Do you happen to know if Merrimack is direct admit/entry for nursing? I can’t seem to find a reliable answer online.
I’m not 100% sure if they call it direct admit, but I know that you do start taking nursing classes your first semester.
I remember when we were doing the DA nursing tours ~2020-2022, Merrimack was just getting their Nursing program going- and they were not yet accredited. Advice we got at the time said it was a concern b/c the degree would not be accredited either if the school didn’t ultimately make it! May be different now but worth asking about!
Merrimack is now accredited by the CCNE and has a 97.4% first time pass rate for the NCLEX.
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Awesome! 
thoughts on creighton? we did the virtual info session
I was just looking at Hartwick for other reasons and found out they have a direct admit BSN that is pretty affordable, small/personalized and had a 100% pass rate.
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My parents met at Hartwick and I have visited (we were in nearby Cooperstown for, you guessed it, youth baseball). It’s a very pretty but somewhat remote area. Lovely, hilly campus.
How soon do you know if you are accepted into scholars?
I just got back from visiting several nursing programs with my D26. These were pretty much all reaches.
Northeastern. We only did a general info session and tour. They did not have anything nursing specific the week we were in Boston. I liked the campus — urban with a touch of green space/quad areas. Unfortunately, my D had a really negative reaction to the co-op model, multiple campuses, various alternative start programs, etc. But that might be a plus for others!
Boston College. Again, this was a general info session and tour. It doesn’t look like they ever do in-person nursing tours?? Lovely suburban campus, but still relatively close to the city. Although test optional, the AO who did the info session stressed that they like to see test scores now that testing is readily available again.
UConn. Very rural, which did not appeal to my kid, but others might like. The nursing program is adding seats as it anticipates opening its new building. Incoming class has about 220, with a target of 250 for next year’s class. New building opens in fall 2026, I think they said. Admission stats for last year were shared- approximately 4000 applicants, 800 accepted, for 200 seats. So roughly 20% acceptance rate. Oh, and clinicals can be up to 75 miles away (one way). Car needed.
Villanova. Very suburban (not city adjacent). 100-110 nursing seats roughly. Nursing admin has absolutely nothing to do with admission. It is all handled by the general admissions office. Recommended submitting test scores if a student has a 1420 SAT or 32 ACT, or higher. Building was nice and centrally located on campus, although campus is somewhat sprawling. Do not offer clinicals in ED or surgery generally. Car is helpful but not required (can carpool, etc.). General info session and tour leaned into religious aspects of the campus community a far amount.
Hope this helps!
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Wow that’s amazing for her!! What was her GPA? And how was she able to find the shadowing opportunities?
Her school doesn’t do GPA, but she had an A average and the shadowing was an opportunity through the local trauma hospital where we live, students 16+ interested in medical fields could shadow, she had to apply and she had to identify the person she would shadow - she was able to find the mother of a friend who was an ICU nurse at the hospital that allowed her to shadow her.
I suggest you consider some private schools that give generous need-based aid if you qualify for need-based financial aid. Public out of state universities historically give little need-based aid. Augustana College in IL has a new 2+2 program with Trinity College and they meet 100% of demonstrated need with a good GPA. Some others with Direct Entry (some very competitive and some not as much) that meet 85-100% of demonstrated financial need include Augustana University (SD), Aurora University (IL), Boston College (MA), Carroll College (MT - a hidden gem), Carroll University (WI), Case Western Reserve University (OH), Coe College (IA), College of St. Scholastica (MI), Creighton University (NE), Georgetown University (DC), Georgian Court University (NJ), Gustavus Adolphus College (MN), Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan University, Lebanon Valley College ¶, Luther College (IA), Mercyhurst University ¶, Millikin University (IL), Milwaukee School of Engineering (WI), Northeastern University (MA), Pacific Lutheran University (WA), Providence College (RI), Saint Joseph’s University ¶, Saint Louis University (MO), Seattle University (WA), Simmons University (MA), St. Olaf College (MN), University of Evansville (IN), University of Miami (FL), University of Mount Union (OH), U Penn ¶, University of Virginia, Valparaiso University (IN), and Wheaton College (MA). Good luck!
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Hello! So happy I found this group! Looking into these school for DA Nursing. Does anyone have any thoughts, advice or experience they could share about these programs? I would appreciate your feedback. Any pros/cons with these programs? Thank you!!!
University of Rhode Island
Fairfield University
Sacred Heart University
St. John’s University (New Program as of 2025)
Binghamton University
Ohio State University
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My daughter did the camp last summer at Ohio State and loved it!
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We are local to Ffld and SHU and have been to both Nursing Open Houses. Mine did the summer program at Fairfield last year. She will be applying to both. I’d like her to see St John’s too…she wants small-medium Catholic so we have a few others in addition to these.
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My only other suggestion is that if you are coming to visit SHU and Ffld, def look at Quinnipiac too. It’s very close by and another good CT option
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There has been LOTS of discussion about URI over the past few years on these forums. It’s not true Direct Entry: it is competitive to gain access to upper level nursing courses. Read the fine print for an explanation. It’s on the School of Nursing website! Great list otherwise!
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We visited and really liked Creighton. Didn’t pick it mostly due to location, lack of diversity and having a couple more appealing options but definitely one of the preferred options.
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Any good info you can share from the info session or visit? Size of cohort? Location of clinicals? Any indication of acceptance rates, average test scrores or gpa, etc.? Thanks!
Creighton is on our list.