Albany Traditional Program

Admission Criteria

General ASN Admission Criteria

Admission to the nursing program is competitive, and the number of students is limited by the number of faculty and clinical facilities available. Meeting minimal requirements does NOT guarantee acceptance. When faculty-to-student ratio limits the acceptance of all qualified students, students will be granted admission according to their qualifications and the completeness of their application packet.

Applicants must:

1. FIRST, submit an application to Albany State University and be admitted in good standing.
2. AFTER being accepted as a student at Albany State University, submit the completed application, the $20.00 application fee money order, and an official copy of their TEAS exam scores by the application deadline.
   • Applicants who take the TEAS exam at Albany State University’s West Campus Testing Center may submit a printed copy of their results page with the application and money order.
   • Applicants who take the TEAS exam at a testing site other than ASU’s West Campus Testing Center will need to purchase the “TEAS transcript” through ATI Testing’s online store and indicate that they wish to have their scores transferred to Albany State University.
3. Successfully complete and exit all learning support courses.
4. Complete 10 hours of the associate program's Core Curriculum with a minimum grade of "C" in the following courses: Anatomy and Physiology I, English Composition I, and an approved math course (Quantitative Reasoning, College Algebra, or higher-level math course).
5. Have a minimum cumulative Nursing Grade Point Average (NGPA) of 2.8 in the three (3) courses listed above. Passing, failing, and repeated course grades in these courses will be computed to obtain this GPA.
   • While not required for program admission, there are six (6) additional Core Curriculum courses that students are required to complete prior to graduation: English Composition II, Anatomy and Physiology II, Microbiology, General Psychology, American Government, and an elective in Humanities/Fine Arts (either a Literature, Foreign Language, or Appreciation course). All courses must be passed with a "C" or better, and performance in these courses will also be included in the calculation of a student's NGPA if taken prior to admission into the program.
   • Grades in Core courses applicable to the nursing program that are older than 10 years may be excluded from NGPA calculations.
6. Must have passed the standardized entrance exam for admission to nursing at or above the established percentage rate within no more than two (2) attempts within the past 12-month period. Students who have taken the entrance exam within the last year must present official scores to the admission committee prior to being admitted to the program.
   • Currently, the entrance exam is the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS), and the minimum qualifying score is 65.0. Pre-admission cutoff scores for admission vary each semester based on applicants' performances.
7. Complete all required science courses with a grade of “C” or higher in each course. Sciences courses taken more than 5 years prior to enrolling in the nursing program will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the departmental chairperson and/or the program director.
   • If the applicant is not an active healthcare professional (LPN or paramedic), his/her Anatomy and Physiology course(s) will need to be repeated if greater than 5 years old at the time of potential admission into the nursing program. If the applicant is an active healthcare professional (LPN or paramedic), these courses will need to be repeated if greater than 8 years old at the time of potential admission into the nursing program.
     • Applicants may elect to either retake both Anatomy and Physiology courses or retake only Anatomy and Physiology II as a "refresher" course to meet this science requirement.
   • Microbiology courses will not have to be repeated.
8. Applicants who were previously enrolled in another institution's nursing program but who are interested in applying to Albany State University must submit a letter from the dean/director of their former program verifying the applicant left his/her program in good standing. Applicants who have failed (D, F, or WF) two (2) nursing courses, whether at a 2-year or 4-year institution (including ASU), must wait a period of three calendar years before they can be considered for admission to ASU's nursing program. If accepted to ASU’s nursing program, no transfer credit will be given for prior nursing courses.
9. ASN students who have completed an LPN Nursing Program or the Advanced Naval Corpsman Hospitalman Course (NER-HN-001) and have one year of active practice within the past two years may challenge NURS 1101, NURS 1105 and NURS 1111 for credit. Appointments to challenge these courses will be made after the application, a copy of PNE transcript and a copy of current Georgia license have been submitted.
10. ASN students wishing to repeat NURS 1101/1301 must submit a new application for admission to the nursing program. Readmission will be on a space-available basis and adhere to admission requirements.
11. LPNs and paramedics who have been practicing as an LPN or a paramedic for at least one year may be eligible for the Healthcare-Professional-to-RN bridge program, provided all other admission criteria have been met.

NOTE: Students are subjected to compulsory background checks per clinical agency requirements and may also be required to submit to random tests for illegal use of controlled substance as a provided by the law or regulations of the contracting agency. If the site refuses to allow a student to attend clinical experiences, the nursing program is not obligated to find another clinical site. The student may not be able to complete the nursing program at ASU. Therefore, it is important to conduct personal record checks prior to admission to the nursing program.

Program Requirements

All students must be admitted to the Nursing Program before enrolling in NURS 1101/1301. NURS 1105 must be taken immediately preceding or within one semester of NURS 1111/1311. It is recommended that students applying for the Hybrid Program complete all the core courses required for nursing prior to enrolling in NURS 1101 and NURS 1105.

Students will be required to submit a completed health form which documents satisfactory health status prior to any clinical experience. These forms will be available after enrollment in NURS 1101/1301.  The student is expected to assume responsibility for his/her own health in the event of illness, accident, or exposure to communicable disease.

All students in the Darton College of Health Professions nursing program must have health insurance. Students who do not have health insurance must purchase a USG student health insurance policy (SHIP). Fees for the USG SHIP will be added to student tuition each semester. Students who are already covered by an insurance policy (i.e., through parent plans, family plans, or employer-sponsored plans) can easily opt out of the plan by applying for a waiver through a secure online process. Once the information has been verified and approved, a waiver will be processed and posted to the student’s ASU student account. The waiver is only available for a specific time frame; therefore, students must apply in a timely fashion or they will be billed for the USG SHIP. Waivers are valid for 12 months; students must reapply each year to avoid being charged for the USG SHIP. Students who fail to submit creditable health insurance and opt out online will automatically be enrolled in and billed for the system-wide student health insurance plan. This charge will post to the ASU student account. Professional liability insurance is also required and is included in student fees. Professional liability insurance is also required and will be included in student fees.

Students must have a grade of C or better in all nursing courses. More than one D and/or F in nursing courses will result in dismissal from the program. Students who earned less than a “C” in two or more nursing courses must wait a period of three calendar years before they will be considered for admission to Darton College of Health Professions’ nursing program. If accepted to ASU’s program no transfer credit will be given for prior nursing courses. A WF is considered F. Students who fail a nursing course must repeat both the theory and the clinical components of the course. Students will be readmitted to the course based on available space.
Students are required to maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average to remain in the nursing program.

Students must successfully complete the American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Provider course before or during NURS 1101/1301. This certification must include CPR for the adult, child, and infant (CPR for the Healthcare Provider) and must be maintained throughout enrollment and updated as necessary.

 Program of Study

• Undergraduate Catalog: ASN Program of Study

Curriculum Pattern

• First Academic Year
• Second Academic Year