A few thoughts on “fun college experience”… you are going to work your tail off as a nursing student. In addition to your coursework in difficult subjects like biology, chemistry and pharmacology you are going to spend countless hours working in hospitals or clinics. My niece was a nursing student at Boston College, and her first day the dean told the incoming students “if you are in college to party, this isn’t the place for you.” My guess is that this sentiment applies to any highly ranked nursing program. She needed 900 hours of clinicals in hospitals to graduate. I know requirements vary at different programs, but be prepared to pull shifts at University Hospital. This is not to say that you will not have time to have fun, you just won’t have as much time as the humanities majors.
I do not intend to scare you off from nursing. My niece worked her tail off and pulled midnight shifts on weekends, but she also found an amazing sense of purpose. She has been working as a nurse for years, and she found her calling.
If you have not done so already, do some research on University Hospital and The Cleveland Clinic. The Cleveland Clinic is a nationally recognized hospital that draws patients from all over the country, much like Mayo Clinic in MN. In fact, we have a family friend in Michigan who went to Cleveland Clinic for cancer treatment. It is the A team, and it is right next door.