The registered nursing program at CSM instituted a merit-based application process beginning with the 2015 application period. Once an applicant has fulfilled the basic requirements, he or she may also earn points based upon a number of criteria which are set by the State Chancellor’s Office. The highest weighted numbers are attached to the overall GPA, followed by the subset GPA in the three biological sciences. The program had been awaiting the outcome of the class of 2017’s first time passing rate.

For the first quarter of the reporting period from July 1 through the end of October, 2017, the NCLEX pass rate was 97%. The Board of Registered Nursing uses the annual pass rate as a critical outcome and benchmark for the program.