Frequently Asked Questions

Applications will open on or about November 1 for the next fall application and on or about April 2 for the next spring application. Actual deadlines will vary depending of the dates that classes end for that semester. Please refer to the application instructions each semester for the deadline dates.

Detailed BSN application instructions are included on our webpage and directly on the online application and should be followed with great care.  

Yes. You would have to apply for each semester for which you would like to be considered. Each time you apply, you have to complete each step of the application, including the criminal record background check.

We receive anywhere from 200-300 applications each semester.

Each semester we have room for 112 students. We do create a waiting list of up to 25 students who fall next on the list. If accepted students decline their spot, someone from the waiting list will be placed in the program. This list is only for that particular semester and does not give them a position in the program or on the waiting list for any following semester. If students on the waiting list do not gain a spot in the program, they would have to re-apply.

If you applied for a fall semester, you will receive your decision from the College of Nursing in the month of February. If you applied for a spring semester, you will receive your decision in the month of September.

It does not help to send in letters of recommendation. Only the published admission criteria is considered for admission.

The Mary Black College of Nursing uses a cumulative GPA. A cumulative grade point average is a calculation of all of a student's grades for his or her complete education career. We also calculate a separate GPA on the required science courses.

Please note that a current USC Upstate student may be eligible to apply to the registrar for university grade forgiveness for a course in which he/she earned below a "C."  (See the Course Grade Forgiveness policy in the current academic catalog for details.) However, The College of Nursing does not recognize university grade forgiveness and will calculate both grades into the admission GPA.

Since we only accept the students with the top 112 GPA’s each semester, there is no way to predict what will be the lowest “safe” GPA.  Generally, we encourage students to work toward a GPA of over a 3.3 to be competitive; however, a 3.3 GPA is not a guarantee that you would be admitted to the program.

You should submit your transcripts from each college that you have attended for a transcript review. Your transcripts can be mailed, emailed or delivered in person. You should include all contact information with your full name, email address and birth date. You can also make an appointment at the Spartanburg campus (864-503-5441) or the Greenville campus (864-552-4275) to meet with someone in person.

For fall admission, the courses must be completed by the end of the previous spring semester. Students are allowed to take one course over the previous summer, but it must be completed at USC Upstate or another USC campus. 
For spring admission, you must complete your prerequisite courses by the end of the previous fall semester.

If you fail a required science or any nursing course from any school, you may repeat it one time. Upon repeating the course, even if you pass it with an “A”, a second failure in any required science or nursing course will make you ineligible.

There may be one or two nursing courses taught completely online or as a hybrid each semester.

We receive such a large number of requests for information, that sending out materials through the mail has become cost prohibitive. All information is available on the website.

You can attend an Open House or Fabulous Friday. You can register for those online or call the Admissions Office. Or you can schedule a tour and interview directly through the Admissions Office.