Admissions Process

Application Requirements

• Applicant must pass both sections of the entrance exam with a 68% or better on the math portion and a 70% or better on reading comprehension. The entrance exam is waived for applicants meeting any of the following criteria (official test scores and/or transcripts must be mailed to 4700 Rockside Road, Summit 1, Suite 250, Independence, OH 44131 or emailed to apply@cspnohio.edu):
  • A two- or four-year degree from an accredited college (bachelor’s or associate’s degree)
  • HESI scores reflecting a minimum of 70% both in reading and math (up to 3 years)
  • ACT scores reflecting a minimum of a 19 in math and a 20 in reading (up to 3 years)
  • WorkKeys scores reflecting a minimum of a 3 (72-75 scale) in math and a 4 (76-77 scale) in reading
• Applicant must complete the Eligibility Criteria Form (ECF).
• Applicant must be 18 years of age.
• Applicant must currently be an Ohio resident.
• If English is not the applicant’s first language, applicant must have taken the TOEFL iBT within the past 2 years and achieved a minimum score of:
  • 18 listening
  • 18 reading
  • 26 speaking
  • 17 writing
• Applicant must be a high school graduate with official transcript or official GED results.
  • A high school GPA of 2.0 is required unless college GPA meets or exceeds 2.0
  • GED results will be reviewed and considered according to test series.
  • If applicant’s high school grades/GPA were achieved in another country, they must be translated to English prior to submission (translated at applicant’s expense); CSPN does not offer translation services.
  • Applicants with an online high school transcript/diploma must have a minimum of six academic college-level courses (not including ESL courses) from an accredited college, completed after high school, or transcripts from an approved Ohio State Board of Career Colleges & Schools online high school.
• Applicant must provide a copy of their official college transcript(s).
• Applicant must provide transcript(s) from any other nursing school(s) they have attended, if applicable.
• Applicant must provide a student nursing perspective writing sample.
• Applicant must provide proof of medical insurance.
• Applicant must provide a signed Statistical Data Form.

To be considered for enrollment, the applicant must submit the information listed above by applying online and following all instructions. Each applicant is reviewed on an individual basis by the Admissions and Promotions Committee. The Admissions and Promotions Committee does not guarantee enrollment, as CSPN is a private, nonprofit school that reserves the right to select the best candidates.

• Negative drug test results and favorable BCI/FBI report(s)
  • An accepted student’s seat in the program is contingent on both favorable BCI/FBI report(s) and a negative drug test.
  • Background checks (BCI) are completed through Integrity Verifications and must not contain any convictions other than traffic violations, DUI/OVI, and disorderly conduct (no weapon involvement).
  • Applicants that have not lived in Ohio for the past 5 years will also have to complete a federal background check (FBI) at the same time as the state criminal background check.
  • Accepted students must also submit a drug screening at CSPN; CSPN has a zero-tolerance policy and drug test results must be negative.
• Physical exam
• Immunization records or titers for Tdap, MMR, varicella, and Hep B
• Two-step TB test or bloodwork test
• BLS/CPR (basic life support/cardiopulmonary resuscitation) certification for healthcare
• COVID vaccine
• Flu shot
• Signed enrollment agreement
• Signed Ohio disclosure statement
• Signed administrative forms
• Working knowledge of computer(s)
• Access to laptop/Wi-Fi/smartphone

Additionally, advanced placement will be considered for all enrolled applicants that have achieved a B grade or better in the past 5 years at an accredited college in the areas of Nutrition, Anatomy & Physiology I and II (must have completed both AP I and II), and/or Growth and Development/Life Span. Accepted students should notify us in advance if this applies.

CSPN is committed to diversity and inclusion and adheres to all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, gender expression, gender identity, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, and any other protected classifications under federal, state, or local law. CSPN does not consider any applicant’s protected classification in making admission or other decisions relating to students.

CSPN’s Title IX Coordinator, Zerrine Bailey, can be reached at zbailey@cspnohio.edu. She has been trained through the National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA)’s online Title IX Coordinator Training course.

If an applicant or student feels they needs academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids and services, they must contact the school’s Disability and Section 504 Coordinator, Zerrine Bailey, at zbailey@cspnohio.edu; (216) 901-4400; or 4700 Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131.

For the filing of a Title IX grievance, contact the Title IX Coordinator, Zerrine Bailey, at zbailey@cspnohio.edu; (216) 901-4400; or 4700 Rockside Road, Independence, OH 44131.

For full policy disclosure, please visit the Students and Disability Services section on our Student Services page.

CSPN will not tolerate any form of hazing (harassment, abuse, and/or humiliation) of any faculty, administrator, student, or staff member. Student(s) will be subject to immediate dismissal should an event occur on campus, through social media, or any other means directly associated with CSPN.

CSPN does not require students to provide a diploma. CSPN requires the elevated proof of graduation or GED passage by requesting the student provide their official high school transcript or GED results. However, if CSPN or the Secretary has reason to believe the documentation provided is not valid or was not obtained from an entity that provides secondary school education, CSPN will take the following steps to confirm the validity of that documentation:

• CSPN will obtain either the student’s official transcripts, other written descriptions of course requirements, or written and signed statements by principals or executive officers at the high school attesting to the rigor and quality of the coursework at the high school directly from the high school.
• CSPN will make sure the high school is approved and meets the state’s requirements by searching the website that oversees the institution from which the student graduated. For example, in Ohio, this information can be found searching for the school here. A list of approved GED programs in Ohio can be found here.

Prospective students with an online high school transcript/diploma must have a minimum of six academic college-level courses from an accredited college, completed after high school, or transcripts from an approved Ohio State Board of Career Colleges and Schools (OSBCCS) online high school. ESL courses will not be accepted as part of the six college courses. CSPN will take the actions listed above to approve the validity of the college transcripts if it has reason to believe they are not valid. If necessary, CSPN will search the U.S. Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs to make sure the college is accredited.

• The Secretary does not maintain a list of high schools that issue invalid high school diplomas. However, if the school is not able to prove the validity of the provided graduation documentation or GED results, the school will treat that documentation as invalid.

The student should also be aware of the following information:

• A high school diploma is not valid if it:
  • Did not meet the applicable requirements established by the appropriate state agency, Tribal Agency, or Bureau of Indian Education in the state where the high school is located;
  • Has been determined to be invalid by the Department, the appropriate state agency in the state where the high school was located, or through a court proceeding; or
  • Was obtained from an entity that requires little or no secondary instruction or coursework to obtain a high school diploma, including through a test that does not meet the requirements for a recognized equivalent of a high school diploma under 34 CFR 600.2.
• Students who indicate on their FAFSA form that they graduated high school must give the name, city, and state of the high school. The online FAFSA form will not allow students to skip these items, and it will have a drop-down list of both public and private high schools populated by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).
  • Inclusion on the list does not mean that a diploma from the school is valid, nor does exclusion from the list mean that the diploma is invalid.
  • Acceptable documentation for checking the validity of a student’s high school diploma is listed above.
• A student’s self-certification is not sufficient to validate a high school diploma that is in question. If there is conflicting information between the student’s certification on the FAFSA form and other documentation or information obtained from the student, the institution must resolve this conflict. For an institution to be a Title IV–eligible institution, it must admit as regular students only those with a high school diploma or the recognized equivalent and/or those who are beyond the age of compulsory school attendance in the state where the institution is located. As in other areas of FSA administration, schools have final authority in meeting this requirement. The Department does not plan to have an appeal process or to intervene in reasonable determinations made by school administrators, such as a decision to move a high school from a college’s acceptable to unacceptable list or a case where one school has different lists than another.