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BSN-Completion:
Minimum requirements for application and admission to the nursing major

Admission to Rockford College does not guarantee admission to the nursing program. To be eligible for admission into the BSN-C track of the BSN program a candidate must complete the following:

1. Graduate from a State Board of Nursing approved associate degree or diploma program.
2. Complete admission procedure to Rockford College.
3. Submit an official transcript from basic nursing education.
4. Earn a grade of C or better in all courses applicable for transfer.
5. Have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or above in entry-level nursing program.  If the cumulative GPA in the entry-level program is below 2.75, the student may petition for provisional acceptance.
6. Submit two letters of recommendation that address the student’s ability to be successful in the educational program.
7. Submit a statement of interest that addresses reason for seeking the BSN degree and how it will facilitate achievement of career goals.
8. Verification of the following must be provided by all BSN-C students prior to first nursing course:
   • Health examination
   • Immunizations required: Measles, rubella, mumps, diphtheria, tetanus (within last 10 years)
   • CPR for the Health Professional, which must be renewed biennially
   • Hepatitis B immunization (three injection series) with reactive titre (30-60 days after series is completed).  Completion of immunization series and titre takes a minimum of six (6) months.
   • An initial 2-step Mantoux TB skin test.  Yearly retests by means of a single TB skin test is required after the initial 2-step Mantoux.
   • Proof of immunity to chicken pox
   • Proof of valid Illinois registered nurse license or license pending
   • Validation of a minimum of 1,000 hours of active nursing practice in the past three years
   • Proof of professional liability insurance

BSN-C students are awarded 27 hours of nursing credit through prior learning or validation tests. Credit for prior learning is awarded if the student:

• is a graduate of a state-approved or NLN-accredited program,
• has current and valid Illinois licensure, and
• has 1,000 hours of active practice in the past three years.

If a student does not meet these criteria, credit will be awarded upon successful completion of validation testing. The ACE (accelerated challenge exam) II, from the National League for Nursing, has been selected by the nursing faculty for validation of nursing knowledge of registered nurses from diploma and associate degree programs. The ACE II must be successfully completed within five years prior to admission to nursing. Successful completion means earning a score of at least 85 on each test. There are four content areas to the exams printed in three separate test booklets. The test booklets are:

• Book One, Care of the Adult Client (01-5313)
• Book Two, Care of the Client During Childbearing/Care of the Child (02-5323)
• Book Three, Care of the Client with Mental Disorder (03-5333)

These tests must be completed with satisfactory results prior to being admitted to the nursing major.  Pre-registration cannot occur until the validation tests are completed.

The fee for each ACE II exam is $50.00, payable to Rockford College at the time the exam is taken. Rush scoring requires an additional fee. Books One and Two each require four (4) hours for administration. Book Three requires two and one-half (2 ½ ) hours for administration. It is suggested that the tests be administered in a one and one-half (1 ½) day session. Contact the Learning Resources Center (LRC) at Rockford College (226-4087) to schedule a time for the examination. Please schedule an appointment at least two weeks before you plan to take the test. These exams are scored by the National League for Nursing Test Service in New York. Results take approximately 2-3 weeks. Students may not pre-register until all examination scores are satisfactorily completed.

Credit by Examination for the BSN-C student
In order to facilitate the articulation of RNs into BSN education, the faculty will offer the option of credit by exam for up to 10 credits of the BSN-C hours. This option is appropriate for students who feel they have had equivalent but uncredited work in these areas. It would be appropriate for such students to explore the contents of each course under consideration with the course instructor before making a final decision. In order to help students prepare for exams, they will be provided with course syllabi and may buy the text if they so desire. Students may make one or two appointments with the instructor for consultation during their preparation, but this process is not to take the form of a tutorial course.

In accordance with the college policy, students will be charged testing fees plus the normal Rockford College tuition per credit hour if the exam is passed successfully. Courses for which credit by exam is available and the costs involved are:


Students will be responsible for the costs of testing regardless of whether they pass or fail the exam. Testing fees subject to change. The tuition costs are assessed only if the student passes the exam successfully.

See page seven of the Nursing Student Handbook for a sample plan of study.

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