Yes. The admission process for Nursing has recently changed. Applicants are now reviewed for direct admission to the Nursing major. Because of the limited number of spaces in the Nursing major, this review process is very selective. The benefit of this change is that successful candidates will enter the University as full Nursing majors. Given the competitive nature of admission to Nursing programs at many colleges and universities, direct admission to the major is a real advantage to students.

Freshman applicants have the greatest access to the Nursing major, since students will enter as a cohort and proceed through the curriculum together.

Students can visit the Undergraduate Admissions website to apply online or request an application. Please indicate on your application that you want to be assigned to Nursing.

A very limited number of positions for transfer students may become available each year on a space-available basis, but there is no guarantee as to the semester in which a transfer student would be able to enter the program. Transfer students are responsible for all prerequisite coursework needed to enter the junior year of Nursing. Applicants must have an overall University GPA of 3.5 or better. For more information, please refer to the Undergraduate Student Handbook. See the section on Admission Requirements for the Traditional Pre-Licensure track.

No. But if you already invested in a language, you should complete the language testing proficiency when you are accepted to the University.

Visit the Financial Aid Office at http://www.umass.edu/umfa/.

Visit the UMass Student Life page and the YouMass page.

Not usually. Under certain circumstances it is allowed, with permission from the Dean of the School of Nursing and letters of support from parents.

Talent Advancement Program (TAP) offers students in a particular major the opportunity to live and study together. For more information, see the UMass Residential Academic Programs page.

Residential Academic Program offers students in a particular major the opportunity to live and study together. Signup is open only during the Freshman Orientation Sessions to students who have been accepted into PreNursing. For more information, see the UMass Residential Academic Programs page.

Students who enter the University and join the RAP or TAP program are housed in a dorm all together. They stay in that dorm for their first year of PreNursing. They are not required to stay the following year.

During summer orientation, students meet with faculty and other advisors, take critical placement tests (mathematics and writing), and sign up for and their residence hall.

There are step-by-step instructions on the OIT Support Page.

During Freshman orientation students will receive advising and a tool designed to assist students with course selection. The worksheet has prenursing curriculum, a prenursing plan of study and an academic planning grid to assist freshman in picking the correct courses.

Students should register for the most important 3 courses needed in order to be eligible to apply to the upper division major first. After they are firmly registered for these courses then they should select all other Gen Ed and or elective courses to finalize their schedules.

If a student chooses a 2 year PreNursing Plan they should have at least 15 to 16 credits per semester. If a student chooses a 2½ year PreNursing Plan they can register for a minimum of 12 - 13 credits per semester.

Students will know based on the results of the placement exams as well as their first year GPA's grades and course repeats that they need to pick a longer plan of study.

The name of your advisor is also on your SPIRE report.

The University has a counseling period twice during the academic year immediately before students begin to pre-register for courses. During that time students will be directed to sign-up for advising appointments. Students can request individual appointments by learning their advisor's office hours.

Students must provide their own transportation to their clinical site beginning in their junior year.

There are over 100 clinical agencies providing a variety of clinical experiences. The following agencies or hospitals are used for clinical rotations: Baystate Medical Center, Springfield; Worcester Medical Center, Worcester; Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Northampton; St. Elizabeth's Caritas Medical Center, Boston; and in general over 100 affiliations with a variety of agencies. Click here to view more clinical agencies providing clinical experiences. Formal partnerships exist with Baystate Medical Center, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, St. Elizabeth's Caritas Medical Center, Jewish Geriatric Services, and Heritage Hall.

Most students prefer to hold onto their course books. There are times when they are willing to lend out their book or sell them outright. Students may make an announcement in a Student Nurses' Association (SNA) meeting, of which many students are members or visit the Textbook Annex.

Yes. Students are encouraged to visit and attend an Information Session. During the academic year it may also be possible to tour the School of Nursing Clinical Simulation Laboratory, call 413-545-5099 to make an appointment.

The number of males varies from year to year. There are usually anywhere from 3-6.

Students must bring in a description of the course they will be taking during their break to be looked at by their advisor. They then fill out a prior course approval form. Instructions for how to fill out the form are noted on the backside. One copy is sent to the Registrar's Office and one copy to the school they will be attending.

Students call the school from which the course was taken. Upon your request, the school will send an official transcript to the UMass Registrar's Office.

It is best to notify the Dean of Student's Office. They in turn will notify the student's instructors by mail.

There are times when a faculty member must get a message to students immediately, i.e. class being cancelled, assignment changed, room change, etc. There may be a function going on which the School would like to invite all students to. It saves time to do one email message, rather than to telephone each student. Also, your school e-mail account gives you access to Web CT course web sites and computer classrooms on campus.

It would depend on the type of complaint you have. You should first discuss your concern with the instructor. You should then follow up with your advisor or the Dean of the School of Nursing. You also have the right to make an appointment with the Dean of Students in Whitmore.

Students voices are highly valued. At the end of each semester, students fill out a Student Response to Instruction (SRTI) evaluation in each class. This evaluation rates the course as well as the instructor and gives the student an opportunity to participate in the evaluation of clinical agencies.

If a student feels to get more involved, one way is to serve on, or go to standing committee meetings such as Faculty Student Matters. Students participate in the Curriculum and Academic Standards committees as well.

The Student Nurses' Association (SNA) is also a great place to voice opinions and speak about your feelings.