Which Nursing Schools Require an Interview in addtion to the GPA?

[cdlune]

My step-son has been studying hard but has been rejected from nursing school because his gpa is good but not great and it seems most schools base everything on the gpa. He is one of the kindest, diplomatic and personable individuals I have ever met in my life and has wanted to be a nurse for a very long time. He is 22 and lives in New Mexico and is willing to go to another state. He is finishing up is Bachelor's Degree currently and would be a wonderful addition to the profession. Any suggestions of schools or websites would be very helpful as I want to help him achieve is goal. Thank you.

[TazziRN, RN]

I didn't know that nursing schools don't interview!

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

I am in Oregon and the nursing school I got into was done by lottery entry, however next year is the last year that they will do that and then they are going to a gpa/interivew and all the other schools in my area I belive are gpa/interivew

[Dental Hygienist]

In Oregon most of the schools use an interview/points based process as far as I know. The exception is PCC (portland community college) which uses a lottery until 2010 as the previous poster mentioned.

I know for sure that Mt Hood Community College (MHCC) and Clackamas Community College (CCC) both do a combo of GPA and interview. I'm pretty sure the universities do a combo GPA and interview as well (OHSU, PSU).

For instance, MHCC bases it's admissions on a points based system. 100 points is the maximum. Up to 30 points are earned thru the interview portion, but to be "invited" to an interview you have to earn enough points in the "other" portion. The "other" points are earned primarily through GPA as well as up to 12 "discretionary points" which are awarded for work as a CNA, taking extra science classes, having all your pre-reqs completed, having a bachelor's or master's degree already etc.

Basically, no matter how you slice it the applicant needs to get good grades....mostly As with a few Bs sprinkled in is about as bad as you can do and still get in. (around here anyways) Even if that means taking classes one at a time, it is super important to get good grades. basically, the interview portion is just used to help choose amongst all the students who already have good grades. Around here even a 3.7 isn't necessarily good enough to get in unless you also interview well. I have a 3.9 and am still nervous that I didn't do good enough on my interview to get in. It's sad but true. Perhaps other areas of the country aren't as difficult to get into nursing school? Around here its tough, tough, tough competition though.

Best of luck to your step-son. Perhaps he can go the private school route which is somewhat less strict about the GPA (because the tuition is so much more expensive they don't get as many applicants.) Also there is the LPN to RN approach...takes longer but you still get the same credentials in the end.