Bachelor of Science in Nursing

1. Attain admission in good standing to the University.
2. Submit the completed BSN application and required supporting documents to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences by the published deadlines.
3. Complete all general education/ core curriculum courses prior to entering the nursing program. (Must lack no more than one three-hour course (cannot be one of the 11 classes used to calculate the nursing GPA.)
4. Must have a grade of C or higher in Written Communication; Math, Math & Quantitative Reasoning; Art, Humanities & Ethics; Literature; Tech, Science & Math; and Field of Study.
5. Anatomy & Physiology I and II, and Microbiology, must be within 5 years of admission to the program.
6. Earned a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.80/4.0. Calculation of GPA is based on grades in the following 11 courses: ENGL 1101; ENGL 1102; MATH 1001, 1101, 1111, 1113, or 1120; ENGL 2110, 2120, or 2130; MATH 1401; 8 hours in a Science Lab Sequence of BIOL, CHEM, or PHYS; BIOL 2251K; BIOL 2252K; BIOL 2260 K; and PSYC 2103. If any of the applicable courses have been repeated, all attempts within 5 years are included in this calculation.
7. Must have completed 3 science courses toward the degree major, Area A, and English literature course before applying.
8. The School of Nursing will allow one science forgiveness in Impacts Core: Tech, Science, & Math for the first course in a science sequence (BIOL 1107 or 2107, CHEM 1151 or 1211; PHYS 1111 or 2211) and lab since this course is usually taken in the first year and often the first semester. Upon retake of the first course in a science sequence and lab at GSW, we will accept the passing grade and not count the first fail in the nursing GPA.
9. Must take HESI A2 and score a minimum of 75 total composite score--two attempts within two years. If you do not take your HESI at GSW, please note that different schools offer different parts of the HESI and you must have all the parts we require.
10. Must not have been excluded from this or any other nursing program for any reason, including but not limited to, academic misconduct, disruptive behavior, or program failure within 5 years prior to the application date to the program. A nursing course failure in another institution counts as a course failure at this institution.

*Admission is competitive. It may not be possible to admit all students who meet the minimum requirements for admission. If there are more qualified applicants than positions available in a nursing class, selection for admission will be based upon the following:

• Grade Point Average - greater than the minimum of 2.80 [using the 11 courses referenced above in #7.
• Grades in Science courses - minimum of B is preferred.
• HESI Admission Assessment A2 - minimum score of 75% ---two attempts within two years.
• Patterns of withdrawal from courses/schools
• Grades of Ds and/or Fs
• Written communication ability
• Availability of space in clinical sites
• Availability of faculty resources

The state of Georgia is a member of the Nurse License Compact (NLC), which allows graduates of the Georgia Southwestern’s ASN and BSN programs who pass the NCLEX-RN exam to apply for a license that will be good in all forty-two states that belong to the compact. If you are an out-of-state student and you plan on moving back to your home state after graduation, it is strongly advised that you make sure your home state is a part of this compact. More information can be found on the Out of State Students Webpage below:

•  Out of State Students Information

• Upon applicant’s acceptance to GSW, a letter of acceptance and transcript evaluation will be available to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.  These documents must be on file in GSW office of admissions and are required before the Admission & Progression Committee can review the College of Nursing and Health Sciences application.
• If applicant is taking or in progression of courses at other institutions during the admission process, applicants must make note of what courses they are taking on their nursing application.
• Applicant must submit an official transcript verifying final course grades to Registrars office and an unofficial transcript verifying final course grades to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Services Coordinators office ASAP after completion.

Transfer applications will require a transcript evaluation so be sure to apply early so this document can be completed before the deadline.

HESI Admission Assessment

The HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) Admission Assessment (A2) is a computerized exam designed to assess prospective students entering the health science fields. The HESI A2 consists of eight different exams, seven of which are required by the Nursing program at Georgia Southwestern State University.

• HESI Information and Study Guide
• HESI Registration & Additional Information

Students must receive a 75 total composite score as a requirement and the HESi exam can only be taken 2 times within two years.

TOEFL

The official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English.  Exemption from the TOEFL requirement is allowed for undergraduate students who complete courses equivalent to English Composition I and II at a regionally accredited United States college or university and earn at least a “C” on the courses.

• Traditional BSN Application Form (Requires CanesNet Credentials)
• BSN Reference Form (Must have two References)
• HESI Information and Study Guide
• HESI Registration & Additional Information
• Students are required to have a laptop for in-class use. Chromebooks and iPads/tablets are not compatible with current software. Please visit our System Requirements for recommendations on personal devices.