Best student selection process?

Nursing Students General Students

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I've noticed that schools have different selection processes to determine who will be admitted into nursing programs because there are too few openings to accommodate all that apply. So far I've heard of a lottery system, a lottery system with a minimum point requirement and TEAS score, and also I've heard of straight competitive based systems.

What do you think is the most fair and what do you think is the best for the nursing profession?

I've often thought that it must be very hard to sit on a selection committee.

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I think the best selection process entails academic performance but considers other factors such as volunteer experience, community service, letters of recommendation, personal statement essay, etc.

If we rely ONLY on GPA to select our next generation nurses we will have people that can do well in a class but possibly lack the other skills that make a nurse, well, a nurse.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

I personally think that neither are good ways of being able to judge if a student is going to be successful in Nursing School.

I believe it should be an accumulation of grades in the core classes (A&P, Micro, Communication and Nutrition) and a personal interview including a letter of recommendation.

There is so much more to nursing then grades, you need to be emotionally prepared to deal with really difficult situations. You also need to have good communication skills.

I have had so many RN's LVN's and MD's tell me that they agree. I think that the problem with implementing something like that is the time and cost commitment. It is just much easier to just rely on testing and academics that they don't see a need to change.

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I think the best selection process entails academic performance but considers other factors such as volunteer experience, community service, letters of recommendation, personal statement essay, etc.

If we rely ONLY on GPA to select our next generation nurses we will have people that can do well in a class but possibly lack the other skills that make a nurse, well, a nurse.

I've been thinking a lot about this lately since, like most of us, I know folks who would IMHO make wonderful nurses.....but they have a hard time getting accepted to NS.

I agree with the concept described above, but really....how do volunteering and participating in community service activities show nursing qualities? It could show that you aren't a single Mom trying to work and go to school at the same time. A Candy Striper type position does physically get you in the hospital door....but does that experience mean you'll be a better nurse?

I'm also not a big proponent of letters of recommendation. I mean really, who can't get a good letter of recommendation from someone?

I agree that essays and interviews do add information about the applicant, but think that essays should be proctored (it's far to easy to let someone else write the thing).

I think standardized tests are a valid admission tool.....students can't become great nurses if they can't pass the NCLEX.

This is a good topic, I hope lots of folks chime in...:typing

Peace,

CuriousMe

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Well, there a lot of research that could be brought into this question about whether standardized testing is a good indicator of performance. I gave examples of outside materials that could be considered in combination with academic performance. Neither is an absolute. If you are a single mom and cannot volunteer then this would be something that would be brought up in a personal essay. If admission committees truly took the time to read and think about applicants, they could be more comprehensive in their decision but that really isn't feasible. Considering the large amount of applicants to programs (due mostly to economic conditions) and lack of educators, the easy way out is to use numbers. This is how public education has evolved as well. Children are taught material to help them pass state standardized testing to the point that they only know material on the standardized tests. Do I want a nurse that has much more thorough knowledge of nursing or one that trained and memorized for the NCLEX? It is all a matter of how you view the system.

Personally, I think the current system is not a good indicator. Students can make all the A's they want until they're blue in face but it cannot truly indicate performance in an intensive program. This is why for the same reason some schools are getting rid of standardized testing, particularly exams like the GRE, because their data is not yielding a strong correlation between exam grade and performance. Does this mean that someone that makes all A's in the prereqs will always perform well in the nursing program? No. But it does not mean that someone that didn't won't perform well either. There are always exceptions.

It really all boils down to the point that it is the most cheap and quick measure - and that - does not make "best" for anything of worth.

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It really all boils down to the point that it is the most cheap and quick measure - and that - does not make "best" for anything of worth.

THANK YOU! That is exactly what Im saying!:yeah:

They do it because it is only cost effective in the sense of admission processes and not overall performance in Nursing School!

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Well, there a lot of research that could be brought into this question about whether standardized testing is a good indicator of performance. I gave examples of outside materials that could be considered in combination with academic performance. Neither is an absolute. If you are a single mom and cannot volunteer then this would be something that would be brought up in a personal essay. If admission committees truly took the time to read and think about applicants, they could be more comprehensive in their decision but that really isn't feasible. Considering the large amount of applicants to programs (due mostly to economic conditions) and lack of educators, the easy way out is to use numbers. This is how public education has evolved as well. Children are taught material to help them pass state standardized testing to the point that they only know material on the standardized tests. Do I want a nurse that has much more thorough knowledge of nursing or one that trained and memorized for the NCLEX? It is all a matter of how you view the system.

Personally, I think the current system is not a good indicator. Students can make all the A's they want until they're blue in face but it cannot truly indicate performance in an intensive program. This is why for the same reason some schools are getting rid of standardized testing, particularly exams like the GRE, because their data is not yielding a strong correlation between exam grade and performance. Does this mean that someone that makes all A's in the prereqs will always perform well in the nursing program? No. But it does not mean that someone that didn't won't perform well either. There are always exceptions.

It really all boils down to the point that it is the most cheap and quick measure - and that - does not make "best" for anything of worth.

I agree that standardized testing is not an idicator of how well someone will do in nursing school or even how good a nurse they will be. I brought up standardized testing because test taking is a skill set in of itself. Someone could be the best student nurse in the class but they'll never be a nurse if they can't pass the NCLEX.

I agree that generally standardized test scores are used as a fast indicator.....but I thought we were talking about what should be....not what is.

Peace,

CuriousMe

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What do you think is the most fair and what do you think is the best for the nursing profession?

quote]

Based only on merit!

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What do you think is the most fair and what do you think is the best for the nursing profession?

quote]

Based only on merit!

How do you measure merit?

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How do you measure merit?

First, count how many teeth the applicant has. Then, multiply it by 2. Whatever number you get, add that to applicant's GPA. Just sayin

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i think this "wait list" style is complete bull crap. students shouldnt be taken on a first come basis.

acceptance should be based on a point scale incorporating some sort of standardized test (how many points you get on the test is how many points you apply with), nursing pre-req course grades (A=3, B=2, C=1, Below=0), overall gpa (face value), and a score from a group faculty interview average and personal essay (0-10)

this would cover all basis and make sure only the top qualified students get in

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I think the best selection process entails academic performance but considers other factors such as volunteer experience, community service, letters of recommendation, personal statement essay, etc.

If we rely ONLY on GPA to select our next generation nurses we will have people that can do well in a class but possibly lack the other skills that make a nurse, well, a nurse.

i can tell you numerous people that only volunteered and did community service b/c it was part of the application. just b/c the person does it doesnt mean they are saintly. if its part of the application process then people are going to do it.

yes there a people that would make a good nurse based on non-academic factors and they never get into nursing school, but thats a major part of being a nurse now is knowing your stuff.

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