Schools of nursing are challenged with choosing from an increasing number of applicants and the need to prepare as many successful nurses as possible to meet the nursing shortage. Strategies have included increasing student enrollment, utilizing accelerated programs, and changing admission criteria. This study describes the demographic characteristics of three classes of nursing students admitted under different criteria to the same nursing school. The value of maintaining a high level of ethnic diversity is guided by Leininger\u27s theory of cultural care diversity and universality. Although changes occurred in the demographic constitution of each nursing class, ethnic diversity was maintained as admission criteria were made more stringent
