure, the highest GPA you will ever earn through them is a 3.0. However, most nurse anesthetist programs require a more competitive GPA if you hope to be admitted.

There are other affordable online RN-to-BSN programs out there. UT Arlington's program is approximately $9,000. UL Lafayette's program is about $10,000 total. Fort Hays State University's program is about $8,000.

And since all of these schools are state universities with good reputations, no hiring manager will ever have to know you that completed your BSN degree online unless you willingly volunteer this information.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I doubt the big name school is a big advantage. Employers are looking for licensure and experience primarily.

Read a study years ago where a group of people were folowed over several years in an effort to measure career success. Some had degrees from Ivy League schools, some from state schools and some no degree. The ones who fared the best were the ones graduating from a state school. Wonder if that still holds?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

Employers may be one thing. Going on in academia, as for an advanced degree, is another. Like it or not, grads with a degree from a reputable college or university with a long track record of excellence on their transcripts do have an advantage. Maybe not an absolute advantage, but in case of a tie ...