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What Do Nursing Programs Look for in Prospective Students?

So you’ve decided to work in the healthcare field, to become a nurse and help others in need. Nursing is one of the most rewarding career paths you can take today, in terms of personal satisfaction as well as professional growth. The field is full of new and exciting challenges, and offers a wide range of career opportunities and environments to immerse yourself in. You can (and will) make a real difference as a nurse. And if you’ve done your homework, you know that Goodwin College offers one of the best nursing programs around.

But after all of your consideration and planning, you may still be wondering: What do I need to do to apply to nursing school? What do nursing programs look for in applicants? What is expected of me? And how can I get accepted into the nursing school of my dreams? Worry not, future nurse, we’re here to help!

Passion

Goodwin College offers a comprehensive nursing program, with associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree options and always hands-on experiences for nurses-in-training. After completion of our programs, students go on to excel in long, successful careers within the healthcare field and their area of interest. The first step for all of these students was, of course, having an interest in nursing!

Goodwin’s nursing program is looking for students who are both passionate and compassionate, who truly want to help and care for others. Candidates should also have a drive to move forward in a field that is constantly growing and changing. Showing that passion and fervor through your application will be key in breaking into the nursing program.

Prerequisites

It may seem obvious, but a student with the requirements checked off and ready to go is exactly what Goodwin is looking for. Before filling out your application, be sure to check out the general educational requirements for admission, in case there is some groundwork you need to lay down first. At Goodwin, required coursework for our AS degree program includes:

  • MATH 125 or higher – or score into a college level math on the college placement test.
  • CHEM 101 or equivalent
  • BIO 120 or BIO 121 or equivalent, with a laboratory component
  • BIO 211, Anatomy & Physiology I, or equivalent, completed within the last five years
  • BIO 212 Anatomy & Physiology II or equivalent, also completed within the last five years

You may need to pass your prerequisite courses with a certain level grade. Goodwin’s nursing school, for example, requests that students complete these courses with a C or C+, or higher. Any prerequisite courses transferred from another college must also be equivalent to Goodwin College courses and must meet the grade requirement of C+.

Our nursing program is also looking for students who’ve completed Microbiology (with a C+ or better) before taking on the Nursing program. If you take NUR 100 and Microbiology at the same time, but then decide to drop NUR 100, you’ll need to reapply to the nursing program. Keep in mind: Microbiology needs to be completed by the end of NUR 110 in order for students to move on to NUR 200.

Motivation

Goodwin is looking for students who take their coursework seriously, just like they would any patient care and work in the field! That said, you must hold a GPA of 2.7 or better in your most recent college coursework. The college GPA ranking is based on a minimum of 12 completed credits at Goodwin College.

Preliminary Health Requirements

In addition to educational requirements, nursing programs typically have some certification and health-check requirements in place. For example, at Goodwin College, students are expected to get a set of immunizations before entering the program (since they’ll be working with sick patients).

In addition, students are also required to become certified in Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (Health Provider or Professional Rescuer) by the American Heart Association or the Red Cross before entering the nursing program at Goodwin College. This certification must be maintained throughout the nursing program.

Whether you’re just starting out, or want to advance and perfect your already stellar nursing skills, Goodwin has the program you need to help reach your goals! There are no wait lists for nursing enrollment, so you can get started in our nursing program as soon as you are ready. And, like all of our programs, we offer flexible courses that work with your already-busy schedule! Learn more about the nursing programs at Goodwin College here or call 800-889-3282 for more information.