Before you apply (8–12 weeks out)
- Verify each target school's accreditation (CCNE or ACEN) on the accreditor's website directly.
- Pull the official prerequisite list for each program and map your existing credits against it.
- Identify which prerequisites can be completed at a community college vs. only on the program's campus.
- Confirm transferred credit policies — some schools have strict articulation agreements; others case-by-case.
- Calculate prerequisite GPA separately from cumulative GPA — many programs weight prereqs more heavily.
- Estimate total cost of attendance: tuition + fees + books + uniforms + clinical supplies + living costs.
- Identify in-state vs. out-of-state status; out-of-state tuition is often 2–3× higher.
- Reserve a TEAS-7 (or HESI-A2) test date 4 weeks before your earliest application deadline.
Standardized tests (start prep 8–10 weeks out)
- Confirm which test each school requires: TEAS-7 (most), HESI-A2 (some), or either.
- Buy ATI's official TEAS study materials. Other vendors are fine as a secondary resource.
- Plan 5–8 hours/week of study for 8–10 weeks.
- Schedule the test for 3–4 weeks before the earliest application deadline, with a retake slot reserved.
- Have official scores sent directly to each school — print copies are not accepted.
Application materials
- Request official transcripts from every previous post-secondary institution.
- Update your resume with clinical exposure (CNA work, volunteer hours, shadowing).
- Draft a personal statement that opens with a specific clinical moment, not 'ever since I was a child'.
- Tailor the personal statement to each school: name the program, partners, faculty.
- Line up 2–3 recommendation letters from a manager, clinical supervisor, or science professor.
- Give recommenders 4+ weeks of notice and provide them with your resume + draft statement.
- Request fee waivers if eligible — many schools grant them on request.
Application submission
- Confirm each school's deadline and submission system (NursingCAS, the school's portal, or both).
- Pay the application fee — or submit the waiver request.
- Verify transcript receipt with each school's admissions office.
- Confirm test scores were delivered.
- Save the confirmation email and application ID for every submission.
After you submit
- Track expected decision windows: 6–12 weeks for cohort-start programs, 2–4 weeks for rolling.
- Continue prerequisite coursework — most schools require final transcripts before matriculation.
- Apply for financial aid in parallel: FAFSA, school scholarships, state nursing workforce grants.
- If waitlisted, ask the admissions office about the queue position and median offer rate.
- Once admitted, request a clinical-rotation schedule and a list of partner sites before committing.