Associate of Science in Nursing Admission Requirements

The successful applicant for admission to the associate of science degree program must meet the general college requirements for admission to Mercy College and the criteria listed below:

1. Provide evidence of successful completion of a content of a 150-hour or greater nursing assistant course taught within the past five years to beginning nursing courses. Completion of the 150-hour nursing assistant course outside of Iowa will be reviewed by the Nurse Aid Course Coordinator to determine similarity of course content and skilled competency.
   
   Students who have not completed the 150-hour Nursing Assistant course prior to applying to the College may take it concurrently with Liberal Arts and Sciences courses their first semester. The Nursing Assistant course must be completed before a student can begin NSG 101. ASN students will register for their Nursing Assistant course and any other courses they wish to take at College Orientation and Registration.

2. Students seeking admission into the ASN program must meet academic standards and prerequisite standards. If the 2.7 GPA standards is achieved, the prerequisite standard is considered separately from the academic standard.

3. Academic Standards: Candidates for admission will be considered for admission under the most recent of the following academic standards. Once the GPA Academic Standard or a 2.7 for admissions is satisfied, the candidate for admission must maintain a 2.0 GPA.

   1. High School Students:
      1. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.7; AND
      2. Minimum ACT composite score of 20 or higher; OR
      3. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) composite score of at least 950.
   2. Transfer Students:
      1. Complete nine (9) college credit hours specific to the Mercy College ASN curriculum, achieve a grade of “C” or higher (not “C-”) in each course, AND
      2. Earn a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher on a 4.0 scale at the last college attended (minimum of nine (9) credits).
   3. Students enrolled at Mercy College who seek admission into the ASN program will be considered for admission under the following guidelines.
      1. Complete a minimum of nine (9) credit hours at Mercy College

      2. Earn a cumulative 2.7 GPA at Mercy College.

4. Prerequisite standards:
   1. Demonstrate completion of one year of high school or one semester of college-level work with a grade of at least 2.0 (“C” not “C-“) on a 4.0 scale in each of these required courses: English, Biology and Chemistry.
   2. Math requirement:
      1. one year of high school Algebra I; or
      2. one semester of college-level Pre-Algebra or Algebra I.
      3. Students who need to meet this requirement at Mercy College will need to take either Math 095 or Math 105. College credit is not awarded for Math 095.
          

Note – Eligibility for licensure following certificate or degree completion may be restricted if a person has been convicted of a felony or has an abuse record. Students should contact the Department of Student Services prior to admission if their eligibility is in question.