Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Nursing Aides And Attendants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Des Moines Area Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Western Iowa Tech Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Western Iowa Tech Community College, North Iowa Area Community College, Indian Hills Community College, and Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of North Iowa Area Community College, Indian Hills Community College, Western Iowa Tech Community College, and Des Moines Area Community College.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Iowa Western Community College • Council Bluffs, IA
Studying Nursing (completion in 2014)
• 4/6/2012
"Nursing at my school, just like any other school is in high demand so it's very competitive. I love the new and improved nursing center and the new media/library center. I believe that school has a lot of potential to expand."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If someone just wants to gain their CNA or CMA Iowa Western is a great place. If they are looking to pursuing Nursing Iowa Western is great at the prereqs. But now that Hospitals and other health care facilities are requiring that RNs receive their BSNs and further education, it's better to start off at a 4 year school that offers an undergraduate program which goes through the nursing program and goes through LPM, then RN, and then to BSN. It will save time, money, and the hassle of enrollment and getting classes. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school provides an excellent experience. It also has a good reputation due to the fact that it is a dry campus and they do not tolerate any poor decisions made amongst the students. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Iowa Western just got a brand new nursing program that has several simulating scenarios. It is a growing school and will be a very nice school for nursing majors. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was properly taught what I should expect and do on the job. When it came to working I was taught some things I never expected to learn. I have a lot of fun with it, and enjoy the people I take care of. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It required a lot of time and devotion just like any other degree program. If I didn't want to focus on school I know I wouldn't be able to get where I need to, so that pushed me to strive to do better with my classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's a mix of both hands-on and book learning. But there is more hands on time. Once you get further into the program you are able to go and train at a hospital and get some real hands-on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | If you procrastinate on picking your schedule you end up with times you don't want. Classes fill up quickly just like every other campus but the school does provide morning, afternoon, evening and weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school is expanding their nursing department. They have an entire building and part of another one devoted to nursing or the medical industry. They just built a new library center. Also, there are new common areas with places to sit and research. |
| Social Life | 10 | There are so many activities available at the school and many functions, I just never attend because I am either working, studying, or just trying to relax and enjoy time with my family and friends. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They state that they will graduates with job placement, but they never keep their word. I have a friend who graduated from Iowa Western and she has been searching for a nursing job for the past 4 months, and while she was told the school would help her so far they have not offered assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Iowa Western only provides an associates program not a bachelors, and once someone graduates, or has the chance to, they generally transfer to a different school and receive a better education. Also, Iowa Western has a horrible transfer program. |
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