The Nursing School Application Guide

1. The Nursing School Application Guide UC Berkeley – Pre Health Society

2. First Step: Undergraduate College • Satisfy Nursing School course pre-requisites • These vary from school to school, but universally include the following core courses: • Human Anatomy & Physiology • Chemistry • Biology & Microbiology • Behavioral Sciences • Nutrition • Statistics • English Composition • History, Algebra, Literature

3. Two Examples • John Hopkins School of Nursing • Course Pre-requisites: • Human or Animal Physiology/Anatomy (8 units) • Microbiology (3-4 units) • Nutrition (2-3 units) • Human Growth and Development (3 units) • Statistics (3 units) • Denver School of Nursing • Course Pre-requisites: • Human Growth and Development (3 units) • Nutrition (3 units) • Microbiology (3 units) • Anatomy/Physiology with lab (8 units) • Statistics (3 units) • General Education (40 units) • + A special Denver School of Nursing Entrance Exam

4. First Step: Undergraduate College • Make sure to leave yourself room for extracurricular activities • Decide what courses you want to take each semester – this should take about 4 college semesters • Don’t rush through college! Plan your coursework in advance

5. First Step: Undergraduate College • Make sure you keep up with your GPA, regardless of which major you are • Average Nursing School GPA admissions are 3.4-3.7 Monitor your grades! Nursing schools have high GPA guidelines, and the minimum GPA falls around 2.5-3.0.

6. (Very) Small Collection of Examples • John Hopkins - School of Nursing • Min GPA = 2.5 • Average GPA = 3.4-3.6 • UCSF – School of Nursing • Min GPA = 3.0 (special circumstances can be discussed) • Average GPA = 3.5 • Texas State University – School of Nursing: • Min GPA (Science) = 3.0 • Average = 3.5 • Auburn University – School of Nursing: • Min GPA (Science) = 2.5 • Average = 3.4-3.7

7. Know your prof • In addition to providing you with lectures, courses and research oppurtunities, professors will be your sources and reference when it comes to letters of recommendation • You will need letters of recommendatiom from professors (from both humanities and sciences – make sure to ask them months in advance)

8. Next: Graduate Record Examination • The GRE you know and love • This must be completed within five years of your application • This is a test for general academic nature, regardless of major

9. Putting it all together! • Priority, Early, and Final deadlines are unique to each nursing school – LOOK THEM UP • Visit a nursing school’s website to apply • Submit ALL secondary school transcripts (after high school) • Ask professors to write you letters of recommendation (3 months in advance), they will send them to your school of choice • You will need a minimum of four letters of rec, maximum of 5 • Submit GRE scores, and evidence of personal qualifications (Like a standard college application, but with a larger focus on post-academic performances) • Write a goal-statement

10. Quick tip • English, Communication and Computer Proficiency is highly recommended for Masters-level nursing programs

11. Last Points • For Pre-Health related issues at Berkeley, See Pre-Health Society @ http://ucbprehealthsociety.wordpress.com/ • For everything else, there’s Google Please email questions and concerns to ucbphs@gmail.com