Most realistic Direct Entry BSN programs East Coast [NY resident, 93.39 GPA]

Applying to College
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D25 is currently a junior at a catholic high school in NY.
Likely going test optional. Waiting on score but prob 1200 at best-
Unofficial transcript stating 93.39 GPA.
Volunteers at a physical therapy office
Coaches a cheer team
Varsity track athlete
Certified lifeguard with CPR
No honors classes and a few AP.
She expects to add more senior year-
She’s taken bio, chem and currently in Physics with 90 average.
Her math GPA is not great maybe 80 at best. She’s taken algebra 1, geometry and now in trig.

Honestly all the threads we have read on here are discouraging us. There are so many high achieving students fighting for spots in this field. My daughter has always wanted to be a nurse. We are at the point we are seriously wondering if its realistic.

Note* Ideally D29 really would love a large campus with D1 football , greek life all the feels… but we know she will likely need to compromise, open to anything!

I’m looking for advice on:
What more to do to be a good candidate?
***Where to apply with realistic chances on getting in to a true Direct Entry BSN anywhere along the East coast and maybe consider a little further.
Is a college application assistant necessary/ worth it?
Is there anyone out there with similar resume that got in and where?

Schools on our list- Please advise if one should be removed. Also if anyone has experience with one please give your feedback:
(these are based on college vine chancing but dont know how accurate bc of major)
Sacred Heart
Rutgers
WVU
UDel
Purdue (we know its far)
Penn State
URI -but hearing its really not direct??
USFlorida
Stockton
Ramapo
Monmouth
Seton Hall
Drexel
Charleston Southern U
Ohio
UConn
Wagner

Thank you!!

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I would add Duquesne to your list. It’s not a large, Big 10 sports school, but does have D1 football and basketball. It’s catholic, which may or may not be attractive given her high school, but most of all it’s likely to be a more attainable direct admit nursing program than some you have on the list.

I am not sure what D29 means. Is 29 her expected college graduation date? People typically use the high school year of graduation, but I think you are saying she is a junior.

Do you have budget constraints?

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lolol yes projected college grad date
ok shes D25

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University of Akron (has a limited number of direct entry seats for 3.0+ GPA, 1030 SAT+) , IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania - D11 rather than D1)

There are many others in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York if your daughter is willing to compromise on school size. My D22 had a 1030 SAT, 89 GPA with a mix of Vo-Tech and online courses (1 DE, no honors or APs, C’s in Alg. 1 and Geometry, 82 in Alg. 2) and was directly admitted to nursing at IUP, Clarion, and Alvernia.

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Where did your daughter end up going?
We would really like is the surrounding area is safe. I will look into the ones you recommend. Any on my list do you feel she has no shot?

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My daughter ended up at Messiah University, to which she was admitted to a pre-nursing program. It is very close to home (she does live on campus) and very safe (at least as safe as anything can be these days).

I’m pretty sure Penn State, Rutgers, UDel, UConn, and Purdue will be very unlikely, as all of them are highly competitive for admission to nursing. I don’t know for sure about the rest. It may depend on junior year grades and SAT/ACT scores. If she definitely wants nursing, she will need to add some more likely schools. Make sure she applies as early as applications open next summer, especially to schools with rolling admissions.

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Op- I know lots of kids who are now working as nurses who did not get into direct entry programs. These were mostly hard -working kids whose grades and scores in HS did not tag them as “Blue Chip Student” but whose college experience was much different. For one thing, only having to focus on 4 or 5 classes per semester meant their performance went WAY up-- instead of HS with gym and foreign language and so many electives dissipating their focus.

Does it have to be Direct Entry?

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I know it’s the opposite of desired, but my wife went to Cedar Crest in Allentown PA. It was direct entry into Nursing. I realize it’s a small school. But she later followed up to UNC-CH for her MSN.

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yes has to be direct entry

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Some of the schools to which my daughter applied have direct entry as well as pre-nursing. These include Messiah, York College of Pennsylvania (my daughter’s 2nd choice), and Penn Tech. Your daughter appears to be a somewhat stronger student than my D22 and might be accepted to the direct entry programs at these schools.

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But for many students, the opposite is true: balancing independent living, college social expectations, and the intensity/pace of college classes make it hard to maintain the level of performance. Trying to achieve that balance with the added stress of standing out in a competitive pre-nursing program pool often backfires.

I know several students who were likely similar academically in high school to the OP’s daughter. They chose pre-nursing and either never got in at their school and did an accelerated RN program after graduation, or took extra semesters to get accepted and extended their time in undergrad. Either way, it’s extra time and money for something they knew they wanted to do from the start.

To the OP, your daughter seems certain about nursing, so your approach is a good one.

There are more informed parents here than I am who may have better resources, but here is one website that might be useful in searching for direct admit programs:

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That list is a good start but there are many more, including over 50 direct entry nursing programs in the state of Pennsylvania alone. Most of these programs, however, are at small schools or branches of large state universities. Competition for nursing admission at flagships is very stiff.

I agree that many students with grades/scores in the range of my and the OP’s daughters need more than 4 years to complete a nursing program. My daughter is looking at a 5-year plan or possibly another major for undergraduate and then an ABSN.

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Have you considered Widener or Eastern? They don’t have the big school feel you want but may be a bit easier nursing admit.

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https://web.uri.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/1740/Nursing-6.5.12.pdf says that “Entry into NUR 203 is competitive and seats are limited. Students are required to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and a grade of “C” or better in all prerequisite courses to be considered. Entrance into the clinical course sequence is not guaranteed once meeting these requirements. Placement is competitively granted based on success in prerequisite criteria. Those who meet the minimum criteria but do not achieve a seat will be considered the following semester, in the same competitive manner. The NUR 203 class is determined at the close of spring and fall semesters. If seats remain, those completing pre-requisites in summer or interim session will be considered.”

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what is the 5year program called? I agree theres many many schools that offer the program. It’s overwhelming. Thats why I’m on here trying to see where others have applied and gotten in. I will continue searching thanks

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I will consider any that you all suggest. Do you have personal experience with either of these?

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Another option in PA is West Chester University. It is highly regarded and competitive because it’s cheaper than a lot of other programs (even for OOS). Also, Penn State University Park (main campus) is difficult to be accepted into, but the branch campus of Altoona offers a 4 year nursing BSN degree. Even though it’s a branch campus it’s still a decent sized campus that people who attend seem happy. Lastly, Temple University is direct entry. My daughter is in this program (currently a Junior). She wanted a city school and loves it.

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The reason my daughter is considering a 5-year plan is that she has had some difficulty with the science courses (Anatomy and Physiology, Genetics, Chemistry) and has to repeat 2 courses she either did poorly in or from which she withdrew. It is something Messiah is working with her on, not a specific program.

However, York College of PA does have the option of a 4.5 year program (called Direct Entry Plus), which involves fewer science courses per semester.

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Given that you are a NY resident, I would look closely at the various SUNY’s and CUNY’s. However, I do not know one SUNY from the next one and cannot suggest which of them would be best.

I notice that you have Seton Hall on your list. I know someone who got her degree in nursing from Seton Hall, and did very well with it (worked for a few years, got a master’s at Columbia, and has had a very good career since).

U.Mass Lowell also has a good nursing program.

I like the fact that your daughters ECs includes quite a bit that involves contact with the public. Nursing is of course an area where the ability to deal with people is very important.

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DD24 just applied to a number of direct entry nursing programs and we were surprised by her results based on reading here about how competitive admission is and how optional is not truly optional, etc.

Her story is a bit unusual. Due to health issues, she was mostly bedbound for middle school and the early years of high school, so minimal activities, no test scores, etc.

She attended online school freshman and sophomore years and now is homeschooled, taking dual enrollment classes junior and senior years. Her current plan is to continue in the nursing program at the CC she currently attends, but wanted to apply to 4 year programs in case she changes her mind or doesn’t get into the CC program.

She applied to most of the programs in early August and didn’t want to bother writing an essay or getting teacher recommendations, so she only applied to programs where these were optional.

GPA: 4.0 unweighted/4.3 weighted
SAT/ACT: did not take
activities: almost none (part-time job and a seasonal activity at local high school for past year)
LOR: none, other than one written by me as guidance counselor as required in common app
essay: none

Accepted to direct entry nursing at (we’re in PA):

IUP: $5K/yr scholarship + $1K housing scholarship 1st year
Bloomsburg
PA College of Tech
Neumann Univ: $25K/yr scholarship
Wilkes Univ: $28K/yr scholarship
St Francis Univ: ~$24K/yr scholarship
Fairleigh Dickinson Univ: $25K/yr scholarship

Still waiting to hear from West Chester and Holy Family.

While most of these schools are smaller than what your DD may be looking for, they may be good options for direct entry nursing admission. On your list, I think many are reasonable with your daughter’s stats. Other direct entry nursing schools to consider include Duquesne, York, Scranton, and maybe Pitt.

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