Early Action (EA) for High School Seniors

Early Action (EA) for High School Seniors

 The Early Action program is a formal understanding between the high school student and Rockford University in which the student may be granted admission to RU and entry into the BSN program upon successful completion of the admission requirements. Students seeking Early Action may submit their applications during their senior year of high school. Applications and transcripts showing completion of high school courses to that date must be submitted before January 31 of their senior year. Selection is competitive and only a limited number of applicants may be accepted.

Candidates who are high school students desiring to seek admission by Early Action must:

• Complete an application to RU and be accepted for admission
• Submit an application to the Nursing Program prior to January 31 of their senior year
• Submit proof of ACT (or SAT equivalent of 1100) of at least 22
• Submit high school transcripts showing completion of the following courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better on a 4.0 scale:
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • English (4 semesters)
  • Math (2 semesters, including Algebra)

Students will be notified of an admission decision by April 1 of their senior year. Actual enrollment is contingent on receipt of official high school transcript by July 1 of the year of enrollment, verifying that all admission criteria have been met.

**A student who is accepted under EA for high school students must meet all academic GPA progression requirements, and undergo a background check and drug testing prior to entering the nursing program.

Requirements of All Applicants:

1. A cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 2.75 at the time of application. For transfer students, a CGPA will be determined from course work accepted in transfer, which must be a minimum of 2.75 for consideration.
2. Maintenance of a minimum CGPA of 2.75 from Rockford University at the end of the semester in which application is submitted.
3. Achieve a minimum of “C” grade in each of the required natural and social science support courses (see list of required supporting courses). A student who receives a grade lower than a C- in any required natural and social science support course may repeat the course and have the repeated course grade counted toward the CGPA. Only one of the required natural and social science support courses may be repeated. If a student receives a grade lower than a C- grade in more than one of the required natural and social science support courses, they will not be considered for admission to the major. All students must inform the Registrar’s Office when they are repeating classes.
4. Science courses older than five years will not be considered as equivalent to Rockford University courses.
5. Students who are granted medical withdrawals and medical incompletes in required natural and social science support courses have a maximum of two times to achieve a passing grade of “C-” or better. For example, a student enrolls in Biology 209 and receives a medical incomplete. That student then makes arrangements with the instructor to repeat Biology 209 the next time it is offered. The student fails to achieve a passing grade and then withdraws from the course with a “MW” (medical withdrawal). The student repeats Biology 209 again and then receives a passing grade. The student (who has essentially attempted the same course three times) may not be considered for admission into the nursing program.
6. Students who have been denied admission to the nursing program due to a CGPA of less than 2.75 may submit an application requesting admission to the nursing program, if admission criteria are met, during the next application period. Automatic admission to the program for the next academic year is not guaranteed. Each student case will be considered individually and are handled on a space-available basis.
7. There are essential capabilities necessary for admission and progression at Rockford University in the complex discipline of nursing. To enter or progress in the nursing curriculum, the candidate must be able to perform all of the essential capabilities (with or without accommodations). See Appendix A of the Nursing Student Handbook for Essential Capabilities of Nursing Majors.
8. All students admitted to the nursing major are required to complete a background check and a random urine drug screen.
9. The nursing faculty reserves the right to consider the merit of individual cases.

Requirements for Progression and Retention in the Nursing Major