Florida Nursing School Test Requirements. A joke or what?

[florida54]

When I decided to apply for nursing school I was excited. Now I am beginning to wonder. There was one program that stood out as an odd school test requirement. And I could not understand why.

The school admission requirements indicates the acceptance of students on three areas: GPA, HESI Exam Scores and Point System. However, when I met with an advisor, he indicated the college of nursing reviews cumulative GPA first, HESI Exam subtest scores second, and the point system as a final decision factor for the most qualified students.

But when I contacted the nursing department, I was told that the Cumulative GPA is used to place students in 3 categories (i.e. category 1-3.0 GPA or Higher, category 2; 2.99-2.50, etc.). Once a student is placed in a specific category, category 1 is given first preference for review. Therefore, if you fall in category 2 or 3, your application will not be reviewed. Next, the school chooses the highest GPA out of category 1 and work their way down to the lowest GPA (which is normally 3.5 in previous semesters). My question to the nursing department: When do you use the HESI test scores? The nursing department indicated, "after the GPA selection of a student has been made."

So my next question: What if a student has a high GPA of 3.6 but only makes a minimum score of 80 on all subtest of the HESI? But a student who holds a 3.2 GPA holds a 95 on all subtest ? How does the department make a decision at that time? Does that mean the student with the 3.6 GPA is more qualified than a student who successfully made high scores on a test, in which your nursing department recommended for all pre-nursing students to take? Not only was the nursing department in shock by my remark, but no one in the department could answer the question.

Which leads me to question what is the purpose of taking this test? or many of these test that nursing schools are requiring qualified students to take? Is it to make money for the testing company? Is it to provide a financial kick back to the school? Or Is this a way to segregate certain students?

Call me crazy or not? But there is something strange about this entire process. Is there anyone out there that can shed some light or have experience this problem? Pls. talk to me.