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Admission: Practical Nursing

Practical Nursing (PN) Admission Procedures

  • Complete the RDS (Residency Determination Service) first to start your Admissions process. The Application for Admission cannot be submitted without first obtaining your RCN (Residency Certification Number). Students will need to select Associate in General Education—Nursing as their program of study. Once accepted into the Practical Nursing program, students will be given an Allied Health Change of Program Form to declare their new program of study.
  • Demonstrate College readiness by appropriate developmental courses, College courses, SAT/ACT scores, NROC Placement Test, or RISE placement assignment.

    The following course work must be exempted or completed with a grade of "A", "B", "C", or “P:”

    MAT 045 – Math Skills Support
    ENG 045 – English Skills Support

    or


    MAT 003/BSP 4003 P2 – Transition Math
    ENG 002/BSP 4002 P2 – Transition English

    Placement testing is waived for applicants with an associate degree or higher, transferable College-level English and Math with a “C” grade or above, or acceptable SAT or ACT scores taken within the last ten years. Acceptable scores are an SAT score of 500 or above on Writing or Critical Reading and 500 or above in Mathematics if taken before March 2016; a score of 480 or higher on Evidence Based Reading and Writing and a score of 530 on Mathematics if the SAT is taken after March 2016; or a minimum of 18 on ACT English or 22 on ACT Reading, or a minimum of 22 on ACT Mathematics.

    Students who have graduated from an United States-based high school, and who have an unweighted HS GPA of 2.80 or higher, will be waived from placement testing.

    Students who have completed an associate degree or higher from a regionally accredited institution may be exempted from placement testing. The student must submit an official transcript to receive the waiver for placment testing.

  • Applicants pursuing the PN program are required to submit official transcripts from all previously attended institutions. High school, high school equivalency, and college transcripts are all required. If additional coursework is completed after submission of transcripts, an official updated transcript must be submitted to Blue Ridge to ensure all possible transfer credit is awarded.
  • Complete high school Biology with a grade of “C” or higher.

    Students who have not met this requirement may do so by taking BIO 090 or BIO 110 or higher for the Biology requirement. The course must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

    If an applicant earned a High School Equivalency Diploma, requirement will be met with the following: Biology: A standard score of 150 or above on the Science Test

    If an applicant earned a GED, requirement will be met with the following: Biology: Standard score of 450 or above on Natural Science Test

    Applicants who are currently enrolled in high school taking a biology course and anticipate completing grade requirements may continue with the application process.
  • Complete the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). A minimum composite score of 60 on the TEAS is required. Students requiring special testing accommodations due to a documented disability must see the Director of Student Accessibility Services at least two weeks prior to test date.
  • Submit the completed Admission Requirements Checklist (ARC) to the Registrar’s Office. A completed Checklist may also be submitted electronically to registrar@blueridge.edu. The entire document must be legible and contain a physical signature. Candidates for admission to the program may be ranked on a points-based system. Points are awarded according to a variety of factors, which may include the following: grade earned on Curriculum-related coursework, highest degree previously awarded, TEAS score, etc. Applicants with the highest overall points after ranking will be offered PN program acceptance. The remaining PN applicants will be placed on an alternate list in ranked order. Alternates will be contacted in order should space become available in the PN program. Applicants who remain on the PN Alternate list once the new PN Nursing program cycle begins will not be carried over to a waiting list for the following year, and must reapply to the PN program for the following year.

Program Specific Requirements:

Applicants may be ranked according to a variety of factors, which may include the following: grade earned on curriculum-related coursework, highest degree previously awarded, TEAS score, etc.

Students applying to the PN program must complete a Nurse Aide course with a State-approved curriculum such as a high school Allied Health Science program, or a Community College course. This course must include theory, lab, and a clinical component. Credential must be attained and the applicant must be listed on the N.C. Nurse Aide Registry prior to December 1, 2026. Hold a documented, current, unrestricted credential as a Nurse Aide I (NAI) from the North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry and the Division of Health Service Regulation. The applicant must also have current American Heart Association – Basic Life Support (AHA-BLS) or American Red Cross (CPR) documentation.

Required Documentation:

Listing on Registry: Refer to North Carolina Nurse Aide Registry www.ncnar.org. Print a copy of your listing and expiration date (must be unrestricted).

AHA-BLS or American Red Cross (CPR): A copy of your valid card.

Admission Point Allocation:

Points will only be given for courses completed with an “A,” “B,” or “C” on the first completed attempt only. Withdrawn courses will not count as completed coursework.

For applicants enrolled at a NC community college other than Blue Ridge, the following courses will be substituted: BIO 165/166 for BIO 168/169. The BIO 165/166 sequence must be completed at the same College or University in order to receive credit.

Applicants will receive points for successfully completing courses that are part of the PN curriculum.

Notification Procedure:

Notification letters for program acceptance will be mailed by October 15, 2026. Applicants who did not meet requirements, were not accepted, or declined admission must reapply to the PN program for the following year. Applicants who remain on the Alternate list once the 2026 PN Nursing program cycle begins will not be carried over to a waiting list for the following year and must reapply to the PN program for the following year.

Students selected will be notified when to complete the following information:

  • Student Medical Form must be submitted at least thirty (30) days prior to entering the Spring 2027 core Nursing classes. The medical form must verify acceptable levels of immunizations, physical health, and mental health. Failure to complete every aspect of the form may delay entry into the program.
  • The Student must maintain a 2.00 GPA or higher throughout the duration of the PN program, and a “C” or better in all NUR courses. A student must earn a grade of “C” or better in each required course in the major to remain in the program.
  • Clinical agency requirements include a criminal background check and drug screening. This is a requirement of the agencies and not the PN program. Information regarding the agency requirements will be provided at the time of registration for Fall classes. Clinical agencies reserve the right to deny a student access to the facility based on the failure to meet the above requirements. If a student is denied access to any clinical agency, the student may not be allowed to continue in the nursing program. Additional requirements may be required based upon the clinical agencies utilized for clinical sites.