Hi guys,
This might be a little off topic for Olympia, but I figured there may be people here familiar with Saint Martin’s University or Seattle Pacific University, so I’d really appreciate any advice.
I’m currently in the Olympia/Lacey area and was accepted into both the SPU and SMU BSN programs.
Originally I was supposed to start in January 2027, but SPU recently offered me a Fall 2026 start instead and said my scholarships would remain the same even if I switched cohorts.
At this point, I’m really struggling to decide between the two schools.
For SPU, I could start earlier, and being in Seattle might help a little with name recognition outside Washington since I’ll probably move out of state after graduation. However, the commute would be pretty rough for me — a little over an hour each way every day.
For SMU, it’s only about a 15-minute drive from where I live, and I like the idea of having a smaller cohort with potentially more direct access to instructors and learning resources. From what I saw, SMU also had a slightly higher NCLEX pass rate recently, which made the decision even harder.
Tuition itself isn’t my biggest concern since I’m a veteran and also received good scholarships from both schools.
Long-term, I’m interested in possibly pursuing NP or CRNA, so I’m trying to make the smartest decision overall rather than just choosing the faster start date.
Right now I’m finishing my last prerequisite (A&P II) and planning to complete a CNA program over the summer before nursing school starts.
I’d really appreciate any thoughts or experiences from people familiar with either program. Thanks!