The Nursing Program at the community college in my area requires that you take an entrance exam. Admittance into the programs require that you are ranked based on your score and your grade for each course taken. Then there is a year wait before actually starting clinicals It seems that this is such a long process, are all school this way? Or is there another way I can go about this? Would love to hear other's experiences with the entrance exams, and overall process of getting their ADN.

Thanks Kat!
Yes, Delaware is tiny and I as far as I have researched one of the few programs in the state. The ranking system is a bit confusing !!! I had to read it several times to understand it. And I am not even sure if once your ranked your guaranteed a spot. I keep hearing about schools with waiting lists, but the college Del TechCC does not use the term waiting list. Sat with a counsoler already, and she gave me the ranking sheet. I am assuming that it is the same thing as a waiting list. I have 3 courses under my belt so far, but that does not help me much since I can not take the test until Sept.08. So I am currently on the slow track! lol
I thought of DMS- DIagnostic Medical Sonography- but my passion is for nursing. I know that I will get bored with DMS and end up going back to get a RN anyway. I will defintely check the article, as that just might be another avenue. I am 5 miles from MD.

Hey, I live in Flordia and we have an awesome nursing program here at the local community college. Entry into the program requires you to obtain points, and yes an entry exam. The point system requires you to take courses that have nothing to do with getting an AA in nursing, their reasoning is they want you to be a more well rounded student. HOG wash! One section of 'POINTS' is employment in a health related field for at least a year.Oh and it can't be answering phones in a doctors office. This requires you to get vocational training as a CNA or Phleb, you get the picture. I've been trying to get in for three years. Now if you are wealthy you can get into accelerated 18 mo. program, yes w/an entrance exam, and 400.00 per credit hour, but as a 45 yr old woman with six kids, three still at home, this is just not within my reach. My prayers are with you, Good luck, it could be worse. Susan from Brevard Co. Flordia

I just received my acceptance letter from a local Junior College. The only test that I had to take was the ACT. I took 2 classes (Inter. Algebra, Comp I) in the spring 07 and A&P I in the summer. I am currently taking A&P II, Nutrition, Pschology, and Comp II. I was told several times that I didn't have enough "points" to get in in the Spring 08 semester. However, I was accepted. I think that God worked it out. Good luck and God bless to all.

Kevin from Mississippi

I had to take an entrance exam to get into an LPN program. However, I also started a week later. I don't know if this was because it is a Technical school or not. They told me, and I have asked several times, that it is an associates program.

I just took the NET last night. Make sure you order the official study guide called The NET, The Hobit and The Help from Education Resources (though I think they sell it on Amazon too).

Thanks! Oh, and if you go to the ERI website, you can also order an online NET practice test for $15. The actual test is very similar. I thought the math was very basic but the reading comprehension can be tricky.

HI, I'm here in VA and all of the nursing programs here require that you take an extrance exam. I took the TEAS. You have to score high enough or the school I am currently attending will not let you enter the RN program. They have reanges for the Math, English, Reading and Science portions of the exam and your scores determine if they let you even apply for the RN or LPN program. I placed high enough for the RN program, but I know others who didnt. Hope this helps...

i live in NJ. Can anyone tell me the best way to survive nursing school. im considering starting out as a LPN and see if its for me then move up to RN possibly or if i like LPN i can stay there with less responsibility. Is this something you can do and work full time? how did all of you sucessful nuring graduates work and balance out school? and most importantly understand the math?

Hi. I live in NC and am attending a local community college taking the LPN curriculum. It was difficult to get into the program, they have only 20 slots and alot of the girls that were in the RN program last year were placed into the LPN slots because they flunked out of RN school. You gain entrance into either the RN or LPN program based on academic points. For example, you receive points depending on the letter grade received (A=4 points, B=3 points, etc.) Only certain courses count towards your points, like microbiology, psychology, abnormal psychology, algebra, etc. The really unfair part is your high school diploma counts for less points than a GED. So someone who has quit school, and went back and got a GED ranks better point-wise than a person who graduated with their class. Another real disadvantage is that the instructors at this particular college leave a lot of the groundwork up to the student, so its basically self-taught. Not the ideal situation, but its all there is around here!

deanalynn said:

Thanks to all who posted! I just found out that the name of the entrance test is NET and they suggest a study guide sold at the Baron's , and on Amazon. The classes that are used for ranking are Pre reqs for nursing - so at least that will save some time. They apply points according to your grade, So I guess I better get straight As- UGGH. And they said they give preference to Delaware Residents. It is shocking how hard it is to get in. It is great to have found this site though- it is a wealth of information. Good luck to all those who are applying and COngrats to those who have been accepted!

Kirkikese_woman How did your cousin find the NET? Was it difficult?

I live in New Jersey and in my community college that is one of the requirements to get into the nursing program. Others are your gpa and how many prerequisites you have earned. I didnt earn enough points for this Spring class but I am trying again for Spring of 2009.

All of these postings make me very thankful I got into LPN school so easily. Of course it is a diploma program, not an associates degree. Still, I found out when they first decided to offer a night class in Practical Nursing and was the first to get my name on the list, I am sure it did not hurt that my scores on the Compass Test were much higher than the minimum and I was already an Alumni at the school. Still, it has gotten progressively harder. Now if a student fails a class, they have to retest and get back in according to their scores. My daughter was fortunate to get in with no problems, but being fresh out of high school her scores were higher than mine. Some classes 90s were required to pass on competency tests. 75 is the bare minimum to pass any test or class. I can see why they only want the best students because it is such a hard course. However, the things so many of you are saying you went through are beyond competitive. No wonder we have a nursing shortage.

Those of you that spoke about the TEAS test......how hard was it? Do you have any great study guides you recommend? I'm taking it in January. Thanks!

My class took some "warm-up" tests on the site http://www.atitesting.com. I noticed that if you click on Students and roll your mouse over the photo displayed there are TEAS resources (mainly for purchase). There is a FAQ section that looked interesting. Hope it helps someone.

At my school, you only need to take the prerequisite classes before you apply to the nursing program proper... however, there are so many applicants that, if you don't get all A's, they choose the entrants via random lottery. Sounds kind of stupid to me, but the registrar insists it's to "level the playing field."

Good luck!