Yes Duke, Penn etc are a reach for everyone. UNC is a big reach for all out of state students, as is UVA.
Keep in mind that some ABSN programs are quite costly. The less costly programs tend to be more competitive (at least where I live).
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I think the plan would be have about 2/3 of her apps be to schools that have BSN and may all be reaches, because it seems like most nursing schools are, and then some solid target
and likely schools that she’d be happy to attend either way and set her up for an ABSN application.
I think at some of the schools she may also be able to identify a 2nd choice major, which would cover a lot of bases.
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I believe the University of Delaware has direct entry nursing.
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EVERY school will. My kid went to Alabama…he’s a nature guy. Zero interest in the party life.
Some of your huge academic schools- UM, UNC OSU, etc. are party meccas as are some jesuit, etc.
But most, likely all schools, have a variety of kids - that party, game, play board games, do natury things and more.
Good luck
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My daughter applied to 16 schools, 4 of them for Psychology (no Nursing so ABSN would be in her future). She wanted choices…but I see a possible meltdown come April…lol
How has your son found the Greek presence at Alabama? I only know what I’ve seen on Tiktok…
I think we may also have a preference for colder states - the opposite of what many college kids want haha, because of her medical condition being worse in the heat!
Ok so your daughter wants one of the big time traditional colleges and if she does not make nursing she will choose biology or another science. She will also have safety schools on her list. She prefers bio at an Ohio State over direct entry nursing at a school that isn’t like OS. Got it!
My daughter attended UNC OOS (not nursing) if you have any questions. She never attended a party (most were off campus) and was quite busy.
If I think of any other schools I will post them. Good luck!
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OP-- She sounds amazing! If she has top scores/grades, she will def. be able to attend a DA program with a traditional college experience. She has some amazing schools on her list!
Adding possible safeties such as large flagships…think UVM, UNH, UMaine, UDel, UConn…might be a good idea. Can’t hurt and she has an excellent chance at admission to most of these, and they check the box of fun/traditional campus experiences.
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OP - based on your post I am going to guess that your daughter will be a competitive applicant to DE nursing at some of the flagships mentioned. Good luck!
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My S24 is a high gpa/high testing student with 11 APs, health related ECs, leadership, two varsity sports, etc. She similarly wanted a traditional college experience. We used U Pitt and URI as her safeties–you can apply to Pitt rolling in the beginning of August and hear back October-ish–good to have an admission in your pocket and it’s a great nursing program with an amazing medical center two blocks away for clinicals.
Also toured and considered/ applied to:
Emory
Villanova
BC
UNC-CH
Michigan
U Penn
Binghamton
Thought the admit chances at UVA were going to be pretty low for nursing since it’s a state school, didn’t apply; don’t know what threw us off of there but made us keep UNC CH?. Georgetown’s multiple supplemental essays made the decision for her to not apply there; plus it looked to me like the nursing cohort was pretty small compared to other schools. UPenn I read some mixed reviews of the nursing school and their enrollment is also small in nursing, plus didn’t love the campus when we toured.
She ended up loving BC and applying ED1 and getting in, so all other applications were withdrawn. We never found out what else she got into. UMich was her second choice, she loved the tour there and I felt she had a good admission chance. Emory and Villanova also heavy contenders. You can take separate nursing school tours at some places including Michigan and UPitt–definitely do that.
Planned to throw in some applications to southern schools without DA if it started to look grim for admissions and do a psych major and then BAT somewhere post graduate–Clemson, UGA, USC etc. Didn’t need to.
Good luck to your daughter! Use this year to build health-related extracurriculars and volunteering if you haven’t already.
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My son wasn’t Greek. It wasn’t an issue. He was an engineer. He tried the engineering frat but it wasn’t for him.
He did ecoCAR, Sailing Club, studied relentlessly, and hiked and biked.
There is certainly a sizable Greek presence. Some may say dominant but it’s less than half. He said they are the student government but he’s not sure what he lossed from that.
It’s an example of a school, if your kid is tops, you go dirt cheap - hence they have tons of smart kids there…and tons of “lesser academic” statistically.
I wouldn’t suggest it (nor did I) given the list up top which is Northern and more urban. Just pointing out - even “party” or Greek schools have many kids that aren’t.
But it’s a great school - and the price is right for the super academics.
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Thank you, it sounds like my daughter is on a similar path to what your daughter is doing! She has volunteered at our Children’s Hospital for a number of years and is on their junior volunteer board, she also completed a shadow at our local trauma hospital last summer, and will do another shadow this summer. Congratulations to your daughter on BC, we loved that campus!
Thank you! Trying to make a big list for now, then narrow down. Her health will definitely have some impact on her final choices.
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I know you said top gpa and scores - but that means different to everyone.
You might just list them out - just to get a bounce - just in case.
And if the student is a national merit semifinalist (and finalist to be), that would have impact as well.
It does seem you have similarities (desire wise) to @Kep …that’s where ED’s a bummer…they don’t know about any other schools (for comparison purposes).
My dad was in the hospital in August - and I couldn’t believe how many Filipino nurses there were - educated in the Phillipines…not just by ethnicity. I think each shift he had a different “lead” and they were all Phillipine educated.
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I will say that shadow at the trauma hospital was an amazing experience for teenagers to see what kind of behaviors they should not engage in! 
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Rutgers appears to have DE nursing.
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I agree with others that admissions to nursing programs can be highly competitive. However, there are a lot of jobs and graduates can do well graduating from a wide range of universities.
As two examples: I know someone who has done very well with a nursing degree from Seton Hall. Also, at some point I happened to have a health emergency close enough to Lowell Massachusetts that I ended up getting a lot of help (on the “save my life” level) from a range of medical personal including nurses many of whom had graduated from U.Mass Lowell. Seton Hall and U.Mass Lowell are not considered to be as “elite” as the schools that you mentioned, but have good nursing programs and produce nurses who end up with solid careers.
I think that your daughter should make sure that she applies to at least one and preferably two programs where acceptance to the nursing program is very highly likely.
The fact that your daughter already has some relevant shadowing experience I think is likely to be quite helpful.
I have managed to miss your home state (if it has been mentioned) which might impact our ability to suggest schools that are nearby.
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I think this student prefers to be a biology major (or other science major) at a well known flagship over a DE nursing admit at a non-flagship school such as Seton Hall or UMass Lowell etc. She would do the ABSN if necessary.
The OP will correct me if I am wrong.
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I’m guessing PA (she said the last years off campus).
Just a guess… it’s like trivia time for me
Correct, I think she will apply to some schools like Notre Dame, that don’t have nursing, but would be a good science undergrad she could go onto ABSN with.
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