Hi, my son is working on his college applications in the Common App. I think I saw two also request a second app in NurseCAS maybe VCU. We are looking at East Coast schools mainly because we’re here, looking from PA and south. How many is a good amount to have in early action applications to have in, due typically 1 November?
Nursing programs tend to be competitive, sometimes very competitive, for admission, particularly direct entry programs. For rolling admissions schools, it is best to get applications in as soon as possible, as nursing programs tend to fill up fast. What are your son’s stats (GPA,SAT/ACT) and extracurriculars? What schools is he considering?
On his Common App dashboard seems like they will be early action. GPA is 3.9/SAT 1230 with some honors courses. Extracurriculars are sports-high school football and rec league basketball, volunteering as a red league youth sports teams coach, did paid jobs as youth league referee for 3 years, this summer a job at a fast food place, and did a CNA cert course.
The college list is based on location, school choices. Still need to factor cost unsure of at the moment (parent retiring military this year).
- GMU
- UVA
- VCU
- Penn State
- UPenn
- Shenandoah
- UNC
- Georgetown
- Villanova
- Clemson
- Possible add ons, he got some application fee waivers: Seton Hall, OhioU, UTampa, UAlabama, Auburn
I think this list is reach heavy. I would ask people who have been through this process for additional recommendations.
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Since you are military, look into whether your schools offer in-state tuition to active/retired military. Many schools do. I think you just have to send in a special form after acceptance to get that, but double check.
How far away are you willing to go? I agree it seems a little top heavy. There are a lot of DA schools in Pennsylvania as well as Ohio. My daughter (BSN 22) applied to 7 schools, all DA, in Ohio but that was also a couple years ago.
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Is the 3.9 GPA weighted or unweighted? If weighted, it would be best to share unweighted because that’s what many schools will look at. What is your S’s class rank (approximate if the school doesn’t rank)? What lab science courses has he had? What math does he have senior year? Those academic details will be important, even though he has good ECs.
I agree the list is top heavy and will wait for the answers to the above questions before suggesting removing/adding schools. He must have at least one affordable highly likely admit school, ideally more than one…then build the rest of the list from there.
You might also read this thread: Direct Admit Nursing (BSN) Fall 2025 admits- class of 2029 and this one: Most realistic Direct Entry BSN programs East Coast [NY resident, 93.39 GPA]
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Some of the schools on your list do not have direct admit BSN programs: VCU, UNC, Alabama, Auburn, Tampa, OhioU. I believe the rest are direct admit, but most are very competitive for admission (Shenandoah may be less so). You may want to add some less competitive nursing programs to this list. As @bearcatfan mentioned, Pennsylvania and Ohio have many direct admission schools, many of which are not terribly competitive (however, Penn State main campus and Villanova are quite competitive). You can check out some of the other PA schools on this list:
Many of the less competitive nursing programs have rolling admissions, so your son should get applications in as soon as possible to any of these programs
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My son is in his second year of Nursing at Elon (NC) which is direct admit. He loves it! The Nursing and Bio professors have been outstanding. He is having a great experience. HIs friends ahead of him had some great internships last summer as well. My son had a similar list he applied to as well
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Hi, the GPA is weighted at the school. Unweighted would be 3.8 and no scores in GPA include current senior year classes in progress. School doesn’t rank, so I’m not sure how to approximate rank without the school posting data, just the class size about 650.
Sciences: Bio 1, Chem 1, Env. Science Dual Enrollment, and AP Bio. Senior year math is Applied Calculus.
The referred threads were very good, thank you.
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That makes me more aware his schools may be too top heavy and reach. I appreciate that is eye-opening, and he may need to look at more safety schools. Distance we were hoping within a few hours at most a day drive depending on where selected and our best match for him and cost.
I will have him take a look at Elon online! I took a look today and I like the information.
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