Decolonizing entry to practice: Reconceptualizing methods to facilitate diversity in nursing programs

•Diversification of the nursing workforce continues as an area for improvement, and diversity originates with SON recruitment and application processes.•SONs across the country have varied selection practices, including the de-identification of gender identity, ethnicity, sex, and age, relying heavily or uniquely on academic performance, and grade-point averages to guide admission decisions.•Various actions can improve the diversity of applicants, starting with the deconstruction and reformation of existing recruiting strategies.•We propose a conceptual model to aide SONs in their quest to deconstruct current practices to improve the diversity of those considering nursing as a profession.