Can anyone explain why some nursing schools are direct admit and others are not? I get why private schools tend to be direct admit. Who wants to risk private tuition and then not get into the program? However, in Virginia, 2 state universities, UVA and Longwood, have direct admit, the other 4 do not. I think that’s a lot of pressure and I want my child to make the most of college!
Some limited-enrollment programs (not just nursing, but also other oversubscribed programs which may include engineering, business, or some popular liberal arts subjects) believe that it is better to judge student quality for admission to limited-enrollment programs by their college performance rather than their high school performance. However, the disadvantage of this method is that it can create a more stressful and competitive environment for the students (especially if admission grade/GPA thresholds are not listed in advance, or a competitive admission process using additional criteria is used).
Note that the pre-med-to-medical-school process is somewhat analogous, except that the prerequisite period is 4 years instead of 1-2 years, and the medical school is not necessarily on the same campus as the student’s undergraduate school. There are a few direct admit BA/BS->MD programs, but they have fairly high (GPA, MCAT, and perhaps other) standards for the student to maintain while an undergraduate in order to retain the MD admission. Direct admit nursing and other (e.g. engineering) programs may also have standards higher than just passing the prerequisites to stay in the program, so check on that carefully.
We find direct admit to be less stressful, because the kids don’t have to worry if they’ll get in. A LOT do not make the cut and have to switch majors. Keep in mind they are taking the same classes as the 2+2 kids, just with the understanding that they are already in and don’t have to apply to the nursing program Sophmore year hoping they get in.
The only answer is that different colleges choose to do things different ways. There is not always a logical explanation. You will find the same thing in business programs at different schools (some direct admit, others not). I have a strong preference for direct admit programs.
"Keep in mind they are taking the same classes as the 2+2 kids. "
Actually that is NOT true when it comes to 4 year direct admit programs where nursing students get to take clinical classes from the beginning. 4 year programs are often VERY different than 2+ 2 programs.
Direct admit programs tend to be at universities that are more selective. Since the students admitted tend to be more qualified entering the program, they don’t drop out as much and don’t need to be prequalified.
The SUNY my D attended has direct admit nursing and teaching programs. My D has several friends who did the nursing program and all are working.
I have other friends whose children went to non-direct admit schools (I am thinking specifically of Stony Brook and U Buffalo) and who were not admitted after 2 years. Almost all of them wound up not becoming nurses. Since these students were initially accepted into top SUNY’s, clearly they were capable. Their moms told me that the schools told the students that they would only take a few of their own students because otherwise, they might as well be direct admit.
I am a big believer in direct admit - my D did the teaching program and my youngest is looking at theater tech BFA’s and we have eliminated any cut programs from consideration.
With Direct Admit, what GPA do they need to maintain to stay in the program?
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Can anyone explain why some nursing schools are direct admit and others are not?
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I would guess that some are direct admit because they don’t have an excessive number of incoming nursing freshmen.
I would guess that some are 2+2 because they do have a very high number of freshmen who want to major in nursing, but can only accommodate a much smaller number during the clinical years.
I think that some smaller privates have Direct Admit because it’s a way to help secure enrollment. Those that can pay can avoid the “risk” that surrounds 2+2.
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Note that the pre-med-to-medical-school process is somewhat analogous, except that the prerequisite period is 4 years instead of 1-2 years, and the medical school is not necessarily on the same campus as the student's undergraduate school. There are a few direct admit BA/BS->MD programs, but they have fairly high (GPA, MCAT, and perhaps other) standards for the student to maintain while an undergraduate in order to retain the MD admission.
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I was just about to write something like this.
UCBalumnus mentions the need to have fairly high stats to gain admission to BS/MD programs (and admission is still very competitive), but that’s a very different situation from small private colleges having direct admission to incoming freshmen whose stats are not noteworthy.
At least at the 2+2 BSN programs, one might imagine that the graduates are the best of the best.
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I think that's a lot of pressure and I want my child to make the most of college!
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Yes, but so what? Why shouldn’t there be pressure?
Nursing students don’t have it tougher than premeds. Should people be demanding more direct admit med school programs?
However, regardless of how the nursing program is structured, all have to pass the final gateway that is the licensing exam.
However, if the competitive pressure is high enough to induce cutthroat behavior, it may not be desirable to select for that characteristic among future health professionals.
Also, pressure to protect one’s GPA may also lead to some students foregoing interesting or valuable courses because of the perceived risk to their GPAs.
Also, sometimes the indirect programs have moving targets to get into the programs (daughter is applying direct-admit BSN programs, so we’ve looked into a lot of both types). The GPA to move on may be based on how you rank compared to your fellow students, so that 3.8 might not make the cut your year. Or the year after.
The programs also can be structured very differently. Direct admit programs, at least the ones we’ve looked at, often have some kind of clinical experience from the get-go. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but they can be different.
And make sure your definition of direct admit is the same as theirs. I’ve taken to emailing the schools to make sure, beyond a doubt, that we are talking the same thing. Some of them will dance around the definition, and at least a couple that called themselves direct admit told us my daughter would have to apply to the major at the end of her freshman year. To me, that’s not direct admit.
Our flagship is direct admit and gets thousands of applications every year. They only accept about 100 students (limited by clinical capacity). As a matter of fact all big state schools have thousands and thousands of applications for nursing (look at cal) so the number of freshmen that want to major in nursing has nothing to do with being direct admit or not. Our flagship has an acceptance rate of about 55% but the nursing program has a rate of 15%. We did the info session and they told us that the direct admit model works well for them which assume means they are happy how they select the students and they have high success rate. We were also told that right now if a student applies for nursing and does not get in the direct admit program that student will automatic get rejected (in the old days they would offer a chance at another major). They do that because they is so little chance for that student transferring to the nursing major that it is not fair. Since there are so many ways for a student to become a nurse they want the students from the beginning to be in a place most appropriate for that goal. That’s what we were told not my own opinion.
Schools with solid BSN programs and high first time NCLEX pass rates are flooded with thousands of applications. They can choose the exact makeup of the class. Most often, they set the SAT/ACT scores, GPA, rigor of classes and grades in sciences higher than the standard admit stats to other programs. Most will start nursing classes, clinical rotation and SIM lab as freshman. These programs usually do not admit nursing students to other majors as they do not accept transfers in other years. Once you are in the program, (as with many other programs for scholarships), there is a required GPA that must be maintained.
Mine did not do direct admit because as an incoming freshman she did not want to be a nurse. She started college with the intention of being something else.
Direct admit is great for kids who are 100% sure of their path, but we also know that 80% of students change majors (according to the National Center for Education Statistics). In my current role, I do advise freshman, a fair number of whom want to be nurses. I’d say at least half self-select out by the end of the first semester. The reasons they give are as individual as the students, but there are two popular refrains. One is that they were only looking at nursing as a “good job (i.e. well paid)” that would be easy to find after graduation. The reality of nursing comes home to roost early and majors change. The second is about the difficulty of the major itself. The closest major I could even compare it to is engineering in terms of schedule. The classes are highly sequenced, so there’s no chance of graduating early. There are no electives in the four year curriculum and students are still taking 17-18 credits a semester. And then the first years on the job are no picnic. Sometimes, students had no idea the coursework would be so intense. The pre-meds and some other pre-professionals expect that, but a lot of potential nursing students did not, and it’s not for everybody.
One thing we noticed, at most highly selective schools ( Michigan UPenn) the direct entry 4 year nursing program is EASIER to get into ( lower average scores and rigor required) than the school generally. At less selective schools the opposite is true with nursing being the most difficult program to get into.
I was BSN many years ago at a private college in WI because of the state programs having limitations in their program after the first or first two years of college. A familiar thing continuing. A HS friend of mine went to U - WI and was able to complete the BSN program - she had the advantage of being an only child of two highly educated academicians and could navigate through the culling process. I was strong in sciences, and the private school I went to was a school of successes - almost everyone completed the program because they truly educated. I was highly motivated, and actually completed a double major in 8 semesters. Back then, the differential between state and private education cost was pretty narrow - about $1300/year (my brother went to U - WI; he was a grade ahead of me).
A large ‘direct admit’ program is called ‘nursing scholars program’ at UABirmingham. One has to apply by Dec 1 of HS senior year. My DD graduated from that program this year and has a great job - was very well prepared. I do think they yield great results because the students that do decide nursing at that point have a passion for it, and they look at the student academic and testing abilities. There are some high stat kids that also do switch into UAB nursing program - and they may have to wait a semester to gain an open seat in clinicals. Some were in the sciences, biology, chemistry, and decided to not pursue that field and instead were attracted to nursing. Due to the size of this nursing program, they have nursing students beginning junior year clinicals Fall, Spring, and I believe also Summer terms. Since they are in a large medical community (including UAB Hospital), plenty of opportunities for the clinical assignments, including Children’s Hospital of AL right in the heart of UAB and UAB Hospital complex.
I do believe that if your state BSN programs are tough for entry, one look into the community college two year programs, and then completing BSN (many schools educate RN to BSN). Some of the programs award LPN after first year.
Nursing opportunities are expanding with Nurse Practitioner programs and the expansion of health care personnel with our aging population.
One needs a strong work ethic to successfully work as a nurse, and care/compassion. I just re-entered the work force as Charge RN.
if you really know you want to do something and you can get in to a direct admit 100% do it! no worries after 2 years of college applying and maybe getting denied… get in maintain your GPA and no added worries. (IMO)
If I have a student who’s 100% committed to nursing, I’d recommend schools way down the food chain that offer direct admit over elite schools that do not. This is so different from majoring in chemistry vs. bio.
Also consider colleges with pre-nursing ( sometimes call the 2+2 program) with
Guaranteed Admission ( with certain college GPA requirement - no need to apply later & compete for seats in the nursing program )
VCU ( deadline for high school seniors to apply is early Nov. / Nov1st? )
ODU ( last time I called & checked ODU now said they offer this )
I don’t know if any other in-state VA colleges offer this so you may have to call them & ask if it is not listed in their website.
This will help reduce some stress & still allow the student to " enjoy " college life & take the sequenced pre-req clases.
At the direct admit college ( my D is at UVA Nursing ),even though the 1st year & 2nd year classes are very sequenced, there are still room to take a couple of elective classes.
A student can transfer out of nursing ( for whatever reason / change their mind / change interest )
& go back to the college of arts & science
but it is near impossible to transfer in simply due to the limited seats & opening.
And I think other direct admit schools have similar situation…there is very few opening & lots of applicants asking to transfer into the program.
if you are considering college with Pre-Nursing programs, such as VCU, James Madison, George Mason, Redford, ask them specific questions such as the college GPA for admited students ( not the minimum ), how many people applied, how many seats are available.
Like the posters above me ( on page 1 ) said, some years a super high college GPA 3.80 may not even make the cut. Some years it could be slightly lower…it all depends on the pool of applicants that year.
Both types of programs ( direct admit & pre-nursing ) are very hard, very intensive & I think many students don’t realize how hard & how much reading ( & writing too ) they have to do in a Nursing program. The pre-nursing programs are very hard too. They are not a walk in the park.
" I think many students don’t realize how hard & how much reading ( & writing too )".
Intersting. While my daughters 4 year nursing program absolutely is hard and has a great deal of reading, there is little writing. The focus besides clinical work and skills check offs is on preparation for the NCLEX and thus a focus on multiple choice exams.
From what I have read it is a somewhat regional thing. Northeast schools generally have more direct admit programs vs southern colleges for example.
I personally would not let my D apply to any 2+2 programs that required an application into the nursing program where you are competing against other students. She applied to either direct admit or what I’ll call self admit, a program where you are in if you meet predetermined criteria.
We also noticed most direct admit start nursing classes much earlier, some first semester as others have pointed out. One other point that we have seen is that it is not your overall GPA that keeps you in the program, but you must meet minimum grades in most classes, from Anatomy to Chemistry to Psychology to each Nursing class. It is very regimented!