MARIETTA, OHIO—Sarah Schartiger is a Family Nurse Practitioner with Memorial Health System who has worked hard to achieve her dream of becoming a nurse. Her college journey began while still in high school at Fort Frye when Schartiger took college courses through the early college program (now called College Credit Plus).
After high school graduation, her choice of where to pursue her nursing degree hinged on two important factors– familiarity and proximity. From her early college experience, she knew the value of the education she could get at WSCO, and enrolled in WSCO’s Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program.
“I initially chose WSCO because I was able to take college courses during high school. After graduation from high school, I felt comfortable there and wanted to get my associates degree while being able to stay close to home,” she revealed. “I know many students feel that they want to go away to college, but I truly feel that staying local was cost-effective and the best decision for me.”
She describes her overall experience as “great,” however quickly points out that, “the nursing program through WSCO was a challenging program.” That’s especially noteworthy when you consider that since graduating WSCO, Schartiger has gone on to further her education, ultimately earning her Master of Science in Nursing.
She fondly recalls the guidance she received from faculty, “I felt that each of my instructors through the ADN program helped me build confidence. During each course/rotation, each instructor pushed me to want to do more and become better.”
As Schartiger reflects back on her experience at WSCO, she wholeheartedly endorses her alma mater. “I would strongly recommend WSCO,” confirms Schartiger.
WSCO’s Associate Degree Nursing program is reputed for its rigor, exceptional national licensure exam (NCLEX-RN) pass rates that surpass state and national averages, and excellent job placement rates. In fact, it has an NCLEX-RN pass rate of 100% with a 100% job-placement record. Pass rates for the last five years rank 9% higher than the national average and nearly 12% higher than state averages. These statistics are further magnified by recognition from the nursing advocacy organization RegisteredNursing.org that recently ranked the WSCO ADN program fifth out of 94 RN programs in the state of Ohio.
