Pre-Nursing Advising at Whitman College
Nurses provide front-line care to patients in a variety of settings, from doctor’s offices to operating rooms to nursing homes and more.
Nursing schools look for students with a strong background in the sciences, great communication skills, and a proven record of leadership, including hands-on volunteer service—areas you can explore deeply at Whitman College.
Earning a Bachelor of Arts before nursing school can expand your career options and fast-track your Bachelor of Science in Nursing (B.S.N.) or Master of Science in Nursing (M.S.N.) degree if you plan carefully.
Most programs are two to three years and lead to the licensure as a registered nurse (R.N.), with the opportunity to pursue additional specialization in areas such as family practice, midwifery, pediatrics, critical care, infectious diseases or Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.) programs.
You can learn more about becoming a nurse from the (AACN). And you can compare different programs on the website.
Plan of Study
Requirements vary greatly, but most U.S. nursing schools recommend:
- Two semesters of biology with labs (nutrition, human anatomy and physiology, and microbiology may be recommended)
- Two semesters of general, organic and biochemistry with labs
- One semester of statistics
- One semester of psychology
Some schools may also require coursework in genetics, English composition, speech/public speaking, or additional humanities or social science subjects.
FAQs for Nursing
Yes, ³Ô¹ÏÍø students have gone on to nursing programs at:
- Duke University
- Gonzaga University
- Johns Hopkins University
- Oregon Health & Sciences University
- Seattle University
- University of California, San Francisco
- University of Pennsylvania
- University of Washington
Students from any major can successfully pursue nursing as a profession. While you will need a strong foundation in the sciences to get into nursing school, you don’t necessarily need to major in the sciences. You should choose a major that genuinely interests you.
Yes. is a centralized application service operated by the AACN.
Although many of the nursing schools affiliated with the AACN participate in NursingCAS, some, such as the University of Washington School of Nursing and Seattle University College of Nursing, do not. You will need to apply directly to those schools. It is important to review the application process for each school you are interested in applying to.
- Health Professions Advisor
- Explore Health Care Careers
- Your First Steps: Getting Started
- Workshops, Speakers & Courses
- Becoming a Competitive Applicant
- Pre-Dental Advising
- Pre-Med Advising
- Pre-Nursing Advising
- Pre-OT Advising
- Pre-Pharmacy Advising
- Pre-Physical Therapy Advising
- Pre-PA Advising
- Public Health Advising
- Pre-Vet Advising
- Health Professions Advisor
- Explore Health Care Careers
- Your First Steps: Getting Started
- Workshops, Speakers & Courses
- Becoming a Competitive Applicant
- Pre-Dental Advising
- Pre-Med Advising
- Pre-Nursing Advising
- Pre-OT Advising
- Pre-Pharmacy Advising
- Pre-Physical Therapy Advising
- Pre-PA Advising
- Public Health Advising
- Pre-Vet Advising