Hello!
I can’t decide where to commit to because the prices are all similar.
I got accepted to honors college for Pitt / UMass but not Villanova.
I’m unsure which environment I’d prefer (urban or suburban).
Pitt’s Nursing Program is very highly ranked (4th in the nation, USNEWS), but does rankings REALLY matter?
If you were in my shoes, where would you choose?
Which other factors would you look up for?
Any comments are welcome! Thank you!
Can you visit all three and see where you feel best?
Are any of the three direct admit ?
UMass has the best food in the country - does that matter ?
Nova is religious - does that matter ?
All 3 are excellent nursing programs. No wrong choice here. Congratulations.
Pitt is direct admit. I believe the other two programs are also direct admit. I’m also assuming all 3 have high percentages that pass boards.
Pitt has clinical opportunities on-campus and nearby with public transportation. Pitt Honors is a nice perk. It really comes down to fit. Visit all 3 and see which one you like best. Good luck.
What will be the biggest factor in your undergraduate nursing experience is the quality of your clinical experiences. This is where you’ll learn best practices. On this basis alone, I would rule out UMass. Amherst is a great place to spend 4 years of college, but it simply does not have access to the major medical centers and teaching hospitals that you’ll find in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. And even Bay State Medical Center in Springfield is not close by.
Between Villanova and Pitt, I’d first ask which area would you prefer for a place to live after college? You may well make contacts from your clinical experience for post college employment. That might drive my decision.
Pitt has UPMC close to campus and that is a highly regarded medical center. Very convenient and accessible. Philadelphia has great teaching hospitals, but they’re located downtown and you’ll have to travel to them from the Main Line out in the suburbs. Are you okay with that?
Villanova says that it has access to 70 different hospitals for placements. I’d try to pin them down as to where you’re most likely to be placed. Pitt has their own hospital right next door, so it’s a fair assumption that at least some of your clinicals will be there, but I’d try to pin them down as well to be assured of that and to know where else you might be placed.
Finally, I’d want to know whether the college helps with transportation to clinical settings. Do they run vans? Do they rely on public transportation? Are you on your own? Do you need a car? How far do you have to travel?
After college, what will matter most in getting a job is passing NCLEX. That is on you. You’ll have to study. Where you went to nursing school won’t matter much - unless the hospital doing the hiring prefers nurses who trained at their hospital. I don’t know where you’re from, and these 3 nursing schools are located far apart from each other, 3 distinctly separate areas. You’ll probably end up working and living somewhere near where you went to college. You don’t have to, but statistically, that’s most likely, so think about where you want to be.
Children’s Hospital used to be on Pitt’s campus but moved to Lawrenceville. Probably a quick 15 minute bus ride give or take. Magee women’s hospital is basically on campus. Hillman cancer center is also close to campus. Of course UPMC Presby is a large presence on-campus.
I almost forgot that the VA hospital and Western Psych are also on-campus.
I would choose between Pitt and Villanova depending on preferences on location, school environment etc. Funny story my friend’s twins went to one of each and they both had amazing experience. No car necessary. Hospitals love to hire from local schools so have this in mind if you want to work in any of those 2 cities. Umass is more than fine but unless you have something that ties you to the region I would choose the clinicals offered in the other 2 choices for reasons named in the other posts. Adding: Villanova has most clinicals at UPenn, CHOP and Bryn Mawr hospital. I know students that had part time jobs at Bryn Mawr hospital while studying (no car).
I’m also in a similar position. I got into Pitt and umass amherst both honors. But umass gave me a huge scholarship while i got no merit from Pitt. Were you able to get scholarship from Pitt? I really want to commit to pitt but I’m worried abt the debt I would be in.
But after visiting both campuses. I found out a lot. I hope this helps.
Pitt’s nursing facilities were so so nice. Especially the fact that the nursing building connects to UPMC and the surrounding hospitals. The honors college doesnt require as much work and just looks really good on resume.
Umass was also really pretty, but the clinicals aren’t near by and require your own transportation. The honors college does require additional classes and a final thesis but I was told it’s manageable.
I got this info from their admitted days. And both schools had a really high NCLEX pass rate. I believe UMass was 97 and Pitt 99 percent.