Everything you need to know before selecting an online nursing school
Nursing is a booming career field with tremendous career opportunities. Throughout the years, the field of nursing has brought millions and millions of people above the average paying jobs. The nursing career opportunities arise like the golden sun every day and await all degree holders of nursing. With the high demand for nursing jobs, schools that offer nursing programs are growing rapidly. And to ease the students to earn the nursing degree, more and more online nursing degree programs are available to enable the students to earn their nursing degree from anywhere and at their own pace.
Too many choices for online nursing degree programs may sometimes make it hard to decide which one to choose. Here are a few factors to consider when selecting an online nursing school:
1. The Online Nursing School Is Accredited
When an online school is accredited, it means that it has passed or surpassed a set of nationally recognized standards for its teaching process. The accreditation of online nursing school is optional but it is important to secure a brighter future in your nursing career path. Many employers are opting to hire nurses from an accredited online nursing school. Another important factor to consider pursuing your nursing degree from an accredited online nursing school is credit transferable when you want to continue your education in the future.
2. The Lecturer-to-Students Ratio
The teacher-to-student ratio is important when it comes to the personal attention spend by each lecturer to his/her online students. You can check with the admission department on the average online student to a lecturer. With the lower teacher-to-student ratio, the more personal attention you receive from your lecturer. Most of the online nursing degrees will require some hours of physical class, labs, clinical work. You will have a better opportunity to ask questions and learn more.
3. NCLEX-RN Pass Rate
Students who graduate from nursing school are required to undergo a board-certified examination called NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Examination-Registered Nurse) before receiving licensure as a registered nurse in the United States. You can check out the nursing school’s average NCLEX-RN pass rate. It will be a good indicator to show whether the online nursing programs offered by that nursing school are in line with the state requirement in order to become a certified nurse. Of course, you will want to compare pass rates for the last decade to get a more comprehensive picture.
4. Clinical Assignment
Most online nursing programs will require you to complete your clinical assignment in hospital; if you have transportation difficulties or you are working while earning your online nursing degree, you may not be flexible enough to travel long-distance; thus, in selecting your online nursing school, you might want to consider an online nursing school which can offer you to complete your clinical assignment at a hospital near your state or near to your home.
5. Whether they have financial aid/scholarships available.
Most medical programs are very costly. However, your education should not be compromised because of it. Many schools offer grants, loans, and scholarships as ways to provide financial aid to students. Depending on the institution, it may also be possible to pay tuition fees through installments. Scholarship percentages may vary based on your eligibility. Be sure to apply for all scholarship opportunities you qualify for.
6. Find out more about the school’s administration team as well as Alumni.
Administration can also affect your quality of education as they are the governing body of an institution. Those who are in administrative roles, such as deans or program coordinators, can make a significant impact on students and faculty. Look out for schools with good admin teams.
On the other hand, having a good alumni network can boost your career by helping you find professional opportunities once you graduate. Because they are from the same online school, they may have a better understanding of your situation and be more accepting.
In summary,
The best way to make that final decision about an online nursing school is to know what you want. But you should also realize that you should be looking at the details of the online nursing program of your selected nursing school as hard as the school will be looking at your application for enrollment. Thorough research of your chosen program and the online school you select to study it in is essential. The method of teaching a particular program will differ between schools. This is why it is important to choose a school that is appropriate to your needs.
