This page contains the following information pertaining to the ADN Program:
Admission
Unlike many academic and career and technical education programs at Richland, admission into the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program is selective and competitive. Admission to Richland Community College does not guarantee acceptance to the program. Out-of-district students will be considered for the program when space is available.
Students must meet the minimal admission criteria to be eligible to apply. Please read below for description of prerequisites and admission criteria. Once the criteria have been met, students are scored on a rubric and the highest scores are accepted first in rank order.
Transfer Students
Nursing course credit may be earned by students who wish to transfer core nursing courses from approved programs in the United States. Advanced placement into the ADN Program is possible based upon successful results of the HESI tests for the appropriate course and available space. All admission and graduation requirements must be met and in order to graduate from our ADN program, transfer students must complete a minimum of two semesters of core nursing courses at Richland. Interested students must complete a Richland Information Form and an Associate Degree Nursing Program Application for Transfer that is available in the Health Professions office.
Eligibility to Apply
Please read below to determine if you are eligible to apply. If you have questions, please speak with a counselor in Student Services.
Prerequisites and Admission Criteria
The left column describes the criteria recent high school graduates must meet in order to apply to the ADN Program. The right column describes the criteria all other students (recent high school graduates who didn’t meet the criteria to the left and returning students) must meet in order to apply.
| If you graduated high school in the last three years, you are eligible to apply if you meet all the following criteria: | If you did not graduate from high school within the last three years, or did not meet all conditions for students who have graduated within the last three years, you are eligible to apply if you meet all the following criteria: | ||
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In addition to the above, ALL students must meet the following requirements in order to be eligible to apply for the ADN program:
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Application Process
The ADN Program follows the Health Profession selective admissions process.
Basis of Ranking
To reiterate, students must meet the minimal admission criteria in order to apply. Once the criteria have been met, students are scored on a rubric and the highest scores are accepted first in rank order. The following components are the basis of ranking:
- Program G.P.A. (minimum 2.5)
- Biology G.P.A. (minimum 2.0)
- Number of required biology courses completed
- Number of general education courses completed or ACT scores
- Nelson Denny reading level
- Number of biology courses withdrawn (W) or repeated
- Priority is given to the most qualified and in-district applicants
Notification of Conditional Admission
Shortly after the deadline, the ADN Program Admission Committee will meet to review the admission rubrics, rank students, and determine who will be admitted to the program. The rubrics are not attached to any indentifying student characteristics besides the student ID number. This allows the Committee to review the rubrics using non-discriminatory practices.
The top 24 ranked students will be offered conditional admission to the ADN Program. All applicants are notified in writing of their admission status within four weeks after the Admission Committee’s meeting.
After the top ranked students are extended conditional acceptance, an alternate list of other qualified students is developed in the event that someone should cancel or not meet the conditional acceptance criteria. Up to the day prior to the first nursing course, the alternates may be notified. However, this alternate list does not roll over to the next semester. If you were not admitted, you should work with a counselor to determine what steps should be taken to improve your rubric score and ranking.
Admission is conditional. This means that students must meet certain criteria before registering for the first Nursing course. The criteria are as follows:
- Students must have a “C” or better in all prerequisites and program courses and a 2.5 minimum program G.P.A. All courses and the program G.P.A. will be reassessed at the end of the semester in which the student applied to determine if the student is still eligible for the ADN Program
- Students must submit their acceptance letter by the deadline
- Students must have a physician complete the Health Record Form and have updated immunizations and proof of CPR certification. The completed form should be submitted by the deadline
- Students must provide a clear background check or a waiver from the Illinois Department of Public Health and a negative drug screen by the deadline
