High school students of color tell us what nursing and college mean to them

Excerpts from application essays of urban public high school sophomores of color enrolled in Choose Nursing!,(C) a precollegiate nursing career development program, illustrate their clear, insightful, and positive perceptions of nursing. The hospital-based program received 187 applications over a 4-year period. It enrolled 61 students and graduated 40, all of whom matriculated at 4-year colleges; 36 declared a nursing major. Based on application and other student essays, as well as data used for formative evaluation, the author suggests that efforts to recruit urban students of color for baccalaureate nursing education should be school focused and built on the positive perceptions and strong interest in nursing and collegiate education held by many students. Promising ways to engage and support interested students while they still have time to meet college and nursing prerequisites are integrated within the discussion, as is the value of hands-on experience in a "nursing" role in motivating students to persist in reaching their goals.