RN ADN Program Admission Requirements

The Associate Degree Nursing Program at Lamar State College Orange (LSCO) is an integrated course of study designed to prepare graduates to take the state board examination (NCLEX-RN®) to become Registered Nurses. The student must maintain a "C" or better in ALL courses included on the degree plan and an overall 2.0 Grade Point Average to graduate and be eligible to write the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®).

ADMISSION PROCESS

Prior to applying to the ADN Program, the student must first meet college admission requirement of Lamar State College Orange as outlined in the official college catalog at http://www.lsco.edu. Applicants may also contact the Office of Admissions and Records at (409) 882-3364 for additional general admission criteria. Applicants must have earned either a high school diploma or General Education Diploma (GED) in addition to complying with Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirements before they will be eligible to apply to the program. This may involve assessment testing and developmental math courses. Students should consult the college advising office to determine their TSI status prior to applying to the ADN Program. Admission to the institution does not guarantee admission to the ADN Program. 

 

As part of the admission requirement, applicants must submit to the Registrar/Admission Office official transcripts from all colleges and universities the applicant has attended. Student transcripts will be evaluated for course equivalency. A student may request a specific course equivalency evaluation by the Office of Admission and Records or from the Nursing Division Chair. If the official transcripts have not been submitted and evaluated, the individual’s application to the ADN Program will be voided.

To be considered for admission to the ADN Program students are responsible for uploading ALL of the following to the nursing application portal by the application deadline.

• An application to the Associate Degree Nursing Program dated within the current application portal;
• Evidence that the applicant has mastered basic proficiency in reading, writing and math skills by having met the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) requirement;
• Unofficial academic transcript evaluation and course equivalency;
• Health Education Systems Incorporated Admission Assessment (HESI A²) Exam profile taken within one year of application deadline indicating a composite score of 75 or higher, with an 80 or higher in English/reading, a 75 or higher in anatomy and physiology; and a 75 or higher in mathematics.

 

The application is accessible from the LSCO website and MUST be completed in the nursing application portal. The remaining required documents (degree plan by unofficial transcripts and A2 scores) MUST also be uploaded to the nursing application portal.

 

Admission Criteria

The ADN Program is a selective admissions program. The goal is to select the most qualified applicants. Criteria that are considered in the admission process include academic achievement and consecutive applications. It is the applicants’ responsibility to ensure the application, degree plan by unofficial transcripts, and Admission Assessment scores are submitted by the due date. Only applications which are complete by the due date will be considered. Conditional admission will be offered to the most qualified applicants in any given admission period. In the event that two or more applicants have the same Admission Rating Scale, the HESI A2 Reading score will be used to break the tie. 

 

Admission Rating Scale Criteria

Refer to the Rating Scale Score Sheet located on the LSCO website.

Academic Achievement is based on points awarded for courses completed. If courses are taken more than one time, the most recent grade will be considered in the rating scale. Courses may only be counted one time. Courses in progress at the time of the application deadline will not be included in the academic achievement scale.

HESI Points (based on A2 scores). HESI A2 scores are considered in the point award ranking process. You must achieve a 75 Composite Score, an Anatomy and Physiology score of 75 or higher, a Math Score of 75 or higher, and a Reading Comprehension Score of 80 to be eligible for consideration in the Associate Degree Nursing program. Additional points will be given on the admission rating scale for scores over the minimum requirements according to the chart below. 

ADMISSION	Math	A&P	English / Reading	Composite
ASSESSMENT	(minimum 75)	(minimum 75)	(minimum 80)	(minimum 75)
HESI A2 Points	80-84 = 2 85-89 = 3 90-94 = 4 95 or > = 5	80-84 = 2 85-89 = 3 90-94 = 4 95 or > = 5	85-89 = 3 90-94 = 4 95 or > = 5	80-84 = 2 85-89 = 3 90-94 = 4 95 or > = 5

           

 

Consecutive Applications: An additional three (3) points will be added to your Admission Rating Scale for the second consecutive time you re-apply for admission. Students who do not re-apply the next year will not receive the additional three points on subsequent applications. 

Residency Points: Three (3) points will be given if at least 15 semester credit hours have been successfully completed at LSCO (does not include CLEP hours).

 

APPLICATION DEADLINE is posted on the LSCO website. Only complete applications will be considered. 

All applicants who have complete application files are notified of acceptance or rejection within twelve weeks of the application deadline. Applicants who are accepted will be asked to confirm their acceptance in writing by a specific date.  Applicants who do not respond by the deadline will be removed from the list and will have to re-apply during the next application period. If you do not receive notification twelve weeks after the application deadline, please contact the nursing administrative assistant at (409) 882-3344.

NOTE: Criminal history MAY disqualify individuals from obtaining or maintaining nursing certifications even if they have completed LSCO's RN program.

After acceptance into the ADN Program, students must provide the following additional information:

• Proof of current CPR certification:  Students must provide documentation of current certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) Healthcare Provider level cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as designated by the American Heart Association.  Initial documentation of certification must remain current while enrolled in the nursing program.

• History and Physical Examination, including proof of immunizations: In order to meet the program objectives, students are required to have a physical examination on the form provided with the letter of acceptance. This physical examination is at your own expense by the physician or nurse practitioner of your choice and must have been documented no earlier than 12 months prior to the application deadline. Immunizations are available at the Orange County Health Department and local pharmacies. Each immunization has a minimal fee. Students who are unable to provide proof of immunizations must provide positive lab titers.

 

• Criminal Background Check (CBC): A negative or clear Criminal Background Check is necessary prior to full admission into the ADN Program. Information to complete this process will be emailed to applicants who have submitted complete applications. Students with known eligibility or criminal background issues should start the Declaratory Order process with the BON prior to submitting their application to the program. If a student has not received a clear CBC (blue card), outcome letter of eligibility, and/or required a Declaratory Order prior to the required date, they must forfeit their position in the program and reapply during the next application period. (See Criminal Background Check Information).

 

• Criminal Background Check Information:

Any nursing applicant who has been arrested, convicted of a crime other than a minor traffic violation, diagnosed with, treated, or hospitalized in the past five years for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, or borderline personality disorder, or addicted to or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug within the past five years, must petition to the Texas Board of Nursing for a declaratory order concerning their eligibility to take the NCLEX-RN ®. The Texas Board of Nursing can be reached at (512) 305-7400. The application for a declaratory order can be downloaded from the BON website at www.bon.texas.gov/olv/forms.html. This declaratory order must be completed and the student must submit a clear CBC (blue card), outcome letter of eligibility, and/or a Declaratory Order to the Nursing Division Chair to be considered for acceptance into the nursing program. If the case must be sent to the enforcement division, the processing may take 6-24 months, applicants must start the declaratory order process early. 

 

Completion of the Associate Degree Nursing Program does NOT guarantee that a graduate may take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nursing (NCLEX-RN®). The Texas Board of Nursing may deny an applicant for initial licensure who:

• has ever been cited, arrested, charged with or convicted of a crime, or received a deferred order, with or without an adjudication of guilt for a felony or misdemeanor offense other than a minor traffic violation or Minor in Possession (MIP);
• has had a misdemeanor conviction involving moral turpitude within the last ten (10) years;
• has been diagnosed with or treated or hospitalized within the past five years for schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder, paranoid personality disorder, anti-social personality disorder or borderline personality disorder;
• has been, within the past five (5) years, addicted to or treated for the use of alcohol or any other drug; or
• has been denied licensure or disciplined by any licensing/certifying authority.

Further information regarding licensure requirements is available on the Texas Board of Nursing website at www.BON.state.tx.us.

 

Graduation Criteria

To be eligible for graduation, all nursing students must:

• Successfully complete lecture and clinical courses to progress to the next level of the program or to graduate.
• Complete an approved NCLEX-RN® Board Review in order to graduate fully prepared to take NCLEX-RN®.

Complete all program requirements.