Nursing Schools

If you’re interested in the nursing field, you’re choosing an undergraduate career that is growing in popularity. Highly-skilled nurses are in demand. At nursing schools, you can learn the skills and techniques you need. Undergraduate nursing programs are found all over the country, but can vary in price, class size, specialties and degrees offered. Before making a commitment, be sure to do some research. Determine what factors are important when narrowing down the list of nursing schools.

Nursing schools have many degrees and specialties to satisfy the interests and career goals of a variety of students. Some common specialties include women’s health, pediatric, neonatal, oncology, gerontology and mental health. There are also many types of degrees available, based on how quickly one wants to enter the job force and what skills and knowledge he or she wants to learn. A Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) degree is the quickest way to get a basic education and work as a nurse within one year. For those looking for more opportunities within the nursing field, nursing schools offer a Registered Nurse (RN) degree. Having this degree is the minimum requirement for most nursing positions. For those who want to advance their career even further and move into a Nurse Practitioner role, a bachelor’s degree can help get them there. This is a four-year program with two years covering general education courses and the final two years focused on nursing fundamentals and courses within the student’s chosen specialty. Many nursing schools also offer post-graduate degrees for those who are interested in administration and research.

For those interested in nursing schools, but unsure they can afford it, there are many financial aid resources available to help offset the cost. By filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students may be able to qualify for loans, grants and scholarships. Grants and scholarships are the ideal types of financial aid to pay for nursing schools because they do not need to be repaid. However, there are specific requirements that must be met in order to receive them. Grants are almost always given based on financial need. Scholarships are more likely to be based on academic achievements and are given to students at nursing schools based on grade point average, specialty, extracurricular activities and sometimes, ethnicity. A student loan is another type of financial aid, but it does need to be paid back.