Baylor University Nursing School: Complete Guide to the Louise Herrington School of Nursing

Baylor University nursing is one of the most searched academic programs at the university — and one of the least understood. The Louise Herrington School of Nursing (LHSON) has a selective admission process, a nationally recognized clinical program, and a unique structure that puts you in Waco for your first two years before clinical rotations move to Dallas. If you're applying to Baylor with nursing in mind — or already on campus figuring out how to get in — here's what you actually need to know, including where nursing students live during those critical pre-nursing years.

What Is the Louise Herrington School of Nursing?

The Louise Herrington School of Nursing is Baylor University's nursing school, housed on a dedicated Dallas campus at 333 North Washington Avenue, Dallas, TX 75246. The school offers undergraduate and graduate nursing programs with clinical rotations at some of Dallas's most respected hospital systems, including Baylor Scott & White Health, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Parkland Health & Hospital System, and Children's Health Dallas.

LHSON is accredited by both ACEN (Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing) and CCNE (Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education) — the two gold-standard accreditors for nursing education. The school has produced 855+ FastBacc graduates since 2009 alone, and its NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate consistently exceeds 90%.

What makes Baylor nursing different from most programs: it is a separate school from Baylor's main Waco campus, with its own application process, its own faculty, and its own physical location in Dallas. You can be admitted to Baylor University's Waco campus and still need to apply separately to LHSON to enter the nursing program.

Baylor Nursing Programs: What You Can Earn

LHSON offers multiple pathways depending on where you are in your education:

BSN — Bachelor of Science in Nursing (Traditional Track)
The four-year path for students entering directly from high school. Your first two years are spent at Baylor's Waco campus completing pre-nursing prerequisites — biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, statistics, and general education courses. You then apply separately to LHSON for the upper-division nursing curriculum, which you complete at the Dallas campus during your junior and senior years. Admission to LHSON from the Waco pre-nursing track is competitive and not guaranteed.

FastBacc BSN (12-Month Accelerated)
Designed for students who already hold a bachelor's degree in another field. FastBacc compresses the nursing curriculum into one intense year at the Dallas campus. Applications are submitted through NursingCAS. As of August 2026, the 19th FastBacc cohort application cycle opened.

Distance Accelerated BSN
A hybrid option for working adults looking for more scheduling flexibility, still culminating in clinical rotations at Dallas-area partner hospitals.

Graduate Programs — MSN and DNP
Baylor's MSN and DNP programs offer advanced practice specializations including Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP), Neonatal NP, Pediatric NP, Nurse Midwifery, Acute Care NP, Psychiatric Mental Health NP, Executive Nurse Leadership, and Army Anesthesia. These are graduate-level programs with separate admissions and prerequisites. Contact LHSON at BU_Nursing@baylor.edu or 972-576-9100 for current program availability.

Getting Into LHSON: Admission Requirements

Getting into Baylor University's nursing program is a two-step process that trips up a lot of students. Step one is getting into Baylor's Waco campus as an undergraduate — standard Baylor admissions. Step two is a separate, competitive application to LHSON itself.

For the BSN traditional track, LHSON admission requires:

• Minimum 3.0 GPA in prerequisite courses (some competitive cycles expect higher)
• HESI A2 exam — Baylor's LHSON uses the HESI A2 (not the TEAS, which is common at other nursing schools). This is a nursing entrance exam covering math, reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, anatomy, and physiology. Check LHSON's official site (nursing.baylor.edu) for current score thresholds, which adjust by cohort.
• Completed prerequisite courses — typically 60+ credit hours including Cell Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, General Chemistry, Introduction to Psychology, Statistics, and English Composition
• Separate LHSON application submitted via NursingCAS (the centralized nursing school application system)
• Letters of recommendation and personal statement — LHSON wants to understand why you chose nursing and what clinical or healthcare exposure you've had

Timing matters. You'll apply to LHSON during your sophomore year at Baylor to begin the Dallas-based nursing curriculum in your junior year. If you're not accepted on the first cycle, some students reapply the following year after strengthening their prerequisite GPA or HESI A2 scores.

Pre-Nursing at Baylor Waco: What Your First Two Years Look Like

This is the part most future nurses don't think about when they start searching "baylor university nursing" — the Waco phase.

Before you ever set foot in a Dallas clinical simulation lab, you'll spend your first two years at Baylor's main campus in Waco taking science-heavy prerequisites. A typical pre-nursing schedule at Baylor looks like this:

• Freshman year: Cell Biology + lab, General Chemistry + lab, English Composition, general education requirements, electives. Expect 15-16 credit hours per semester, with science labs adding significant time commitment.
• Sophomore year: Microbiology + lab, Anatomy & Physiology I and II, Introduction to Psychology, Statistics, and other prerequisites. This is also the semester you'll prepare and submit your LHSON application.

These courses are taught at Baylor's Waco campus in the sciences buildings clustered in the center of campus — a short walk from South 8th Street, where 19Eleven is located. At 19Eleven, pre-nursing students who live in our 4-bedroom floor plans pay as little as $437.50/person per month — significantly less than Baylor's on-campus dorm rates, which run $4,165–$6,620 per semester for the room alone (before the meal plan).

If you're going into nursing, your study schedule will be demanding from day one. You need a place with a real study environment, not thin dorm walls. 19Eleven's on-site study rooms and quiet common spaces are built for students who need to retain complex material — not just somewhere to sleep between parties.

Where Pre-Nursing Students Live in Waco

Housing during your Waco years matters more than most nursing students realize. Here's the math:

A Baylor dorm room (double, shared bath) costs $5,090/semester — that's $10,180/year for the room. Add the required All-Access meal plan ($7,486/year) and you're at $17,666/year just for room and board. That's before tuition.

At 19Eleven, at 1911 S 8th Street, you're 0.5 miles from Baylor's main campus — walking distance to the science buildings where you'll spend most of your pre-nursing class time. Options:

• 1-bedroom: $1,035–$1,250/month ($12,420–$15,000/year)
• 2-bedroom split: $648–$765/person/month ($7,776–$9,180/year/person)
• 4-bedroom split: $437.50–$450/person/month ($5,244–$5,400/year/person)

The 4-bedroom option saves you approximately $12,000/year compared to living on campus — money you'll want for LHSON clinical fees in Dallas ($2,000–$4,000 in extra costs during your junior and senior years), scrubs, liability insurance, and transportation.

19Eleven is a gated community with controlled access, indoor pool, sports court, study rooms, and a coffee bar. For students going into healthcare, the bark park and on-site fitness facilities also matter — nursing school is physically and mentally demanding, and having somewhere to decompress within your own community makes a difference.

Browse floor plans or schedule a tour to see what fits your pre-nursing year budget.

The Cost of Baylor Nursing: What to Budget

Baylor University tuition is $67,756/year (2026–27) regardless of your major. As a pre-nursing student in Waco, your costs mirror those of any Baylor undergraduate.

When you transition to the Dallas campus for your junior and senior years, budget for additional expenses:

• Clinical fees: Approximately $2,000–$4,000/year in lab fees, liability insurance, background checks, and drug testing
• Scrubs and equipment: $200–$400 initial investment for uniforms, stethoscope, nursing kit
• Dallas housing: Separate from Waco — you'll need to find housing near the Dallas campus for your clinical years
• Transportation: If maintaining a Waco lease during Dallas rotations, factor in travel costs

The LHSON office (972-576-9100) can provide current fee schedules for each cohort year.

On the aid side: 97% of Baylor undergraduates receive some financial aid, and LHSON students are eligible for the same merit scholarships as other Baylor students. Students with a 3.5+ GPA may qualify for the University Scholarship ($15,000–$20,000/year). See Baylor's financial aid guide for a breakdown of what's available.

Baylor Nursing's Reputation and What It Means for Your Career

LHSON's NCLEX-RN first-time pass rate consistently exceeds 90%, placing it well above the national average. The DNP program is ranked among the top 100 in the country by US News & World Report.

More practically, graduating from LHSON puts your name in front of Baylor Scott & White Health, UT Southwestern, and Parkland — the major Dallas hospital systems where you'll complete rotations. Clinical relationships built during your Dallas years frequently convert to job offers.

For nursing students considering the MSN or DNP later, Baylor's graduate nursing programs offer specializations in some of the highest-demand areas in the profession: Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric Mental Health NP, and Nurse Midwifery all face significant national shortages heading into the late 2020s.

Ready to Start Your Nursing Journey at Baylor?

Baylor university nursing is a serious commitment — one that starts in Waco and finishes in Dallas. Those Waco years matter more than most incoming students realize: your prerequisite GPA determines whether you get into LHSON, and your living situation determines how effectively you study.

If you're planning your pre-nursing years at Baylor's Waco campus, 19Eleven Apartments at 1911 S 8th Street puts you within walking distance of your science classes, with study rooms, a quiet community, and per-person costs that keep more money available for the Dallas clinical years ahead.

Schedule a tour to see the floor plans in person, or apply now to secure your spot for the upcoming semester.