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UToledo Offers New Pathway to Earn Nursing Degree
The University of Toledo
College of Nursing will offer guaranteed admission for
freshmen into its competitive Bachelor of Science in Nursing
Program for select, well-prepared applicants starting fall
2020.
“Nursing is a competitive
field but we feel strongly that by offering a commitment to
entering freshmen students whose academic achievements show
they are uniquely prepared, we can add depth to a highly
skilled, compassionate workforce that will meet the needs of
northwest Ohio and beyond,” said Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean
of the College of Nursing.
Beginning fall 2020,
applicants with a high school GPA of 3.7 or higher and an
ACT score of at least 24 will be directly enrolled in
UToledo’s B.S.N. program.
Previously, all applicants
pursuing a B.S.N. were first enrolled in UToledo’s
pre-nursing program with a requirement that they officially
apply in their sophomore year to get into the nursing major
to complete their degree. Applicants who do not meet the
initial guarantee criteria will still have an opportunity to
be admitted into nursing via this current pathway.
“By expanding pathways and
opportunities for prospective students into our nursing
program we’re responding to the changing needs of students
and the healthcare environment,” said Jim Anderson, vice
president for enrollment management.
The College of Nursing’s
application process also considers a range of personal
attributes, such as community service and leadership skills,
participation in extracurricular activities, and
demonstrated responsibility. Consideration also will be
given to those with military experience, first-generation
college students, and those who would contribute to the
cultural, gender, age, economic, racial, or geographic
diversity of the healthcare workforce.
The nursing field is
expected to be one of the nation’s fastest growing
occupations during the next decade as America’s population
grows older and current nurses leave the workforce. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected there will be more
than 370,000 new nursing jobs added between 2018 and 2028.
“Many parts of the country,
including northwest Ohio, are experiencing nursing
shortages. We are rising to meet that challenge with
well-educated, well-trained and compassionate nurses,”
Lewandowski said. “Our new admission process, which includes
a path to guaranteed admission, is just part of our overall
strategy.”
This fall, the College of
Nursing experienced a 10 percent increase in enrollment with
the largest cohort of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree
in nursing and also recently received full 10-year
accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing
Education with a positive review of all of the college’s
programs. The college also recently launched the state’s
first R.N. to B.S.N. online Competency-Based Education
program, which provides unique flexibility to working nurses
to advance their careers at their own personalized pace.
UToledo’s master’s and
doctoral nursing programs also have been recognized among
the best in the nation, with the master’s program jumping 48
spots to No. 135 in the most recent U.S. News & World Report
Best Graduate Schools rankings. The doctor of nursing
program is ranked 135, up 17 spots from the previous year.
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