Investigating how to prepare for nursing school can be helpful before starting your program. Start by articulating your reason for switching to nursing. Talk to an admissions advisor and plan to meet the admissions requirements. Make sure you have a support system to help you in your journey.
The best way to learn how to prepare for nursing school is by working with your admissions advisor to meet all the pre-enrollment requirements, such as taking an entrance exam and fulfilling prerequisite requirements. To set yourself up for success, you can also go the extra mile to prepare for it by building a support system in advance.
If you’d like to earn your nursing degree in as few as 12 months, you’ll receive extensive student support at the University of St. Thomas’ (UST) Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. Once enrolled, you’ll receive one-on-one support from an Academic Success Coach. Many of our nursing students also find that their close-knit nursing cohort offers emotional support throughout the program.
As you prepare to enter nursing school, your advisor can also help you learn what to do before nursing school, such as obtaining cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification. You can start, however, by articulating the reasons why you want to become a nurse.
1. Understand Why You Want to Become a Nurse
What encouraged you to transition into nursing in the first place? Perhaps a personal experience played a role in your decision, such as having a loved one hospitalized or being hospitalized yourself.
It’s important to be able to articulate your reason for applying to nursing school, as your admissions advisor may ask you about it. At St. Thomas, we educate the whole person, so we welcome stories about your faith experience and personal transformation. Additionally, having a solid intention will help you stay motivated and focused throughout your nursing education. It may also sustain you during your nursing career. It’s essential to understand your motivations and draw on them to deliver the compassionate care that each patient deserves.
2. Choose the Right Nursing Degree Path
Before learning how to prepare for nursing school, you’ll need to choose the right degree path. There are multiple pathways toward nursing. It’s possible to become a nurse with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), but this can limit your career opportunities.
Instead, earning a BSN may open more doors and prepare you to pursue career advancement later. Healthcare employers generally prefer to hire baccalaureate-prepared nurses, and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) touts the benefits of a BSN.
The comprehensive education and clinical skills of a BSN-prepared nurse may also lead to higher-paying opportunities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary for registered nurses in Texas was $95,970 as of May 2025.
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3. Find a Nursing Program That Fits Your Goals
Before transitioning into nursing, you must find a program that fits your needs and aligns with your nursing career goals. If you have a completed non-nursing degree or at least 60 non-nursing college credits, you may be eligible to apply to an ABSN program. Various programs offer different lengths, usually 16-18 months. The ABSN program at UST enables you to earn your BSN in as few as 12 months after completing any needed prerequisites.
Although UST’s ABSN program offers nursing theory courses online, you’ll still need to attend in-person skills and simulation labs at our ABSN learning sites in Shenandoah or Sugar Land, or at our downtown campus in Houston, Texas.
When choosing a nursing program, consider if you might like to start your nursing career in the same area. As the fourth-largest city in the U.S., Houston’s healthcare sector is expansive and continues growing. With institutions like Houston Methodist, Memorial Hermann, Texas Children’s Hospital, and the immense Texas Medical Center, there is no shortage of top healthcare jobs for qualified candidates.
Also, the University of St. Thomas allows students to explore areas of faith and reason as they relate to their career path. If you desire to dive deeper into whole-person care and how one’s spiritual journey may affect one's health, this may be the program for you.
4. Research Nursing School Admissions Requirements
When considering what to do before nursing school, keep in mind that the process will be largely dictated by the school’s admissions requirements. Research the admissions requirements you’ll need to fulfill at the program you’ve chosen.
For example, in addition to holding a non-nursing bachelor’s degree or at least 60 college credits, the ABSN program at UST requires students to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0, complete the necessary prerequisite courses, and earn a passing score in the HESI or TEAS exam, among other admissions requirements.
5. Speak With an Admissions Advisor Early
If you choose to move forward with an ABSN program, your next step is to talk to an admissions advisor. Your advisor serves as an essential resource for information and personalized guidance when preparing for nursing school.
Your admissions advisor will become your main point of contact throughout the application process, and they are available to answer any questions you may have about the program’s admissions process. Your advisor can also help you learn more about what to do before nursing school.
Your advisor will not only determine your eligibility for our ABSN program, but they will also help you develop a plan for meeting the admissions requirements to ensure you meet your target start date goal. UST offers three start dates per year in January, May, and August.
6. Complete Your Prerequisite Courses
You will work with your admissions advisor to sign up for the necessary prerequisite courses. These prerequisite courses provide each student with a pre-nursing academic foundation, ensuring a baseline of academic skills necessary for the program. Taking prerequisites through UST will help you become familiar with the same online learning management system we use for the online portion of our ABSN program.
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7. Prepare for and Pass the HESI or TEAS Exam
To be admitted into our accelerated nursing program, you must also complete the Health Education Systems (HESI) Admission Assessment exam and pass with a score of 80% or higher in the following sections:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Grammar
- Math
- Reading comprehension
- Vocabulary
Alternatively, UST admits candidates with a passing score of 78% on all sections of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), including the math, reading, English and language usage, and science portions.
Nursing school applicants are advised to become familiar with the types of questions asked on either exam. There are study guides and sample questions available online to help you prepare.
8. Build a Strong Support System
What else to do before nursing school beyond meeting the requirements? As an accelerated nursing student, you’ll have a busy schedule of online coursework, hands-on labs, and in-hospital clinical rotations. It’s helpful to establish your support system in advance.
For example, talk to your family members and close friends about your nursing school plans. Let them know you expect to spend 50 to 60 hours per week on your education, and that you’d appreciate their emotional support and practical assistance. This support can include asking a loved one to assist you with childcare.
Additionally, UST’s faculty and staff are here to support you. Nursing students may also lean on their fellow cohort members for support, such as by forming study groups together. On campus, students often take time to visit the Chapel of St. Basil for a moment of quiet during the rigorous course load of nursing and beyond.
9. Fulfill the Clinical Compliance Requirements
If you’re accepted to the program, you will have additional requirements to fulfill prior to enrollment. These include undergoing a background check, as well as drug and health screenings.
Other clinical compliance requirements for nursing school include getting up to date on all vaccinations, including MMR, influenza, and hepatitis B. You’ll also need to become certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You can obtain CPR certification through your local chapter of the Red Cross.
Apply to UST Today
When you’re ready to make the transition to nursing, the admissions team at UST is here to help. You’ll be assigned a dedicated admissions advisor, who will help you navigate each step of the process. You can choose from three locations in the Houston, Texas area and three start dates per year.
University of St. Thomas’ ABSN program can enable you to graduate with a nursing degree in as few as 12 months. Request information to get started.