What should nursing school admission requirements be?

**RosesrReder, BSN, MSN, RN** · Jun 14, 2005

i just got to thinking about this after reading the thread about the attrition rates at nursing schools. i just graduated with my adn here in colorado - i figure about 30% of the class didn't make it. it is my opinion that some of these students weren't really done a favor by being let in to the program in the first place, basically because i know they just didn't have the academic ability to pass the classes. also, they didn't really know what they were getting themselves into - not that i am so sure i did either!=-) i know that sounds harsh, but lets face it - nursing curriculum is difficult subject matter to grasp, but there is no getting around learning it. after all, patients lives are in our hands. and you have to pass the nclex.
so anyway, i am just curious to know what some of the different admission requirements are for different schools? i do know that standards vary quite a bit from school to school, as well as state to state.
so what do you all think? i know some nsg programs take the following into consideration - some don't. 1)minimum gpa be for prereqs - is c average okay? 2) should a person have to be a cna (or other medical experience) first before going to nsg school?(or get preference for it) 3) should admissions be based on wait lists or should they be based on competitiveness (the most qualified get in first)? 4) should you have to do an interview or write an essay? 5) should admission preference be given to male students or minorities?
here in colorado, in the community colleges anyway, all you have to do is take the prereqs, pass them with a c and then get on the wait list. it doesn't seem to me that this is fair, and my best guess is that if the student got c's all the way through prereqs, , it is probably a pretty big red flag that they aren't going to make it in the nsg program. however, that is not at all taken into consideration.
the biggest problem i have with this system is - when a student is failed out in the first quarter (several in my class were) b/c they couldn't hack it academically, who is to say that the person right behind her on the wait list didn't have a 4.0 gpa and is still waiting..waiting..waiting.. to get into the program.
i personally like the idea of the point system, which i believe i have heard arizona has- correct me if i am wrong =-) you get preference (points) if you have previous medical experience, have a high gpa, ect.
i am just curious to know how it is done other places......please post opinions and thoughts on the matter....
p.s. sorry if i sound disgruntled or sarcastic - i put my life on hold for 2 years waiting to get into nursing school.

hello,

i live in connecticut and all the nursing schools have different requirements. one nearby, has the lottery system (which i do not agree with), and the one i am currently attending goes by a point system.

-you get a point for every prerequisite you take at that college. (the more you take, the more points you earn).

-previous experience, but if you have none you earn those points by volunteering in the community (doesn't have to be healthcare realated).

-high school and current grade point average.

-high school graduation class rank.

-3 letter of recommendation (no need for interview).

-a personal essay (1000 words, what led you to pursue a career in nursing).

-score on the nln pre entrance exam. (may be attempted only twice).

i am very pleased with this system because i consider it to be fair. the only thing i would have to disagree with is that males and minorities (i am a minority), do get a preference (in some schools). i think that should not be the case. i can understand the need for more minorities and male nurses, but in my opinion, everyone should be considered equally because of their hard earned grades, and will.

as to earning mostly c's just to get by, i don't think it is enough. true it is understandable that life happens and that we have families/children, but that should not be an excuse. a "c" here and there is understandable, but not striving to pursue better is not. nursing in not for everyone and that is a reality. just like acting and singing is not for everyone. i believe that everyone deserves a fair opportunity. some are more academically inclined and others more "hands-on". the most qualified individuals should be accepted. nursing is very competitive, spots are limited and like any good competition the strongest should prevail :)

this is just my honest opinion. i am sure lots of people may disagree, and i do respect those opinions very much.

jessica

sunnyjohn · Jun 14, 2005

I am not fond of point systems that give points for taking classes at the school. It is unfair to transfer students and forces students to focus on one school.

I think they should focus on prereq's and supporting classes and perhaps an interview.

Require students to finish a CNA class or take them on a two or three day CNA-type clinical experience sometime before they start so they know what they are getting into clinically before they start. I think a lot of people will leave if they know what it involves. Those orientation sessions that we get now are either sugar coated or a scare-fest.

I also think a good handbook is key. If the program instructors get together and standardizes things it helps. Outline, this is how case studies should look, this is how care plans should go, this is what we look for and this is how we will grade. This is what we expect in clincicals.

People say you can't teach critical thinking, but I think a class in critical thinking coupled with critical thinking test taking skills as a prereq would save a lot of us tons of grief.

Roseyposey · Jun 14, 2005

My school uses a point system and you have to pass the NET with I believe a 52.

TreetopAngel_RN · Jun 14, 2005

Personally, I think all canidates for nursing school should have CNA experience, not just passing a CNA class. That would have weeded out the third of my fellow students who didn't last in nursing one year after the NCLEX. Another 1/6th didn't make it past two years.

Of the 30 students in my class only five of us are still in nursing. That is a sad and horrible attrition rate.

sunnyjohn · Jun 14, 2005

Personally, I think all canidates for nursing school should have CNA experience, not just passing a CNA class. That would have weeded out the third of my fellow students who didn't last in nursing one year after the NCLEX. Another 1/6th didn't make it past two years.
Of the 30 students in my class only five of us are still in nursing. That is a sad and horrible attrition rate.

5! OMG!!!

What year did you graduate?

Bad working conditions coupled with high expectations, I bet.

5 out of 30.... WOW

Alyash · Jun 14, 2005

i just got to thinking about this after reading the thread about the attrition rates at nursing schools. i just graduated with my adn here in colorado - i figure about 30% of the class didn't make it. it is my opinion that some of these students weren't really done a favor by being let in to the program in the first place, basically because i know they just didn't have the academic ability to pass the classes. also, they didn't really know what they were getting themselves into - not that i am so sure i did either!=-) i know that sounds harsh, but lets face it - nursing curriculum is difficult subject matter to grasp, but there is no getting around learning it. after all, patients lives are in our hands. and you have to pass the nclex.
so anyway, i am just curious to know what some of the different admission requirements are for different schools? i do know that standards vary quite a bit from school to school, as well as state to state.
so what do you all think? i know some nsg programs take the following into consideration - some don't. 1)minimum gpa be for prereqs - is c average okay? 2) should a person have to be a cna (or other medical experience) first before going to nsg school?(or get preference for it) 3) should admissions be based on wait lists or should they be based on competitiveness (the most qualified get in first)? 4) should you have to do an interview or write an essay? 5) should admission preference be given to male students or minorities?
here in colorado, in the community colleges anyway, all you have to do is take the prereqs, pass them with a c and then get on the wait list. it doesn't seem to me that this is fair, and my best guess is that if the student got c's all the way through prereqs, , it is probably a pretty big red flag that they aren't going to make it in the nsg program. however, that is not at all taken into consideration.
the biggest problem i have with this system is - when a student is failed out in the first quarter (several in my class were) b/c they couldn't hack it academically, who is to say that the person right behind her on the wait list didn't have a 4.0 gpa and is still waiting..waiting..waiting.. to get into the program.
i personally like the idea of the point system, which i believe i have heard arizona has- correct me if i am wrong =-) you get preference (points) if you have previous medical experience, have a high gpa, ect.
i am just curious to know how it is done other places......please post opinions and thoughts on the matter....
p.s. sorry if i sound disgruntled or sarcastic - i put my life on hold for 2 years waiting to get into nursing school.

i can see where you are frusterated! two years! with the nursing shortage, you would think that you would have been accepted a long time ago! i can feel your frustration, and i haven't even started yet!

1.) is a c average okay?

my opinion, no. i am terrified of chemistry. i don't know a thing about it, and it's the only class that i am terrified of. if i did happen to get a c in that class (or others) i would want to keep taking classes until i brought that average up, no matter how long it takes. i would be really po'ed at myself if i at least didn't achieve a 3.7 average.

2.) medical experience?

i wouldn't say that you would have to go for a cna, but i would think a good 'taste' for nursing is shadowing a nurse for a full 40 hour woork week-in a hospital of course!

3.)wait list vs competitveness:

competitiveness, hands down. sad to say, a lot of people want nursing for the money. if you work your a$$ of during clinicals and go above and beyond, that should be recognized.

4.)interview of an essay?

at least an essay. pour your heart into it if you need to. explain why you feel the 'need' to be a nurse. i wouldn't say an interview per se, but at least talk to the director and tell him/her why you shouldn't have to be on a two year waiting list.

5.)male and minoroty prefrence:

should not matter what the color of your skin is or what you are packing under those jeans. if you deserve it, you deserve it. if you don't, you don't. would it be fair to you if a male got in with a much lower gpa than you? would it be fair to a male if he was on such a long waiting list if he had a 4.0 and you had a 2.5 and you got in before him? (just an example, please don't flame me! :))

finally, i sort of like the idea of a point system, as long as they don't count what you may have done in high school 10+ yeas ago. if you are fresh out of high school, than i think that it should count.

my .02! good luck to you!

kristi

sugabuga · Jun 14, 2005

Personally, I think all canidates for nursing school should have CNA experience, not just passing a CNA class. That would have weeded out the third of my fellow students who didn't last in nursing one year after the NCLEX. Another 1/6th didn't make it past two years.
I wasn't a CNA and I did just fine. The majority of the girls that were CNAs in my class flunked out because they weren't serious about the program. I definitely don't think that being a CNA should be a factor. We couldn't make below an 85% on any coursework for our prereqs. Trust me, that weeded them out!

sunnyjohn · Jun 14, 2005

As I see it, there are two aspects to nursing school that the pre-nursing student must be made aware of; the clinical aspect and the academic aspect.

Having all the prereqs, support coures and a critical thinking classes would help warn those who haven't prepared themselves academically.

CNA-type training, a mini two or three day clinical or a 40- shadow would jolt those who think the clinical aspect is a cake-walk or are not prepared for the level of contact it requires.

It is important to advise the student of both aspects, It won't stop attrition, but it might reduce it.

TreetopAngel_RN · Jun 14, 2005

I wasn't a CNA and I did just fine. The majority of the girls that were CNAs in my class flunked out because they weren't serious about the program. I definitely don't think that being a CNA should be a factor. We couldn't make below an 85% on any coursework for our prereqs. Trust me, that weeded them out!

Many people do just fine. However, many have no idea what they are really getting into. As CNA's people learn before entering nursing school that the career choice they have made is what they really want.

Most of my fellow students were plenty book smart, heck they made excellent academic grades, I on the other hand made very good grades. Where they had problems was in clinical, they didn't know what to do once at the bedside. I excelled at the bedside. Faced with a written test I would freeze up, but when my instructor would ask me the same questions with a patient in front of me, I knew exactly what needed to be done.

I think by being CNA's the persons weeded out would be those who have a hard time with what I call "The Poo Factor." They, my fellow students, were all completely disgusted by having to clean feces off of adults, they never really considered that it would need to be done.

Typical CNA work is what we learned in our first semester of nursing school and then it practically disappeared once we hit clinical, at least in our program. There was too much reliance on facility CNA's by the other students to do the "dirty work." I didn't mind doing the dirty work and consequently Have/had no false impressions of what nursing is all about.

Now, I rely on my CNA's, but I do appreciate the work they do and I understand exactly what I ask them to do.

SoulShine75 · Jun 14, 2005

I don't think they should take your high school transcripts into account. :uhoh21:

(see previous post)

TreetopAngel_RN · Jun 14, 2005

5! OMG!!!
What year did you graduate?
Bad working conditions coupled with high expectations, I bet.
5 out of 30.... WOW

I graduated in December,1999.

Most would think I got the worst end of the job spectrum, LTC. But, that is what I was shooting for. The rest of my class got jobs in the hospitals, most of them got the specialty they wanted.

I am most of the way through my Master's program in Geriatrics. Happy, happy!