College Resource Center

So you think you want to be a nurse. Now it’s time to find the best place to become a nurse. Choosing a nursing school that’s right for you will go beyond the rankings. The choice for the best nursing program is as individual as your needs and aspirations.

Nursing school rankings can be found for graduate nursing programs such as US News and World Report. The NIH (National Institute for Health) also creates a ranking system based on the amount of money a school is given for research purposes.

Here’s a list of some of the best graduate nursing schools in the country according to US News and World Report:
Click on the school name for more information and reviews of the school

• University of Washington
• University of California – San Francisco
• University of Pennsylvania
• Johns Hopkins University
• University of Michigan – Ann Arbor
• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
• Oregon Health and Science University
• University of Illinois – Chicago
• University of Maryland – Baltimore
• University of Pittsburgh
• Yale University
• University of California – Los Angeles
• University of Iowa
• University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
• Case Western Reserve University
• Duke University
• Indiana University – Purdue University
• University of Colorado Denver
• Columbia University
• Rush University

Read college reviews by college students for any college in the US.

For an undergraduate student considering a nursing school, here are some questions to answer when deciding on a school. Make sure to check their accreditation, student/alumni reviews and affiliation with hospitals or research facilities for practical hands-on experience. See what nursing programs they offer especially if you’re considering specializing in a particular field of nursing. Evaluate the school’s affiliations with neighboring hospitals, how close is the hospital located? Do they offer internship opportunities and hands-on training programs? Is clinical rotation part of their program? What percentage of their graduates pass the nursing board? Where do their graduates work?

Before making a short list of schools to send applications, make sure to visit the school, join a campus tour and try to attend a class. Before your campus visit, arrange to meet with an admissions counselor or advisor and be prepared with a list of questions you want to ask. Consider the school as a whole and examine the nursing programs offered. You will find that once you’ve done the research and legwork on each school, your decision will naturally follow.

As always if you want more information on any college or university you can see all the data and college reviews on StuVu.com.

To see how US News calculates the rankings – click here