Nursing?? Best College??

This is my last year of high school and I would like to pursue a nursing career. what would you say is the best college )--private or public--- cost is not a factor) I should apply to receive the best education for my future nursing career. Also I volunteer at local hospitals and AIDS councils do you think i am wasting time or will colleges look at my volunteering as a benefit!!!

Binghamton University in upstate NY has a fantastic nursing program. There is even a PhD program in nursing if you choose to pursue towards a terminal degree. The school itself is highly competitive but the nursing program itself is a competitive, demanding program.

Nursing programs have to meet standards for accreditation from three or four different governing bodies. This intense level of control means that there's little difference among them at the undergraduate level. And that's a good thing; nobody wants nurses anywhere to be less than excellent.

Therefore, don't bother looking for program quality--that's going to vary only marginally. Instead, consider:

--BSN vs. AS degree. The bachelor of science in nursing takes four or more years; the associate of science takes two or more likely three. Both earn you the title of registered nurse. Both are in equal demand among employers. The BSN starts at a slightly higher salary, and of course you'll need to complete it if you ever decide to go for the MSN degree (and if you do, THEN is when to consider program quality and reputation!). The most profitable route is to get the AS, get a job that pays for further education, and then take courses as quickly as possible to earn the BSN--then you're earning salary a couple of years earlier, and paying two year's less tuition up front. But you'll wind up having to take more college courses (how many more will depend on the specific school) because not all of your AS courses will apply toward the BSN.

--Does the program have a good track record of getting students through clinicals? Lots of nursing programs near me are having trouble finding sites for their students to do the required clinical rotations, and some of their students finish the required courses but then have to be on a waiting list for years before finishing that hands-on part of the degree. THIS ITEM IS CRUCIAL! You don't want to finish most of the degree and then sit on it for 30 months before actually practicing, right?

For your final question, YES, keep volunteering. Nursing programs are competitive--in most cases, you aren't allowed into the program just by getting accepted into the college, you must apply for and get accepted specifically by the nursing department. A high GPA, great letters of recommendation (especially from teachers and most of all from health care professionals!), and a history of volunteer work like you're citing here--those together would make you a top candidate for any program.