Understanding how to choose a nursing school will help you find the right program to launch your career. You’ll need to consider your career goals, the admission and prerequisite requirements, program length and start dates, and quality of clinical placements.
Learning how to choose a nursing school is the first step in your nursing education journey, but the deciding factors will vary from student to student. While only you can decide what’s most important, you should still consider factors such as the admissions requirements, program length, and student support services.
You should start thinking about how to choose a nursing program as soon as you decide to transition your career to nursing. Does it matter what nursing school you go to? Absolutely, and it’s best to thoroughly research your options before deciding.
At Concordia University Texas, we’ve designed our admissions process to be as accessible as possible. If you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or college credits, you may be eligible for the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) track. To help ease the admissions process, you’ll be assigned a dedicated admissions counselor who will assist you every step of the way.
Before starting a nursing program’s application process, explore why it’s important to find the school that fits your needs and review the admissions requirements and student support services before deciding.
Why Choosing the Right Nursing School Matters
Choosing a nursing school that’s right for you matters on a practical level. If the nursing program isn’t aligned with your admission qualifications or education needs, you’re less likely to be successful and meet your career goals. It also matters on a personal level, as students tend to do best in environments where they are supported.
When considering what to look for in a nursing program, you should first consider the type of program that best fits your educational background. For example, if you have a high school diploma and no undergraduate experience, then a traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program may be right for you. These programs are typically completed within four years. You may also consider enrolling in an associate degree program, which can be completed in two years.
Alternatively, if you have a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible for an accelerated nursing program, such as Concordia Texas’s ABSN track. Accelerated programs offer the same quality of education as traditional programs in a shorter timeframe. At Concordia Texas, the ABSN track can be completed in as few as 16 months.
Understand Your Nursing Career Goals
Consider your nursing career goals when choosing a nursing program. Some nursing students, for example, decide that graduating quickly is most important to them, and so they choose an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) program.
Others decide that comprehensive nursing education and potential opportunities for career advancement are more important, so they choose to earn a BSN. With a BSN, you will have the necessary foundation for pursuing graduate-level nursing education later. Additionally, 94.8% of healthcare employers surveyed by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) stated that they prefer or require a bachelor’s degree for new nurse hires.
Lastly, keep in mind that although earning an ADN typically only takes two years, it’s still possible to earn a BSN faster. If you qualify for the ABSN track at Concordia Texas, you could graduate in as few as 16 months after completing prerequisites.
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Check the Admissions Requirements and Prerequisites
While researching your nursing school options, be sure to review the admissions requirements. Each program establishes its own requirements. To apply to the ABSN track at Concordia University Texas, for example, you’ll need a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on your conferred degree or pre-nursing degree requirements and the natural science prerequisites.
You will also need to score at least 67% on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) and submit an essay.
Additionally, students applying to any ABSN track must fulfill prerequisite requirements. The prerequisites you must take depend on your previous education, as you may have already fulfilled some of them.
Your admissions counselor will work with you to build a plan for when and where to take prerequisite courses. If you wish, you can complete them online with Concordia Texas.
Some examples of the prerequisites include:
- Microbiology with Lab
- Nutrition
- Intro to Statistics
- Lifespan Development
Look for Strong Student Support Services
Nursing school can be intensive. You must complete coursework, labs, and clinicals, which can create a workload similar to a full-time job. Because this can be challenging at times, taking advantage of student support services can help make a significant difference.
At Concordia University Texas, our instructors strive to support our students in every possible way to prepare them for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and future nursing career. To receive this steadfast support, you must keep an open and honest relationship with your professors. Each week, you will have the opportunity to connect with them through video chat. This allows you to ask for help with a concept or hands-on technique or to answer any questions.
What to Look for in a Nursing Program’s Clinical Experience
When learning how to choose a nursing school, do not forget to consider the clinical experiences. Clinical rotations are an important part of your nursing education. You’ll be placed into clinical settings, where you’ll provide direct patient care under the supervision of your preceptor.
Many nursing schools schedule clinical rotations in the second or third semester, but the ABSN track at Concordia University Texas enables you to work with patients in the first semester.
Exposure to a hospital setting early on may help you gain confidence and comfort with various clinical situations throughout your nursing school journey. You can also network with seasoned nurses, doctors, and staff. To help decide whether a program’s clinical experiences are right for you, consider the variety of nursing specialties offered and clinical partnerships.
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Consider Program Length and Start Dates
The program length is another factor to consider. If you’d like to execute your career change quickly and re-enter the workforce soon, then you may prefer an accelerated program.
Although it may not be the most important issue for getting into nursing school, you’ll also want to consider the available start dates. Accessibility is important, particularly if you’re eager to start your nursing journey right away. Concordia University Texas’s ABSN track offers three annual start dates in January, May, and August.
Nursing School Accreditations
A program that is accredited and approved by your state’s board of nursing indicates that the quality of education meets the standards established by national, regional, and state accrediting bodies and is expected by healthcare providers. The completion of an accredited program also qualifies you for the licensure exam.
To help launch your nursing career, look for accredited nursing schools. Concordia Texas and the ABSN track are accredited and approved by the Texas Board of Nursing.
Does It Matter What Nursing School You Go To?
In short, yes, it matters which nursing school you go to. When you know what to look for in a nursing program, you can evaluate your choices more effectively and make a decision aligned with your goals and needs. You’ll likely want to choose an accredited nursing school that offers robust student support, flexible start dates, and comprehensive clinical experiences.
How an Accelerated Nursing Track Can Help You Reach Your Goals
The accelerated nursing track at Concordia University Texas can help you reach your career goals by leveraging your prior education to fulfill the general education requirements. This enables you to graduate in as few as 16 months after completing prerequisites, which means you can take the NCLEX-RN and enter the nursing workforce sooner.
Apply Today at Concordia University Texas
When you begin the admissions process at Concordia Texas, you can look forward to extensive support from our admissions team, offering personalized guidance. You could complete your nursing degree in as few as 16 months if you have prior non-nursing education and meet the other eligibility requirements.
Request info today to find out how you can get started. With the rolling admissions process at Concordia Texas, you won’t have to wait long for an admissions decision.