Sometimes, having a limited pool of options can be just as difficult as having a wide array of options. Knowing that you want to attend a college in South Florida and knowing that you want to study Nursing may not always be enough to make a decision. Now, you have to narrow down your choice of schools by looking at the smaller details.
In most cases, students who are looking for the right college need to go through an extensive interview process. What some of these students don’t know is that they have the right to conduct their own interview process with prospective colleges and universities.
Preparing Your Own College Interview
Just as colleges and universities determine who they accept into their academic programs, you also reserve the right to do the same thing—unofficially of course! This can be done by composing a list of prospective colleges and universities, and noting the following considerations:
- Location
You would think that this is already narrowed down since you’re zeroing in on South Florida colleges. Once you review your choices, you’ll soon find out that you need to scrutinize over more details and take smaller things into consideration like your commute time to school and other obligations you might have during your academic career in the South Florida area.
- Class Size
This might be a big deal to some students, and not so much of an issue for others. At any rate, it’s something that needs to be considered. Larger universities will have larger classrooms, and mid to smaller-sized universities will naturally have smaller class sizes. Smaller sized classrooms provide students with a more intimate classroom learning experience than larger universities. With smaller classes, students are able to get the most out of each course, having the ability to ask more questions and possibly even more one-on-one sessions with their professors if they so choose.
- Does the Program Offer Clinical Rotations?
A good nursing program will offer clinical rotations. Clinical rotations are similar to internships where students will have the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real life situations under the supervision of a professional.
- Find Out If the School or University is Accredited
This is important, especially if you are planning to use your nursing degree to apply to medical school. You’ll want to make sure that the school you’re attending is an accredited university because those are the institutions whose credits medical schools are more willingly able to accept.
An accredited educational institution undergoes a thorough process of composing the best curriculum that will give students a quality education; it is a process that is judged by academic peers and colleges from other accredited institutions. While you’ll most likely be able to get a degree from a school that is not accredited, you risk the chance of not being able to transfer all of your credits should you change colleges or apply to medical school.
An accredited school is like having a seal of approval in the academic world. Even if you choose not to apply to medical school, earning a degree from an accredited university will give prospective employers a better understanding of how qualified you are for the nursing position you’re applying for.
Read about a Florida National University (FNU) master’s degree graduate who is slated to begin her career as a medical student at Penn State University here.
- Is it Affordable?
College isn’t cheap, but then again, most wise investments aren’t. The bottom line is that getting a college degree will cost money because the possible outcome of such an endeavor might land you with a secure and rewarding career.
FNU, located in South Florida, has affordable tuition rates at $525 per credit hour for undergraduate courses and $650 per credit hour for masters programs—some that can even be completed in one year. FNU’s academic programs each require a completion of credit hours that range from 36 – 120, depending on the program.
To view a full list of FNU academic programs, visit their online catalog here.
- Find Out the NCLEX® Passing Rates
Another important aspect to look for when searching for the right nursing program is determining what each prospective school’s national Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) examination rate is. The NCLEX is a test that determines whether a nursing school graduate is actually qualified to practice nursing. This is a big deal for nursing schools because if the NCLEX rate is low, it reflects on their academic program and institution as a whole.
- Are There Any Online Courses Offered?
Some nursing programs will offer a few of their courses online. If you’re lucky, you might be able to find a college that gives students the opportunity to earn their nursing degree 100% online, with the exception of clinical rotations. This might certainly be a plus when weighing the pros and cons of which nursing program is the best fit for you.
FNU: Your Nursing Program in South Florida
FNU is accredited, affordable, applicable, accelerated and accessible. We offer an Associate of Science, Bachelor of Science, a Master’s in Nursing as well as a RN to MSN program. To learn more about these programs, contact our guidance counselors who are always available to answer any questions you might have today.
