Schoolcraft College has been recognized as a top nursing school in Michigan for 2019 by Nursing Schools Almanac, which has been ranking institutions since 2016. This is the first year the group has ranked nursing schools in Michigan.

Nursing Schools Almanac bases its rankings on data collected from more than 3,000 institution. Less than 35 percent make the final list of the best nursing schools in the nation. Schools are evaluated on three dimensions:

• The institution’s academic prestige and perceived value (50 percent of score)
• The breadth and depth of nursing programs offered (20 percent of score)
• Student success, particularly on the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination) (30 percent of score)

The assessments are combined into an overall score and ranked the schools accordingly. Schoolcraft’s nursing programs ranked second out of the community colleges listed on the report.

Schoolcraft offers several educational options for aspiring nurses:

• Entry-level candidates can quickly complete a six-credit nursing assistant seven- or four-week course for eligibility to take the Michigan Nurse Aide Exam.
• Registered nursing (RN) students complete associate degree program requirements. The program traditionally starts in the fall, but the College also has added an additional cohort that starts in the winter semester due to increased interest in the program at Schoolcraft.
• Students also may attain a practical nursing (PN) certificate after completing nursing courses during the first year of the registered nursing program. These students take one additional course in the summer eligibility to take the NCLEX-PN exam. These students may then work as LPNs (licensed practical nurses) while continuing on to complete the second year of the registered nursing program.
• Individuals who already have a Michigan LPN license may take second-year courses in the LPN to RN Option sequence to become registered nurses and attain an associate degree.

Dr. Debi Vendittelli, DNP*, ANP-BC**, and nursing program associate dean, said Schoolcraft’s LPN to RN Option currently has the largest enrollment in Southeast Michigan.

Over the past four years, Schoolcraft registered nursing graduates have averaged a 91 percent first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam and a stellar 98 percent first-time pass rate on the NCLEX-PN practical nursing licensure exam.

To learn more about Nursing Schools Almanac, please go to https://www.nursingschoolsalmanac.com/rankings/michigan

To learn more about the Nursing School at Schoolcraft College, please go to https://www.schoolcraft.edu/academics/healthcare-and-health-sciences/nursing

*DNP stands for Doctor of Nursing Practice

**ANP-BC stands for Adult Nurse Practitioner-Board Certified