<p>Hello. I am going to be a high school senior in the fall and am trying to figure out what colleges I should apply to. I have decided that I want to pursue nursing and am trying to figure out where to start when deciding where I want to go! What kind of things should you look at to decide how good a nursing program is? Also, what are some good/recommended schools for nursing?</p>
<p>Thanks for any help or advice that anyone has!</p>
<p>Hi @blue652
here is a master list of direct entry nursing programs, listed by state & by school, see page 8 or page 9<br>
<a href=“Master list of Direct Entry Nursing Programs: - #136 by charlieschm - Nursing Major - College Confidential Forums”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/nursing-major/859704-master-list-of-direct-entry-nursing-programs-p10.html</a></p>
<p>My D just graduated from high school so I know it can be quite confusing. If you can tell us your stats, where you like to go to ( east coast, NE, in-state , mid-west ? ) , some of the parents / students may be able to give you more ideas. Good Luck.</p>
<p>@FlowerMom 3.97 uw GPA, 2010 SAT (1390 CR+M)</p>
<p>I live in Alaska, so I want to go out of state. I’m pretty open to anywhere really!</p>
<p>@FlowerMom What if it is not a direct entry nursing program? Then what does that mean instead?</p>
<p>direct entry = you get accepted as a high school student, no need to apply to the nursing program 2 years later in college. To me, it is less stressful.
2+2 program = 2 yrs in college taking pre-req., then apply to the nursing program in sophomore year, usually hundreds of applicants will apply & only 80-90 (or more )spots are available depending on the college, may or may not get in at that time. </p>
<p>My D & I prefer a direct entry program as opposed to a 2+2. </p>
<p>@FlowerMom Direct entry does seem like it would be a better option. I’d hate to have taken pre-reqs then get turned down by the nursing program. Do you still take the same pre-reqs in a direct entry program? (Is the only difference that you are guaranteed to be in the nursing program?) I’m just still trying to figure out exactly how they are different…</p>
<p>Some of the colleges I have already been considering aren’t on the list of schools with direct entry nursing programs. Although I am still in the beginning stages of figuring out where to apply to/go, I thought I already had an idea of some schools to apply to, but I guess now I should consider some of the schools on that list. Do you have any recommendations for ones with good merit aid?</p>
<p>Hi , you are correct. Same pre-reqs.
Direct entry : you are guaranteed your place in the nursing program. Just maintain the school’s GPA requirement ( listed in that school’s website). </p>
<p>merit aid : There are a few parents here in this forum who know a lot more about merit aid than i do. Hopefully they will stop by later to give you some ideas. Usually private school will offer more merit aid than state univ for OOS student. </p>
<p>@FlowerMom Okay thanks for the help! I hadn’t heard that about private schools, but I’ll have to look into that. Hopefully others may read this and add on about merit aid!</p>
<p>I’m only familiar with Mid-Atlantic schools. Your SAT score should make you eligible for substantial merit aid at many less selective private colleges. Many of those colleges are not well known nationally, but have very good nursing programs. </p>
<p>I would definitely aim towards direct entry colleges, as opposed to 2-2. You will find that most nursing programs in the northeast are direct entry, while most in the southeast are 2-2. </p>
<p>I would try to find a program that is near at least one major hospital. Some of the programs in small towns and rural areas offer fewer clinical choices or require very long drives to get to clinicals. Some do some of their clinicals inside state prisons, because of a lack of other choices.</p>
<p>I would also check out air fare from various metro areas during various times of the year when you would want to come home. It can make a big difference in total costs. </p>
<p>You can run the cost calculator for various colleges to get a sense of what would be affordable. Some public universities have very reasonable out of state tuition, while others are very expensive. </p>
<p>@Charliesch Wow that is a lot of good information! Thank you! You make some good points about several things I need to consider.</p>
<p>Besides the good nursing program, merit aid is very important for me. Are there any specific colleges that you are familiar with that offer substantial merit aid and have a good nursing program?</p>
<p>If merit aid is important to you, you may want to give SAT one more try on Oct. </p>
<p>Just a story: One local state colleges that my D was accepted to offer her a great merit scholarship but I think she would have gotten the full tuition merit if her GPA was 0.1 more ( they were still looking at the mid-yr report at the time). So you may want to try to push the GPA & SAT up even more in case some of the schools you will be applying to have a cut off point in merit aid…you’ll never know . </p>
<p>@FlowerMom I think now I have been starting to consider taking the SAT again or ACT. I have 1390 (CR+M) and unfortunately some schools seem to offer better merit aid at 1400… If only I got 1 more question right!!</p>
<p>What school did your daughter get offered merit aid?</p>
<p>We live in Virginia. She got a great merit aid at Virginia Commonwealth University VCU . We appealed for more merit since her GPA was so close & her SAT ( over 1400s) was already higher than the cut off point. We didn’t get more aid but I am thinking boy, just missed that by 0.1 at the time.</p>
<p>She will be attending our state flagship University of Virginia ( no financial aid though ).</p>
<p>what are some of the schools you are thinking of? maybe some parents/ students who are familiar w/ those schools may chime in </p>
<p>Lots of times, good merit aid at a private school merely makes it as affordable as the in-state public. Now, that will give you more options to consider and you can pick the best fit. Great merit aid, the kind that makes a private school cost less than your in-state public, is a pretty difficult prize to attain, but hey, somebody gets those awards every year. Try for them, just don’t fall in love with a program you can’t afford without the big prize. Have several schools you’d be happy to attend on the list. </p>
<p>As a rule, you’ll get very little aid, merit or otherwise, form OOS publics. There are lists on the fin aid forum of schools where the bill for OOS will be less than $25. Might be worth checking out. There also a list of guaranteed full tuition and full ride merit scholarships. </p>
<h2>Flowermom: UVa’s in-state tuition rates are a great deal in any case. Pitty the poor people who pay $41 to $45K a year for out of state tuition. (Fortunately, my son doesn’t pay full out of state sticker price).</h2>
<p>Most colleges will superscore you for merit aid. Therefore, if you just get 10 more points in any one section than you did before, you will be considered 1400. </p>
<p>I’ll put a plug in for my daughter’s college - York College, in York PA, which is north of Baltimore. Your scores would probably make you eligible for their maximum merit aid, which would mean only about $9K a year tuition. Food and housing is also affordable. You are across the street from a 600 bed hospital. Most of the student housing and athletic facilities are no more than 12 years old (except for freshman dorms). You could probably fly into the Baltimore-Washington/Thurgood Marshall Airport, which is outside of Baltimore. You are within a reasonable driving distance if you want to visit DC, Baltimore and Philadelphia on the weekends. Unlike some other colleges, they allow freshman to have cars on-campus. However, you probably would be the only student from Alaska. </p>
<p>Because the nursing curriculum and clinical schedule at every college is very demanding and time-consuming, sometimes it is better to attend a college where your non-nursing and non-science classes will not be extremely demanding and competitive.</p>
<p>@FlowerMom Right now I have mostly really looked at University of Utah/Kentucky/Alabama due to potential merit aid. I’m only beginning to figure out where to apply, so I have a lot more research to do. Looks like I should check out some private schools as well!</p>
<p>Some private colleges emphasize merit aid, which are mainly the colleges that are less selective and trying to bring up their average stats. Other private colleges emphasize need-based aid, which are mainly colleges that are already highly competitive for admissions and that use their aid to add some economic diversity to their student body. If you use the cost estimator for various colleges, you will get a sense of some of the differences.</p>
<p>@ordinarylives Thanks!
@Charliesch Thank you! I have mostly been looking at public schools but maybe some private schools would be good options too - especially if they have good merit aid in addition to a good nursing program</p>
<p>I wouldn’t be so quick to cross of all non-direct entry schools off your list. My university does 3 semesters of pre nursing, followed by 5 semesters of nursing if you get admitted into the program. Everyone that gets admitted is guaranteed clinic hours at the hospital across the street, so there’s no panic about getting in all of your hours. While it is scary to think about not getting in, it is nice knowing you’re guaranteed clinic hours. And the staff in the nursing department will help you with reapplying, or with picking a different major if you decide that it isn’t right for you.</p>