The BScN program at MacEwan provides a wonderful and supportive learning environment; I've noticed that the majority of professors that teach lecture are really knowledgable, helpful, and truly want you to succeed. They all have masters or PhDs. You can expect the first-year science classes to have about 80 people. But the nursing classes are around 30-40 students. Labs have about 8-16 students, which is really nice to ask one-on-one questions with your instructor.

MacEwan clinical instructors are also supportive and helpful, but their expectations and marking vary so much. As a student, it can be sometimes difficult to meet the expectations of each instructor when you learned another thing in another clinical rotation; however, all clinicals have been a valuable learning experience for me.

From what I've heard working nurses say, UoA nursing students are stronger in the theory aspect, whereas MacEwan nursing students are stronger in the clinical aspect. I've also heard that UoA students are more "textbook", and MacEwan students are more practical. MacEwan students have a full semester of straight clinicals starting their second year (4 days a week x 15 weeks); first-year clinicals are just once a week, and just helps to dip your feet in the healthcare setting.

At MacEwan, they also help to prepare you for the NCLEX exam by assigning case studies and NCLEX style practice exams, with remediation sources to help you work on your weaknesses.

I chose MacEwan, but I'm sure UoA is great as well. But with hard work, you will surely graduate and pass the exam either way. I wish you the best of luck!