Traditional BSN Direct-Admit Policy

Revised 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023.

1. When applicants are admitted to the college and declare nursing as their major they are classified as direct admit or pre-nursing. Students are classified as direct admit by completion of the following criteria:

  • High school diploma or GED with less than 12 credit hours of college-level course work other than AP and/or dual credit obtained while in high school
  • Any college level prerequisite courses must be C or better
  • Meeting William Jewell College admission requirements
  • ACT of 22 or better
  • GPA of 3.0 or higher in high school
  • Declaration of nursing as primary major within first semester attending William Jewell College

2. Direct-admit students will complete an intent to begin form on Etrieve upon admission to the college. Direct-admit students' start dates to the program may only be deferred once.

3. All students, including direct admits, are considered contingently admitted to the nursing program until all preliminary and secondary requirements of admission are met. 

Preliminary requirements are as follows:

  • Achieve a 2.8 or higher cumulative GPA by the start of the semester prior to beginning the nursing program. If this 2.8 or higher cumulative GPA is not maintained prior to intended program start date, then the student will no longer be considered as direct admit status.
  • Record of successful academic progression with prerequisite grades a B- or better on the first attempt.
    1. Chemistry and lab (CHE 113 or 121)
    2. Basic Psychology (PSY 101)
    3. Microbiology and lab (BMS 126)
    4. Human Anatomy and lab (BMS 243)
    5. Human Physiology and lab (BMS 250)
    6. Written Communication (CTI 102 )
    7. Math for the Liberal Arts or Calculus I (CTI 105 or 109)
  • Has withdrawn from no more than one (1) prerequisite course. An attempt is defined as enrollment in a class with the following indication on a transcript a) course grade, b) incomplete = I, c) Withdraw = W.
  • Any nursing courses, such as Nutrition, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology, must have a grade of B- or better. 
  • Successful completion of College-required Core Curriculum level I coursework:
    1. The Responsible Self (CTI 100)
    2. Identity and Society (CTI 150)
  • Completion of the nursing pre-entry exam in the semester prior to beginning the nursing program is required administered by the Department of Nursing. Exam fee to be paid by the student.
  • Students at any time not meeting preliminary requirements will be advised to change their major.

Secondary requirements are as follows:

4. Secondary requirements for admission are completed during the semester prior, only after preliminary requirements are met. These secondary requirements are as follows:

  • Completion of a criminal background check as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy posted on William Jewell College’s Department of Nursing web page.
    1. Background check fee to be paid by the student
  • Completion of a random drug screening as stipulated by the guidelines of the Department of Nursing’s policy posted on William Jewell College’s Department of Nursing web page: www.jewell.edu/nursing
    1. Assignment of drug screening will be designated randomly by the Department of Nursing
    2. Drug screening fee to be paid by the student
  • All students, including direct admits, are considered contingently admitted to the nursing program until all preliminary and secondary requirements of admission are met. 

VERIFICATION OF PRELIMINARY REQUIREMENTS

1. The Nursing Student Liaison (NSL) will verify the GPA and successful completion of prerequisite coursework for direct entry students at the end of every semester.

  • At that time, students will be classified as having met or not met preliminary requirements.
  • Any prerequisite courses still in progress at that time will be evaluated at the end of the semester in which they are completed
  • The NSL will notify the Department of Nursing Chair and the department’s Admission and Progression Committee (APC) of each individual student’s status on meeting or not meeting all preliminary requirements of admission.
  • APC will send written notification to those students not meeting the requirements that they must change their major to pre-nursing. These students will follow the pre-nursing policy.

2. Students beginning the program in the following semester who have met all preliminary admission requirements satisfactorily (with enrolled prerequisite courses still in progress) will be instructed to complete secondary admission requirements upon notification from the Clinical Compliance Coordinator (PCC).

3. Students beginning the program in the following semester who have not met all preliminary admission requirements satisfactorily (excluding prerequisite courses they are currently enrolled in at the time) will no longer have direct admit status and will no longer be considered eligible to begin the nursing program. These students will be advised to change their major.