A career in nursing can be extremely fulfilling, but knowing how to go about getting your nursing education and clinical experiences isn’t always easy. In this guide, we’ll show you how to get into nursing school and kickstart your career path towards your dream nursing job. We will cover the common application process steps, nursing school requirements, and tips to increase your chances of acceptance.
If you want to become a nurse practitioner, a registered nurse, or a delivery nurse, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, you’ll also be able to find out how difficult it is to get into nursing school, as well as some helpful tips if you’re a prospective nursing student trying to determine your career goals within a healthcare setting.
How Difficult Is It to Get Into Nursing School?
The difficulty level of getting into nursing school varies substantially. Simply pooling all nursing degree programs into one universal difficulty scale is inaccurate. Your entry into a nursing program will depend on the quality of your application, admissions interviews, academic ability, grades, and recommendations. There are other factors to consider, as well.
Consider the level of nursing degree you hope to acquire. Students who want to pursue a graduate-level degree in a nursing field are likely to have more difficulty than undergraduate applicants. Your choice of university and professional licensure are also impactful. You can increase your likelihood of acceptance by preparing for your admissions interviews, thoroughly vetting your application information, and writing a stellar personal essay.
Common Nursing School Requirements
Nursing school requirements for prospective students vary by program and specific universities’ requirements. Below are common nursing school requirements that apply to the top Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs. Get in touch with the school’s admissions team to find the specific academic requirements of their BSN Degree.
- Online Application. The first and general requirement of all nursing schools is to complete an online application. This process requires you to fill in your personal information, educational background, and choice of program. You will also need to pay an application fee to the nursing school.
- Official High School Transcripts. An official high school diploma and transcript are mandatory for any undergraduate program. You can alternatively check with the school’s admissions department and present your GED transcript to complete your application for an associate or bachelor’s degree in nursing.
- STEM Prerequisite Courses. Universities require prospective nursing students to have a science background, as the field of nursing is a predominantly STEM field. The prerequisite coursework varies depending on the school. Nursing applicants can take science courses in biology, chemistry, mathematics, or physical therapy.
- Letter of Recommendation. A letter of recommendation from your high school teachers or other school staff can help boost your candidacy. This requirement might vary depending on the choice of university. Be sure to apply with the help of your high school counselor.
- Personal Statement. Personal essays are another crucial element of your application packet. This statement must be unique to you and should mention your hands-on experience, extracurricular activities, and passion for the healthcare field. This is your opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee and make your case for being the best choice for the program.
- SAT. Whether it’s nursing school or any other bachelor’s degree program, most universities require a Scholastic Assessment Test. This test covers mathematics, logic and reasoning, and English questions. Your score plays a huge role in determining your application’s eligibility. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many universities don’t require SAT scores, including the University of Pennsylvania, 6which is one of the top nursing schools.
How to Get Accepted Into Nursing School: A Step-by-Step Guide
Building a rewarding career in the nursing workforce requires an amalgamation of biology, patient care, medicine, chemistry, mathematics, physiology, and psychology skills. A bachelor’s degree in a nursing science field equips you with those necessary skills and qualifications. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to get into nursing school.
While this is a breakdown of the most common nursing school application process, know that these steps may vary depending on your choice of university. Get in touch with the school’s admissions committee or your university counselor to make sure you’re taking all the right steps.
Step 1: Research Nursing Programs
The first step to applying for a nursing bachelor’s degree program is understanding the program’s overall curriculum. There are tons of career paths in the healthcare industry and it is imperative to enroll in a degree program that caters to the specific needs of those professions. You should look at the tuition costs, degree timeline, location, professors, job placement programs, and university ranking during the research stage.
Step 2: Evaluate Your Choice by Consulting With Your University Counselor
The next step should be to have a one-on-one with your university counselor. Each nursing application will differ in application cost, admissions requirement, and candidacy preference. Consulting with your counselor allows you to determine your application strategies and include the school’s eligibility criteria.
Step 3: Start Your Application Process
Once you have narrowed down your top university nursing program choices, it’s time to start your application process. A college admission process requires official high school transcripts, letters of recommendation, and personal essays. Some colleges also have a list of educational and extracurricular activity prerequisites for nursing school. Use this step to create a checklist of all the eligibility criteria and mandatory documents.
Step 4: Take Your SAT or ACT Tests
The next step is to prepare for and take your SAT or ACT test. Universities often have a preferred eligibility standard for these standardized test scores which varies from school to school. Highly ranked universities often tend to require a high SAT score.
The SAT I consists of multiple-choice questions covering English, math, and logical reasoning questions. The SAT II is a subject-based test where you can choose your preferred STEM subject to further elevate your academic competencies.
Step 5: Write Your Personal Essay
Your personal statement is the soul of your university application. Submitting a unique, engaging, and credible essay increases your chances of acceptance. As a future nursing student, you must highlight your biology, chemistry, mathematics, and other STEM abilities as well as the reasons behind selecting the university and its nursing program. Get a trusted perspective on your essay before submitting it.
Step 6: Get Letters of Recommendation
The next step you should take to enhance your application is to get letters of recommendation from your science teachers, university counselor, or school principal. If you have any clinical experience, getting a letter from a related employer would be really valuable to your candidacy.
Step 7: Submit the Application
The last step to get into your dream nursing school is to submit your application. Be sure to apply to several colleges if you want to increase your chances of acceptance. It’s better to be overprepared than underprepared.
How to Choose the Right Nursing School
Choosing the right nursing school is imperative for your academic and career success. There are many elements of a program that you should consider before choosing your ideal school. These include tuition costs, program curricula, school location, nursing professors, graduation rates, and job placement services. You should also consider the university’s nursing program rankings.
Along with considering what the university has to offer, it is also essential to match your qualifications and candidacy with the program’s requirements while choosing your nursing school. You should research the school’s requirements. Once you find schools that cater to your needs, you can then shortlist your top nursing school choices.
Top Tips for Getting Into Nursing School
- Take Science Courses at Your High School. Whether you want to become a public health nurse or a nurse anesthetist, every nursing career requires expertise in an array of STEM fields. You can enhance your candidacy by taking biology, chemistry, physiology, or mathematics in your high school to develop your STEM skills.
- Attend Nursing Program Information Sessions. Another tip to increase your chances of getting into a nursing school is to gather information about the programs. This will help you send in a strong, well-prepared application. Get in touch with your dream school’s admissions team to find out if they offer any program information sessions.
- Take SAT II in Biology. The better your SAT scores are, the higher your chances are of getting into a top nursing school. Along with a high SAT I score, adding a high SAT II biology score to your application will boost your candidacy.
- Write an Engaging and Unique Personal Statement. Your personal statement can make or break your application. Simply writing a generic essay will not help your application. Be sure to consult your peers, university counselor, teachers, and parents to send an excellent essay. You must also construct your essay to match and resonate with the school’s values.
- Work Hard and Get Good Grades. This is a crucial tip for every major, including nursing. You will need to work hard and get good grades to meet university grade requirements. You will need to do especially well in science subjects to get into nursing school.
Will I Get Accepted Into Nursing School?
You might. The answer is entirely dependent on the quality of your university application, official transcript, qualifications, and personal essays. Your chances of getting accepted into nursing school increase if you apply with high science subject scores, a personal essay detailing your passion for nursing, and a great letter of recommendation.
Is Getting Into Nursing School Worth It?
Yes. Getting into nursing school is worth it for anyone wanting to become a professional nurse or advance their career in the medical field. According to ZipRecruiter, the average salary of a registered nurse is $70,335, per year. A nursing degree will allow you to kickstart your journey into a lucrative nursing profession and earn a competitive salary.
How to Get Into Nursing School FAQ
The GPA requirement for nursing schools varies from school to school, but a 3.0 or higher is typically the ideal GPA requirement across all universities.
The universities that offer the best nursing programs are Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, North Dakota State, Ohio State University, and Duke University.
You should take biology, chemistry, physiology, mathematics, psychology, or other science courses to increase your chances of getting into a BSN degree program.
A nursing school application entails an official form, school transcripts, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, personal statements, financial documents, and other admissions documents.
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