Admission Eligibility

The Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) Admissions Committee establishes admission eligibility while adhering to the Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action statements found in the University Policies section of the catalog. All eligible applicants will be considered competitively, based on an objective Ranking Score Computation and committee selection. It is highly recommended that prospective applicants meet with the Nursing Admissions Coordinator as early as possible to ensure they understand the application and eligibility requirements and to receive personal advisement. 417-255-7245

The following listed application information must be verifiable and in your nursing application file by the nursing application deadline of March 1st for the Fall and October 1st for the Spring. BOTH application cycles are now open to 30 LPN-to-RN bridge program and 25 RN (Regular Track) students. The student will receive an e-mail  notification to their university email of admission status – accepted, alternate or not accepted. All testing can be arranged through the Missouri State-West Plains Testing Center, located in the Lybyer T108. 417-255-7943

1. Admission to Missouri State-West Plains with a non-probationary status.
2. Submission of the online nursing program application (in My Grizzly Den student portal inside Student Resource Card.) Applicants who are not selected and want to reapply for the next nursing program must submit a new nursing program application. See How to Apply to the Nursing Program
3. A final official high school transcript or HiSET/GED certificate if required for admission to the University. (High school transcript or HiSET/GED certificate is required for students being admitted with less than 24 credit hours of college level course work.) An in-progress transcript will be accepted if the applicant is presently enrolled in high school. Upon high school graduation, a final transcript must be received by the Missouri State-West Plains, Admissions Office, 128 Garfield Ave., West Plains, MO 65775, if admitted.
4. Official transcripts from all previously attended colleges or universities must be submitted to the Missouri State-West Plains, Admissions Office, 128 Garfield Ave., West Plains, MO, 65775. Transcripts from other nursing programs, such as LPN programs, should be sent directly to the Missouri State-West Plains Nursing Department, Nursing Admissions Office, 128 Garfield Ave., West Plains, MO 65775
5. Students accepted into the nursing program must have MTH 130 or higher eligibility established prior to starting nursing courses. (MTH 130 or higher is not required for the nursing program - only eligibility for it.)  Regular Track applicants must establish MTH 130 or higher eligibility in order to take the required BMS 110 Introduction to Biomedical Sciences course.  MTH 130 or higher eligibility is determined by:
   1. placement into MTH 130 or higher on a placement exam (ACT, NEXT GENERATION, ACCUPLACER, COMPASS, etc.), or
   2. previously completing required lower-level math classes to gain MTH 130 eligibility, or equivalent courses, with a 'C' grade or better.
6. ENG 110 Writing 1 eligibility must be established by the application deadline. All applicants must complete ENG 110 Writing 1 by the program start.  English 110 eligibility is determined by:

   1. reading placement exam score of: ACT - 18 or higher, COMPASS - 81 or higher or ACCUPLACER - 85 or higher and

   2. completion of the Directed Self-Placement for Writing Classes survey resulting in an English 110 recommendation and submitting this result to the Office of Advising and Academic Support - 417-255-7222 or
   3. completed college course work, such as English 100, English 100A, English 101 or completion of English 110 Writing 1 or an equivalent course.
7. Regular Track applicants must either complete BMS 110 Introduction to the Biomedical Sciences with a 'C' grade or better or be in progress of taking it by the appropriate application deadline unless they have completed an equivalent BMS 110 course or Human Anatomy/Anatomy & Physiology 1 at another institution with a "C" grade or higher.
8. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative college grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 based on a minimum of 12 college credits. In the event of extenuating circumstances regarding former college GPAs, an applicant may write a letter, addressed to the Nursing Admissions Committee and emailed to the Admissions Coordinator, requesting that the committee only consider their most recent grades for the nursing application grade point average. The submission of a letter does not guarantee the applicant’s appeal will be granted or what grades may be considered. The final decision lies fully with the Nursing Admissions Committee and there is no appeals process.
9. Applicants must take the ATI TEAS Nursing School Entrance Exam prior to the appropriate deadline and meet the benchmarks. Applicants may take the exam two times per application cycle. Exam scores are valid for 5 years.
10. All nursing support courses must be passed with a 'C' grade or better. Applicants must show proof of current registration in a failed nursing support course at the application deadline to be considered eligible for consideration and must pass that course, along with all in-progress nursing support courses, with a 'C' grade or better to maintain eligibility for the program.

Acceptance Requirements - Conditions and Contingencies

• Offers of acceptance to the Associate of Science in Nursing Program are conditional. Conditions include satisfactory completion of nursing curriculum support courses, a satisfactory background check and a negative drug and/or controlled substance test.
• An applicant or current nursing student who refuses to authorize and pay for testing or who tests positive for drugs, alcohol or controlled substances will not receive a final offer of admission or will not be allowed to continue in the nursing program.
• Past academic history and known academic integrity may be used by the committee to determine if an applicant will be admitted into the nursing program.
• Admission is contingent upon meeting the grade criteria of 'C' or better for past and current enrollment in all nursing curriculum support classes.
• Admission for out-of-state students is contingent on providing a comprehensive plan for travelling to designated clinical sites and completing required clinical hours. 
• As a requirement of the nursing program application process, in response to RSMo 660.317b and 660.315, applicants to the program will be required to consent to release of their criminal history record (RSMo 43.450) solely for the purpose of determining the applicant’s ability to enter patient care areas in order to fulfill the requirements of the ASN program.
  • RSMo 660.317 prohibits a hospital, or provider, from knowingly allowing those who have been convicted of, pled guilty to or nolo contender in this state or any other state or who have been found guilty of a crime, which if committed in Missouri would be a Class A or B felony violation, to give care to clients in their agency. As defined by state law, these are violations of Chapter RSMo 565 (domestic violence/ violence against a person), RSMo 566 (sex offenses) or RSMo 569 (robbery, arson, burglary or related offenses), or any violation of subsection 3 of section 198.070 RSMo (abuse and neglect), or section 568.020 RSMo (incest). RSMo 660.315 requires an inquiry whether a person is listed on Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services disqualification list. In addition to these records, an online search will be conducted to determine if a student is on other government sanction lists. These online searches include office of Inspector General (OIG) and the General Services Administration (GSA).