Nursing Program Admissions

Deadlines

Fall semester admission: February 1
Spring semester admission: October 1

Program Requirements to Apply

Complete 12 credits at Hope College (required for transfer students; recommended for other students)
Have a minimum 3.2 GPA at Hope College at the end of the semester prior to application
Receive a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all prerequisite or nursing courses
Complete one required natural science course
At the time of application, be enrolled in or have successfully completed an additional prerequisite natural science course
At the time of application, be enrolled in or have successfully completed a prerequisite social science course
Do NOT withdraw from or receive less than a C in more than one prerequisite course
Follow all instructions found in "Directions for Application" below

Step-By-Step Directions for Application

Our program requirements are very specific. Please read the “Program Requirements to Apply” section on this website. Then follow the steps below in numerical order.

All applicants must be accepted to Hope College, be in good standing, and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2.
First, you must submit an application along with your Hope College transcripts. Print or type all information on the Student Admission Application Form. Students should obtain an official copy of their Hope College transcript from the Registrar’s office. Please bring the completed Student Admission Application Form together with the transcripts directly to the Nursing Department office manager. If a required pre-requisite course has been taken at an institution other than Hope College, an official transcript must be sent directly to the Hope College Nursing Department Chairperson at the address or email listed below. This includes dual enrollment credits for pre-requisite courses.

Transcripts from other institutions may be sent or emailed to the following address:

Hope College Nursing Department
Attention: Nursing Department Chairperson
Hope College
35 East 12th Street
Holland MI 49423
nursing@hope.edu
When the applicant delivers the Student Admission Application Form and transcripts, the Nursing Department office manager will discuss with the applicant instructions for registering for the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) exam if the applicant meets criteria for application. The student applicant should not register for the TEAS exam unless they have been given permission and instructions to do so. There is a non-refundable fee required for the TEAS. All applicants will write an essay and take the TEAS in a proctored environment at Hope College.

If a student qualifies for testing accommodations, arrangements will be made on an individual basis in conjunction with Disability and Accessibility Resources. These arrangements need to be made in advance by the student prior to the application deadline.
References from two professional people (non-family) are required using the Hope College Student Reference Form. One of these must be a recent Hope College professor. The Student Reference Form should be returned in a sealed envelope directly to the address above or emailed to nursing@hope.edudirectly from the professional reference, not the student applicant. References will not be accepted from current or past Hope College Nursing Department faculty, instructors, or staff. References will not be accepted from current Hope College Nursing Students.

Completed admission materials must be submitted by February 1 for a fall semester admission and by October 1st for a spring semester admission. Applicants who submit applications after the due date are not eligible and must re-apply. All documents submitted as part of the application process are the property of the Hope College Nursing Department and will be kept strictly confidential. If you have any questions during your application process, please contact our department by phone at 616.395.7420 or email at nursing@hope.edu.

Transfer Student Application

Transfer students must complete 12 credits at Hope College before applying to the Nursing Program. One of the Hope courses must be Bio 103, Bio 221, Bio 222, Bio 231 or Chem 103. If all of these courses were completed by transfer credit, then NURS 260 or NURS 320 must be completed prior to being considered for admission into the nursing major.

The number of transfer students will be limited to 10% per semester/year, based on the admission process and the discretion of the Student Admission and Progression Committee.

The Department of Nursing reserves the right to determine Hope prerequisite and nursing courses which may be substituted by transfer courses and to designate additional courses which are needed for completion of the nursing major. In addition to the requirements listed above, transfer student should complete the following:

Arrange to have official transcripts of all college credits sent directly to the Hope College Department of Nursing.
Submit a detailed course description and outline for each baccalaureate nursing course completed.
If transferring from another nursing program, request two references from nursing faculty in the prior baccalaureate program. The reference form should be returned in a sealed envelope.
Meet with the Hope nursing department chairperson prior to application.

For purposes of admission into the nursing program, a student will no longer be considered a transfer student after they have completed two full time semesters at Hope College.

Guidelines for Selection

The following guidelines must be met for consideration into the nursing program:

Cumulative minimum grade point average of 3.2 at Hope College
Minimum grade of C (2.0) in each required pre-nursing course
One required pre-requisite natural science course must be successfully completed
At the time of application students must also be enrolled in or have successfully completed an additional pre-requisite natural science course and one pre-requisite social science course
A student can receive less than a C (2.0) or withdraw for academic reasons from only one non-nursing pre/co-requisite course one time and must repeat this course with a grade of C or higher in order to be eligible to apply
A student can receive less than a C (2.0) or withdraw for academic reasons from only one nursing course one time and must repeat this course with a grade of C or higher to be eligible to apply
Preference is given to students who complete a minimum of 12 credits at Hope College prior to being considered for admission to the nursing program
Students returning to Hope College after 10 years will be evaluated based on most recent GPA (minimum of 12 credits)

The following outlines the time period for accepting previously taken pre-requisite courses. Variations from this recommendation will be reviewed on an individual basis

	10 Years	5 Years	2 Years
BIO 103	X
CHEM 103	X
SOC 101	X
PSY 100	X
PSY 230		X
KIN 200		X
BIO 221		X
KIN 208		X
BIO 231		X
MATH 210			X
ENGL 113	X

Any nursing course taken more than 2 years prior to the time of admission/transfer into the nursing major will not be accepted for credit and will need to be retaken.

Consideration is given to the following factors identified in the student essay and professional reference forms:
- Critical thinking: goal directed, creative, utilize a problem-solving process
- Caring
- Communication: demonstrates effective speaking, writing, & listening skills
- Leadership and additional strengths and attributes (for example, dedication, honesty, integrity, value based, empathy, accountable, and emotional maturity)
The number of admissions to the nursing program per year is limited.
1. Consideration is given (in no particular order) to:
  - Volunteer and work experience
  - Geographical factors
  - Cumulative grade point average
  - Grade point average in pre-requisite courses
  - ACT and SAT scores
  - TEAS scores
  - Essay and references
  - Mid-term grades
  - Achievement in individual courses
2. Admitted students are expected to begin nursing major courses in the academic year following admission. Admission will be forfeited in the event of an absence of on-campus study for two or more semesters.
Acceptance into the nursing program and continuation in the nursing program is contingent on passing a criminal background check and drug screening; and may be jeopardized by a previous or new HIPAA violation (see Student Handbook policy #126) or by the inability to meet clinical agency (e.g. hospitals, clinics, etc.) requirements for functional abilities.

Guidelines for Reapplication

Re-applicants may request to meet with a member of the Student Admission and Progression Committee.
If the initial application is less than 1 year old, the student is only required to complete the application form indicating the new admission semester and a current, official Hope College transcript from the Registrar's office. Submission of new references and/or TEAS/Student Essay will be optional.
If the initial application is more than 1 year old, the student will be required to submit a new application, two new references, and a new essay. Repeating the TEAS is optional.
Applicants may take the TEAS only one time per semester. The TEAS may be retaken only one time.

Download the full “Policy #100 – Holistic Review for Nursing Student Admission” document