Traditional Undergraduate Freshmen Admission Policy

Admission to the nursing program is a two step process. Students are first admitted to the college as either “nursing” or “nursing interest” majors. They then apply for full admission to the nursing program following the completion of certain prerequisite courses. Admission to the College does not imply or guarantee admission to the nursing program at any point in time. A full ex planation of the admission policy is located below. Incoming freshmen may qualify for the Guaranteed Admissions Program.

Admission to Nursing for students admitted as freshmen

Step One:


Students who need to complete all prerequisites for the nursing program will be admitted to the college as a nursing major if they meet the following criteria until a pre-determined number of slots are filled:
  • High school math through Algebra II with grade of C or better
  • High School GPA of at least 3.0
  • ACT scores of 18 or better in the English and Science Reasoning subcategories
  • Direct placement into Math 101 or higher; determined by an ACT Math subcategory score of 20, an ACT Math subcategory score between 16 and 19 with an Algebra/Coordinate Geometry sub-test score of 10 or better or a passing score on the Edgewood College Math Placement Test.


Students who apply after the slots are full, or who do not meet the above criteria, may be admitted to the College as “nursing interest” or undecided majors and may apply for admission to the nursing program after completion of Intro Chemistry II. There is no guarantee of admission to the nursing program if no slots are available.

Step One:


Students who are admitted to Edgewood College as freshman nursing majors will be given priority for full admission to the nursing program if they meet the following criteria:
  • Maintain at least a 2.75 GPA in all college courses.
  • Maintain a 2.75 GPA in required science and math courses. A minimum grade of C is required in all requisite math & science courses.
  • Apply for full admission to the nursing program the semester before they are eligible to begin nursing studies or after completing Intro Chemistry II. The deadlines for application are February 15 for Fall enrollment or September 15 for Spring enrollment. Most students admitted as freshmen will begin nursing studies in spring semester of the sophomore year. App lications are available online or in the Nursing Department.

Following completion of Intro Chemistry II, students who apply for admission will be evaluated to determine eligibility for entering the nursing program. The most-qualified applicants, based on the strength of their application, GPA and faculty interview, will be admitted to Nursing until the slots are filled. Admission is competitive. Forty-two students will be admitted to the traditional program each admission cycle. Therefore, students meeting minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission into the nursing major. Students who are not admitted may reapply for admission in the following semester. Students whose GPA does not meet minimum requirements may apply for admission to the program in subsequent semesters if their GPA rises to meet eligibility requirements.

General Admission Policies


Students must complete or be currently enrolled in these courses in the semester they apply to the nursing program:
  • English 110
  • Math 101, or 111, or a higher level algebra course
  • CA 101 Speech
  • Phil 101 Logic
  • Psychology 101
  • Four of the following science courses:
    • Two semesters chemistry (Chemistry 110 & 111 or equivalent)
    • Two semesters anatomy & physiology (BIO 210 & 211 or equivalent)
    • Microbiology including lab component (BIO 312 or equivalent)

Admission to the nursing program is based on the following criteria:

  1. Overall cumulative GPA – Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on all previous undergraduate college work. Students with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above will have priority over applicants with lower GPAs.
  2. Science/Math cumulative GPA – Students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.75 on all required science and math courses, with no grade less than “C”. Students with science/math GPA of 3.0 or above will have priority over applicants with lower GPAs.
  3. Strength of faculty interview – Applicant will be evaluated for ability to express thoughts accurately, clearly, and in a concise and effective manner. All students that meet course pre-requirements and GPA standards will be invited to interview.
  4. Credits completed at Edgewood College – Students who have completed 20 or more credits at Edgewood College will have priority over applicants with fewer credits.
  5. CNA certification – Nursing Assistant certification IS required for all students who plan to enter nursing. CNA coursework and certification examination is not required to apply to the program but must be completed before entry into the first nursing course.
  6. CNA experience – experience in the health care field is required IF the CNA coursework and certification is more than 2 years old.
  7. Language other than English – proficiency in another language is NOT required but will be considered in the application process.
  8. Curricular, extracurricular, community service, and personal activities – Outstanding achievements or degrees in other fields are NOT required but will be considered in the application process.


The number of admissions to the program may be limited by college or department policies. If there are fewer qualified students than spaces available, applications will continue to be accepted until available slots are filled.