LPN to BSN Program

LPN-BSN Program admission eligibility requirements

1. Attain admission in good standing to the University.
2. Return the completed application and required supporting documents to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences by the published deadlines.
3. Complete all general education/ core curriculum courses the semester prior to entering the nursing program. Admissions must have final transcripts for Transfer students before nursing classes begin.
4. Must lack no more than a three hour elective in Area F.
5. Must have a grade of C or higher in Area A, Area C English Literature course, Area D, and Area F.
6. Area F courses (excluding the elective and Human Growth & Development) must be completed within 5 years of projected admission.
7. Earned a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.80/4.0. Admission is competitive. A GPA of 2.80 does not guarantee admission. Calculation of GPA is based on grades in Area A, Area C English Literature course,  Area D, and Area F (excluding the Area F elective). If any of the applicable courses have been repeated, all attempts within 5 years are included in this calculation.
8. Must have completed 3 science courses required for the nursing major, Area A, and Area C Literature course prior to applying.
9.  The School of Nursing will allow one science forgiveness in Area D for the first course in a science sequence (BIOL 1107 or 2107, CHEM 1151 or 1211; PHYS 1111 or 2211) and lab since this course is usually taken in the first year and often the first semester. Upon retake of the first course in a science sequence in Area D and lab at GSW, we will accept the passing grade and not count the first fail in the nursing GPA.
10. Students are required to have a laptop for in-class use. Chromebooks and iPads/tablets are not compatible with current software. Please visit our System Requirements for recommendations on personal devices. 
11. Must take HESI A2 --two attempts within two years. Test scores & HESI transcripts should be printed out and included in the nursing application packet. Instructions to print transcripts can be found below under HESI information. 
12. Must not have been excluded from any nursing program for any reason, including but not limited to, academic misconduct, disruptive behavior, or program failure within 5 years of the application date. A nursing course failure in another institution counts as a failure in this institution.
13. Must submit a copy of active, unencumbered LPN license. 
    (An unencumbered license means a license that is not currently on probation, monitoring, suspension, and/or does not have any other type of limitation including current participation in an alternative to discipline program.)

It may not be possible to admit all students who meet the minimum requirements for admission. If there are more qualified applicants than positions available in a nursing class, selection for admission will be based upon the following:

• Grade Point Average - greater than the minimum of 2.80 [using Area A, Area C English Literature course, Area D, and Area F (excluding elective in Area F) to determine GPA]
• Grades in Science courses - minimum of B is preferred
• HESI Admission Assessment A2 – minimum score of 75%---two attempts within two years.
• Patterns of withdrawal from courses/schools
• Grades of Ds and/or Fs
• Written communication ability
• Availability of space in clinical sites
• Availability of faculty resources

HESI Admission Assessment

The HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) Admission Assessment (A2) is a computerized exam designed to assess prospective students entering the health science fields. The HESI A2 consists of eight different exams, seven of which are required by the Nursing program at Georgia Southwestern State University.

• HESI Information and Study Guide
• HESI Registration & Additional Information

Students must receive a 75 total composite score as a requirement and the HESi exam can only be taken 2 times within two years.

TOEFL

The official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) test scores are required for applicants whose first language is not English.  Exemption from the TOEFL requirement is allowed for undergraduate students who complete courses equivalent to English Composition I and II at a regionally accredited United States college or university and earn at least a “C” on the courses.

• Upon applicant’s acceptance to GSW, a letter of acceptance and transcript evaluation will be available to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.  These documents must be on file in GSW office of admissions and are required before the Admission & Progression Committee can review the College of Nursing and Health Sciences application.
• If applicant is taking or in progression of courses at other institutions during the admission process, applicants must make note of what courses they are taking on their nursing application.
• Applicant must submit an official transcript verifying final course grades to Registrars office and an unofficial transcript verifying final course grades to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences Student Services Coordinators office ASAP after completion.

Transfer applications will require a transcript evaluation so be sure to apply early so this document can be completed before the deadline.

Once admitted to the School of Nursing, the student may be eligible to take content and/or clinical proficiency examinations and credit may be awarded for the following courses: NURS 3003 Fundamentals of Nursing, and NURS 3100 Nursing of Adults I. A student who wishes to take the proficiency examinations should request a meeting with the BSN Associate Dean to discuss eligibility and to review the student’s education and background. An examination date will be determined and the student will receive the necessary preparation tools to prepare for the examinations. The student is responsible for the cost of the examinations, test materials, and preparation for the examinations.

The student will be given a maximum of thirty days to prepare for the examinations. The proficiency examinations will cover NURS 3003 and NURS 3100, and will cover content in both courses. NURS 3100 will also consist of three components: 1) medical-surgical content, 2) clinical proficiency via simulation, and 3) a dosage and calculation content requiring 100% accuracy.The student will receive credit to the separate courses based on their ability to be successful with each proficiency examination. The student must take the proficiency examinations the semester prior to starting the nursing program. The student may elect not to take the proficiency examinations and may follow the LPN-BSN course of study.

The School of Nursing admits pre-licensure nursing students fall and spring semesters. Students anticipating qualifying for entrance must apply by either the preferred deadline of February 15 preceding the fall entry semester or October 15 preceding the spring entry semester. Students should contact the School of Nursing Student Services Coordinator for more information, or see Student Forms for application instructions and required forms.

• Application Instructions & Checklist
• LPN-BSN Application Form (Requires CanesNet Credentials)
• BSN Reference Form