Top nursing schools in the US (thought this was interesting)

allnurses Guide · Aug 9, 2011

I find it interesting that there are no ADN schools on that list and that the criteria for making the list is not readily discernable.

The NLN would be a better tool for researching reputable schools.

elkpark · Aug 9, 2011

These kind of rankings are pretty meaningless and useless unless you know the criteria and methodology used to generate the list (the US News rankings are particularly controversial and suspect).

33762FL · Aug 9, 2011

I am pretty sure that the criteria that US News and World Report uses to choose and rank "top schools" is the SAT scores of the students who enter, and the percent of applicants who are accepted t the program. So all this list means is that nursing students at these 10 schools had higher SAT scores than students at other schools, and these schools were harder to get into (because there were more applicants). It doesn't mean anything about the actual school or quality of instructors.

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

I went to Calif State University Los Angeles (Ranked #3). I can't say that their program was any better than other schools; however, the tuition was affordable before the Calif started double digit tuition raises every year.

panthernation · Aug 9, 2011

University of Pittsburgh!!! I am going to be a junior come fall in the BSN program. I could never see myself anywhere else, the opportunities this school offers is amazing. HUGE on research though, they shove it down our throats lol

ooomonkeys · Aug 9, 2011

I went to Calif State University Los Angeles (Ranked #3). I can't say that their program was any better than other schools; however, the tuition was affordable before the Calif started double digit tuition raises every year.

Cal State Univ Los Angeles or UCLA?

This list doesn't really seem to mean anything since UCLA's BSN program is new and hasn't graduated any nurses yet. According to the BRN.

School2005/20062006/20072007/20082008/20092009/2010

UC Los Angeles - BSNN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A

UC Los Angeles - MSNN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A5190.2%5492.59%

Their MSN program percent rate isn't even spectacular either...

LadyinScrubs, ASN, RN · Aug 9, 2011

cal state univ los angeles or ucla?
this list doesn't really seem to mean anything since ucla's bsn program is new and hasn't graduated any nurses yet. according to the brn.
school 2005/2006 2006/2007 2007/2008 2008/2009 2009/2010
uc los angeles - bsn n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
uc los angeles - msn n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 51 90.2% 54 92.59%
their msn program percent rate isn't even spectacular either...

two different schools

csula (california state university los angeles)

ucla (university of california at los angeles)

Student4_life · Aug 9, 2011

Alright, my school is in the top ten!!! But like people before me said, the rankings are based on whatever they want to be based on, however I do notice a trend that schools with large intradiciplinary professional school are in the high ranking lists. I'd go to my school even if it wasn't ranked in the top ten on livestrong.com, it's cheap, it's close and it accepted me. I would have gone to a different school in the top ten(JHU) but could not justify the extra tens of thousands of dollars of expense for an undergrad.

Rankings are nice to know, and I'll be sure to point out to hiring managers how great my program is, but when it comes down to it the most important thing about nursing students is the value of the school. It's all personal. If lil Susie wants to go to a for-profit for a 120,000 dollar BSN and thinks it's a good idea than that's her #1 and no report is going to convince her to go up to Washington for school. Meanwhile if lil Johnny is taking classes at a community college within a stones throw of JHU, and his program has near equal grad and NCLEX pass rates, similar clinical exp and at 1/10th the cost do you think he cares that JHU is ranked 4th and his school is unranked?

Sorry for the rant. I am kind of a Hipocrate as I do think there is value in a name, just not when the values are derived from top ten lists that are designed to maximize Internet traffic.

elkpark · Aug 10, 2011

I am pretty sure that the criteria that US News and World Report uses to choose and rank "top schools" is the SAT scores of the students who enter, and the percent of applicants who are accepted t the program.

Actually, I've never heard of the SAT scores of accepted students being one of the criteria USN&WR uses. Although it might be one of the criteria, it's certainly not the only or even main criterion. They use a whole bunch of rather arbitrary measures, like how much grant money the faculty bring in to the school each year, that have little or nothing to do with what a student shopping for a school would be interested in.

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Aug 10, 2011

Well, not to try to get the final word but the US News rankings only address graduate education in nursing. The rankings for nursing appear in their annual "Best Graduate Schools" article. It's not clear whether the publication ranks Master's or Doctoral programs or both but one could assume that they are ranking Master's programs because they break it down to multiple areas of specialization: numerous NP tracks, some CNS specialties, CRNA, CNM, and nursing administration (all of which are offered at the Master's level currently).

The annual rankings are the result of a simple popularity contest. Per their website, the methodology involves sending out peer assessment surveys to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. Respondents rated the academic quality of programs on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2), or marginal (1). They were instructed to select "don't know" if they did not have enough knowledge to rate a program. No SAT scores, NCLEX pass rates, NP/CNS certification pass rates, employment success rates, number of faculty experts in their field, NINR grants, etc were used or factored in the determination of rankings.

As such, it's no wonder the same schools are ranked in essentially the same position year after year.

ooomonkeys · Aug 10, 2011

two different schools

csula (california state university los angeles)

ucla (university of california at los angeles)

right... and which one did you go to? csula isn't ranked #3... ucla is...