Are you interested in pursuing a bachelor of science in nursing directly out of high school? These degrees can prepare you for the NCLEX-RN exam as well as prepare you for future nursing training.

Thousands of colleges across the United States now offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs that are available to high school seniors applying to colleges. In the last decade, as the number of BSN degrees offered has grown, the amount of open nursing jobs has also increased and is projected to continue growing by 6% over the next decade (Association of Colleges of Nursing).

We’ve put together a list of 28 great nursing programs using a variety of sources. Continue reading to learn more about each.

We've compiled information from US News, NursingEducation, Nurse Journal, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, and more sources with different ranking criteria in order to create this well-rounded list of colleges with strengths in various different aspects to train the next generation of nurses. In this list, we focus on traditional four-year programs that high school graduates are able to apply and join.

Each listed institution includes:

• Academic Profile. The overall admission rate and mid-50th percentile test score breakdowns (ACT/SAT) are provided to help you assess if you're a competitive applicant.
• Availability of Clinical Rotations and Partnerships: These are hands-on experiences in healthcare settings or partnerships with various healthcare institutions where students can practice the knowledge and skills they learn from classes in various specialties.
• Access to unique global opportunities: Students can study and experience nursing in different settings around the world that provide diverse patients and healthcare systems. These rotations allow students to understand global health issues and widen their view on solving challenges.
• National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX) first time pass rate upon BSN graduation: A high pass rate indicates that the program effectively prepares students for this licensure exam and future practice. The national average for this category in the last five years is around 88.7% (NCSBN).
• Notes on key areas of excellence: We've also provided notes to highlight some strengths of each institution's nursing programs

The link to the BSN webpage of the following colleges is also provided.

Author

Claire Miao is a graduate from The Harker School and will be attending the University of California, Berkeley to study engineering in the fall.

Great Colleges for Nursing Majors

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