For the past 20 years, registered nursing has become one of the most sought-after jobs worldwide and it does not show any signs of slowing down anytime soon. Nursing continues to be one of the most stable and high-paying jobs because of its increasing demand. People see a great job outlook and this is why more are interested in becoming registered nurses. As a result, enrollment in nursing schools has been sky-rocketing for the past years. There has been an overwhelming increase of nursing students and there are more universities and colleges who are now offering nursing degrees.
The key to success in nursing is good education and training. Because nursing is a challenging career, acceptance in nursing schools has become more competitive over the years and admission has become extremely tough especially into the top nursing schools. Schools considered to be one of the best nursing schools are mostly four-year universities which offer a Bachelor’s degree. However, many students also get quality nursing education from community or junior colleges which offer two-year Associate degree in Nursing.
One of the top 5 best nursing schools in the United States is the University Of Washington. This university confers a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, making the student eligible to sit for licensure. One of their requirements to be considered for admission is the completion of the following science pre-requisites with a 3.0 GPA: general chemistry and organic chemistry, microbiology with laboratory, and nutrition. Aside from these science pre-requisites, applicants are also required to complete a minimum of 90 general education credits with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. The university also requires nursing applicants to obtain 100 hours of healthcare related work through paid or volunteer work. A letter of recommendation, personal statement and resume detailing healthcare experience must also be submitted.
Another top nursing school in the nation is the University of California in San Francisco. UCSF offers a four-year Bachelor’s degree program in Nursing to transfer students, RNs with a 2-year nursing degree and LVNs. Freshmen nursing students are admitted as regular university students and are given conditional admittance to the program. Students who wish to transfer to the university must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA in all their courses including nursing science courses. Transfer students who have received a failing grade on a science course from their previous school must repeat the course with a final grade of B or better.
John Hopkins University also offers a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing for first degree students and RN-BSN students. First time degree applicants are required to complete 60 units of coursework in natural science, humanities, social sciences, math and other electives with a grade of B or better from an accredited institution. Paid or volunteer work in the healthcare field is also an advantage. Official transcripts and/or SAT scores must also be submitted together with a current resume and 3 letters of recommendations, two of which are academic recommendations and the other may be academic or work-related.