LPN to ASN Admission Requirements

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The LPN to ASN Program is a limited enrollment program based on the availability of faculty and clinical resources. Admission is selective and competitive. There are no restrictions regarding age, sex, race, religious persuasion, marital status, or qualified person with disability. However, please note the Core Performance Standards necessary for a career in nursing. Admission to the college or university does not guarantee admission to the LPN to ASN Program. A separate application must be submitted to the LPN to ASN Program. Deadlines for the LPN to ASN Program application are  June1st  for Fall admission, September 1st  for  Spring admission, and  February 1st  for  Summer admission .

As the ASN Program leads to professional licensure, it is the applicant’s responsibility to determine whether WKU’s ASN Program meets the educational requirements for the state in which the applicant will be seeking RN licensure. For assistance in determining the educational requirements for a state other than Kentucky or Tennessee, the applicant should reach out to the ASN Program and/or the board of nursing for the state in question.

Applicants seeking admission to the ASN Program:

1. Submit the nursing program application by the designated deadline.
2. Submit application for admission to Western Kentucky University if not already enrolled.
3. Submit current LPN license. 
4. Take the required admission assessment test - HESI A2.  (POLICY UPDATE: HESI A2 exam score must be dated within 1 year of application deadline date.)
5. Participate in an admission interview process if requested.  
6. Applicants with less than 10 earned university credit hours must submit ACT examination results.  
7. Applicants with 10 or more earned university credit hours must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or greater or a minimum grade point average of 2.75 calculated using only the ASN program’s required non-nursing courses.
8. Applicants who have completed college course/degrees at institutions other than WKU must submit a copy of his/her transcript to the ASN program with application as well as request an official transcript be sent to the WKU Office of Admissions, Potter Hall, Room 117, 270.745.2551 in order to receive transfer credit for required courses.

 

Applicants must be officially admitted into the LPN to ASN Program prior to enrolling in any nursing courses. Students may choose to complete any of the required general education courses prior to admission to the program.

It is recommended that applicants with 10 or more college hours have at least one required science course completed in order to increase their competitiveness for admission.

 

UPON PROGRAM ADMISSION: Students admitted to the program are required to be enrolled in the correct "Admit Term". Any student enrolled for the wrong term will need to contact the Office of Admissions via email to have the "Admit Term" corrected before they can be registered for nursing classes. Please see the LPN to ASN Program main page for more details.

 

Admission Assessment Test

The HESI Admission Assessment Exam evaluates general knowledge in areas of Math, Reading Comprehension, Vocabulary, Grammar, and Anatomy and Physiology to assess each student's strengths and weaknesses. The admission assessment exam must be taken prior to the LPN to ASN Program application deadline because exam scores are utilized during the admissions process. Students may take the exam only once per application period. The exam may be taken again during a subsequent application period up to a maximum of three attempts. The highest scored exam (if applicable) will be utilized during the admission process. (POLICY UPDATE: HESI A2 exam score must be dated within 1 year of application deadline date.)

The exam is administered by Distance Learning Testing Center, located in South Campus Academic Wing C113 (2355 Nashville Road, Bowling Green, KY 42101). Please visit their website for hours of operation and contact info. The exam takes 3 hours; please be sure to account for timing when you schedule. Refer to the exam registration link below for testing details and exam fee.

 

Register Here (http://www.registerblast.com/wku).

An optional HESI A2 study guide (Evolve Reach Testing and Remediation Admission Assessment Exam Review, 4th Edition - ISBN: 9780323353786) may be purchased from the WKU bookstore. Please note, the study guide covers material NOT on the ASN version of the exam. Please focus on Reading Comprehension, Anatomy & Physiology and Math.

 

Additional Requirements:

Upon acceptance into the ASN program, students will be required to provide the following information/documentation:

• Personal Health Insurance
• Professional Liability Insurance
• Immunization Records including titer results for mumps, measles, rubella, varicella and hepatitis B
• Annual Tuberculin (TB) skin test
• Current medical history
• Completed medical exam
• Annual Influenza Vaccination
• COVID-19 Vaccination
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Certification (CPR)
• Urine Drug Screen performed at WKU's Student Health Center
• Criminal background investigation

Additionally, there may be certifications, training seminars, or other requirements specified by the program, facility, or clinical agency that students must meet in order to be eligible for a clinical experience. Students will also be responsible for purchasing uniforms as described in the student handbook and any necessary nursing equipment.  Details regarding each of the above items will be distributed to students upon admission to the LPN to ASN Program.

 

English as a Second Language

As nursing involves public safety, requirements are in place to ensure that nursing students can understand, read and speak English well enough to safely exchange written and verbal information with other health care providers and with patients from a wide range of backgrounds. 

If you speak English as a second language please consult the nursing website for TOEFL requirements and consult with the program coordinator to be sure that you have the appropriate documentation for entry into the WKU Nursing Program.  More information regarding the TOEFL requirements.