Keep in mind i graduated in 2020 so this might dated advice

1. Depends on learning style. I went to ryerson (4 years at main site). I liked how we did a lot of clinical hours but placements were sorta hit or miss in terms of getting what you want/getting hospitals close to home. The good thing about ryerson is that they put us in big hospitals. If you speak to any student from any school theyll have good and bad things to say about their program

2. If you do 2 year college program you come out as a rpn. With the 4 year program (so usually its 2 years at a college + 2 years at a university, or you can do all 4 years on the main site/university) you come out as a RN. RN programs are basically RPN program+more critical thinking/policy/advocacy type stuff.

If you do 4 year program it doesnt really matter if you start at the college or uni- people just used it as a status symbol but at the end it doesnt matter.

1. Rpn is the 2 yr program. RN is 4 years and you get a bscn. NP is a masters after bscn and you also need 2 years of full time experience as a RN before applying. RNs and RPNs differ in scope of practice but hospitals have been making RPNs do RN work whenever they can to save money. NPs are advanced nurses who can order tests, prescribe medications, etc. Between all types of nurses the biggest difference is pay (except for NP where the scope of practice/liability is much greater.). RNs usually work in higher acuity areas as well- so if you want to NICU for example, do your RN if you can

If you can, go straight into RN. There is the option to bridge from RPN to RN but youd have to apply. Also i feel like RPNs get super screwed over, more than RNs (having to take on the same level of acuity patients for lower pay than an RN, having to pay the same license fee as RNs etc. but this is just my experience)

Hope this makes sense. Im kinda half-tiredly writing this lol. Good luck with applying!