By Caitlyne Nguyen | Reporter
Just 97 miles up the road, Baylor’s Louise Herrington School of Nursing has been ranked No. 31 nationally for 2024. This moves the program up from its 2023 ranking of No. 39 for best bachelor’s in nursing programs.
Rankings were based on the survey averages from officials at nursing schools nationally. Officials were required to give BSN programs a 1-5 ranking based on the overall quality of those they were familiar with.
“We are honored to be listed among distinguished nursing programs ranked by U.S. News & World Report,” Dr. Linda Plank, dean of the nursing school, said. “It is the steadfast mission of the nursing school to educate and prepare both baccalaureate and graduate-level nurses within a Christian community for professional practice, health care leadership and worldwide service.”
Baylor’s program is unlike other BSN programs, as being a nursing student at Baylor requires students to complete two years at Baylor’s main campus in Waco before transferring to Dallas.
“Baylor is just a lot different than a lot of the other programs that I’ve seen across the country for colleges,” San Bernardino, Calif., junior Nate Davidson said. “It’s one of the only ones where you have to switch schools to actually go through the program. It’s extremely fast-paced, but we learn and experience a lot.”
Baylor’s No. 31 ranking was tied with 20 other BSN programs, including those of Texas A&M University, the University of Texas at Austin and Creighton University.
Students have seen the new ranking as a way to reinforce their decision to pursue nursing at Baylor.
“It just goes to show how good the nursing program at Baylor is,” Davidson said. “There’s a lot of schools ahead of us that are known for medicine, so I think us being 31 is an awesome rating.”
The new ranking has also caught the attention of Baylor alumni from across the country.
“This ranking makes me so proud to be a Louise Herrington School of Nursing alumni as well as a Baylor one,” former Baylor student and current registered nurse Mindy Tran said. “It really just shows how well put together the entire program is, and I’m excited to see the new generation of nurses that are put through the program.”
