Do colleges expect you to complete all of the prerequisites before applying to a program that admits freshman for nursing? I chant fit them all in before applying but I can complete it by the end of second semester of senior year
The colleges I am looking into
SDSU
UCLA
UCI
CSU Fullerton
UNR (university of Nevada Reno)
University of San Fran
And list anymore colleges you know with direct entry in nursing for freshmen
For the Cal states and UC’s you need to complete the required 15 a-g courses to apply. Majority of the applicants will go above and beyond the required courses to be competitive. So what pre-req courses are you talking about?
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/files/csu-uc-a-g-comparison-matrix.pdf
http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/freshman/minimum-requirements/index.html
I would Arizona State to your list.
I’m not the UC expert, but my understanding is that you need the required 15 a-g courses to be completed by the time you finish HS, but you “only” need to have completed 11 by the time you apply.
Presumably, high school preparation for a nursing major will be general college preparation, including readiness for college non-remedial courses in English, chemistry, and biology (and calculus for some schools like UCLA). I.e. high school chemistry and biology at least, and math through precalculus or calculus if targeting schools that require calculus.
If intending to practice in an area where a non-English language is commonly spoken, skill in such a language can be helpful.
@skieurope is correct that you need only 11 a-g courses completed at time of application but 15 minimum completed by graduation and matriculation.
OK, so with that clarification, in most cases, the suggested or required HS preparation for a nursing program is similar to that for arts and sciences. Specific programs will list what they consider important. @ucbalumnus offers good advice as a base. Other than CA publics, which we’ve clarified, I am not aware of any example where the prereqs need to be completed by the time of application.
For SDSU and CSU Fullerton, they want to see the completion of Algebra 2, Biology and Chemistry at the time of application so is this what you are referring to as Nursing Pre-req’s?
Not really sure by what you mean by “complete all the prerequisites”
You can find a list of direct-entry nursing programs by searching online
Direct admit is preferable but you ought to consider the Associates Degree in Nursing (ADN) to RN path as a plan B. You get the ADN degree at a community college and qualify for the RN test. This makes you employable right then although a BSN is a better degree to have. So you continue on in school for the BSN. RN->BSN programs tend to be easier to get into; out here in CA some say they accept all qualified candidates (look for example at the Fullerton nurs. And, again if money is a concern, as a RN you can even pick up a few shifts during school and fulltime during breaks to earn money for school.
I know you are trying for the DA schools but in case that does not come thru at a price you can afford you need a second plan. The ADN path is lower risk than enrolling at a college that is not direct-admit. It comes with some downsides. You don’t get the same 4-year experience you would if you attend a DA school. You need to be pretty sure you want to be a nurse; it is easier to change majors and continue on if you are already enrolled at a 4-year. Upsides are the lower cost at a CC, the better chance to get into a BSN program than you have at a non-DA school, having a marketable degree after 2 years of college (which you won’t after 2 years of pre-nursing curriculum at a 4-year). If you go the ADN route look for schools that have a good NCLEX pass rate.
You probably have to check with each university you are interested in to be sure they don’t have anything specifically required.
Nursing schools usually like when you have taken advanced Biology and Chemistry (honors, and AP if possible). AP Stats and AP Psychology are also good for those going into nursing, as those are classes you typically will have to take later and it would be nice to get AP credit and waive those. Other AP credits could waive general education requirements and lighten your courseload.
In my adventures in nursing admissions with my daughter so far, it seems to me that the schools want you to have done well with a rigorous high school curriculum AND shown some demonstrated interest in medical/nursing stuff. And some schools have minimum SAT scores they require, so you might want to ask about that to avoid paying an application fee to a school that won’t admit you. (For example, Pitt main campus requires a minimum 1310 for nursing, last I heard.)
I think my daughter has gotten into certain schools while others with higher stats have been denied because she has demonstrated interest in the field. I have seen others post things like “I put nursing as my first choice major, business as my second” and “I didn’t get into nursing, but they let me into general studies, so maybe I will do that.” I think that’s really dumb. 
Don’t go into nursing unless you are sure that’s you want. And if you are happy doing business as your second choice, you really didn’t want nursing that badly. Most of the schools want students who are committed to the field. That’s probably more important than specific high school classes.
How to demonstrate interest? My daughter did medicine-related selective (she had to apply and be accepted) summer intensive programs at two respected universities, before junior and senior year. She spent hours and hours shadowing medical professionals. She wrote an essay explaining why she wanted to go into nursing, and explaining that her various activities with kids was because she wanted to work in a pediatric specialty. Her recommendations specifically mentioned she wanted to be a nurse and the recommender thought she would be great at that. She will be taking nursing aide classes this spring and summer. She volunteers in the pediatric wards of two hospitals.
In my opinion, if you can get into a decent direct-admit nursing program that is far preferable to an apply-later program. My other daughter is a freshman at a university where nursing students apply to begin junior year, and she reports that those students are completely stressed out because about 40% of them won’t get a spot.
The Cal states on your list admit by stats only but having exposure to the Nusing field will help solidify your interest in pursuing this major. The UC’s will expect some EC’s that are Nursing related. @vamom4 summarized things well.
In addition the mandatory prereqs that are needed, it is a very good idea to take AP bio or AP anatomy in high school. It will make your freshman year less stressful (because all of the material will not be new to you) and it will be a good test for yourself about whether you have the interest and aptitude to make it through a RN program.
@vamom4 Wow your daughter is so accomplished, doing everything right to ensure her acceptance to nursing programs. Did she know very early on that she wanted to major in nursing? Would you mind sharing her stats and where she applied/got accepted. My DD didn’t know until almost the end of her junior year that she wanted to go into nursing, so it was pretty much impossible to secure a volunteer position at hospitals nearby b/c they preferred to take younger kids (longer commitment). Although she did have a lot of other ECs (leadership roles in her varsity sport & church, taught youth, completed the highest level in piano after 11 years, has a black belt in karate, applied & was chosen for 2 medical programs over 2 summers, volunteered at a nursing home, has a part time job), these were not enough. She did not get accepted to any direct entry public & private nursing programs in CA. She has a 4.0 GPA & 1400 SAT but it is on the low end competing against much higher stats that I’ve seen on this forum. She did get accepted to a 2+2 program but that’s a bit stressful for her not knowing if she can transfer in after 2 years. She is leaning towards some direct entry schools in Seattle & Oregon, but those are private and very expensive, despite good merit scholarships. Any feedback you may have would be helpful. Thank you!
The application numbers for direct admit nursing programs are huge. Demonstrated interest in the school, visits, contacts, and interviews are weighed in the process. It is very important if there are any supplemental essays that a direct connection is made to the school, the program, and how a student believes they will fit into the community. If a student makes a decision late in the process to attend a nursing program, it is helpful for them to address that in additional information- make sure they point out how their leadership roles, compassion and accomplishments, especially those involving critical thinking will assist them in the nursing program. Not all programs will be filled with higher stat applicants only. It is also important to take a rigorous program, receive high grades in science and math and take those courses at the highest levels offered in the HS. Make sure your student has taken all of the prerequisites of the program, ie. some schools require physics, other programs do not. The grades in those required classes will be looked at carefully. In many schools, a transfer applicant has a higher probability of admission.