Posting a final update to help next year’s applicants.
We started looking for information on direct admit nursing programs one year back in the college confidential. I found a very long list of direct-admit BSN programs in not only our state but all our neighboring states as well. This was very important as we came up with DD’s college list. CC was helpful throughout DDs journey to find “the final college she would attend”
I took my daughter to visit most of the colleges on our list and eliminated colleges that she didn’t like. Since BSN is competitive, I felt she should be equally happy to attend any of her colleges from her list. I didn’t want her to apply to colleges that she was not comfortable attending. I didn’t want her to be disappointed if she ended up not getting into her favorite college!
Our college list changed a bit. Some of the criteria we considered were –
- Proximity to home (very important)
- Cost of the program (very important)
- Diversity (very important)
- Co-ed college (moderately important)
- Large state university (moderately important)
- College reputation and the nursing program (moderately important)
- Instate vs. out of state (moderately important)
- City or rural (slightly important)
We vacillated between in-state vs. out-of-state programs. DD didn’t want to apply early decision. So, we fine-tuned her college list based on colleges that offered Early action. DD was a little skeptical about religious-based or gender-specific colleges. Diversity was pretty important for her. Being close to home and cost were also important factors.
Just like everyone else applying to BSN direct admit programs, my DD was looking for that sweet spot where cost, location, college type, and college reputation were within her comfort zone. Glad to report that UConn hit the sweet spot for DD.
Stats:
4.3w, 1520 SAT, 4 AP/14 honors, good LOR, Good essay
Strong healthcare-related ECs, service-oriented leadership, 300+ hrs of volunteering
Accepted:
UConn DA with Academic excellence scholarship (Committed and will join)
Simmons, Trustee Scholarship
Binghamton, DA - Presidential scholarship
UMass Lowell - DA - Honors, Dean’s scholarship, Abigail Adam’s scholarship
UMass Boston - DA - Honors, Chancellor’s scholarship, Abigail Adam’s scholarship
UVM, Presidential scholarship
Adelphi, DA - Presidential scholarship
Fairfield University, Bellarmine Scholarship
Molloy College - Dean’s Scholarship
UPitt – no merit
Ohio State -not DA, pre-nurs (easy)
Penn State – no merit
UMass Dartmouth – no merit
Northeastern DA – deferred EA, denied later
UMass Amherst DA – waitlisted for Fall 2022, Spring 2023
We wish the students in the class of 2026 as well as other future batches of students the very best for their future!!! The one suggestion I would give to future students is to keep an open mind about colleges. As the selection criteria evolve over years/months, and as you start receiving those acceptances and merit scholarships, you will start developing favorites totally different from the ones you started with!