Muskegon Community College nursing program ranked second in Michigan
Muskegon Community College’s nursing program is once again taking the spotlight: the college announced this week that it has been named one of Michigan’s top schools to pursue an associate degree in nursing in 2020.
MCC placed as the second best school on the list conducted by nursingprocess.org, which analyzed the state’s 72 colleges approved by the Michigan Board of Nursing to compile its rankings.
Chris Patterson, the director of the nursing and health programs at MCC, emphasized that announcement is a particularly meaningful endorsement of the work taking place at the college.
“What makes this second place ranking special is that, unlike other schools in Michigan, MCC admits all students who meet the basic entrance requirements,” Patterson said. “We do not use competitive admission practices.”
Patterson went on to note that the school’s high pass rates for national licensing exams “over the past several years speaks to the commitment of our faculty and the college in maintaining a quality program that is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Our graduates work in a multitude of clinical agencies in West Michigan and throughout the country.”
In 2018, MCC nursing graduates had a 100 percent first-time pass rate on both the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) and the National Council Licensing Exam for Practical Nurses were 100 percent. The nationwide pass rate is 85 percent.
Monroe Community College was ranked first on the nursingprocess.org list, with St. Clair County Community College in Port Huron, Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, and Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac placing third, fourth and fifth.
The rankings were based on four factors: academic quality, the NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate for the past four years, affordability, and the nursing school’s reputation.
“If you find your calling in caring for the sick, then a career in nursing is what you should be looking at,” nursingprocess.org said in its announcement of the rankings. “At Muskegon Community College, you can enter the two-year associate in nursing, either a non-nursing student or an experienced [licensed practical nurse] who is looking at career advancement. The college also offers dual enrollment with other universities, allowing you to complete your [bachelor of science in nursing] along with an [associate degree in nursing].”
Muskegon Community College’s nursing program has received numerous accolades over the years, including being named as the best licensed practical nursing program in Michigan by practicalnursing.org in 2018.
To see the complete list of nursing program rankings that were just released, please click here.