As an undergraduate nursing student, it is important to carefully review the prerequisite course requirements of all programs of interest because they vary from program to program, in some cases greatly.
Aside from a strong GPA, some programs may require the ATI TEAS and/or the HESI Admissions Assessment Exam for admission.
In addition, you should cultivate a variety of experiences that make you a strong candidate:
- Clinical experiences
- Community service and involvement
- Research, extracurricular, and work/life experiences.
Activities and extracurriculars
Get involved early in these and ramp up to have a well-rounded resume by the time you apply. However, your first job is your academics. You need to maintain a strong academic foundation to be competitive.
- Clinical work: It is strongly recommended that you gain experience in a hospital/clinical environment, preferably hands-on experience, to better learn about the field.
- Community service: Give of yourself to your community by volunteering at shelters, food banks, community resource centers, and after-school programs. Preferably not clinically related, although in some cases, there may be some cross over.
- Extracurricular: involvement in things you’re interested in, including clubs, does not need to be clinically related. Some options:
- Beta Beta Beta
- First Aid
Academics/prerequisites
These are the general courses you should take. There may be some programs that have additional or fewer requirements. Always check with the programs to confirm.