The First Step to Student Success and Retention Is a Thoughtful Admissions Process

Determining which applicants should be admitted to an academic nursing program has never been an easy task, and today the process may feel more complex than ever.

“We've all experienced the drive to bring new nursing students into our programs — to increase the volume, to turn out more and more students who are ready to practice,” said Jennifer Conner, RN, MSN-Ed, CNE, a former nursing professor who is now a Solutions Nurse Educator for ATI. “Today our programs are challenged to expand opportunity while ensuring students enter with the preparedness and support they need to be successful. That’s quite a task.”

Consider two applicants. One has a high GPA and midrange scores on a nursing admission assessment. Another has slightly lower grades and stronger assessment scores — plus healthcare experience and evidence of persistence.

Which student is more likely to succeed?

The answer suggested by evidence is that it’s hard to make that call based on a single score, grade or characteristic. Research shows that the most effective admissions decisions are made when programs evaluate several indicators together.^1-10

Why Admissions Decisions Feel More Complex

Multiple forces are triggering nursing programs to reexamine their admissions criteria, and chief among them is workforce demand. In most areas of the country, institutions are under pressure to admit more students despite faculty shortages and resource challenges.

In addition, pandemic-related adjustments to program policies and procedures may have run their course. Where they still affect how applicants are evaluated or supported, changes may be needed — requiring commitment of time and resources.

Throughout these issues a familiar tension is present: Programs want to expand access, and they want to admit students who are prepared for the rigor of nursing school. This doesn’t require choosing between opportunity and readiness. It does require that the admissions process includes enough information to produce thoughtful, evidence-based decisions.

Why One Admissions Measure Isn’t Enough

Approaches to student admission generally fall into three broad categories that incorporate consideration of cognitive measures and noncognitive measures, or both. 

The most common models for admissions decision-making consider the measures shown above but with varying emphasis. These models consider a combination of criteria, take a holistic approach, or rely on subjective information. 

Model 1: Combination Approaches

Strong evidence supports admissions processes that combine multiple academic measures with structured noncognitive evaluation.^1-6

“There is no single right admissions model, but there is consistent evidence about what works well,” said Ada Woo, PhD, Vice President of Innovative Learning & Assessment Solutions at Ascend Learning. ATI is an Ascend Learning brand.

“In study after study, the strongest theme is combining multiple objective academic measures with a well-structured, mission-aligned framework,” she continued. “A combination of objective and subjective measures works better than any single criterion.”

Relying on a single criterion provides only a partial view of a candidate, Dr. Woo said.

Research shows that successful combination models often include:

• standardized admissions exam scores
• prior indicators of academic performance
• structured noncognitive measures such as interviews or mission-aligned evaluations.

Model 2: Holistic Approaches

Holistic admissions approaches are based on the philosophy that applicants should be evaluated as "whole" people rather than metrics alone. Holistic admissions committees may evaluate applicant accomplishments in the context of their personal qualities and circumstances.

This approach gathers more information, more context, and a broader understanding of applicants than combination or single-criterion approaches.⁷ Holistic admissions is sometimes framed as a process that lowers standards or doesn’t include objective measures, but this is not the case.

“Holistic admissions provide richer information that promotes diversity — not less rigorous or less objective information,” Dr. Woo said. “They don’t remove academic thresholds, get rid of standardized exams, and hope for the best.”

Holistic review broadens the information that committees consider. It adds context to academic data, and it can evaluate attributes such as resilience and the ability to engage in community.

Model 3: Noncognitive Criteria-Only Approaches

Less support exists for approaches that rely on subjective measures, or noncognitive criteria. Noncognitive indicators can provide important context, but research identifies concerns about evaluator bias, documentation challenges, reduced reliability, and weaker predictive evidence when they are used alone.⁸

“The evidence suggests that noncognitive measures alone don't predict nursing school completion or success as strongly as when you combine multiple measures that include academic measures,” Dr. Woo said.

Where Does Objective Nursing Admissions Data Fit?

Given that the evidence supports using multiple measures to make admissions decisions, how does standardized testing contribute? Recent research shows that the academic readiness data generated by high-quality standardized tests provides valuable information when interpreted within a broad framework.

A 2025 study⁹ of more than 100,000 nursing students found that the four categories evaluated on the ATI Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS^®) — reading, science, math, and English language usage — are significant predictors of early academic success. The research identified reading and science scores as the strongest predictors of readiness for a nursing program. It also determined that TEAS is a reliable predictor of student success.

A separate analysis of TEAS published in 2026¹⁰ found that students’ overall scores and content-area scores on the exam provide meaningful information about academic preparedness across ADN, BSN, and PN applicants.

The findings of these analyses reinforce that standardized testing should not serve as the sole basis for admission, nor should objective academic indicators be excluded. Instead, assessment scores can contribute valuable information within a balanced admissions model.

“Approaching admissions from a holistic viewpoint casts the widest net for new students and clearly brings value to the entire process,” said Beth Phillips, PhD, RN, CNE, a coauthor of the two studies. She is a former program director who is now Senior Manager of Content Strategy for ATI.

The ability of standardized testing to guide admission decision-making and early student support strategies is especially impactful in rigorous fields of study.   

“Well-developed standardized admission tests effectively predict student success in demanding programs like nursing,” Dr. Woo said. “They also help educators identify remediation opportunities, enabling broader access to the nursing profession and settings students up for success.”

What a Balanced Admissions Framework Looks Like

With evidence providing support for a balanced admissions approach, the next challenge is putting it into practice. A thoughtful admissions framework can help programs apply data consistently while keeping student success at the center of decision-making.

1. Begin with an admissions audit.

 “We have to know where we are, so we know where to begin,” Conner said. She recommends reviewing each admissions criterion and asking:

• Why is it included?
• What does it measure?
• What does it predict?

Admissions criteria often remain in place for years at a time. A periodic review can help ensure every measure contributes meaningful information.

2. Look for consistency across measures.

Identify students who perform well across multiple domains rather than focusing on the highest GPA or strongest test scores.

“Look for strength across multiple domains,” Conner said. “Even when a student isn't getting the highest test scores, if they are consistent, that is someone who is going to be consistent and do well.”

3. Weight measures according to student population.

Admissions should reflect program mission, curriculum and student characteristics.

“There is not a one-size-fits-all approach, because program type and student profile must be considered,” Dr. Phillips said. “A second-degree student is very different from someone just out of high school.”

Conner recommends that programs consider academic preparation in context, especially when students may be entering with prior degrees or science coursework completed years ago.

4. Use admissions data to support retention.

Admissions is a starting point only. It is square one for the student success planning and action that can lead to retention.

“Student success starts at the beginning,” Dr. Phillips said. “Once you get them in the door, you need to have supports in place so that you can identify and act on the red flags that come up.”

Admissions information lays the foundation for retention. Use this data to:

• identify areas of potential struggle
• connect students with resources early
• inform advising and support efforts
• keep more students enrolled or progressing.

Admissions as the First Step in Student Success

Programs differ in mission, student population, and education pathways. Yet the research points to a consistent conclusion: The strongest admissions frameworks combine multiple complementary measures rather than relying on a single indicator.

“A balanced admissions model does not require nursing programs to choose between rigor and access,” Dr. Phillips said. “It asks them to combine objective academic evidence, contextual information, and program-specific outcomes data in ways that help more students succeed.”

Admissions is much more than a gatekeeping exercise. It is the first decision point in a long-range retention and student success strategy.

REFERENCES

1. Al-Awabdeh E, Hani SB, Bayliss-Pratt L, Aljabery M, Ibrahim R, Salameh A. Admission Criteria for Undergraduate Nursing Programs: A Narrative Literature Review. Sage Open Nursing. 2025;11:1-16. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608251381667
2. American Association of Colleges of Nursing. Mission-Aligned Admissions Process (MAAP). https://www.aacnnursing.org/our-initiatives/access-connection-and-engagement-ace/mission-aligned-admission-process-maap 
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7. Hinds A, Sanner-Stiehr E. Key Components of Holistic Admissions in Schools of Nursing: A Scoping Literature Review. Journal of Professional Nursing. 2025;July/Aug. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2025.03.002
8. Traynor M, McNeill C, Roulston A. Personal Statement Versus Psychological Test as Admission to the Nursing Degree: An Evaluation. BMC Nursing. 2022;21:157.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-022-00919-w
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