Hey, my name is Soby. I am a early graduating junior right now. I’m navigating through direct entry BSN programs. Please feel free to comment and talk on this discussion. I decided to start this one earlier so we can have a longer period of time to talk.
GPA : 4.0 uw / 4.3 w
SAT : taking this summer
ACT : N/A
Extracurricular: Volunteer at Trauma Center
I’m really interested in the city of Seattle but am looking for other schools as well in the northeast.
Good stats and good luck with your exams and the selection process. There are numerous helpful folks on this forum to help answer your questions. I would recommend taking the SAT multiple times as some schools allow super scoring. Also since students sometimes do better on ACT over SAT it may help to sit for both.
Seattle U is a popular choice for nursing since it is direct entry. It has a newer high tech nursing lab and gives good merit money. It is on the quarter system if that matters.
Hi! I’m also a junior looking at nursing schools and I have around the same stats as you except for a lower uw gpa (3.8 uw/4.3 w, 1490 sat). I live in MA so I’m mostly looking in the northeast too. If you don’t mind me asking, what state do you live in? I’ve been doing a lot of college visits (this break I visited UMass Lowell, St. Anselm, Regis and UNH) so let me know if you want some of the info I got on them/my opinion. Here is a (more or less) complete list of all the schools I’m looking at (ps I know it is way too long I rlly gotta cut it down):
UMass Amherst
UMass Lowell
Northeastern
BC
Case Western
UNH
Simmons
UVM
UMich
UConn
Villanova
Saint Anselm
Regis
Quinnipiac
Endicott
Fairfield
UPenn, UCLA (obvi FAR reaches)
I live in Northern California. As I looked at more colleges I became really interested in MCPHS in Boston. I has a 3 year direct entry nursing program w/ really good acceptance and graduation rates. Although, it was more on the expensive sides, I believe it’s worth the money. Maybe, if I receive a couple scholarships it can cover it. I was wondering about Umass lowell, how was the campus. I was interested in that school as well for a bit.
As a parent to a member of the class of 2023, I would just like to tell all those in class of 2024 to ALSO read through the other threads in this Nursing Major category.
There is a LOT of good info there, so you don’t have to start from scratch. While this 2024 thread will be great for ongoing discussion, make sure you look at the threads for the last year or two to get some good advice. 
And if you are asking about a specific school and nobody answers, you might have better luck asking about it in that school’s thread (or googling the info) instead of in the general nursing category.
Good luck to you all!
@SobyHaidari
I actually have a cousin who is going to MCPHS for nursing this coming year (class of 2023) and I think she is very excited. However, I would be a bit cautious because I’ve heard that they were put on warning or something a couple of times. My cousin had low grades (maybe around a C average? she might have even had a bit below 3.0), so she was very happy to get in. However, I’m pretty sure her family is paying very close to full price (no merit), so if you go you might get a better scholarship. I will also say that it is an EXCELLENT location, within walking distance to many Boston hospitals and you would probably be at the top of the class so you could expect the best opportunities and aid available. If you want to ask me any more questions about it feel free to pm me or continue the conversation here in this thread. I can also ask her questions for you, although I’m not sure she’d be super knowledgeable because she hasn’t started school there yet.
Also, if you are looking at schools in Boston, I would also suggest Simmons, BC and Northeastern. They are also pretty expensive but I’ve heard that they do have merit and financial aid. Simmons in particular has a full ride scholarship (Kotzen scholarship) for 10-15 students a year I believe.
Oh and about Umass Lowell:
VERY pleasantly surprised with this school. In the city (obviously) so lots to do. BIG campus (actually technically 3 campuses with in close range to eachother) but it’s made smaller by the fact that health professionals (basically would be our classes) would be almost all on one campus (I only saw this one campus tho so I can’t say much for the other campuses). Most buildings are REALLY nice/modern and the health professionals building (with sim labs and classrooms) was built in 2013. Sim labs were very nice. Food looked good/ a TON of dining and lots of diversity. Felt safe even tho it was in city. Housing is based on learning communities/similar interests, not grade which is interesting.The health based learning community is on the campus I saw and the dorms look very nice from outside (didn’t see the inside). Cons (for me at least) would be that it is HUGE and might feel like you are only a number
Thank you so much. It has alot of useful information
Awesome, I’ll check out those schools. I am very interested in MCPHS because of it’s close proximity to the Boston hospitals.
@massstudent1224 Is Simmons an all-girls school, I am a male.
@SobyHaidari
I thought it was both but I just looked it up and apparently only the graduate school is co-ed (undergrad is all girls). My bad, sorry about the confusion!
I would still suggest looking at the other two (BC and northeastern). I’ve heard that Northeastern has paid co-ops which would help with the cost. I know a couple ppl who work at Boston Children’s Hospital and they all really like graduates from both of those schools
Hi everyone - my D is a senior in San Diego at a competitive public high school, getting ready to apply to direct entry nursing programs. I’ve read through some of the other threads - a lot of good info there. Her stats are:
GPA: 3.95uw/4.125w
ACT: 31 - taking it again in September
Extracurricular: Volunteer at Hospital in San Diego and After School Program for K-6, Varsity Basketball all 4 years (Captain last 2), clubs at school, paid work experience
She is Hispanic - does that even matter?!
List right now is the usually west coast schools that are not too religious and in urban areas - she really wants to stay in Cali if possible, but we all know how that goes! Her math ACT is only a 28, and based on other threads that doesn’t seem to make the threshold for SDSU…we’ll see what happens!
SDSU
CS Fullerton
ASU
UCI
UCLA
Seattle University
University of Portland
University of SF
Thinking about Saint Louis University, Loyola, Gonzaga and Xavier - just trying to keep costs down although we know the UC’s are expensive even for in-state! I have been completing the net price calculators for many schools and excluded some that just don’t give much financial aid. And she doesn’t want to write 100 essays! Would love any feedback and to see how others track in their application process. Good luck to us all!
@SA4465: So the weighted GPA listed at 4.125 is her CSU capped weighted GPA = UC capped weighted GPA?
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
SDSU Nursing stats: https://nursing.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/FTFAdmissionProfile_2015-2019-1.pdf
UCI Nursing stats:
Fall 2018 freshman applicants: 2,887
Fall 2018 freshman admissions: 72 (2.5% admitted)
Average UC GPA: 4.24 GPA
Average total SAT score: 1914
Average total SAT score (new version): 1332
CSU Fullerton:
The minimum eligibility index for the program is: 4500 (SAT) or 1082 (ACT).
For Fall 2020 admission, the Nursing program will offer a waitlist to the top qualified applicants. Admission will be offered on a first-come-first-serve deposit basis to applicants from the waitlist pool.
UCLA Nursing had 3038 applicants with 51 admitted for a 2% acceptance rate. GPA and Test scores were not listed but they would be similar to UCI’s Nursing stats.
@Banker1 has a daughter at SDSU and she also was accepted into Gonzaga, University of Portland and Seattle University so you could PM her for more information.
Thank you for the info @Gumbymom - we haven’t calculated the UC gpa yet…or the EI. On it!
Hi all. My daughter is a Senior and we are sort of switching gears in our nursing school search! We spent May - Aug looking at 10 schools in FL and TX. But only 2 were Direct Admit (TCU & Florida Atlantic). We will look at Clemson and UAB at the end of the month (both Direct). She is my oldest and although I knew about Direct Admit, I don’t feel like we put enough emphasis on it. It takes a lot of pressure off her to immediately succeed in college with nearly 4.0 in everything if applying at non direct school. She prefers warmer climates but there are just not a lot of Direct options in the South or Mid South so it’s why I am now struggling. She has Celiac’s disease and Inattentive ADHD so we have multiple things we are factoring into the decision. Supportive environment is likely going to be important.
Here are her stats:
State: Arkansas
GPA: 3.93 UW (she’s taken 5 honors classes and doing all dual enroll this year)
ACT: 28 (29 superscore)
Volunteered 104 hours for 2 summers at local hospital
She’s in a pre-professional medical strand this year thru her high school - will graduate with CNA, phlebotomy certif, and medical internship
Bowling Team Captain, Key Club (Secy), and Advanced Choirs
Here’s where she is likely applying - can anyone give any other suggestions for additional Direct Admit:
Direct:
TCU
FAU
Clemson
UAB
Not Direct:
University of Tampa
Univ of Houston
Considering (both direct) - can anyone give feedback:
SLU
Belmont
(I’ve read thru a lot of threads from last year and can’t find anything about Belmont - looks nice and right next to Vanderbilt)
Hi. I also have a D20. We are in the midwest, and she is looking mostly at schools in a 4-6 hour radius, with the exception of a couple of schools out east, one of which is what we are considering as a safety if there is such a thing with Nursing. A big consideration is big-time sports. She went to a large high school and wants that full college experience.
Her stats are:
GPA 3.93/4.3
SAT: 1440
Captain of swim and gymnastics teams
Pre-op/Post-op hospital volunteer
Good luck to everyone, I look forward to hearing lots of good news this fall and next spring!
UAB is no longer direct entry
https://www.uab.edu/nursing/home/academics/undergraduate/bsn
Look under the Deans Scholars program tab. It’s still there. It is somewhat provisional in that you have to keep a min GPA to stay in it That seems to be pretty common from what I have looked at with several Direct Admit.
Hi There! We are looking for some additional suggestions of direct entry programs to apply to… Concerned about acceptance and cost! We live in Maine but she would like an OOS experience if possible.
Her stats are:
GPA 3.8
SAT 1100
ACT has not taken
Captain of field hockey and softball
Lots of extracurricular activities
She is planning to apply to:
Univ of Southern Maine
Univ of Maine (Orono)
UNH
St A’s
Curry
Florida Atlantic
Florida Southern
Thanks!
Check out the latest list of Direct Admit Nursing programs posted on this site. That is really helpful.
Also, I read a great thread and post regarding Direct Admit Nursing programs for A-/B+ students. The parent that started the thread had an outstanding post and the rationale around how they chose where to apply, where they got in, etc. It was probably one of the best posts I’ve read period. She talks about California but be sure to read thru because they applied to a lot of schools outside of CA. There’s some great info in that forum as well if you read thru everything.
Good luck!
It is great info, but 3.8 is different than a B+/A-, at least at my kids school. For us, school, B+ / A- is 3.7 - 3.3. I know each school grades on different scales but man its so frustrating, especially when applying to nursing schools. SIGH