UC researcher gets more than $1M to diversify nursing workforce

With the support of UC College of Nursing Assistant Professor Rosalind Moore, a doctor of nursing practice, Gakumo aims to establish a successful model for the recruitment, retention and academic success of racially and ethnically diverse undergraduate nursing students by:

• Examining undergraduate admission processes to determine structural barriers to equity;
• Admitting a diverse cohort of eight Bachelor of Science degree (BSN) students in the 2023 freshman class based on factors other than standardized test scores;
• Creating collaborative academic-community partnerships to build capacity for community engagement; and
• Developing inclusive learning environments that integrate diversity, social determinants of health and equity throughout the curriculum and in evaluation.

“The College of Nursing is the only college at UC that still requires standardized test scores for undergraduate admission. Although this year’s incoming BSN class is the most diverse in recent years, more needs to be done to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of our undergraduate students. Granting access through a test-optional pathway will allow our admissions processes to be even more holistic,” Gakumo says.

Research from the University of Chicago shows that GPAs are a five times stronger indicator of college success than standardized tests. GPAs measure a very wide variety of skills and behaviors needed for success in college, where students will encounter widely varying content and expectations. In contrast, standardized tests measure only a small set of the skills that students need to succeed in college, and students can prepare for these tests in narrow ways that may not translate into better preparation to succeed in college.

“Making standardized testing scores mandatory for undergraduate admissions also creates a bias towards applicants with the financial resources to pay for examination preparatory courses and those who would have attended private high schools. For those applicants with lesser financial resources, standardized testing becomes a barrier to applying to our direct-entry BSN program,” says Gordon Gillespie, PhD, interim dean for the College of Nursing. “We previously recognized evidence that standardized testing is not predictive of student success in graduate programs. As a result, our graduate programs no longer require standardized testing.”