Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, when you complete your admission to the University, you will indicate that you are a nursing major. You will then need to apply through NursingCAS. You will continue to be classified as a nursing major until you complete a specific number of semester hours toward the BSN degree, at which time you must complete the NursingCAS application.

All students considered for admission to the Scott & White School of Nursing must have: • A minimum of a 3.0 GPA • A minimum of 46 semester hours completed • The TEAS Admission Exam completed with a minimum 65% overall score, a minimum 65% score on the Reading section, and a minimum 65% score on the Math section

Yes, you will communicate with the School of Nursing directly until you are actually on campus.

The maximum class size in the very first nursing course is 120 students each Fall and Spring semester. Students are then divided into two course sections. The Board of Nursing requires no more than a 10:1 ratio of students to faculty in the clinical lab setting. In the beginning level courses the ratio is typically no more than 8:1.

Nursing students are strongly encouraged to become members of the local chapter of the National Nursing Students Association. This organization is based on the structure of the American Nurses Association which is the professional organization for Registered Nurses. Students learn leadership skills, become aware of issues affecting the profession, and have an opportunity to participate in community service projects. Nurses Christian Fellowship is both a ministry and a professional organization for nursing students as well as Registered Nurses. Students have an opportunity to learn how to minister to patients and peers, participate in ministry projects, obtain literature related to spiritual care of patients, their families, and themselves. Tau Epsilon is the local chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society. Students do not join this organization, but rather are inducted into the Society based on their GPA, leadership potential, and academic integrity.

No, full-time nursing faculty are responsible for student learning. We also have part-time nursing faculty who may teach only clinical labs. All of the faculty have at least a Master’s degree.

The NCLEX-RN exam pass rate varies from semester to semester, however we have ranked higher than the state and national average for many years. Our graduates have consistently done very well on the exam.

The Office Manager and Nursing Advisor for the Scott & White School of Nursing will field your questions, as well as either answer your questions or determine who to connect you with to have your questions answered.

The BSN degree is designed to prepare graduates for the NCLEX-RN licensure exam preparing them as entry-level professionals in a generalist role. Following graduation, the nurse may determine he/she is primarily interested in a certain area of nursing and wants to focus their efforts to that area. The nurse may then “certify” in a specialty area, obtain an MSN degree and become a Nurse Practitioner, Nurse Educator, or Clinical Nurse Specialist – or continue to practice as a generalist with the BSN degree. The BSN degree prepares graduates to work both in acute care agencies such as hospitals, or in community settings such as clinics, schools, industrial sites, etc.

All scholarships/loans, etc. are handled through the University's Financial Aid Department. Nursing majors are eligible for any assistance that any major would be.After students complete their first semester of clinical lab courses, they become eligible for scholarships provided by area hospitals, the District Nurses Association, the Nursing Students Association and a variety of other individual or organizationally sponsored scholarships. Many hospitals will also provide scholarships through a program in which the student agrees to work for the hospital following graduation for a specific period of time, usually a 2:1 ratio, i.e. for each year of nursing courses they pay tuition for, the graduate would work for them for two years following graduation.