Your Free Nursing School Admissions Downloadable Sent Straight to Your Inbox
With 15+ years of admissions expertise, our team of nursing school admissions experts understands what it takes to create a winning application. Starting on the right note begins with understanding the process in-depth!
Inspira Advantage’s free Nursing School Admissions guide is the perfect resource to help you start your journey. Download your 60-page guide today for free to learn more about:
- An overview of BSN programs and the best nursing schools
- Nursing school prerequisites and application requirements
- Nursing school personal statement tips
- Common nursing school interview questions and sample answers
- Nursing school costs and scholarship opportunities
- And much more!
Inspira Advantage makes preparing for nursing school easier; click above to get your free guide today!
Frequently Asked Questions About Nursing:
How Much Does Nursing School Cost?
- Costs vary widely by credential, from a few thousand dollars to $100,000+
- LPN programs: ~$4,000–$28,000 (often ~$8,000–$12,000)
- ADN-to-RN programs: ~$12,000–$35,000 (often ~$18,000–$25,000)
- BSN programs:
- Public schools: ~$40,000–$80,000
- Private schools: ~$60,000–$120,000
- Out-of-state tuition is often significantly higher
- APRN pathways (BSN + master’s): ~$63,000–$200,000+ depending on pathway/school
- Extra costs can include: books/supplies, health requirements (tests/vaccines/background checks), transportation, food, lost income, childcare
- Common ways students reduce costs: in-state public programs, online options
- Common ways students pay: financial aid, scholarships, student loans (if needed)
How To Write a Personal Statement for Nursing School?
- A nursing personal statement is a short essay (often 2 pages or less) explaining:
- Who you are
- Why nursing
- Why you fit the program
- A clear structure helps:
- Opening: an origin story (what sparked your interest)
- Body: key experiences + skills (without repeating your resume)
- Conclusion: goals + what you’ll contribute
- Strong essays are: focused, authentic, easy to follow (a timeline approach often works well)
- Avoid: rambling anecdotes, vague statements, listing accomplishments without meaning
- Tie experiences to nursing-relevant growth like: empathy, communication, resilience, patient-centered care
- Research each program and include specific, tailored reasons you’re applying
- Best personal statements balance: genuine story + concrete evidence + clear fit
What Are 25 Highest Paying Nursing Jobs?
- Highest-paying roles are usually advanced practice or highly specialized
- Top spot listed: Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) (~$259,707/year median in the guide)
- Other high-earning paths include:
- Nurse Practitioner (General) (~$132,629/year)
- Psychiatric NP (~$134,503/year)
- Gerontological NP (~$134,369/year)
- NICU Nurse (~$127,391/year)
- ICU Nurse (~$114,898/year)
- Other strong earners in the roundup:
- Telehealth Nurse (~$185,411/year)
- Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) (~$122,444/year)
- RN First Assist (~$108,020/year)
- Location matters a lot:
- High-paying RN states listed include Hawaii (~$124,000/year) and California (~$112,902/year)
- Top-paying cities listed include San Jose, CA (~$155,230/year) and San Francisco, CA (~$151,640/year)
- Some higher-paying RN industries listed: non-scheduled air transportation (~$112,630) and pharmaceutical/medicine manufacturing (~$105,270)
- Takeaway: specialty training + advanced practice + high-paying markets can significantly increase earnings
How To Become a Nurse?
- Pick a pathway based on your timeline and goals:
- CNA: ~4–12 weeks
- LPN: ~1 year
- RN: ADN (~2–3 years) or BSN (~4 years)
- APRN: RN + MSN (~2–3 years) or DNP (~3–4 years)
- Typical eligibility requirements:
- High school diploma
- English proficiency
- Prerequisites (often bio/chem/college-prep math with C or better)
- Common GPA targets: ~2.75+ (ADN) or ~3.0+ (BSN)
- Entrance exam may be required (SAT/TEAS depending on program)
- Licensing exams:
- NCLEX-PN for LPN
- NCLEX-RN for RN
- State licensing often includes: background check (and other state-specific requirements)
- Pay examples listed in the guide:
- CNA: ~$30,290/year
- LPN: ~$48,070/year
- RN: ~$77,600/year (also notes RN average ~$81,220 from BLS)
- APRN: ~ $104,107–$195,610 (range given)
- Strong nurses are described as: compassionate, calm under pressure, excellent communicators
- Strategy tips: build experience early, plan prerequisites 1–2 years ahead, use bridge programs later to move up
How To Get Into Nursing School?
- Start by choosing your target pathway: CNA → LPN → RN (ADN/BSN) → MSN/DNP (optional)
- Common requirements include:
- High school diploma/GED
- Strong math + science performance
- Standardized testing (SAT/ACT or other entrance exams depending on program)
- GPA expectations (as framed in the guide):
- Average requirement often ~2.5–3.0, varies widely
- Competitive applicants aim higher, especially in science prerequisites
- Application materials often include: transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, sometimes an interview
- What helps most: clear motivation for nursing + aligned experiences (volunteering/work in healthcare)
- Career context included in the guide: strong demand, and higher earning potential with specialty/advanced degrees (salary examples included for RN/NP/CRNA)
What Are the Best Nursing Scholarships and Grants?
- The guide lists 20+ scholarships/grants across categories (undergrad, graduate, non-traditional, specialty, minority-serving orgs)
- Award sizes range from ~$500–$2,000 (examples in the guide include AAPINA $500, A Nurse I Am $2,000, Cascade $1,000)
- Mid-sized funding examples include ~$5,000–$10,000 (ENA scholarships up to $10,000; March of Dimes graduate scholarships at $5,000)
- Larger options highlighted:
- FNSNA distributes $300,000+ annually (varied amounts, noted as up to $50,000)
- NURSE Corps Scholarship Program: can cover full tuition + fees + monthly stipend, with a 2-year service commitment in a critical-need facility
- Best practices: start early (3+ months), track deadlines carefully, revise multiple times
- Watch eligibility requirements like: membership, GPA minimums, residency, service commitments
- Takeaway: stacking smaller awards + targeting a few larger ones can reduce reliance on loans
How To Get Into Nursing School With a Low GPA?
- A low GPA doesn’t block you, but you need a more strategic plan
- Guide’s framing:
- Many BSN programs look for ~2.5–3.0 minimum
- Competitive programs may expect 3.8+
- Some pathways may consider down to ~2.0 (more often ADN/less competitive options)
- Recommended approach:
- Raise grades where possible (and retake prerequisites if needed)
- Apply to programs with realistic thresholds
- Strengthen everything else: personal statement, recommendations, evidence you can handle clinical work
- Alternate entry routes that build momentum: CNA (4–12 weeks), LPN (~12–18 months), caregiver credential (~75 hours to several months)
- Consider a gap year for healthcare work/volunteering + rebuilding academic record at community college
- Takeaway: lower GPA narrows options, but doesn’t close the door
What Are the Best Nursing Schools?
- “Best” varies by: goals (speed/price/location/program type), selectivity, admissions metrics, and budget
- The guide highlights 11 schools including: Duke, UPenn, Emory, UNC–Chapel Hill, Michigan–Ann Arbor, Washington, Boston College, Case Western, Iowa, Ohio State, and UAB
- Selectivity examples from the guide: UPenn (~4.6% acceptance) and Duke (~6.3%) with very high reported stats (e.g., ~3.9 GPA and SAT/ACT ranges cited)
- More accessible public options listed: University of Iowa (~86% acceptance) and UAB (~87%)
- Cost range example from the guide: UNC–Chapel Hill in-state (~$7,019/year) vs out-of-state (~$37,360/year); Case Western (~$64,100/year)
- Takeaway: build a balanced list (reach/match/value) based on stats + fit + cost + pathway
How To Become a Home Health Nurse?
- Home health nursing focuses on 1:1 care in patients’ homes with more autonomy and relationship-building
- Typical route: earn LPN/ADN/BSN → pass NCLEX → build experience (often ~2 years preferred) → move into home health
- Why experience matters: you’re often the only clinician on-site
- Timeline estimate in the guide: ~3 years (LPN + experience) to ~6+ years (BSN + experience)
- Pay reference used: RN ~$81,220/year (contextual benchmark)
- Optional competitiveness boosters: OASIS-focused training/certification; gerontology or hospice/palliative credentials
How To Become a Telehealth Nurse?
- Telehealth nursing is an RN specialty (phone/video/app-based) requiring strong clinical judgment
- Typical path: ADN (~2 years) or BSN (~4 years) → NCLEX-RN → ~1–4 years bedside experience → telehealth roles
- Overall timeline estimate: ~3–8 years (degree + experience)
- Common responsibilities: triage, symptom checks, med/refill questions, lab follow-ups, scheduling, patient education
- The guide notes: no telehealth-only certification, but Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification can help (often requires 2 years RN, 2,000 hours, 30 CE hours)
- Pay cited: ~ $86,070/year, with demand tied to broader RN growth
How To Prepare for the GRE When Getting Into Nursing School?
- GRE is still used by some MSN/DNP programs, especially to compare applicants across backgrounds
- Many programs waive it based on GPA or relevant work experience - check each school’s policy
- Benchmarks as framed in the guide:
- Competitive (50th–75th percentile): Verbal 150–160, Quant 150–160, Writing ~4.0+
- Top-tier: Verbal 163–170, Quant 165–170, Writing 5–6
- Below-average flags: Verbal <151, Quant <152, Writing <3.5
- Overall averages cited: Verbal 150.37, Quant 153.66, Writing 3.6
- Prep strategy: start 2–3 months out, diagnose weak areas early, do timed practice
- High-ROI tactics: time management, elimination strategies, vocab/reading approach, math fundamentals + accuracy checks, repeatable writing template
How To Become a CRNA (Nurse Anesthetist)?
- CRNA is a high-responsibility path (anesthesia + patient stability during procedures) requiring years of training
- Typical route:
- BSN (~4 years)
- NCLEX-RN
- ICU/critical-care experience (minimum ~1 year; often ~2–3 years)
- Nurse anesthesia program (~24–36 months)
- NBCRNA board exam
- Total timeline estimate: ~7–9 years
- Core responsibilities include: patient assessment, anesthesia planning/admin, airway support, vitals monitoring, recovery oversight
- Work settings include: hospitals, surgery centers, pain clinics, dental offices, rural facilities
- Pay/outlook cited in the guide: ~$205,770/year on average, with continued demand noted
What Are the Top 20 Least Stressful Nursing Jobs?
- “Low stress” roles usually mean: lower acuity + more predictable schedules + fewer emergencies + fewer simultaneous patients
- Roles highlighted include: school nursing, public health, home health, hospice, nurse educator, occupational health, case management, research, informatics, leadership/admin
- Some higher-paid options may still appear (informatics/admin/NP/CNM/CRNA) but often require more training/responsibility
- What makes nursing stressful (per the guide): high patient loads, constant urgency, understaffing, long/overnight shifts, emotional intensity, difficult interactions
- Takeaway: least stressful roles reduce multiple stress drivers at once - especially unpredictability and acute crises
What Are the Top 5 Pre-Nursing Internships?
- Benefits: hands-on exposure, confirmation of fit, stronger applications
- Typical duration: ~8–12 weeks (often summer), paid or volunteer
- Examples listed:
- AACN Government Affairs & Policy Internship: non-clinical; ~6 weeks; ~20 hrs/week; multiple sessions
- Rochester Regional Health ASN/BSN Excel Internship (Rochester, NY): paid; ~10 weeks; full- or part-time; patient-care tech + weekly education
- Sentara Student Nurse Internship Program (Norfolk, VA): paid; hospital-based; supervised patient care + admissions/discharge exposure
- Northwest Medical Center Student Nursing Internship (Tucson, AZ): paid; ~8 weeks; ~36 hrs/week; rotating departments (ER/ICU); possible stipend/scholarship
- International Medical Aid (IMA): international; 2–6 weeks; volunteer/fee-based; mentorship + cultural immersion
What Are the Nursing School GPA Requirements?
- GPA is a key academic signal, but targets depend on program type and competitiveness
- Typical benchmarks as framed:
- ADN: often more flexible; target ~2.75+
- BSN: typically more competitive; many list ~3.0+ minimum (aim higher for strong programs)
- CNA/LPN pathways: often lower thresholds (sometimes no strict minimum); ~2.5+ is a common benchmark
- Some programs weigh science/math GPA separately (often ~3.0 when listed)
- Takeaway: minimums are the floor - competition can still be intense
What Are the Common Nursing School Interview Questions?
- Interviews are usually predictable: programs want proof you understand nursing, can handle pressure, work well with others, and think ethically
- Question buckets:
- General/fit: tell me about yourself, why nursing, why this program, strengths/weaknesses, what if you’re not accepted
- Experience/behavior: teamwork, conflict, helping someone who refused help, shaken confidence, managing stress
- Critical thinking/scenarios: why you, biggest local healthcare issue, essential nurse trait, ethical/judgment prompts
- Policy/ethics: vaccines, confidentiality, policy vs patient best interest, staying current on policy changes
- Quick interview FAQs:
- “Tell me about yourself”: path → key experiences → why nursing now
- “Why nursing”: one moment → what you learned → what kind of nurse you want to be
- Questions to ask at the end: clinical placements, student support, how success is measured, what top students do differently