<p>I couldn't find much information on this topic. I'm currently attending two junior colleges to save money. I am majoring in nursing and plan on getting my masters to be a nurse anesthetist. I'll be transferring soon but I haven't decided which university to get my bachelors. To get accepted into grad school, does the prestige of the undergraduate schools I've attended matter to get into the program? </p>
<p>For grad schools, I'm looking into USC and Cal State Fullerton (Plan B). But just for the heck of it, I'll be giving Columbia University a shot.</p>
<p>Sort of, but not really. It matters in the sense that sometimes, a lower GPA may be understood as a byproduct of an especially rigorous program with grade deflation (like Harvey Mudd or Georgia Tech). It also may matter in the sense that professors know graduates from some programs are especially well-prepared for graduate study at their institution, because they’ve had successful graduates before. But if you get good grades and apply yourself - getting the kind of experiences you need - then you can get into graduate school for any kind of school.</p>
<p>For nurse anesthesia your undergrad institution won’t matter much. Your grad school won’t either for that matter. Since this is one of the few fields with plenty of jobs available employers care more that you passed boards than where you got your degree. Columbia looks nice on your wall, but their program is not as highly regarded as, say, Virginia Commonwealth and costs quite a bit more.</p>