Hey I’m a California resident and I am also interested in getting a degree in nursing especially if I can do it for low in-state tuition. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find much information about the relative selectivity of the CSU and UC nursing programs. Does anyone have any insight on the selectivity and quality of these programs? Which ones are sure things? Which ones are nearly impossible to get into?
Nursing is exceptionally selective in CA. There are more students than there are programs. All are extremely difficult to get into, even at the CC level.
You look like a competitive applicant. The direct admit programs at UCLA/ UCI/ SDSU and CSU Fullerton have acceptance rates of around 5% or less. The rest of the 2+2 programs at the Cal states will still be selective but with higher acceptance rates than direct admits. You might also want to look at Azusa Pacific and Univ of San Francisco’s direct admit programs although mire costly. I suggest you target the direct admit programs.
It’s extremely hard to get into nursing programs in Calif.
A number of Calif nursing students like yourself are attending Alabama and receiving free tuition for stats like yours (free tuition for ACT 32+). Alabama has an excellent nursing school, but it’s not direct admit. Alabama has a brand new state-of-the-art nursing building across the street from the medical center.
http://nursing.ua.edu One of the scrolling pics on the opening website includes a video of the nursing school. The school has a 99-100% pass rate on
Apply to Alabama before Dec 15th to get this scholarship. The app is SUPER easy. No essays, no LORs. The app takes 5 minutes. then send scores and transcript. You’ll have your acceptance and scholarship within a couple of weeks.
In any event, most of the CA schools require a supplemental application which has not only essays but they ask about experience in the health-care field. You can find these by going to the websites of the various nursing programs. Unless you have been doing volunteer work you chances of admission to one of these CA schools is going to be low
Since you also have the very high ACT and GPA, you also would be eligible for full scholarship plus housing at UAHuntsville.
You have options with all three UA nursing programs with scholarships, UA, UABirmingham, and UAHuntsville. UAH will be the most generous based on your stats. UAB has the largest nursing program (and high national ranking with the graduate and doctoral programs), has a nurse scholars program (you apply for that by the deadline - get all three apps in now and apply to the nurse scholars program at UAB). In the UAB nurse scholars program, as long as your grades the first two years meet program requirements, you will be able to continue with junior level clinicals.
All the nursing programs in AL are 5 semesters of clinicals (usually take courses between junior and senior year to complete on time).
DD graduated from UAB with honors in spring - was in the nurse scholars program. Large medical center in B’ham. DD was also in a special program, so was able to hire in with VA Hospital right from college.
All three nursing programs are very good. There are others in the state of Alabama (AU, AU-Montgomery, Univ of South AL).
Worth applying to UA, UAB, UAH, and then visiting. UA has many students wanting to complete nursing, so very competitive once at the school.
Alabama is prepared to train nurses, while other states are less prepared.
@mikemac Yeah I’m mostly interested in engineering but I would like the option. My mom is a nurse and really likes her job. I mostly just want info on what’s out there.
Thanks for the info.