Can anyone explain the paths for a 4 year degree in Nursing for a student who didn’t take the SAT’s. He has applied and gotten into a few schools, but all with an “undecided” major since most schools require the SAT test to get into nursing.
I know he “could” take the SAT but he does not want to at this point and his PSAT scores were not great. He has a 4.5 weighted GPA.
How “not great”?
Nursing has a lot of tests. They are content tests, not SAT type tests, but they are tests nonetheless.
What is he scoring on timed SAT sample tests? Something within range of the schools he’s interested in???
Has he applied to any direct admit schools? Received any decisions?
Budget limitations? Geographic preferences?
I’m not sure most direct admit nursing schools are test required? Without knowing uwGPA, curriculum, and rigor, you might look at Duquesne, Carlow, Seton Hall, Bloomsburg, SUNY Binghamton, U Conn, Southern Conn, Creighton, Marquette, Loyola Chicago, Belmont.
1 Like
Maybe Saint Louis University?
1 Like
Just looked up a four schools - three are TO although it’s clear they’d like scores.
Some, like Belmont, say they may admit you to a different major. Sounds like what’s happened to you.
His weighted GPA isn’t relevant - all schools weight differently. His unweighted matters (4 for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C) - add up the points and divide by # of classes.
They want math/science heavy - and frankly, if he wants something badly enough and he’s not willing to take the steps, he might not clear the major or NCLEX test anyway.
There are schools that will work - look at less competitive or small privates (like Hartwick) that need money - but it doesn’t sound like he wants to “go get” his dream. Sorry, just based off of what you are writing.
Belmont says:
First-Year Students
- 3.5 high school GPA
- 3.5 GPA in math and science courses (if not submitting ACT/SAT)
East Stroudsburg is not test required:
- Applicants must provide official college transcripts
- A minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.00 and above.
- Three units of laboratory science selected among Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. The three units may include a second year of an earlier course, for example Bio 2 Chemistry, Chemistry 2, A&P.
- Four units of college preparatory mathematics including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and a math class for which Algebra II is a prerequisite such as Trigonometry or Pre-Calculus.
- SAT scores are recommended but not required
Hartwick
High School Graduates:
Applicants to the nursing program should have a strong background in the sciences, preferably with four years of high school math and science, including chemistry, and with a high school average of 88 or higher. SAT/ACT test scores are optional, but highly recommended for those applying to the nursing program.
Marshall
Has a very low bar but yes, looks like a test needed.
Automatic acceptance is granted to those with an ACT composite of 24 or higher (or equivalent SAT composite score) and HS GPA of 2.5 or higher (pending available space).
Fb has a good resource for this.
Non direct admit schools can be risky if he doesn’t get accepted into the nursing program after a few semesters. He would then have to pick a different major, graduate, then if he still wants to be a nurse he can choose an ABSN or direct entry MSN/RN program (where they earn a general masters and RN NOT an NP). The ABSN and MSN programs can be pricey though up to 50k for the program.
Look into SLU, Marquette, Dusquesne, SIU, Creighton
2 Likes
There are so many paths into nursing, and many of them are not very selective, many do not require an SAT. Sure, if a person wants to go to Penn or Duke for a BSN, it’s a highly selective process, but so many other options.
Your son has a high GPA, and a Y chromosome (an admissions advantage in nursing). Look at what is nearby, in-state, public, assuming that your student doesn’t qualify for massive fin aid. They can do the community college RN to 4 yr state school BSN route. They can apply direct admit to their nearby state college’s BSN program. They can apply to their in-state flagship U BSN program. Ant then there are literally hundreds of other 4 yr college BSN programs, private and public, in and out of state. They can also do any program that requires decent grades in some pre-reqs, too.
If you tell us what state he is a resident of, and what the family’s finances are, and whether or not the family can help with college, and how much per year the family can pay, you will get more detailed answers.
1 Like
Many state schools have a 15 month BA or BS to BSN conversion program, and they’re not very expensive.
Mine applied to many direct-admit nursing programs last year that did not require SAT/ACT scores. In fact, with only a few exceptions, if the college was generally test-optional, the nursing program was too.
What schools is he looking at?
What is his unweighted GPA? How many AP courses? Does he have any healthcare-related experience or extracurriculars? Is he interested in staying in a specific area of the country? And what about cost?
It’s hard to make suggestions without more info…
1 Like
True, some are not as expensive but some are. Not everyone lives nearby one and can easily commute though.
That’s true. And not everyone lives near a community college, or a 4 yr state college, or has a car to commute with, or has bus fare, or has food to eat, or clothing, or medicine, or healthcare, or has the ability to walk on their own two feet to the bus stop, or the good mental health to get up and get dressed and leave the house. All that being said, community college, public 4 year colleges, and the 15 month BA/BS to BSN programs offered at many public universities are a very reasonably priced and easily accessible path to the BSN, for those who have the ability and means to access them. But yes, you are right, they’re not the solution for every single person. No matter how accessible the program, you are very right, some people may not be able to take advantage of it.
Agree. And many HS students who want to become nurses end up somewhere else in an allied health profession, in hospital administration, working as patient navigators for clinical trials, etc. The nursing path can be more complex than other health related careers.
its been awhile since he took it but I believe he didn’t break 1000
Exactly. This is what concerns me. He already got an email from one school that said basically “You applied for nursing. Although we are test optional, we are not test optional for nursing” (paraphrasing) So if he wanted to go to that school he would have to change his major.
So far he go into Bama and West Virginia. Both as non nursing. But the more he gets into the process of college applications he is realizing he wants to get in for nursing and not another major.
He “could” take the SAT but it’s kinda late in the game and seeing how he did on the PSAT, makes us both concerned he would do well on the SAT. And for what it’s worth I am not one of those parents who feel the SAT is any indication of how well you will do in college. My other children went test optional, all graduated or will graduate with honors.
LOL. this made me laugh. So you think a male has an advantage over a female when it comes to getting into nursing school?
I can tell you from experience- 2 schools he applied to (Alabama and Coastal) both reached out and said they are NOT test optional for nursing but they are for their other majors.
1 Like
Why not look have him call other schools and flat out ask.
I assume your budget is $50k plus if Bama is on your list OOS.
Does he only want large school ?
Call a Marshall or E Stroudsburg or Illinois State and ask.
Or Belmont, Hartwick, the Jesuits.
If you can pay, some privates may want you.
Illinois State mentions GPA and not a test. But they also say apply by Nov 1.
If he only wants big school, he may have to find an alternative path. Or he might need flexibility in type of school to get the direct admit major.
A nursing student does need to get good at taking standardized tests. During a nursing program, there is the TEAS to pass to continue in the program, and the NCLEX licensing exam to pass after graduation before one starts working as a nurse.
Take a look at SUNY Plattsburgh.