We are in-state in NC and it is disappointing that as many in-state nursing programs as we have, the only direct admit I can find is Elon which is just starting its first class of nursing students. My daughter is high school Class of 2022 with a very average application - good GPA and IB classes but only a few activities and no high tests scores. Are these the only ones for out location. I want to make sure I am not missing any?
Elon - tour was great, first class of nursing students starting in 2021
VCU - honors college admit for nursing with requirements to stay in program
U of South Carolina - honors college admit for SmartStart nursing with requirements to stay in program
Clemson -
U of Miami - a little far but looks good
U of Delaware -
Shenandoah
Georgetown - if ACT is required my daughter won’t be in range. She took it twice.
I’m concerned that even schools that are not as hard to get into as an undergraduate still say that entering the nursing major is very competitive. I find all of this baffling as students work to get admitted to the university and then there is a change they wouldn’t get the nursing major once they get there. At the same time, they say there is a shortage of nurses in America.
Direct Admit Colleges for Nursing: Mid Atlantic/Southeast
Binghamton (SUNY)
Bloomsburg (PA )
Carlow (Pittsburgh)
Clemson
College of New Jersey
Delaware
Drexel (Philadelphia)
Duquesne (PA )
East Stroudsburg (PA )
Edinboro (PA )
Florida Atlantic
Florida Southern
Georgetown
Hartwick (NY)
Marshall (WV)
Marymount (VA)
Miami
Niagara
Penn
Penn State (various campuses)
Pitt
Rutgers (Newark)
Seton Hall (NJ)
Temple (Philadelphia)
UVA
VCU
Villanova
Widener (PA )
West Virginia
2 Likes
Nursing students need hands on experience and there are limited units, days and times at clinical sites such as hospitals. This along with a shortage of nursing instructors leads to lower numbers of nursing school admits.
1 Like
Good points, 2Plustrio. The factors you raise keep enrollments (spaces available) low. In addition, all careers in health care have become good paying careers and increasing demand has made job accessibility and job security better. As a result, interest in these fields and therefore college applications to these majors have increased. The combination of increased applications for a small number of spots has resulted in a low percent of acceptances.
1 Like
I’ve been in this field for 25 years. They have always kept numbers lower due to ensuring clinical hours and staffing. To maintain accreditation, nursing schools may have to guarantee a certain number of clinical hours. This has been an issue for years which has resulted in simulation being able to account for up to 50% of clinical hours on many cases.
1 Like
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) | College of Nursing
The College of Nursing also notes, “Students can apply to the program as freshmen (direct freshman admission to the nursing major) or apply through the change of major/transfer application process after their sophomore year. Both routes of entry are highly competitive.” (from Admissions | College of Nursing)
2 Likes
I agree. What I’m saying is that applications and interest in nursing and health careers in general are way up.
1 Like
Pennsylvania has over 50 direct entry programs, many of which are not too competitive for admission. Ohio and New York have a number of others. Quite a few of these programs are at small private schools, though some are at public “directionals” (i.e., non-flagships). I don’t know your daughter’s stats, but my daughter has lower stats and no honors/AP/iB courses and I have found at least a half dozen programs where I think she has a reasonable chance of admission. If your daughter is open to smaller schools, she will surely be accepted to a direct entry nursing program.
1 Like
@Bill_Marsh
The college of nursing I am at has had a 10% or less acceptance rate for years before the pandemic. We have been turning hundreds of qualified applicants away for over a decade now. Starting pay has remained pretty stable relative to the market. The need for nurses has always been there. Its just more in the news post Covid.
1 Like
Check out Lander in SC. It is small public in Greenwood SC. It does have lower level to pass before admitted to upper level so may not be what looking for. However I have heard of UofSC students who didn’t make the upper level cut transferring to Lander so must be slightly less competitive. Have a cousin who graduated from there and her D is there now as nursing student.
1 Like
When looking at direct admit nursing majors, be sure to check if there is a high weed-out GPA to stay in the major.
1 Like
Check the weed out- but don’t be put off by it.
I know a bunch of kids over the last few years who got “weeded out” at nursing programs and I gotta say- I wouldn’t describe any of them as serious students. They end up majoring in marketing, social media/communications, recreation management, etc. which seems to be much better fits for them. Not that some of them aren’t smart- but they didn’t exactly enter college with the mindset of “I’m here to hit the books”.
If the OP’s D is committed to a career in nursing, and isn’t afraid of focusing on her studies (sometimes at the expense of her social life) she should be fine- even at a weed-out college! I don’t think being social chair at a sorority is the best EC for a serious nursing student!!!
2 Likes
However, there is quite a difference between a weed-out GPA of 2.2 and a weed-out GPA of 3.5, in terms of the risk of a serious student being at risk of being weeded out.
Agree. A weed out of 2.anything shouldn’t be a concern to a student who has performed well in HS and is intent on a career in health care.
1 Like