Becoming a Nurse: Admission Requirements (page 2)

Admission requirements vary somewhat for each level program and for each institution. To learn about the requirements for your intended programs, contact their admissions office. All programs require that you submit an admissions application, and most charge a processing fee. Many require a criminal background check prior to admission; most require this before you work with clients. Other programs require a caregiver background check, which reviews any previous professional licenses and credentials, and searches social service records for any history of abuse or neglect. Nursing programs may also require recent letters of reference from people other than relatives and close friends. Students are responsible for assuring that admission requirements are met and that all materials are received by the admissions office prior to the deadline date. However, a completed admissions packet does not guarantee admission to a nursing program. You should also know that most full-time nursing programs advise students a ainst working full-time due to the rigorous nature of the nursing education.

Admission to a practical nursing program generally requires:

• a high school transcript or scores from a Certificate of General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)
• transcripts from any colleges attended
• high school GPA (grade point average) of 2.0 or greater
• completion of at least two high school math courses with a grade of C or better or completion of a one-semester college math course
• completion of at least two high school science courses with a grade of C or better or completion of a one-semester college science course
• satisfactory score on an admission assessment test such as the SAT, ASSET, ACT, or COMPASS (essentially, these test your verbal, reading, and numerical skills)

Admission to an associate degree (AD) registered nursing program typically requires:

• a high school transcript or scores from a Certificate of General Education Development (GED) or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)
• transcripts from any colleges attended
• high school GPA (grade point average) of 2.5 or greater
• grade of C or better in algebra, biology, and chemistry, or equivalents (college courses taken within the last five to seven years and passed with a grade of C or better; acceptable score on National League for Nurses [NLN] preadmission exam)

Some nursing programs have additional requirements that must be met between acceptance into and initiation of the program. These include:

• special fees to hold the student's assigned clinical seat
• completed health and immunization forms
• evidence of current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certification with either the Red Cross Basic Life Support (BLS) or the American Heart Association BLS for the Healthcare Provider.
• verification of current state-tested nursing assistant certification

Given the competitive and rigorous nature of all nursing programs, be prepared. If you are a high school student, work with your advisor to assure that you have the required coursework and GPA, and prep for your preadmission test(s). If you are an adult student, work with the nursing program advisor to assure that you can meet all the admission requirements. All applicants should consider volunteering at a local hospital and brushing up on computer skills.