Admission Criteria

Application to the nursing major at MidAmerica is separate and different from application to MidAmerica Nazarene University. Students may apply as Freshmen or Sophomores for acceptance into the upper-division nursing program. Admission of students to the nursing major is accomplished through the Nursing Admission Committee that is comprised of the nursing faculty and two non-nursing MidAmerica faculty members. The committee normally meets twice a year: October and February.

The Kansas State Board of Nursing limits the Nursing Division in the number of students that can be accommodated in the nursing major based on the number of faculty and the availability of clinical facilities. The Division of Nursing reserves the right to place students on a waiting list if there are more applicants than the Division can accommodate. Acceptance and conditional acceptance into the nursing major are specified for a particular class and program; it does not imply a blanket acceptance to any class or program of the student's choosing.

Students desiring to earn a BSN degree from MidAmerica may choose to apply for either of two programs:

1. The basic program consists of the standard, two-year, upper-division curriculum, and most students will apply to this program. Upper-division courses are taken during the fall and spring semesters of the junior and senior years.
2. The accelerated basic program involves taking lower-division coursework, as well as some junior level courses "early" (during the fall and spring semester), and then completing the remainder of junior level course work during a heavily concentrated, 19-hour summer session. This allows the student to begin the following fall semester as a senior nursing student, thus eliminating one calendar year of study.

   The accelerated program is not appropriate for all students due to the pace required in each course and the added stress it places on financial and personal resources. Therefore, applicants for the accelerated program will be carefully selected based on several factors including previous college/university background, GPA, previous health care experience, performance in prerequisite nursing courses, individual strengths, and level of commitment. Generally, fewer applicants are accepted for this program than for the basic program.

   Applicants who apply to, but are not accepted for, the accelerated program will automatically be considered for placement in the fall basic program. A separate application is not necessary.

Due Dates for Nursing Applications

Due dates for nursing applications are as follows:

• October 1: for applicants seeking admission to summer or fall programs of the following year
• February 1: for freshmen enrolled at MidAmerica the previous fall semester who are seeking "early" admission to programs beginning the following calendar year
• February 1: for applicants seeking late admission to summer or fall programs of the current calendar year. These applications will be accepted only on a space-available basis.

Admission Criteria for the Nursing Programs

Applicants for both programs are responsible for meeting the following admission criteria:

1. Submit formal application to the Division of Nursing on official application form.
2. Submit two references to the Division of Nursing from qualified persons on official forms:
   • one from a college/university professor in a non-nursing prerequisite course
   • one from a previous or current employer or supervisor
   References from other sources are not accepted.
3. Confirm that official transcripts from all institutions previously attended have been received by the Office of the Registrar at MidAmerica. Transcripts must document satisfactory progression in courses prerequisite to the nursing major: C- in General Core courses and C in all NURS courses.
4. Attain a minimum grade point average of 2.60 on a 0 - 4.0 scale in the cumulative GPA or a GPA calculated on the courses prerequisite to the nursing major. Persons seeking "early admission" during their Freshman year must earn a 3.00 GPA for their Freshman fall semester or their application will be deferred until their Sophomore year when they must meet the 2.60 GPA requirement.
5. Exhibit appropriate interpersonal skills and behaviors, a demeanor compatible with others in the classroom and clinical arenas, emotional stability, personal integrity, ethical responsibility, and the flexibility to deal with unexpected change and crisis situations. Students applying to the program should also demonstrate a willingness to utilize constructive feedback that seeks to develop personal and professional behaviors necessary to be successful in the profession. The Division of Nursing reserves the right to withhold admission to the program from any student who has not demonstrated competency in these areas.
6. Complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). This 3-hour computerized test is a scholastic aptitude test encompassing four content areas: math, reading, English, and science. Since admission to the nursing program is competitive, preference is given to students with higher percentile rankings. A TEAS review book is on reserve in the MNU library or may be purchased on line, and applicants are expected to study/review for this test. This test is offered at MidAmerica in the month preceding the targeted divisional application deadline, and applicants should contact the Nursing Division secretary to reserve a spot for testing.
7. Transfer students are considered on a space-available basis.
8. English Language Requirements: All applicants* to the MNU nursing major whose native language is not English must demonstrate an established level of English language proficiency through the TOEFL iBT exam. The test must have been taken within two years of the first semester of enrollment. When submitting test scores to MNU, please submit only original scores (MNU's TOEFL code number is 6437). Photocopies will not be accepted.

   The Kansas State Board of Nursing and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing have recommended minimum standards for English Language Learners (ELL), i.e. those students whose first language is not English. For ELL students applying to the nursing major at MNU, TOEFL scores are required as follows:

   TOEFL iBT:

   • Overall score of 80
   • All sub-scores (Writing, Speaking, Reading, Listening) of 20

   If any earlier version of the TOEFL has been taken, the required scores are:

   • TOEFL CBT: overall score of 220
   • TOEFL Written: overall score of 560

   Waiving the TOEFL iBT Requirements: The Assistant Academic Dean may consider and grant exceptions to the minimum English proficiency requirements on a case-by-case basis.

   * Note: International applicants who are citizens of or have earned Bachelor's or higher degrees from English-speaking accredited institutions in the US, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or the English-speaking provinces of Canada do not have to submit TOEFL-iBT scores. Applicants from India and other recent British colonies do need to submit TOEFL-iBT scores, even if English is their primary language.

Program Acceptance

All applicants will be notified, in writing, of the nursing admission committee's decision as soon as possible after the admission committee meeting. Students who have been accepted into a nursing program will be allowed to begin the upper division nursing major (summer or fall) provided:

• all general core prerequisite courses are completed with a grade of C- or better and all lower division nursing courses completed with a grade of C or better (documentation by official transcript required before the start of classes);
• their grade point average is at or above a 2.60; and
• they meet all requirements as listed on the reply sheet included with their conditional acceptance letter.

Students who do not meet these requirements by the stated time will forfeit their position in the class.