I really hope so, Thank you for the pep talk 
, Really.
Find out how competitive it is to go from pre-nursing to nursing at each school. Some are very competitive (like 3.9 college GPA to have a realistic chance).
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Thank you, I will! I havenāt really considered pre-nursing up until recently so I will definetly look in to it.
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Direct entry nursing tends to be better because lots (sometimes, most) pre nursing students donāt make it 
Since youāre Lutheran, you should have St Olaf on your list (itās the premier Lutheran college so excellent all around .. and should fulfill your parentsā interest in prestige - considering they ought to be realistic Ivies arenāt in the cards, āpremier Lutheran collegeā could do it- and they offer Nursing). Itās a reach but if you can bring your ACT up and write compelling essays, you have a shot. You can apply EA (and ED SLU) and if your decision at SLU comes back negative, you can ask them to convert your EA to ED2.
Luther in IA also has Nursing and is a target.
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Thank you so much for your suggestions! I really appreciate it! Iāll go check them out.
Also, I decided I was going to apply general admission for SLU instead of ED. I reached out to the admissions team and they said, āThank you for reaching out and your interest in Saint Louis University! Early Decision is binding so for applicants who apply to our limited capacity programs like Nursing, they receive their decision on admission to the program when receiving their admission decision (Dec 1). If a student is not admitted to Nursing that applied Early Decision, we move their application from ED (binding) to Early Action, because they will not be reconsidered for the Nursing program and could be admitted to the College of Arts and Sciences as still deciding if admissible for the programs within that college. We do not put students who apply Early Decision on the waitlist for the competitive limited capacity programs.ā
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If you want to be in nursing, it seems to me it would make more sense to apply ED - because if you donāt get in, then they move to EA. Youād know soonerā¦so why wouldnāt you - assuming you are 100% sold on going there and money is not an issue.
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Agree, although the case of being moved to EA means rejection from the nursing major. However, many colleges fill up much of their class or popular majors in ED/EA, so applying in regular can mean applying into a much more selective and competitive admission situation, where applicants who would have been admitted ED or EA are rejected.
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EA is non binding - it means that if you donāt get into Nursing ED, you still hear early whether you could get into Arts& Sciences, although you may want to enroll in a different SLU college. EDāing Nursing doesnāt have a downside (and if admitted EA you can STILL apply ED2 to St Olaf).
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if money is truly no objectā¦ then I donāt think you need to put all your eggs in the direct nursing basket.
There are many paths to becoming a nurse- and the āI applied at age 17 and got inā may be the most direct one but there are lots of others.
You may want to adjust your goals at this point. Finding a college which will accept you which is acceptable to your parents and where theyāll pay for you-- thatās job 1. Everything else is secondary IMHO. You will likely be able to find your peeps at a wider range of colleges than you think right now. And you will surely be able to become a nurse out of a wide range of programs even if your number 1 Plan A doesnāt come throughā¦
Good luck- the world needs more nurses like you!
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Many people do like the Catholic schools, especially the Jesuit schools, because of the size (usually 4k-10k students), the mission statements, the urban setting, and the basketball.
You may want to look at Regis in Denver CO and Wheeling Jesuit in WV. Both have concentrations in medical. Three kids I know who went to grade school with my kids are nurses out of Regis. They got great options for nursing clinicals as we have a many more hospitals in Denver than nursing schools. Also look at Dayton, Xavier, Creighton.
You might get some assistance with your parents if you set up an appointment at SLU and ask the counselor for recommendations. They tend to know the other Jesuit schools and how your stats would fit in. As someone said above, a recommendation from the admissions office to apply to XXX might go over better with your parents.
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I agree with others about having a well-balanced list of schools to apply to. If you get into Saint Louisā nursing program, great! But itās important to have other options available should that option not work out, and your family should realize that, too.
Below are my guesses as to what your chances for admission might be at these Lutheran-affiliated colleges, all of which are classified as residential campuses. These are guesses for general admission, not necessarily for admission to their nursing programs. Iāve indicated which branch of Lutheranism they belong to, should that matter to you. And Luther and St. Olaf have already been mentioned for you upthread.
Extremely Likely (80-99+%)
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Carthage (WI): About 2600 undergrads at this ELCA school.
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Grand View (IA): About 1500 undergrads at this ELCA school in Des Moines.
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Valparaiso (IN): About 2300 undergrads at this school on the fringes of āthe regionā (i.e. Indiana near Chicago). Part of the Lutheran Church in America.
Likely (60-79%)
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Concordia (WI): About 2500 undergrads in a suburb of Milwaukee. Part of the Missouri Synod.
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Gustavus Adolphus (MN): About 2k undergrads about 45m from Minneapolis. Part of ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church). This school is leaning towards the toss-up category.
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Luther (IA): About 1500 undergrads at this ELCA-affiliated school.
Toss-Up (40-59%)
- Augustana U. (SD): About 1900 undergrads and part of ELCA. Leaning towards the likely category.
Lower Probability (20-39%)
- St. Olaf (MN): About 3100 undergrads at this school about 45m from Minneapolis. Part of the ELCA synod.
Low Probability (less than 20%)
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Thank you! I also really appreciate everyoneās advice, suggestion and support. I got a email reply from my admission counselor. I thought to share it because uhā¦ updates are good? Everyone here has given me more advice and things to consider than the people around me ( counselors, parents, friends, other adults ). Although I appreciate them trying to be all positive and āYouāll get in, your smartā, I really wanted people to not sugarcoat and tell me straight up actual advice so the fact that everyone here has given me their REAL ten cents, it really means a lot to me.
"Hi ā
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you have had a very well-rounded high school experience, and we will be able to see all of this through your application. Here are some recommendations for you:
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Include all of your extracurriculars on your application. If you use the Common App or SLUās free online application, there will be places for you to list everything that you have been involved in. There are also multiple essay prompts for you to pick from in the Common App so you can let us get to know you through those.
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We have a Learning Community called MICAH that I strongly recommend you look into! It seems like it could be a great fit for your passions. Here is a link to their website. This is a separate application from your application to SLU. Learning Communities are for students with similar interests who want to be involved with those activates and also live on the same residence hall floor.
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You can apply Early Decision or Early Action. As you know, ED is binding and will show how strongly you want to come to SLU, but it may not necessarily be the reason that you get into the Nursing program. Although you could have some advantage by applying early, the review committee is ultimately looking to see if you would succeed in the program. If you do decide to apply ED and are not accepted into Nursing (but were able to be accepted to the university), we would release the binding portion of your application, since you would not be able to attend SLU initially for the program you intended. We would move your application to Early Action and then admit you to the College of Arts and Sciences - Still Deciding major. If you apply Early Action, you will still strongly be considered for Nursing. However, with this you could be added to a waitlist.
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In short, if you know SLU is where you want to be regardless of your major, ED is a fantastic choice. ED is more about attending the university than being in a specific program. That is not to say that applying ED will in no way help you get into Nursing though, it just means that ultimately it is your application that will get you there. Both EA and ED will help you get into Nursing.
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A 24 on the ACT and a 3.2 gpa or higher are the minimum requirements that are typically considered for students applying to Nursing.
Another option you have is to not include your test scores in your application if you are worried about them. We are test optional and I see about a 50/50 split on students including a test score or not. You could also retake your ACT and send it to SLU again. It is completely your choice!
I wish it was a black and white answer that I could give you! You have lots of options to move forward with. I hope this information helps you make the best decision for yourself!
Let me know if you have any more questions,
Maddie"
Also, Thank you @AustenNut! Iāll check the list out! Itās A LOT more helpful than google lol.
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I just wanted to tell you guys thank you and that I really do appreciate the input
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After youāve had a chance to check out some of the schools people have suggested, it would be great if youād circle back to let us know your thoughts on them (if they appealed or repelled and why). That way people can have a better idea of what kind of school/experience youāre looking for with their future suggestions.
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Iām worried you guys will think Iām being too picky lol.
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You might be surprised; weāve seen picky before 
.
Thinking about where you want to spend four years of life is a balance. It doesnāt mean that you need to find the āperfectā place where everything is rainbows and unicorns (which doesnāt exist anywhere anyway); this is not a permanent move. At the same time, however, you will be spending four years of your life there and you want to be happy with where you are.
There are more than a thousand colleges in the U.S. so letting us know your preferences can help to narrow down that list. If you list so many preferences that there are few to no options left, weāll let you know that and ask that you indicate which preferences are more important to you than others. Some questions that might spark your thinking include:
- What size school do you prefer?
- What size classes do you prefer?
- What kind of climate do you prefer (including the amount of sun, for those with Seasonal Affective Disorder)?
- What regions of the country do you prefer (or prefer to avoid)?
- What are your preferences in terms of urban/suburban/college town/rural locations?
- How do you feel about Greek (fraternity/sorority) life?
- How do you feel about significant enthusiasm for intercollegiate athletics?
- Are there any interests (outside of your major) that you want to pursue?
- How would you describe the vibe of the people you hope to find on campus?
- Are there any other factors (like religion or politics) that will affect your decision and, if so, how?
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" Rainbow and Unicorns" Soā¦ who wants to go kidnap a leprechaun with me lol? Iām sorry, I found that really funny for some reason.
- I donāt mind school size all that much, it isnāt a priority. More than two thousandā¦?
- Class sizeā¦ havenāt really thought about thatā¦ I think anything works
- Climate isnāt a big deal for me. Iām originally from Manhattan NY but later got nannied in FuZhou China and Jeju Island South Korea before coming back to NY and moving to STL. Iām very adaptable so I donāt think I would care too muchā¦?
- I just want to make sure Iām gonna be safe
- Again, Iām very adaptable but I would like to be in an urban setting ( Iām a big foodie, I wanna know that thereās good food around lol, games to attend, theatreās to go to )
- I would love to join a sorority, That is something I definetly wanna do!
- I love watching college football ( or just NFL ). I play golf as my sport but IDK if Iām gonna keep it up in college but 9 years of it and itās a big part of me
- Outside my majorā¦ Psychology, Orchestra, Student Goverment, More volunteering and Charity work? I have always loved Charity work, especially for mental health causes. As someone who struggles with my mental health and lost 4 friends before the age of 15, it means a lot to me to be able to try to help others who are struggling as well.
- Vibeā¦ Social lol. If you couldnāt tell by now, I am VERY social. My mom thinks iām gonna get kidnapped every 5 seconds! Let me give you an idea, I made a friend in 5 minutes on a plane ride to Vegas because I liked her phone case. We chatted for the whole ride and exchanged socials.
- Religion based is important for me ( Jesuit, Christian, Methodistā¦etc ) and conservative. I donāt mind liberal views at all, A lot of my friends lean very left and I donāt mind. Iām just afraid iām going to accidently offend someone.
- A big thing for me is campusās. I LOVE older architecture.
Based off your preferences (though I didnāt do much of a screen on architecture), these are some schools you may want to consider. Most of them are religiously affiliated, though some of them are not (as balancing Greek life with football does not always correspond well with conservative Christian schools). I suspect that you would be able to find your people at most big public schools, as Christian organizations, including conservative ones, definitely exist at all large colleges Iām aware of. Additionally, I would look into the particular flavor of religion at each school. At many Jesuit schools, I would classify their religious tendencies toward liberal/progressive, though not all Jesuit schools are that way (I have read that Creighton and Rockhurst are more on the conservative side of Jesuit practices).
Once again, the schools are sorted by my guesses as to what your chances for general admission might be at these colleges, not necessarily for admission to their nursing programs.
Extremely Likely (80-99+%)
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Bellarmine (KY): About 2400 undergrads at this Roman Catholic school in Louisville
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Belmont (TN): About 7300 undergrads at this interdenominational school in Nashville
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Bethel (MN): About 2600 undergrads at this Baptist school in Saint Paul
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Catholic U. (D.C.): About 3100 undergrads at this school in our nationās capital
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Marquette (WI): About 7700 undergrads at this Jesuit college in Milwaukee
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Mercyhurst (PA ): About 2300 undergrads at this Roman Catholic college in Erie
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Michigan State: About 40k undergrads at this public school in the state capital of Lansing (which is close to Calvin, should you be interested in visiting)
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U. of Cincinnati (OH): About 31k undergrads
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U. of Kentucky: About 24k undergrads at this Lexington school
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U. of Louisville (KY): About 16k undergrads
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U. of Northwestern ā St. Paul (MN): About 3200 undergrads at this Christian school in Saint Paul
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Xavier (OH): About 4700 undergrads in Cincinnati, which you already have
Likely (60-79%)
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Calvin (MI): About 3100 undergrads at this Christian Reformed school in Grand Rapids. This school is also a heavy-hitter in terms of the number of students who go on to earn a doctorate, if that helps to sway your parents.
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Creighton (NE): About 4300 undergrads at this Jesuit school in Omaha
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Gannon (PA ): About 2900 undergrads at this Roman Catholic college in Erie
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Lipscomb (TN): About 3300 undergrads at this Nashville school affiliated with the Church of Christ
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Loyola Chicago (IL): About 12k undergrads at this Jesuit school
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Rockhurst (MO): About 2400 undergrads at this Jesuit school in Kansas City
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St. Ambrose (IA): About 2100 undergrads at this Roman Catholic school in Davenport
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U. of Arkansas: About 27k undergrads at this public school
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U. of Dayton (OH): About 8200 undergrads at this Roman Catholic school
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U. of Houston (TX): About 38k undergrads at this public school
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U. of Indianapolis (IN): About 4k undergrads at this United Methodist school
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Webster (MO): About 2200 undergrads at this St. Louis school with no religious affiliation, should you want another St. Louis option
Toss-Up (40-59%)
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Texas Christian: About 11k undergrads at this Fort Worth school that is affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. Although Christian is in the name of the school, this is not a place where I think that the religion is pervasive.
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U. of Minnesota ā Twin Cities: About 40k undergrads at this public school
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U. of Tulsa (OK): About 2500 undergrads at this school with, I believe, one the highest proportions of its student body as National Merit Finalists (if that helps sway your family). I think itās about 25% NMFs.
Lower Probability (20-39%)
Low Probability (less than 20%)
Also paging @chicagoshannon who may have some insight to share.
At D3 colleges you could see if youāre recruitable for golf - especially for reaches where that would be a hook (a way to boost your chances). You can reach out to the coach with your stats/results/awards.
The benefit is that after your first year you can quit if you donāt feel like continuing, and continue if you wish. Itās quite a step up athletically compared to HS but itās not professional-level time consuming like for D1/D2.
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Iāll check them out! Thank you! Iāve actually already added Marquette, Creighton, Rockhurst, U. of Kentucky, Xavier and TCU to my common app a while ago. Iām thinking of Loyola Chicago but my friend toured there last year ( to give you an idea, we were both going to go to the Christian Acadamy together but my parents arenāt part of the church so I couldnāt - What Iām trying to get at is that sheās more religious than I am but I would say has the same level of conservatism ). After she went to Loyola Chicago, she told me that although it was advertised as religious, she felt that it wasnāt religious at all but very political based and leaned very left. After hearing that, Iām not sure if I will apply. Iām kinda worried Iām gonna accidently start a verbal fight or something because I said something wrong lol.