What are the best nursing schools in the state of GA

HarryTheCat, MSN, RN · Jul 14, 2014

One indicator of the quality of education is a school's NCLEX pass rate. It doesn't tell the whole story, but it's a good place to start. If graduates aren't passing the NCLEX, they aren't getting licenses. Looking at the rates for all of the Georgia schools it seems like their pass rates are somewhat lower than other states I've looked at (I haven't done a thorough study of it -- it's just my impression). If you look at other states' pass rates you'll see quite a few schools with a history of 95% or better. A pass percentage drop from previous years might indicate that a school has expanded their program and is now admitting more marginal students than in the past. The Georgia BON report doesn't show the number of graduates, so it's hard to say what's going on with those schools. If you haven't already done so, you can check this link for NCLEX pass rates for the schools you are considering, or possibly to add some to your list of prospects.

http://sos.ga.gov/PLB/acrobat/Forms/38%20Reference%20-%20Nursing%20Education%20Program%20Results%20(NCLEX).pdf

Another indicator is the school's attrition rate. Are they losing a lot of students who don't complete the program? If they are, it could indicate that they're either failing a lot of students to inflate their pass rates, or students are dropping out and going elsewhere for what they perceive as a better education.

One other statistic that you might check is the school's experience with students finding jobs after graduation. They now have to, by law, disclose that, although with the current job situation those numbers may have dipped in the last few years as new nurses struggle to find jobs. You may have to dig through a school's web site to find these statistics -- they often bury them several layers deep.

I'm sure that there will be a number of people who graduated from these schools will weigh in on this. Just remember that for each program you'll find people who loved it and people who hated it, but the only experience that will really matter is your own, and your mileage may vary.

Good luck!

Harry

alwaystheoptimist · Jul 15, 2014

I am a recent graduate of Kennesaw State's accelerated nursing program. Personally, I loved this school and the time that I was able to spend there. Every program will have it's "flaws", but I felt that I received a fantastic education from Kennesaw and I feel prepared to enter the nursing world as a new graduate nurse. I thought that the professors were fantastic. It seemed as though they really cared about their students and were always willing to meet during their office hours to answer any questions or clarify a subject. My clinical rotations were great. Our placement coordinator tried to place us at locations as close to our homes as possible. The campus is great: lots of areas for students to sit, read, socialize, study, whatever. Like I said, every program has it's "flaws" and there may very well be students that went to Kennesaw that had a totally different experience than I did. My personal experience was great. I may even continue my graduate studies there as well! I hope this can help to provide some insight. Good luck on your journey!

hmwaters · Jul 16, 2014

Thanks for your insight! I will definitely look into & consider all of that.

hmwaters · Jul 16, 2014

Thank you so much alwaystheoptimist. I am definitely considering KSU, as I am from Kennesaw originally. It is nice to hear more personalized opinions on the program!