I am a current junior in hs and will be apply for nursing schools (bsn) in the fall with the ultimate goal of become a nurse anesthetist in the future. Here are my stats:
Academic:
1490 SAT (but am retaking to get higher)
3.8 ish unweighted gpa
4.2 ish weighted gpa
1 AP this year (US History), Taking 3 more next year (Spanish, Psych, English lit and comp)
All honors courses except for math classes and chemistry (which I have taken “AE” classes, in between CP and honors in my school)
All As and Bs
Extracurriculars:
3 years Interact (International community service club) - president this year
3 year yearbook (this year an editor)
Hosa (future health leaders) - Social Media/Marketing manager, won 1st place in a state competition
Youth member of local cultural council (gives grants to fund arts and sciences) - Recieved a Citation from the Massachusetts State Senate for my work
Lots of volunteering (over 350 hours right now; includes a service trip with my church this summer)
Shadowing a family member (he is a radiologist tech but can introduce me to the nurses and nurse anesthetists)
Peer Counselor of younger Students (for 2 years so far)
Starting a non-profit with some of my friends that would support underprivileged new mothers
Will be volunteering at a local hospital this summer (80+ hours)
Awards:
Citation from Massachusetts Senate
President Volunteer Award -Gold level, 2017 and 2018
1st place in HOSA “transcultural healthcare” competition (statewide)
Personal:
My “hook” could possibly be that I have a lot of health issues (congenital heart defects) that I’ve overcome/that’s why I want to be a nurse
I am a quarter Latina, three quarters white - don’t know if this will help
Resident of MA
Could anyone tell me if I might get in the some of these places (or give me some recommendations for schools that sound right for me):
Northeastern (I am a double legacy, not sure if this helps)
UMass Amherst (probably 1st choice right now)
Case Western
UMich - Ann Arbor
University of Virginia
NYU
Boston College
Saint Anselm
UPitt
Villanova
UConn
Quinnipiac
Fairfield
Endicott
Simmons College
UCLA, UPenn, Georgetown (all of which are reaches I know)
Any additional information would be absolutely spectacular. Thank you so much! ?
You will get in to many of those schools :Saint Anselm, UPitt, Quinnipiac,Fairfield,Endicott,Simmons College are all I think good matches.
Northeastern has a very small program and also admits students ED1 and ED2. The numbers are against you so if this is a first choice and with legacy you could go for ED.
UMass Amherst I think is a good match. Make sure you apply EA.
For Boston College and Villanova make sure you write appropriate essays and supplements that demonstrate fit. I think you have chances but both have low acceptance rates and ED.
Georgetown requires 3 SAT subject tests so make sure you take them on time. Very selective
For Case Western, UMich - Ann Arbor, University of Virginia, NYU, UConn I do not know much.
UPenn is a high reach for all. I would not count on it.
UCLA I would suggest to remove it from your list.
The only weakness I see is your rigor in math and sciences. Also, make sure you talk to your parents about finances. How much a year can they pay for your tuition? Some of the schools mentioned are very expensive and do not give merit.
Thank you so much for your insight! Which SAT subject tests would you recommend taking to apply to Georgetown? I’m planning on taking a least a couple even if I don’t apply to Georgetown because I can see that I am lacking in the STEM area and this might be a good way to prove my ability a bit more, does this make any sense? Any suggestions?
I agree that your record perhaps shows a slight weakness in math and science, but you are compared to what is available at your school. My daughter never took an AP science but was honors science her whole time, including a college credit class in physics her senior year. She did take AP Calc and AP stats, however.
Those sound like competitive schools with some fairly low acceptance rates - and, honestly, nursing is competitive, period. I would put a couple schools on your list for which you are the top quarter of applicants, to shoot for some merit and/or some likely admits. We are in Ohio, and my daughter did not even bother with Case because she didn’t have the test scores.
I don’t know what your geographic desire is, but @Charliesch talks very highly of York College in Pennsylvania (you have some PA schools on there).
And I agree you should have the money talk with your parents now, and run some net price calculators to see how much you could be spending there.
For Georgetown I would suggest SAT bio or Chem. Then you should take whatever is easier for you, maybe history (since you just took AP) or Spanish? For the bio or Chem you should study from a prep book.
Also UConn requires you took Physics in highschool.
You can work hard to take the subjects tests and take physics BUT you can also just remove those two schools from your list and concentrate to the schools that you are already set to go. My advise is NOTto twist yourself in to a pretzel to be competitive everywhere. There are so many schools in your list!
And if you can start visiting at least the ones that are close to home.
My D last year applied to: Umass Amherst, Umass Lowell, UNH, Simmons, Northeastern, Boston College and Villanova. All EA. By November she got an acceptance from UNH so she knew she did not have to apply to more schools. She also knew after that acceptance that there was no way she would not get in Umass Lowell which was the most affordable school for us and sure enough she got in a few weeks later. Some programs only accept EA for nursing (Umass Lowell) so make sure you have all your apps done early. Some colleges have supplements, some have extra essays for honors etc. Do not apply to too many schools because you will be truly exhausted. My D also applied to outside scholarships (local and specific with very good chances to win, not random impossible ones) so she had to write tons more essays. Essay fatigue is real. You also need to do well in senior year and yes enjoy your last months in high school. Once accepted you will need to also visit the schools and make decisions. Don’t overdo.it.
@bearcatfan Agreed that I have too many difficult schools on my list. Do you (or anyone else) have suggestions for what schools I might be in the top quarter? I’m having a hard time determining where I might be a top applicant.
@am9799 Next year I will be taking physics (albeit “AE” not AP) because Ive heard nursing school like to see it (idk if this is true, just what I’ve heard). Also I can see that I have WAY too many schools (and these aren’t even all that I’m thinking about). Any methods for trimming down this list? I’m having a VERY hard time
@massstudent1224 You can start by googling the school’s ACT/SAT requirements, and assume that nursing candidates may be a tick or two higher.
Some schools will publish a freshman class profile. For example, the middle 50 percent of those admitted to Case had an ACT score of 30-34, which I interpret that to mean the top rung of Case admits likely have 34-36. Sixty six percent were in the top 10 percent of their high school class. And so on. I’m just picking on Case because it’s one my daughter didn’t bother with, lol.
My daughter had to stay in state, so she started with a list of schools that were direct-admit nursing schools (you are admitted directly to the major, and don’t have to apply for it after freshman year). From there, we looked at the stats above to figure out if she would be admitted, and got a list of seven to apply to. She got into all those schools.
At her second choice school, a smaller private, she was towards the top of the admission pile. She was offered a lot of merit money, and honors college with an invitation to apply to be a XXXX scholar with other benefits. At her first choice, where she is now, she was offered NOTHING. Seriously, nothing. But it’s a state school and it’s cost is about what we would have paid at the second choice, so it kind of evened out.
So that’s a long way of saying that you might want to determine what area you’d want to focus on, and then look at the schools in that area. But, again, talk with your parents about what they think.
Look at the schools to see what their prerequisites are. Don’t be swayed by the schools profiles, nursing, (similar to engineering), will more than likely have higher GPA and ACT/SAT requirements especially in the more competitive schools. Your GPA and level of rigor of your math and science courses are detriments to your admission to some of your reach choices. Do you have A’s in your AE math and science classes? If not, it would be inclined to take AP Chem next year and at least H Physics ,(if physics is required by any of your schools). Drop AP Psych, it will not enhance your application. To be a contender at the reach schools, you need rigorous 7th and 8th semesters with 4 yrs science, 4 yrs math- even if it is not required, it will be a plus. I would consider dropping GW-due to the SAT subject tests, spend your energy on your courses. Drop UCLA, it is a nearly impossible admit even for instate students. NYU offers little if any financial aid if that is a consideration. As previously suggested, York and UNH are good additions to your match list. Post #2 gives good advice about several schools and how to apply, EA, ED, etc. Best of luck, you have worked hard, now is the chance to pull all of your choices and options together.
Your SAT is high and I think score wise you ll be on the top quarter for all these:
Saint Anselm, Quinnipiac, Fairfield, Endicott, Simmons College
You score is probably above average for Umass, Uconn, Villanova and BC because I think their averages are closer to 1450.
Northeaster reports sky high SAT range but I think their 25% is 1470 so at least you are in the mix.
Actually, in my opinion, your score is probably acceptable by all the schools in your list.
However, SAT score is only one part of the application. You need to look at rigor, gpa, written essay, ECs etc.
Also acceptance rate. If as school has a low acceptance rate will be a reach even if your stats are high.
Usually the filters that people use to fine tune a list is: finances, proximity to home and type of school (small/big rural/urban).
Once you have a smaller list you can post it to get more opinions. Most important : ask your parents about finances. Would they pay 70K a year if that’s Boston Colleges offer? Make sure of the financial details before you finalize your list.
I just checked Umass Amherst. Their average SAT for nursing is actually lower, 1360. BUT their acceptance rate is 12%. So your SAT is good and gives you an advantage but the school can not be viewed as safety.
You will most likely get into all the schools that everyone previous to my post has mentioned. My son applied to many of the same schools you are looking at (Nursing as well). A big thing for him was where he would possibly be doing his clinicals which start usually in your Sophomore year (don’t look at any schools that wait until Junior year - the earlier the better). He loved Fairfield but did not want to go into the city or at any of the hospitals around the campus so he ruled that school out. He wants to stay in the Boston area (home to many of the highest rated hospitals in the nation).
Additionally look at the NCLEX passing rates most of which for those schools should be near or at 100% for the last few years - make sure its the “first time pass rate” not the second/third time around stat! You need to pass to the make the $.
Another major factor was merit that he was awarded - we ended up with a spreadsheet of the schools he was accepted at and compared all the costs/merit money/loans which helped narrow down the list as well.
As yes as someone posted previous - Boston College will be expensive, as will Villanova so run the net price calc at those schools to see if it is anywhere in the realm of affordable unless money is no object to you.
Your SAT is wonderful. You should get in some of these places. Some of the top tier schools may be concerned that you’ve only completed 1 AP course by the time you apply…and your indicated you didn’t take honors chem or math. There’s a lot of science those 3 to 4 semesters while in nursing.