Nursing California Admissions Requirements and Program Information

Program Information and Disclosures

Pre-Licensure Nursing Requirements prior to clinical assignments (BSN & LVN to BSN and LVN 30 Unit Option):

1. Obtain a criminal background clearance (information on how to obtain this clearance will be provided to students during the enrollment process).  A misdemeanor or felony may interfere with clinical placement and subsequent licensure as a Registered Nurse;

2. Submit documentation of required immunizations;

3. Provide and maintain a current American Heart Association Basic Life Support (CPR) for Health Providers;

4. Provide a current Fire Card, where required;

5. Meet the requirements outlined in the “Essentials of RN Job Functions” as documented by a licensed Physician, Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant;

6. Undergo drug screening.

7. Provide acceptable proof of adequate health insurance coverage;

8. Comply with clinical site specific requirements.

Nursing Residency Requirements

 

A minimum of 30 credits must be taken at WCU for the BSN and LVN to BSN programs.  Exceptions may be considered.  

 

Registered Nurse Licensure Disclosure - California

The student satisfactorily completing the pre-licensure BSN or LVN to BSN program is eligible to apply for licensure by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). The California Board of Registered Nursing requires that applicants for a nursing license must provide a United States issued social security number. This requirement will prevent anyone from applying for RN licensure in California and being employed as an RN without a United States issued social security number. Furthermore, prospective students who do not meet this requirement will be unable to sit for the Nursing Board Examination (NCLEX) in California, since the California Board of Registered Nursing will not issue an Authorization to Test (ATT) without a valid social security number.

 

Examination Fees

Students Enrolled in the August 2013 Term and After

Starting in the August 2013 term, new/reentry students will be required to pay for Authorization to Test (ATT) fees and NCLEX-RN fees as part of the NCLEX Incentive Program.  This program is designed to provide a financial incentive for students to pass the examination on first attempt.  Upon enrollment in NURS 493 Integration of Nursing Concepts, the student account will accrue a one-time charge for examination and licensures fees.  The University will forward these funds to Pearson (NCLEX) and the State Board of Nursing.  On successfully completing the NCLEX examination on first attempt, the University will refund the testing fees noted above and provide the student with a financial incentive.  Please see the campus Testing Coordinator for the NCLEX Incentive Program eligibility criteria.  

Immunizations
Based on the CDC Recommended Immunizations for Health-Care Personnel (HCP), all HCPs must submit documentation of immunization to Hepatitis B (series of three doses with anti-HBs serologic testing 1-2 months after dose #3), proof of immunity to Hepatitis B, or a signed declination; Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR); Varicella (chickenpox); and Tetanus, include Influenza (yearly), Hepatitis A, and Pneumonia. For some individuals, a titer test will be indicated vs. vaccinations. Titer tests showing immunity to listed pathogens are acceptable. Titer tests showing a negative response require appropriate immunizations and follow-up titers must be completed and submitted. Diphtheria and Pertussis (booster every 10 years) are highly recommended immunizations for HCPs. If one or more of the listed immunizations are contraindicated, documentation must be submitted clearly identifying the reason(s). Clinical laboratory reports with the facility stamp and a medical doctor’s signature is required. See the Nursing Student Handbook for additional information.  WCU’s clinical site partners require students to provide proof of immunization against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) to participate in the clinical experience rotation at their site.  In addition, healthcare settings require proof of immunization including against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) for employment.  If the student is unable to fulfill the clinical site’s requirements, they will not be able to progress towards their degree, and may be withdrawn from the program.

For more information on immunizations and vaccines, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/.

Public Health Nurse Certification

Graduates of the BSN program at West Coast University, and who have obtained an unobstructed RN license in the State of California, will be eligible to apply for Public Health Nurse Certification with the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).  For information the Public Health Nurse Certification application process, visit the California Board of Registered Nursing website at www.rn.ca.gov

NURS 493 Comprehensive Predictor

Each student will take the ATI Comprehensive Predictor Assessment during the last week of the NURS 493 course.  Each student must achieve an ATI predictive probability of passing NCLEX at or above 92%.  Each student will have ONE (1) attempt to meet the benchmark.  

NURS 493 is graded on a Pass/No Pass scale.  Only students who meet the benchmark will be given a "Pass" (P) for the course and be allowed to graduate from the program.  Students who do not achieve a score of 92%, will be given a "No Pass" (NP) grade and will need to take NURS 493R at no additional cost or units the following term.  

Students scoring at least or above 92% probability of NCLEX success on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor given in week 9 of the course will:

1. Complete a focused review of the Comprehensive Predictor
2. Attend the full ATI Live Review
3. Work through the ATI Live Review Study plan to prepare for NCLEX
4. Students will be enrolled into the Virtual ATI onlne NCLEX review for post-graduation support to prepare for NCLEX.  

Students scoring below 92% probability of NCLEX success on the ATI Comprehensive Predictor will be required to complete the following:  

1. NURS 493R course at no additional cost including:
   1. Completing alternative capstone assignments
   2. Completing ATI assessments
   3. Retaking the ATI Comprehensive Predictor
   4. Attending the ATI Live Review if Comprehensive Predictor is passed.  
2. Students who have taken NURS 493R and passed the course will be identified as needing additional support and, after attending the Live Review and meeting all University requirements to graduate and test for NCLEX, will be enrolled in the Virtual ATI online NCLEX review for continued post-graduation review and support to prepare for NCLEX.  

Nursing Corequisite Course Drop

Pre-licensure Nursing students who are enrolled in courses with corequisites must maintain enrollment in both courses throughout the term.  If a student is seeking to drop, or is dropped/withdrawn from a course with a corequisite, the co-requisite course will also be dropped.  The drop of the corequisite will not count as an unsuccessful attempt.  When a student drops, or is dropped/withdrawn from a course with a corequisite after the Withdrawal (W) deadline, as published in the University Catalog, the student will be permitted to continue in the corequisite course.

Transfer Credit Requirement:

To receive transfer credit for this program, previous General Education course must have achieve a grade of at least a "C", and Core courses require a minimum grade of a "C+".  Approval on transfer credit is based on the program's discretion.  

Admission Requirements

BSN Entrance Examination Requirements  

BSN applicants will have a maximum of two attempts, a week apart, to successfully pass the admissions exam. If an applicant does not pass the admissions exam after two attempts, he or she must wait a period of 6 months to retest and must provide proof of remediation. WCU only collects Verbal and Quantitative scores for SAT and ACT and must be within three (3) years of enrollment date.  HESI exam scores must be within three (3) years of enrollment date.  TEAS exam scores must be within three (3) years of enrollment date.  

BSN & LVN-BSN Transfer Credit Evaluation

BSN applicants requesting transfer credit evaluation must provide official transcripts by the Friday before the first day of the first term in order to be admitted to the university.  General education, prerequisites, and core nursing coursework taken from regionally accredited institution will be considered and evaluated for transfer credit. All general education, prerequisite, and core nursing coursework must have been taken at an appropriately accredited institution. For nursing credits to be considered for transfer credit there can be only one year between the end of the last nursing course taken at a previous institution and the beginning of the first course at West Coast University. Exceptions may be considered.  Science courses must be taken within the last five years to be accepted for transfer credit. Course syllabi for courses previously taken at another nursing program should be submitted for review to the campus dean for nursing.  The maximum allowable transfer credits applied to the BSN program shall not exceed 52 credits of general education. For additional information on receiving nursing credit for previously completed nursing courses, see the Challenge Credit policy.  Authority for all final transfer credit decisions is given to the Program Dean/Chair.

LVN-BSN Licensure Requirements

LVN to BSN applicants who possess a current unobstructed LVN license may be admitted into the West Coast University LVN to BSN program without requiring transcripts if they meet all other specific program admission requirements, which would include military training.  LVN’s who were able to obtain their LVN license using their military training as the academic qualifier and those who have graduated from a school that has since closed and transcripts are no longer available.

LVN to RN 30 Unit Option

In addition to the 120 Unit LVN to BSN program, West Coast University offers a 30 unit option for Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN) as required by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN).  Students considering taking the 30 unit option will take Physiology, Microbiology, and selected pre-licensure nursing courses.  Students who choose the 30 unit option will not receive a certificate or degree from West Coast University and are not considered a graduate of the University.  Students interested in the 30 unit option must declare this option prior to enrolling in the WCU LVN to BSN program.  Once students have enrolled and have started the WCU LVN to BSN program, the 30 unit option is not available.  Financial aid is not available for students choosing the 30 unit option since this is not a pathway leading to a degree.    

 

Students who successfully complete the LVN to RN 30 Unit Option will be eligible to take the NCLEX-RN examination.  More information can be found in the RN Student Handbook on the West Coast University website.  Please contact the campus Nursing department for further details. 

RN to BSN Transfer Credits

The RN to BSN program awards up to 51 transfer credits for an active unencumbered RN license issued in the United States and lower-level nursing courses, and up to 39 credits of General Education transfer credits (total of up to 90 transfer credits).    

Only college-level coursework will be considered for transfer credit.  All coursework must have been taken at an institution accredited by an agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. 

BSN and LVN-BSN Admissions Requirements-CALIFORNIA (Effective Spring I, 2022)

• Submit a completed WCU application for admissions
• Participate in an admissions interview arranged by a University admissions advisor
• Submit WCU approved documentation of high school graduation or equivalent; (Please Note: Foreign high school diplomas/credentials or their equivalent must have an official evaluation performed by an approved organization)
• Complete an enrollment agreement (must be signed by a parent or guardian if the applicant is under 18 years of age)
• Meet program specific entrance requirements
  • Submit all postsecondary transcripts:
    • Applicants with 18 or more postsecondary credits, from institution recognized by an accreditation body approved by the U.S. Department of Education, will be evaluated on their cumulative grade point average.
    • Applicants with fewer than 18 postsecondary credits, from institution recognized by an accreditation body approved by the U.S. Department of Education will be evaluated based on their high school cumulative grade point average.
  • Applicants to the LVN-BSN program must provide proof of current unobstructed licensure as a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN).
  • Must achieve an acceptable composite score based on entrance examination and cumulative GPA requirements defined as follows:
    • Applicants with a composite point value of 8 or above (combination of Entrance Exam and cGPA) will be admitted to the program.
    • Any applicant with an entrance examination score or Cumulative GPA requirement below the requirement noted in the tables below will be denied admissions.

Composite Score
8+ =	Admitted
< 7	Denied
A student scoring less than a 76 on the HESI or with a GPA of less than a 2.0 will be denied admissions to the University.

Entrance Exam Point Value:

ACT	SAT (2 Sections)	SAT (3 sections)	TEAS	HESI	Point Value
35+	1500+	2300+	90.5+	96-100	20
35	1500+	2300+	90.5+	95	20
34	1465	2250	88	94	19
33	1430	2200	85.5	93	18
32	1395	2150	83	92	17
31	1360	2100	80.5	91	16
30	1325	2050	78	90	15
29	1290	2000	75.5	89	14
28	1255	1950	73	88	13
27	1220	1900	70.5	87	12
26	1185	1850	68	86	11
25	1150	1800	65.5	85	10
24	1115	1750	63	84	9
23	1080	1700	60.5	83	8
22	1045	1650	58	82	7
21	1010	1600	55.5	81	6
20	975	1550	53	80	5
19	940	1500	50.5	79	4
18	905	1450	48	78	3
17	870	1400	45.5	77	2
16	835	1350	43	76	1
Admissions Denied Below Point
15	800	1300	<43	<76	0

Cumulative GPA Point Value:

3.9+	20
3.8-3.89	19
3.7-3.79	18
3.6-3.69	17
3.5-3.59	16
3.4-3.49	15
3.3-3.39	14
3.2-3.29	13
3.1-3.19	12
3.0-3.09	11
2.9-2.99	10
2.8-2.89	9
2.7-2.79	8
2.6-2.69	7
2.5-2.59	6
2.4-2.49	5
2.3-2.39	4
2.2-2.29	3
2.1-2.19	2
2.0-2.09	1
Admissions Denied Below 2.0

30 Unit Option Admissions Requirements - California

An applicant to the 30 unit option LVN program does not have to take an admission test for entry into the program.  The applicant must have an active unencumbered LVN license for admission.  If the applicant decides to pursue the LVN-BSN option, admission criteria for the degree program must be met.

Postsecondary Transcripts - California

All applicants must submit all official postsecondary transcripts by the Friday before the first day of the term in order to be admitted to the university.

If official transcripts are not received by this stated deadline or if the official transcripts are submitted and it is found that the student did not meet the academic performance requirements as was demonstrated on the unofficial transcripts, the Individual's Admission to the University would be cancelled.   All state and federal Title IV funds will be returned and the student would be financially responsible for any fees incurred. 

An applicant whose transcripts are unavailable (including foreign applicants without a grade point average, or individuals with a high school equivalency) will receive a 3-point value toward program admission, similar to an individual with a 2.25 cumulative grade point average.

Transfer credit will not be awarded based on unofficial transcripts and all students will be scheduled for their first semester of courses based on unofficial transfer credit review. Financial packaging for the first semester will be estimated without transfer credit unless/until official transcripts are received and evaluated. If transfer credit is evaluated after the add/drop date of the first semester, it will be reflected in financial aid offers for the subsequent semester.

RN to BSN (Online) Admissions Requirements

Applicants to the program must meet the following standards:

1. Completion of the application for admission.
2. Complete all University admission requirements.  
3. Completion of an associate degree or diploma in nursing from an accredited collegiate institution with a 2.25 CGPA or better. 
4. Active unencumbered license as a registered nurse in any U.S. state or territory in which the student is licensed, including the State in which the student completes all assignments for the program. 
   1. Military, federal, and foreign-educated nurses must meet this State requirement for nursing licensure.
   2. An active and unencumbered RN license(s) must be maintained throughout the program.  
   3. A domestic or foreign medical degree is not equivalent to a nursing degree.  

5. Submit official transcripts from any of the programs below approved by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) (and any prior courses taken to be considered for transfer credit). 

   1. Associate of Science in Nursing
   2. Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
   3. Diploma in Nursing 
   4. State-approved nursing program with evidence of an earned RN license in the United States
   5. Foreign nursing equivalency with evidence of an earned RN license in the United States
   6. Associate of Science with evidence of an earned RN license
   7. Associate of Applied Science with evidence of an earned RN license
   8. Non-Nursing Bachelor's Degree with evidence of an earned RN license^*
   9. Foreign equivalency with evidence of an earned RN license in the United States^*

^* Applicants submitting non-U.S. or non-English transcripts should refer to the International Admissions section of the catalog.  

Language Verification Requirements

Students with foreign degrees applying to a nursing program must possess proficiency in English at a level to enable them to succeed in graduate-level studies. The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or Duolingo English Test (DET) must be taken if the applicant’s native language is not English. Results must be sent directly from TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo to the West Coast University admissions department. Copies are not acceptable. Your application will not be considered until you have achieved at least the minimum score.

• TOEFL - minimum composite score of 100, with sub-scores of 21 or higher.  
• IELTS - minimum overall band score of 7.0, with a speaking band score of 7.0 or higher and other band scores of 6.0 or higher.  
• DET - minimum score of 125.  

RN-BSN Probational Admission Requirements

Applicants with a CGPA of 2.0-2.24 may be considered for probational admission after meeting the following conditional admissions requirements. Based on review of the applicant packet the Program Dean may request an interview in consideration for admission:

1. The applicant must provide a letter of intent.
2. The applicant must be approved for admission by the Program Dean/Director.  
3. The applicant must satisfy program prerequisites and achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 on all coursework attempted over the first trimester (two terms).  Students failing to meet these requirements following the first trimester (two terms) will be administratively withdrawn from the university.  

NCLEX Pending

Applicants may be conditionally admitted if they are waiting for their RN licensure to be issued if they meet all other admissions criteria. Proof of licensure must be received by the end of the first term of enrollment, or the student will be dismissed from the PLN program.