Determine whether you intend to pursue a nursing specialization or general nursing. Some nursing schools are better known for their specializations in certain areas of nursing. For instance, some schools have established reputations in pediatric nursing, geriatric nursing, nursing anesthesia and other areas that you may have an interest in pursuing. Once you know your area of specialization, you can find a school with an established reputation in that field.
Examine the rankings of publications like "U.S. News & World Report." The rankings published by "U.S. News & World Report" are based on the perceptions of programs by nursing school faculty members nationwide. While the rankings are purely subjective in that sense, they reflect the opinions of professionals in the field who know which programs are at the top and why. This applies not only to general nursing, but also to many of the different nursing specialties. The publication ranks programs for surgical nursing, nursing administration, community nursing, pediatric and geriatric nursing, mental health nursing, adult care and nursing anesthesia. Although these rankings are based on graduate school programs offered by these schools, undergraduate nursing candidates can still benefit from taking courses at a school where they can later obtain graduate-level education in these areas.
Consult professionals in the field who have completed nursing school. If you have an idea of where you plan on working, you can ask the opinions of nursing administrators in your area. Ask them if they have a preference of schools among nursing school graduates they typically hire versus other schools in your region. Many nursing school students and graduates do not typically engage in a nationwide search when choosing a school. Take a pragmatic approach to knowing which local or state schools have the most clout with employers.