Direct Admission, High School Pathway
The High School Admission Pathway is available to students applying as first-time college students in their senior year of high school. Applicants should apply to the university through the Common App and indicate nursing as their major of first choice. High School Admission to the Nursing Program is competitive and only the most qualified applicants will be offered admission.
The Direct Admissions process for Nursing at Southern Connecticut State University is inclusive. Our belief in the importance of a thorough and careful review of all aspects of your application reflects our mission as an intentionally diverse and comprehensive university, committed to access, social justice, and service for the public good. We seek to empower every undergraduate student with the knowledge, skills and perspectives essential for active participation and impassioned, ethical leadership, and our admission practices reflect that goal.
In review of applicants for Direct Admissions, we seek to learn about you through: the subject-specific courses you’ve completed; the level and rigor of those courses (including AP level courses and college-credit courses); your overall cumulative GPA (minimum 3.4); your academic profile (minimum course requirements indicated below), including extracurricular activities and leadership roles; and your personal statement.
The submission of SAT/ACT test results is optional at Southern. The School of Nursing encourages applicants to submit their ACT/SAT scores if they wish to do so. Test score submission is not a requirement for Direct Admissions consideration, nor is there a penalty for not submitting test scores. In deciding whether or not to submit your standardized test scores, consider your overall academic record. Your decision should be based on whether you believe your scores are an accurate representation of your academic abilities.
Southern recognizes the Common Application as its own application form. When applying for Direct Admissions, please be advised that your submitted complete application, and the following supporting credentials must be submitted by the application deadline,December 1st, 2025:
- Completed Common Application (please list awards, jobs, sports, extracurricular activities, leadership roles, unique factors to you, etc.)
- Official secondary school transcript, and minimum 3.4 cumulative GPA
- Recommendation letter from a teacher, counselor, or mentor who can reflect on your commitment and dedication to your education, work ethic, and aspirations/goals
- Personal statement (Common Application Essay) reflective of a particular meaning or interest to you which emphasizes who you are, your values, goals, and future aspirations
- University application fee or an official fee waiver
- SAT or ACT results (Optional)
- TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is highly recommended if you have resided in the U.S. for fewer than three years and English is not your native language.
We regard your academic record from high school as the most important part of your application for admission. Although we certainly consider your final grade point average and overall record over four years, we do look deeper, considering your performance during each year in high school, including academic rigor. We look for students who have challenged themselves personally and academically. Not only are your final grades considered, we look very carefully at the quality of the academic program you have pursued. Below are the minimum high school academic requirements required for Direct Admissions consideration.
- 4 years of English
- 3 years of Mathematics
- 2 or more years of Science with labs
- 3 years in Social Sciences
While your academic record is clearly a critical element of the entire admission application, we are also interested in the personal qualities, talents and interests that you will bring to our campus community and the field of nursing. We want to know about your extracurricular involvement, the quality of your writing as reflected in the personal statement, and the reflections of teachers, counselors, and others who submit recommendations on your behalf.
Because our applicant pool increases each year, the admissions process remains very competitive and selective. All those who apply and meet minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission to the program.
STEM Foundations for Nursing
Students admitted to the university will begin with a declared major in STEM Foundations for Nursing within the Healthcare Studies major. This program includes the necessary prerequisite coursework for the Nursing Program and optimal advisement towards the nursing program requirements. Upon successful completion of the program requirements below, students will be able to progress directly into the Nursing program to complete the remaining two years.
Program Requirements
- 6 of the 9 nursing prerequisite courses must be complete with the minimum grade requirement
- 3.0 minimum CUM GPA (includes all college work, including courses taken in high school and at other colleges/universities)
- A minimum grade of B- is required for the nursing prerequisites.
- No more than 2 nursing prerequisite repeats. This means that students are ineligible to apply if they repeat nursing prerequisites more than twice, for any single or combination of nursing prerequisites, due to not meeting the minimum grade requirement.