Is It Hard to Get into Nursing School?

A career in nursing has become one of the most popular options for people seeking a high income without a difficulty job search. Nursing jobs pay higher than most other careers, and there is constant demand for nurses in hospitals. The pay rate for nurses continues to rise, unlike private sector jobs.

The public demand for healthcare ensures that nursing is only going to expand. And unlike private sector work where individuals will need to be productive and are constantly reviewed for performance, the nursing sector has no such restrictions. Hospitals are funded by government tax roles and therefore they can hire as many nurses as are needed.

As is seen with the amazing increase in nurse salaries (doubling or tripling in recent years whereas other professions remained stagnant) the career path of a nurse is secure.

But just how hard is it to get into nursing school? Does it require the same testing and application methods that a regular school college requires? When you are applying to nursing school, do you need to have good grades and high SAT scores?

Excellent questions and ones that require a bit of discussion. The reason that you can’t have an easy answer to the question is that there are multiple types of nursing schools and not all of them have the same admissions process or requirements. All nurses need to have a degree, there is no way to circumvent this process. However, not all nursing schools are hard to get into.

Are All Nursing Schools As Difficult?

No. Right away we can dispense with the myth that all nursing schools are difficult. If they were, you would not have as many nursing students graduating. Unfortunately, the caliber of nursing schools are not all top notch.

Because of the demand for nurses, there is a demand for nursing schools. Traditionally, nursing schools did have standards and graduates from programs such as Columbia, Duke, and Ohio State were competent and skilled nurses.

However, the hospital industry has exploded in terms of growth in recent years. For profit clinics and hospital extensions have created the need for more and more nurses…more than traditional nursing schools could accommodate.

This is where low tier nursing schools come into play. These nursing schools are designed to graduate nurses and attract nursing students who did not have strong academic performances in high school.

Outside of the low tier nursing schools and the pop up for profit nursing schools, there are also the host of online nursing programs. These schools tend to attract students who are adults who might work in the hospital industry as janitors, clerks, or medical assistants and who want to become nurses for the higher pay.

In cities like NYC you have a range of nursing school options. Some of the low tier nursing schools only require a GED and background check. These are not to be laughed at, many nurses who work for the city of NY or in the schools have graduated with a GED and obtained a Nursing degree from such schools.

The case is similar in most large urban cities. If you’re a nursing student in Chicago, LA, Boston, DC, Baltimore, or any large urban city metropolis that has a large population of people who need medical care, then you’ll find ample nursing schools that are built and designed for local people who want to get into nursing.

For top tier nursing schools such as Duke, Michigan, Ohio, and Columbia you will need:

• Good High School Grades (2.9 or above is ideal)
• Essays
• SAT (though this is becoming less importanr)
• A diversity statement

For middle tier nursing schools and Associates Programs you will need:

• A 2.5 High School GPA
• HESI instead of an SAT
• Diversity Statement
• Coursework including Math and Science while in High School
• A Clean Drug Test and Background Check

For Low Tier Nursing Schools and online Programs you will need:

• A GED or Proof of High School Degree
• Proof of a background check
• Drug Testing
• Diversity Statement

Online Nursing Schools vs In Person Nursing Schools?

Online nursing schools are not as hard as in person nursing schools. While there are some instances where this might not be accurate, it is a generally accepted statement.

The caliber of students who attend online school are simply less studious and less academically inclined.

The attraction of an online nursing school is that students can go at night, or whenever they want. Due to the nature of the program, you have students who are not interested in going to school in person full time or who are working and have time constraints.

Online nursing schools are legit, though, and you can graduate from them with a real nursing degree and a nursing license. The great thing about the nursing field is that it does not require you to have graduated from a good school to secure a high paying job. Hospitals and clinics do not care what nursing school you went to, they only care if you have a valid nursing license in that state which enables them to bill insurance companies.

The more prestigious hospitals will interview more strictly and prefer nurses who went to “classic” nursing schools. This is in part due to how over saturated the nursing field is now. More discerning hospitals and higher end practices will want a nurse who has some degree of academic training beyond a low tier nursing school and who behaves in a professional manner.

LPN Nursing Schools vs RN Nursing Schools

LPNs are not RNs and do not get paid as much money. However, a LPN is still paid quite well. Many clinics and government run nursing homes and rehabs employee many more LPNs than RNs. So, in this instance there are no shortage of jobs.

The advantage to getting a degree as an LPN is that it is much easier than getting an RN degree.

While an LPN cannot work in the same role that an RN could, and LPNs will not make starting salaries of 100k, an LPN can easily make $30-$40 an hour.

The LPN nursing school is also much easier to get into and to pass. Many LPN schools are local and cater to return to work populations (formerly incarcerated people, former homeless, and people who have never really worked and were in the social service system as clients and welfare recipients).

Many LPN schools do not require grade transcripts (only proof that the person has graduated high school or has a GED) and that they have a clean drug test. It is also common for LPN nursing schools to run a background check on their students, though in truth they often do not select out people who have prior criminal offenses.

Even among RN schools there is a wide variety of nursing programs. The longer BSN programs are offered both online and in person, but there are also Associates degree programs that people who want to get a nursing degree quickly should check out.

Background Checks and Drug Screens Instead of SATs and Essays

The misconception that many people have is that nursing schools require the same academic tests as regular colleges and universities. However, this is not the case.

Most nursing schools do not require SATs or college applications. Of course, there are some exceptions. If you are going to Columbia or Ohio State, then you are applying to a rigorous nursing school.

However, if you’re going to a lower tier nursing school that is designed for non-academically inclined students, then you’ll not be expected to provide these scores.

Most nursing school classes are made up of returning students, older students, and people who would not fit into a normal college environment.

This is why nursing schools have a different set of criteria in order to hire people. Instead of SATs and college prep tests, high school GPAs and grades, and recommendations from teachers nursing schools rely on things like Drug Testing, Background Checks, and many nursing schools administer something called an HESI. It’s a less academically rigorous test which is designed to weed out those applicants who are completely incapable of basic math and comprehension.

Many cities provide free of charge training for job training participants to enroll in HESI test prep. It’s designed to move people out of welfare case managed lives into jobs in healthcare industries. Every major city has a non-profit that will sign people up for nursing school test prep, as long as the person is a recipient of a welfare benefits program.