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The US News & World Report and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Report on Research Funding conduct nursing school rankings to measure the status of quality of different nursing schools nationwide. Various factors affect how nursing school rankings are determined but it all serves the purpose of providing more information to anyone in search of a nursing school.

As you evaluate different leaning institutions for your nursing education, nursing school rankings should supplement your own research. First, determine which specific nursing program you wish to enter and then based on that look at nursing schools in your chosen location that offer that specific program. You can use nursing school rankings to find out the areas of strength of a particular school and if it matches your interest and needs.

In general, organizations determine nursing school rankings by gathering data through surveys that are prepared by professors and other scholars. Survey respondents can be present or past students or administrators and other high-ranking staff members of the nursing school. The survey contains both objective and subjective questions, and a complex method is used to process the answers. The statistics of the school are also one of the factors used to determine nursing school rankings.

For instance, the US News & World Report evaluates NLNAC (National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission) accredited nursing schools and their programs by surveying deans and other faculty staff members of each nursing school. The respondents will review and grade other schools based on a set of criteria. Some of the factors that affect nurse school rankings are student-to-faculty ratios, rate of job placement after graduation and etcetera.

Nursing school rankings from the National Institutes of Health focus on the overall amount of grant funding received by the research programs of individual nursing schools. Research institutions and those who would like to pursue research work consider NIH rankings to be strong indicators of outstanding research programs.

Nursing school rankings are just one tool to help you evaluate a nursing school. There are so many other factors to consider when choosing a school such as the quality of student life, cost, availability of financial assistance, board passing rates, affordable housing on or near campus, among others.

Be sure to look at the complete picture when making your decision. Get to know more about a certain nursing school by looking at the school's website, requesting for an information packet or going to the school's information session or open house.