Admissions
Applying to Illinois State
Admission is only available for the summer semester. Applicants are encouraged to apply for by our priority filing period between August 1 – October 1. While the priority deadline has passed, we are still accepting applications for Summer 2025.
Apply as a Second Bachelor’s Student and select “Nursing Accelerated Prelicensure” on the application. Applicants must have earned a Bachelor's Degree in Art or Science from an accredited college or university prior to summer enrollment (but not at the time of application).
Admission to this academic program is limited and is based on space availability and the competitiveness of the applicant pool. Factors that may be considered include, but are not limited to: college courses completed, hours completed, grades in prerequisite courses, cumulative GPA, quality of essay, healthcare experience and C.N.A. certification. C.N.A. certification is not required, but it may enable an applicant to be more competitive in the applicant pool.
Timeline
- Priority Filing Period August 1 – October 1. We are still accepting applications for Summer 2025.
- Supporting documents due October 15
- Qualifying applicant interviews will be scheduled for November
- Applicants will be informed of their admission status in December
The College may continue to accept and review applications after the priority filing deadline until target enrollment is met. Review and interviews for those applying after the deadline will be at the discretion of the College.
Supporting documents (i.e., official academic transcripts for all non-ISU college coursework, essay, and any test scores, as needed) must be received by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions in order to be considered for admission review.
Minimum GPA
2.50
Middle 50% GPA
3.26 - 3.64
Required Courses
Along with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree, the following courses or equivalents must be completed with a grade of C or better prior to the start of the program. Official transcripts for Human Anatomy and Physiology I (BSC 181 or KNR 181/183) OR Microbiology (BSC 160) displaying a grade of C or better is required at the time of application to be eligible for application review.
- Fundamentals of Chemistry (CHE 110/112 or 140)
- Statistics (NUR 138, ECO/GPOL/PSY 138, MGT 100 or MAT 150)
- Fundamentals of Psychology (PSY 110)
- Lifespan Development Psychology (PSY 213)
- Microbiology and Society (BSC 160)
- Human Physiology and Anatomy I (BSC 181 or KNR 181/183)
- Human Physiology and Anatomy II (BSC 182 or KNR 182/184)
- Nutrition in the Life Span (FCS 102)
- Medical Terminology (HSC 105)
To find the course equivalencies at an Illinois community college, please review our Course Articulation Guides. Course equivalencies for 4-year universities and out-of-state institutions can be found on Transferology.com.
If you have taken a higher level course than the recommended prerequisite, you can request that it be considered in place of the basic prerequisite by filling out a Transferability Form.
Accepted applicants who complete prerequisite courses that transfer into Illinois State University as a major elective or non-major elective instead of as the Illinois State University prerequisite course numbers listed above may prepare a Transferability Form and submit it to Mennonite College of Nursing for review. Information received will be reviewed by the Assistant Dean for Student Services. This form must also be completed for nursing courses completed at another bachelor-level nursing college. No evaluation can be made of any courses without a completed application.
For additional guidance, please refer to the Office of the Registrar at Illinois State University.
Recommended Courses
CNA certification is recommended, but not required. Certification may enable a student to be more competitive in the applicant pool.
Additional Information
- Prior to enrolling in nursing coursework, students must meet health and safety compliance requirements, to include drug testing, a criminal background check, a physical examination, and several immunizations. Students not compliant with health requirements are not permitted to participate in clinical and therefore will not be able to begin the Nursing program.
- International applicants must comply with the International Applicant Requirements as directed by the Illinois State University Office of Admissions. Please apply early in the application time frame to ensure adequate time to review transcripts.
Essay Prompt
As an applicant to the Mennonite College of Nursing (MCN), it is important that you understand our mission, vision, and values.
Read the values statement below and explain what it means to you.
Specifically, describe how any of your personal, work, or volunteer experiences have influenced you to pursue a career in nursing and how these experiences coincide with our values at MCN.
Your statement should be approximately 500 words and should provide us with a better understanding of who you are and what you would like to contribute to the nursing profession.
Mennonite College of Nursing sets the standard for excellence in nursing practice and education. We develop life-long curious learners who strive to improve health, provide service to and care for others. We value diversity and inclusion in an environment that focuses on empathy, advocacy, and purposeful action.
Retention in the Major
Students admitted to the major must:
- Maintain a minimum 2.00 cumulative GPA to remain in the major.
- Obtain a C or better in all nursing courses; dismissal from the major will result when a student receives a grade of less than C in any two nursing courses or twice for the same course.
- Maintain consecutive summer-fall-spring-summer enrollment at the university. Any student who has not been enrolled in ISU coursework for more than one fall or spring semester or who has been academically dismissed from the major must reapply to the major. Readmission will be granted on a selective basis.
- Students who are dismissed from the major will be changed to "Undeclared" major status.
Academic Advising
| Name | Office | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbra Oldenburg | 127B Nursing Simulation Lab | baolden@ilstu.edu | (309) 438-2252 |