General admissions requirements

1. Completed College application form with a $40 application fee included. The application fee is nonrefundable.
   
   
2. An official transcript from high school and each college attended indicating satisfactory completion of prerequisite courses with at least a cumulative 2.50 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale. The student is not required to have all prerequisites completed at the time of application. However, the student must be able to complete the required prerequisites prior to enrollment in the junior year of the nursing program.
   
   At the time of application, students must have at least two of the five required prerequisite science courses completed with a minimum 2.5 science GPA. To matriculate into the nursing program, students must have three of the five prerequisite sciences completed maintaining a minimum 2.5 science GPA and students must have Nursing Assistant Certification.
   
   
3. Any applicant whose first language is not English must request official TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test) scores be sent to the College by application deadline. The TOEFL examination can be no more than two years old. The minimum cumulative score of 94 combined and minimum individual scores of: Speaking- 26; Writing- 24; Reading- 22; Listening- 22, must be achieved in order to be considered for admission.
   
   
4. Structured personal interview and impromptu essay are required.

Admissions Procedure

Application Process

Sanford College of Nursing (College) admits students twice a year. The application deadline of for students with an anticipated May graduation date is November 1. The application deadline for students with an anticipated December graduation date is February 1.   An admissions meeting will be held to consider applicants meeting each deadline. Applications received after each deadline will be considered until the class is full. The College encourages interested students to apply after the application deadline should there still be spaces available in the class or on the waiting list.

1. A holding file is created when any general information is received at the College concerning a student’s application (correspondence, transcripts, etc.).
   
   
2. The holding file becomes an active file when a prospective student’s completed application form and fee are received in the Registrar’s office.
   
   
3. Once the completed application form, fee, official TOEFL iBT scores (if applicable) and official transcripts have been received, the active file is evaluated by the Registrar. This evaluation involves completing a Prerequisites for the College of Nursing form, which indicates those general education credits that have been completed.
   
   
4. Applicants are interviewed prior to consideration at an admissions meeting. All interviews will be conducted with two representatives of the College present. An impromtu essay will be included after the interview to help evaluate writing skills.

Application Review and Selection for Admission

The Student Affairs Committee makes admission decisions based on a composite picture of the applicant. The College retains the right to accept the most highly qualified applicants as determined by the College.

Admission to the program is competitive and based in large part on the grade point average (GPA) earned in prerequisite and science courses. Therefore, the higher the average and the greater the prerequisites completed at review, the greater the likelihood of admission. All available information in a student file will be considered. Selection criteria for consideration of admission include, but are not limited to, overall GPA, science GPA, TOEFL iBT scores, amount of prerequisite coursework completed, review of personal statement and impromptu essay, and personal interview.

The Director of Student Services may accept exceptional students without review by the Student Affairs Committee. The following is the exceptional student criteria:

1. Must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher..
   
   
2. Must have completed at least three of the core science courses (chemistry, microbiology, anatomy and physiology) with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.
   
   
3. TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language internet-based test) cumulative score greater than the minimum required score of 94 combined and individual scores greater than the minimum required scores of: Speaking- 26; Writing- 24; Reading- 22; Listening- 22.

Student Services will provide written notification to each student regarding admission or denial of admission to the College. Accepted students must complete commitment forms and submit a $200 reservation fee, which will reserve their space. The fee will be applied to the first semester of tuition. Applicants who meet admission requirements and are not granted admission may notify the College to keep their application active for future consideration.

Accepted students are notified of their spring or fall placement in Health Assessment and Foundations of Nursing Practice.

An additional five qualified applicants who have completed the interview process will be ranked and placed on a waiting list. They will be provided written notification. The top ranked student on the waiting list will be contacted if a position becomes available.

Final Admission

Admission is on a conditional basis until:

1. All prerequisite courses have been completed with a grade of C or above, maintaining a cumulative and prerequisite science GPA of 2.5.

2. Pre-entrance medical examination forms, including current immunization status documentation of TB status, and documentation of personal health consistent with the ability to perform the essential functions of clinical coursework are complete.

3. Students submit Certificate of Completion of CNA class and current CNA Certification card from the ND Department of Health
                                                   OR
   current CNA Certification card from the ND Department of Health and verification of at least 3 months of employment in a position requiring performance of the following skills:

   1.         Bathing/Bedmaking
   2.         Vital Signs
   3.         Intake and Output
   4.         Transferring
   5.         Oral Cares

4. Documentation of required criminal background check and disclosures are complete.

5. Students submit documentation of current CPR certification. The CPR card must be from a healthcare provider course with an expiration date beyond the date of graduation from the program.
   
   
6. Admission is contingent upon negative results on a pre-admission drug test.
   
   
7. Official TOEFL iBT scores received from Educational Testing Services (ETS) no more than two years old for any applicant whose first language is not English. 

Readmission

Any student who has officially withdrawn from the College of Nursing and is in good standing may be considered for readmission. The former student must submit a letter requesting readmission to the office of Student Services. The Student Affairs committee will review the students request, prior file, and enrollment numbers and make the readmission decision. Repeat of nursing courses completed prior to readmission may be required. Those who have enrolled in other institutions must request official transcripts be sent to the office of Student Services. Transcripts will be evaluated and considered in determining status for readmission.

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