Graduate from high school with a diploma or obtain your General Equivalency Diploma (GED). Take the Scholastic AptitudeTests (SATs) while in high school or after you complete your GED.
Apply for general admission to the community college offering the nursing classes you plan to attend.
Apply for admission to a community college nursing program. This application is separate from the admissions application to the community college. Admission is competitive for many nursing programs and often based on grades and SAT scores. If you are unable to obtain admission to the school's nursing program, you can still be a student at the college and use the academic year to successfully complete general education requirements required for any associate degree. You have a better chance at admission to the nursing school having demonstrated success in completing college-level coursework with good grades.
Complete a physical examination documenting your satisfactory health and completion of all required vaccinations. Provide documentation of this completed requirement to the nursing school.
Complete a CPR class from an approved provider and maintain your certification throughout your nursing education. Provide documentation of this completed requirement to the nursing school.
Complete all the class requirements as outlined by the college catalog for an associate of science degree in nursing. While some of your classes will be lecture-only, many will involve clinical experience and rotation through different medical and nursing specialties. You will be required to dress and conduct yourself appropriately in these areas. Also, many states now require background checks on nursing students before clinical activity to protect patients and controlled medications.
Maintain at least the minimum grade required in all specific classes as required by your school of nursing. For instance, you may be required to carry a minimum 2.5 GPA overall, but make at least a 2.0 in certain classes specified by the institution.
Complete all graduation requirements of both the community college and the school of nursing to be awarded your associate degree in nursing.