What are the advantages of going to a private university nursing school?

[Unesdala]

Hi all! I'm looking into nursing schools and I was hoping to get some opinions. I am pursuing a second-degree BSN, and looking at traditional rather than accelerated programs. Accelerated programs are great, but I know that I'm the type that will need a slower pace.

Although I want to practice clinically, I'm interested in first getting my RN, getting some bedside experience, then moving on to an MSN/NP, and possibly considering getting a PhD in the future.

I'm wondering what the advantages of going to a private university such as Johns Hopkins or University of Pennsylvania are vs. going to a local, small state college that doesn't have a ranking or any kind of big name. Will you get better research opportunities at these schools? All things being equal, will the name give you a slight advantage when looking for jobs? To those of you that have attended these schools, are you happy with your education and do you think it was worth the extra expense?

Yes, I know these are expensive schools, but I'm looking for opinions beyond "it's not worth the money." If that was always the case, then no one would go. I'm hoping to hear more about why these universities are worth the cost.

Thanks so much!

[Junebugfairy]

when working as an rn, all employers care about is your nc-lex. i have a guaranteed job with a local hospital after graduation, and ave spoken with a variety of hiring managers, etc. from what i have been told, they do not care where you went to school, that is not a question or an issue, they only care if you have passed your state boards.

[UVA Grad Nursing]

You can become a RN in many formats. However, where do you want to practice? If you really want to live you life in a certain area (your present state, another particular city/state), then a public program in that area should be something you consider.

However, if you want to work at one of the premier health institutions (Mayo, Sloan-Kettering, Cedar Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, etc), then going to a school with a national 'name' will surely open doors. But this 'name' will generally come with hefty student loans (tuition at the East Coast privates will generally be above $55,000 per year for tuition alone!). Another consideration might be to study at one of the public schools with national reputations (UNC, Michigan, Illinois-Chicago, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, UC-San Francisco). Even out-of-state tuition at these public universities will be half the price of Hopkins/Penn/Georgetown/NYU). For example, the out-of-state tuition at my institution is 22K a year (instate is 12K).

[One1, BSN, RN]

Another consideration would be if you want to work locally after graduating. If you do, then the name of the school will mean something to employers and you might have a slight advantage if you graduated from a well-respected school (regardless if it is private or public). If you will move out of State then many employers will most likely only look at your license. Once you apply for your Master's program, school recognition might be important again if the schools are being recognized (e.g. if you stay local). Personally, I had the option between private and public and decided after a lot of consideration to go with the private school because I have heard nothing but outstanding feedback from students, healthcare providers, and employers. Although both schools are great schools I do not regret my decision. I will find out next year if it will help me get a job

Hope that helped.

[Unesdala]

Thank you for your replies. They're so helpful! I think I'm leaning more towards the private schools, especially because I would love to ultimately work in a place like the Mayo Clinic. Best of luck to you, One1 and UVA!

[cmw6v8]

Sounds like I'm headed down a similar career path as you--but for my BSN I'm going to a local private liberal arts college, no national name recognition. When it comes time for my Masters (looking at an MPH and/or NP), I will go where the research dollars are. It's not so much name recognition as where they are funding the programs that fit your research or 'specialty' interests. Also, smaller unknown schools might give you more of an opportunity to stand out against the rest of your class, which could be beneficial when asking for references and recommendation letters.

[Sendana]

No waiting list and a small class size. For me it was an issue of practicality: wait two years to go to school, or pay more and go to school immediately. I chose the latter.