Top Colleges Archives

We will be looking at the top colleges in Ohio for nursing. You want to do well in this field then it will pay to go to a top university. When going to nursing school, there are probably a lot of factors you are looking into. Like any other program, you are probably looking at the price range, the location of each different university and credibility. You are probably also looking into the best programs and how hard they are to get into. It is important to know what you are getting yourself into when you apply to nurse programs at universities. It is also important to understand the reputation of the program you are applying for. You can easily judge how hard it is and how many connections each school has associated with the nursing program simply by doing some research and looking on their website. Talking to any current students to see what they are getting out of the university and the program is a smart move. You obviously want to go to a school that has more to offer than just the nursing program you are interested in because you will want to make sure they have job placement for that career. Top-ranked programs can get you into places to work and can help you network with top employers. You can also investigate career fairs and other networking events they have for current students. That is usually one of the tell-tale signs of how much networking they have to offer. These may seem like small things to be concerned about when looking at many different universities. These are the things that make a huge difference once you are currently a student and once you are looking for a full-time career. It is also good to know what kind of graduate program they offer in nursing if you want to go that route. We are going to dive into the best nursing schools around in Ohio and what their standards, programs, opportunities, and tuition are like. The Ohio State University Ohio State University is a four-year research public university located directly in Columbus, OH. It is known for its amazing nursing program which takes place at The Ohio State University Wexner Center. Nursing Program Ohio State You can apply for the nursing program after your first year. When do you find out about getting into nursing school? You will find out after your freshman year, that summer if you made it into the program and you can begin classes first semester of your sophomore year. There are certain classes that you must take your freshman year in order to be able to apply. You will apply to the school as pre-nursing but won’t be a nursing major until accepted. The average college GPA of accepted students is 3.7. Clinicals, which take place directly at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, start second semester sophomore year. Just like most nursing programs, this is a three-year nursing program which means that if you reapply and start the program as a junior instead of a senior, then you will have to stay for the fifth year of school (which is totally normal). The great thing about Ohio State having its own hospital is that you can walk directly to your clinicals and classes, especially since clinicals start so early in the morning. If you go to a school without a hospital, you will be required to drive to the nearest hospital. Also, since Ohio State is a research university, you have ample opportunities to get involved in whatever research may interest you as well. There are many nursing clubs on campus and well as pre-professional clubs that deal with professional tracks that nursing students can take as well. Cost Tuition (In-State): $13,000Room & Board: $14,000 Admission Standards: Currently, the average ACT score of incoming freshmen is 29 and the average GPA is a 3.76/4.0. Over 90% of incoming freshmen were in the top 10% of their class as well. Since admission is competitive, they are also looking for a decent amount of high school involvement as well. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 52%Nursing Program Acceptance Rate: 26% Case Western Reserve University Case Western Reserve University is a four-year private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio. It is well known for its nursing program that takes place at University Hospitals, Metro Health Medical Center, and Louis Stokes Cleveland Medical Center. Nursing Program at Case Western Reserve University These are all well-known hospitals located conveniently close to the university. Clinicals for Case Western’s nursing program start the first semester that you are recognized as a nursing student. This program, you apply directly into the nursing program when you apply to Case Western. The only time you would be applying after you are already a student is if you wanted to switch majors. This is a four-year nursing program, so it will take you a full four years no matter when you start. There are also many clubs and research opportunities on campus at Case Western. Cost Tuition: $50,450Room & Board: $16,000 Admission Standards: Currently, the average ACT is around a 31 for incoming freshman and the average GPA is 3.86. Over 70% of its students were in the top 10% of their high school class. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 35%Nursing Program Acceptance Rate: 71% University of Cincinnati The University of Cincinnati is a four-year public research university located in Cincinnati, OH. It is known for its nursing program which takes place at The University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Nursing Program at the University of Cincinnati It is super convenient to go to a school as a nursing major where the school has its own hospital. This will give you so many more volunteering and research opportunities. High school students can apply for direct admission into the nursing program. The only time you would be applying after you are already a student is if you wanted to switch majors. This is a four-year nursing program, so it will take you a full four years no matter when you start. There are also many opportunities for clubs and extracurricular as a nursing major. Cost Tuition (In-State): $11,000Room & Board: $11,000 Admission Standards: The average ACT of incoming freshmen is 26 and the average GPA is around 3.6.Since admission is competitive, they are also looking for a decent amount of high school involvement as well. Acceptance Overall Acceptance Rate: 76%Nursing Program Acceptance Rate: 60% Ohio University Ohio University is a four-year public research university located in Athens, OH. It is known for its nursing program which takes place at nearby hospitals and institutes for their clinical education aspect. Nursing Program at Ohio University This program is like the set-up of the application process of Ohio State. When you apply to the actual university, you apply as pre -BSN and then you can apply for the nursing program after your freshman year of college. Cost Tuition: $12,000Room & Board: $13,000 Admission Standards: The current incoming class had an average ACT score of a 24 and an average GPA of 3.4. Acceptance Overall Acceptance Rate: 74% Miami University Miami University is a four-year public research university located in Oxford, OH. This program’s clinicals are taken place at Atrium Medical Center, Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Fort Hamilton Hospital, McCullough – Hyde Memorial Hospital, Mercy Fairfield Hospital, Miami Valley Hospital, The Christ Hospital, and West Chester Hospital. Nursing Program at Miami University High school students can apply for direct admission into the nursing program. The only time you would be applying after you are already a student is if you wanted to switch majors. This is a four-year nursing program, so it will take you a full four years no matter when you start. Cost Tuition (In-State): $15,000Room & Board: $14,000 Admission Standards: The current incoming class had an average ACT score of a 23 or an SAT of 1060 and a cumulative GPA of 3.63. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 66% Mount Carmel College of Nursing Mount Carmel School of Nursing is a four-year nursing school located in Columbus, OH. The clinicals for this program take place at convenient alternate locations and they also have a health systems clinical skills and simulation center. Nursing Program at Mount Carmel College of Nursing BSN is offered at two locations with the main campus in downtown Columbus and the satellite site in Lancaster, Ohio the Fairfield Medical Center Traditional 4-year Undergraduate programs Graduate programs Post-Master’s certificates There are also many organizations and clubs to get involved in here as a nursing student. Cost Tuition: $13,000Room & Board: $7,000 Admission Standards: Their average ACT for incoming freshmen is 19-23 and their average GPA is 3.6. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 79% Ohio Northern University Ohio Northern University is a four-year private university located in Ada, OH which is in-between Columbus and Toledo. In this program, you will begin your clinicals your sophomore year directly after your admittance into the nursing program at several accredited hospitals nearby. Nursing Program at Ohio Northern University This location puts you close to two big cities which brings many opportunities for volunteering and networking. Provides direct admission for the freshman nursing majors Sophomore year it's going directly to lab work using the best technology in medicine 810 clinical hours sophomore year Small class sizes Cost Tuition: $30,000Room & Board: $12,000 Admission Standards: Their average ACT for incoming freshmen is a 26 and their average GPA is a 3.7. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 66% Otterbein University Otterbein is a four-year private university located in Westerville, OH which is about 20 minutes from Columbus, OH. The clinicals for this program take place at Ohio Health and Nationwide Children’s Hospital. There are many hospitals in this area that offers a great amount of volunteer and career experience. Nursing Program at Otterbein University Both clinical and classroom training You can study abroad to elevate your nursing skills The clinical placements will be the sophomore year where you gain hands-on experience Cost Tuition: $32,000Room & Board: $11,000 Admission Standards: Their average ACT is a 21-27 for incoming freshmen is a and their average GPA is a 3.6. Acceptance Acceptance Rate: 73% Classes for Nursing Students Every school may have different requirements and call classes different names, but overall, they are similar. First, clinicals count as classes and credit hours. When you schedule your classes, you will have to schedule them around your designated clinical hours. Senior year will be almost entirely clinical hours and studying for the NCLEX which is the test that accredits you a practicing nurse. This will be a lot of what your upperclassman years are filled with. Clinicals are a great opportunity to be involved in the medical community and find out if nursing is your true passion. Each university will also have a certain amount of General Education (GE) courses that you will be required to take. You normally have room to pick and choose courses for these that you may be interested in. GEs can take a lot of time up during your first two years. Here is a list of the common nursing classes that you will have to take. PsychologyChemistrySociologyBiologyPhysiologyPathophysiologyPharmacology AnatomyHealth assessmentAdult nursing careChild nursing care Nursing care for womenPsychiatric and mental health nursing Different Types of Nursing Jobs Many people go on to specialize in specific nursing after their undergraduate classes. Right now, there is always a need for BSN’s in hospitals, doctors’ offices, emergency rooms, etc. However, if you want to specialize and go back to school, you have many options. It is important to understand that for nursing especially, you may have to work in the field for 1-2 years before being able to apply to these programs. They simply just want to know that you are capable of being a practiced nurse. Here are some different career paths and how you can follow them after graduation from your undergraduate career. Nurse Anesthetist- two years of working in a hospital and then a two-year graduate program, then pass the board examNurse Practitioner- one to two years of working at a hospital and then a 2 to a four-year program, then pass the board examPediatric Nurse - study and pass board examOncology Nurse - study and pass board examCritical Care Nursing – Work experience, Master’s degree which is usually a two-year program, board exam Nursing Board Exam It is important to understand that board exams cost a decent amount of money and that the rules about retaking them differ between career paths. Also, you cannot practice nursing without passing the board exam even if you have all the education required. Conclusion Nursing is a great career. The colleges we have listed in Ohio will give you the education you need to pass the boards to be a nurse. If you are looking to be a nurse just select the schools to visit and make a trip. You can also see the top business colleges in Ohio if you do not want to go into nursing.