Ms. Thompson says that the type of school that a nursing student attends depends on a variety of factors including educational background, educational goals, expense and convenience. She warns, however, that gaining admission to a nursing school in South Carolina has become highly competitive and that prospective students must prepare themselves accordingly.
Graduates of four-year programs are awarded a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN). Students pursuing a BSN often aspire to more advanced degrees or pursue teaching or management.
Medical University of South Carolina, in Charleston, awards degrees in nursing from bachelor's through doctorate.
www.musc.edu/
The University of South Carolina, in Columbia, has been training nurses since the 1940s, and offers a program for registered nurses to earn their BSN.
www.sc.edu
Clemson University, in Clemson, trains nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse educators and nurse administrators.
www.clemson.edu
Students who complete two-year programs earn an Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN). These programs are often less expensive to attend and can be marginally easier to gain admission into. Many graduates of two-year schools transfer to upper-division programs to earn a BSN.
Trident Technical College, in North Charleston, trains students for careers as registered nurses (RN), practical nurses and nursing assistants. www.tridenttech.edu
Midlands Technical College, in Columbia, offers an advanced placement program for licensed practical nurses who wish to become RNs.
www.midlandstech.edu
Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, in Orangeburg, offers an ADN program, a Certified Nursing Assistant Program and a Practical Nursing Diploma.
www.octech.edu