Most nursing schools have a list of prerequisite courses that must be completed before being admitted. The list can vary according to school and by program. For example, someone who is entering an RN program who already has an LPN license may have a different list of pre-requisities than a student who does not. The prerequisite classes at Lakeview College of Nursing in Illinois include English composition and speech for students with an LPN license; "prereqs" for students with a previous bachelor's degree do not.
Competition for nursing school spots can be fierce, and waiting lists are common. The higher your grades, the faster you get off the waiting list and into school. Also, many nursing schools have requirements concerning the marks or grade point averages received in previous college work. Some schools won't admit you at all if you have grades below a certain point, such as 2.5, or a "C".
LPN schools and programs for an associate's degree in nursing ask for no previous degrees, but if you want to become a high-level, specialized nurse such as a nurse practitioner (NP) or a certified nursing specialist (CNS), you are going to need to get a bachelor's degree first. Azusa Pacific University's School of Nursing asks aspiring CNS and NPs to have a minimum of a bachelor's degree before beginning either program. There are special programs for students who have bachelor's degrees in a non-nursing field, or who already have master's degrees, but you cannot be admitted to the NP, CNS or school nurse services programs without at least a four-year degree in some discipline.
Nursing school programs may ask students to write a comprehensive essay explaining why they want to join the nursing profession. With competition for nursing school slots becoming more aggressive, a good entrance essay can help you to stand out from the crowd. Kathy Quan, a registered nurse and author of "The Everything New Nurse Book" says saying general things such as "I like helping people" are not good enough. "Be creative...Your essay may mean the difference between getting in or getting rejected," she says.