Hi, So I am a high school junior who is thinking about applying to direct entry nursing programs. the problem is i have a pretty high GPA (4.6w,3.9uw), but low standardized test scores (ACT score in the low 20s), im just bad at taking them i guess. I was wondering, are there any direct entry nursing programs for 1st year students that are relatively less selective in the college app process. I am looking for schools mainly in the east coast since i live in NC. the only west coast school i really like is UHawaii @Manoa (but i need to raise my math portion of my act. if you also know anything about MCPHS-Boston, I am interested in that school as well.
Pennsylvania has over 50 direct entry BSN programs, many of which are not terribly competitive. In western PA, consider Duquesne, Carlow, Robert Morris, Saint Vincent (in collaboration with Carlow), IUP, Saint Francis, Gannon, Seton Hill, Clarion. The Pittsburgh area also has a number of hospital-based diploma programs.
In eastern and central PA, look into York, Misericordia, Neumann, Immaculata, Gwynedd Mercy, Holy Family, Marywood, DeSales, Moravian, Wilkes, Widener, Cedar Crest, Alvernia, Wilson, Messiah. Other possibilities include D’Youville in Buffalo, NY and Ursuline in Ohio. There are probably more in Ohio and New York, but I am most familiar with the Pennsylvania schools.
Some of these schools may prefer an ACT in the mid-20s or SAT equivalent. Are you planning to study and retake the ACT? Have you tried the SAT?
Check out Randolph-Macon in Virginia. New BSN program, the minimum ACT to be considered for nursing is 22, although it may need to be a bit higher to be competitive for admission.
Check out Xavier University in Cincy. It’s not entirely East Coast but they do draw quite a bit from the East. They are a test optional school but require std tests for Nursing but since your GPA is higher than their regular stats, it might balance out.
Also look at Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton, if you’re willing to go Southeast
If your Math score is high, I agree with kidsncatz that maybe you could try the SAT. Students tend to perform better on the SAT if you are better at Math. Do tutoring also. The cost of a tutor may repay itself in spades if you are able to gain scholarships by increasing it. Good luck!
I am also interested in UT austin’s direct entry nursing program!!!
other info about me:
GPA: 4.6w,3.9uw
ACT: 22
SAT:1080 (plan on retaking it)
AP: only one (AP Psych got a 4)
Dual Enrollment: will be 60 creds. by the end of senior yr.)
my high school is medical based. (medicine is literally in the name)
i am currently ranked #1 out of 78, but that can change b/c of the coronavirus online school process (i get overwhelmed with online class, especially since all my classes are college Biology,math,french and english which may drop my grades)
URM (black and female), 1st Gen
In the process of receiving my Associates in Science at my local CC.
a lot of humanitarian trips to my home country of Ethiopia. started my own website called Feminality meant to raise awareness on women health mentality and education. in the process of writing a poem book.
i’m also in the National Honors Society (Phi theta kappa) at my college for high GPA and academics. in this group we do a lot of service trips especially with special/non-neurotypical kids.
Have you compared your college courses you’re taking while in high school to what the prerequisites are for non-direct entry nursing programs? How many classes would you need to take to meet the requirements? Can you take whatever you’re missing over the summer? It might be worth it in your situation to look at your in-state College options who would accept all your associate degree classes and shave 2 years off college. Direct entry programs are 4 years long which gets expensive.
The whole point of college in hs is to curb college costs. A quick google search brought up East Carolina State as a two + two program. Once you’re actually a nurse and have a couple years of hospital experience you can literally throw a dart anywhere in the US and get a job. Plus you could be a nurse traveler and take 3 month contracts all around the country and abroad.
@MistySteel27 I have thought about in-state, but I am afraid that I would not get into the nursing program since we have to compete for limited seats. The thought of trying to get A’s in classes and passing the TEAs based on the schools requirements is kind of stressing, isnt it not?
for pre-reqs i would only really need to take A&P, Nutrition, stats, and microbio. and other general elects based on the school.
Schools are going to be hesitant to admit a student who can’t get decent standardized testing scores due to the fact that NCLEX pass rate directly affects their accreditation. Sounds like even though you’re taking a high school/cc degree program you’d still have a years worth of prerequisites so you would be better off looking for a direct admit program.
The cost of the MCPHS program is probably around the cost of most out of state public and privates could cost unless you get significant merit money or you get institutional grants. Have you talked to your parents about what they can/will pay? Have they figured out their EFC or done any net price calculators on colleges websites? You can only borrow $5,500 freshman year and not much more than that each year after. If the COA is $25,500/year after merit/grants your parents will have to come up with $20,000 x 4 years = 80k. Work on getting your scores up. Does your school offer a test prep class? Can you afford to get it privately? The SAT/ACT forum would have better suggestions than I can offer on that. Good luck with everything, I work with nursing students every day and it’s a lot of hard work!
My daughter is a first year ASU Nursing student, Direct Admit to the BSN program (which avoids taking the TEAS and guarantees advancement to 3rd and 4th years of clinical nursing courses). The admission requirement is easy: 3.3 GPA, 24 ACT. We are from CA and she got $14,500/year merit scholarship for a 26 ACT/3.7 GPA from a college prep high school. I think the admit requirement is way too low. A 3.3 GPA student could not succeed in this program. 60% of the students flunk out of the Direct Admit status. Stats: total students: 498, average GPA: 3.61, average SAT 1172, average ACT: 23. As mentioned by others, they need to keep a 3.5 GPA every semester for the first two years (in critical classes) or they are dropped into the health sciences and can try to get back into the nursing program by taking the TEAS (standardized test) and continuing classes, competing with transfers and others. “After Direct Admission students are placed into the upper-division clinical nursing program, any remaining spaces will be offered to competitive applicants based on academic merit. There is no guarantee there will be remaining spaces available through the Competitive Application Process.” As everyone knows, Anatomy/Physiology is challenging, and it’s one class, not separate classes, which makes it more difficult. Don’t assume that a 3.5 GPA is half A’s, half B’s. You need to calculate the credits to figure it out. Anatomy/Physiology + lab is 4 credits, other classes are less credits. So every class grade is worth a different amount. The advisor should be able to help. Each semester, we pray that she can get through! The clinical courses are in great facilities.
The issue with ASU Nursing is that it’s on the downtown Phoenix campus (with Law and Journalism) which has homeless (they clear them out at orientation and move-in day). So if you are looking for a campus, this would not be it. The nice thing is that it is compact. Taylor Place is the newer dorm, the dining hall is at the first floor, along with the mail room, Starbuck’s, Chick-fil-A, and Panda Express. An ASU shuttle to the main Tempe campus is a 20-minute ride.