The List: More community colleges nurses love

Last week, we devoted a top nursing schools list to community colleges for the first time. And nurses’ comments about their community colleges have been so positive that we wanted to focus on even more schools that have been generating rave reviews in our Nurse’s Guide to Nursing Schools.

While community colleges sometimes garner less attention than larger colleges and universities, nurses cite the advantages of price and location–among other factors–as reasons they love these schools. Check out actual comments from nurses in the list below.

Additionally, if you’ve already been through nursing school, don’t forget to rate your own school or alma mater at The Nurse’s Guide to Nursing Schools and leave comments about your personal experience to help out those who may be thinking about following in your footsteps. Got a question about a school? Leave a comment on the school’s page, and the Scrubs community will help find an answer.

Monroe Community College
Rochester, N.Y.

“I only have a semester left, and I find myself kind of sad that it will be coming to an end. Each graduating class has over 70 students, but they make you feel like you’re a part of a family. The professors are top notch and really care about your success.”
— cmesmile2day

Monroe Community College (commonly known as MCC) is part of the State University of New York System and is one of the largest community colleges on our lists. During 2011-2012, the school had a total enrollment of over 35,000 credit and non-credit students.

The A.A.S program takes a total of two years to complete, and there also is program option for LPNs who wish to earn an associate’s degree.

Metropolitan Community College – Penn Valley
Kansas City, Mo.

“Challenging and motivating.”
— gooberrrat

MCC-Penn Valley has two campuses in Kansas City that welcome more than 6,000 students each fall. The school has become known for its health career programs.

The school offers associate’s degree programs both for new nurses and for LPNs. The school has an LPN certificate program as well.

Delgado Community College – Charity School of Nursing
New Orleans

“CHSN, Charity Hospital School of Nursing, was the BEST. The teachers, i.e. nursing school instructors, were tough as nails, but well worth it. I’ve bee a nurse for 35 yrs. now & still love it.”
— cduplessis

Located in New Orleans, Delgado also offers a fairly large student body with a total enrollment of around 20,000 students. While the school offers numerous campus locations around the city, the Charity School of Nursing is a campus unto itself.

The nursing school has eight floors and includes traditional classrooms, skills labs, two patient simulations labs and more. In addition to offering LPN and RN programs, the school also offers an RN refresher course for former nurses who want to return to the workforce.

Community College of Allegheny County – North Campus
Pittsburgh

“I had excellent clinical instructors that both prepared me for nursing and the NCLEX.”
— scarlette10

Another large school, the Community College of Allegheny County has a total annual enrollment of just under 60,000 students. Of those, 61 percent attend the school on a part-time basis.

As with most programs on this list, the program takes two years to complete, and after completion, graduates can work as an RN or go on to earn advanced nursing degrees. Additionally, the school offers a fast-track evening and weekend track.

Pasadena City College
Pasadena, Calif.

“Loved the cost of a community college. Great school, involved teachers. Proud to state this is my alumni.”
— juicyPasa

Pasadena City College is one of 112 community colleges in California, and serves an area located in the West San Gabriel Valley in Los Angeles County. The school currently enrolls around 25,000 students.

The school offers a variety of programs, including RN, LVN, LVN to RN, CNA and EMT. The RN program is completed in four semesters.