Admission to the USI undergraduate nursing program requires admission to the University and a separate application to the nursing program. Admission is competitive and limited by the availability of instructional resources and clinical learning sites. There are three methods for admission to the nursing program: direct admission, conditional direct admission, and holistic admission.
Direct Admission
Direct Admission to the undergraduate nursing program may occur prior to entrance to the University for high school students with outstanding high school achievement and high SAT/ACT scores.
To qualify for direct admission, students must have both a:
To maintain direct admission status students must:
*Students earning less than a “C” grade in two required science and/or nutrition courses (or any equivalent course transferred from another institution) will not be eligible to enroll in nursing courses
Students begin their nursing course work in the spring semester of their second year of university study.
Conditional Direct Admission
Conditional direct admission to the undergraduate nursing program may occur prior to entrance to the University for high school students with outstanding high school achievement and high SAT/ACT scores.
To qualify for conditional direct admission, students must have a:
OR
To maintain conditional direct admission status students must:
*Students earning less than a “C” grade in two required science and/or nutrition courses (or any equivalent course transferred from another institution) will not be eligible to enroll in nursing courses
Students begin their nursing course work in the spring semester of their second year of university study.
Holistic Admissions
Holistic Admission to the undergraduate nursing program may occur after completion of 31 hours of required university courses. Students accepted through the holistic admission process must maintain eligibility by completing all prerequisite second-year courses according to the curriculum.
USI’s undergraduate nursing program uses a paperless application system. Applicants will complete the initial undergraduate nursing program application and required supplemental documentation online.
The date for the initial undergraduate nursing program application will be posted online at https://www.usi.edu/health/nursing/program-admission/bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-admission/bsn-standard-admission-2022/. Accepted by the University as an undergraduate student required first
The deadline for submission of all the required supplemental documentation will also be posted online at https://www.usi.edu/health/nursing/program-admission/bachelor-of-science-in-nursing-admission/bsn-standard-admission-2022/
Mission of the Holistic Admission Process: The mission of the BSN Holistic Admission process is to identify compassionate, dedicated applicants, with diverse experiences in leadership and community engagement, who possess a broad knowledge base, and the communication skills necessary to grow into nurses who are safe, competent, critical thinkers prepared to meet the constantly evolving needs of the community.
Vision of the Holistic Admission Process: Develop nurses who embody attributes needed to become change agents within a global society.
Holistic Admission Process
Admission to the program is competitive and the selection of applicants is based upon the applicant’s academic performance, personal statement and resume, and interview. The maximum achievable score is 100.5 points.
Academic Performance (50.5 points)
GPA in required first year prerequisite courses x 10 for a maximum possible 40 points. First year courses used for the GPA are as follows:
ENG 101 Rhetoric and Composition I ENG 201 Rhetoric and Composition II
BIOL 121 Human Anatomy and Physiology I MATH 114 Quantitative Reasoning
BIOL 122 Human Anatomy and Physiology II CHEM 141* Principles of Chemistry
PSY 201 Introduction to Psychology HP 115 Medical Terminology
UNIV 101 First Year Experience
CMST 101 or CMS 107 101: Intro to Public Speaking or 107: Interpersonal Communications
KIN 192 Concepts in Health & Wellness
*Students may have the option to take both Chemistry 142 Survey of General Chemistry AND Chemistry 143 Survey of Organic & Biochemistry (4 credit hours each) combination that is the equivalent of Chemistry 141 (4 credit hours). If students take the two-course option, the grades for each will be averaged for the points to be applied to the student’s application.
To be eligible for admission to the Nursing Program, all Students must receive a grade of "C" or better in each of the classes listed below:
Science Eligibility rule:
Any student who receives more than one 'D' or 'F' in any of the required science or nutrition courses prior to beginning the professional nursing courses is ineligible for the nursing program at USI.
Students applying for admission to the USI Nursing Program may enroll in the required science courses a maximum of two times per course including transfer credits from any university or college. This rule applies to all students admitted to the university as of August 2020.
Personal Statement and Leadership and Community Engagement Resume (20 points)
The student will submit a personal statement of 150 words or less describing why they want to become a nurse.
The student will complete a form showcasing leadership and community engagement activities. List the most current extra-curricular and community service activities, awards/honors, and work experience first. Describe work experience and include any leadership roles if applicable. Do not duplicate any entries.
Interview (30 points)
The student will participate in a personal interview and individual time slots will be assigned.
Application Requirements:
