Nursing School

What makes a career in nursing a good choice? Not only is it a rewarding career with unlimited job opportunities, but it is a profession that will be in high demand for decades to come. The Bureau of Labor Statistics project a 12 percent growth in employment for registered nurses from 2018 to 2028, which is much faster than the other healthcare occupations.

Meeting with an Advisor

To find a time to meet with your advisor, please call 979-847-8938 or stop by 209 Koldus to speak with one of our student assistants. They will find a time to fit your schedule.

Both the HESI and TEAS exams are now being offered online.
HESI through ProctorU
TEAS through Blinn College

Thinking about Nursing School?

Pathways to become an RN

There are three pathways to become a registered nurse (RN).

Diploma of Nursing – This is offered through a hospital-based nursing program.
ADN (Associate’s Degree in Nursing) - A two-year program offered through many community colleges. The ADN is the quickest and most popular pathway to become an RN; however, an RN without a BSN might not qualify for upper-level nursing positions.
BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) - While also a two-year program, this pathway requires a bachelor's degree. RNs with a BSN typically qualify for upper-level nursing positions.

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How to get your BSN

There are three programs that allow you to earn a BSN.

Traditional BSN: This program is for traditional degree-seeking undergraduate students, without a bachelor's degree, who want to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This normally takes 2 years.
Accelerated BSN: This is a fast-track program for students who already have a bachelor’s degree. These programs typically take 12-16 months to complete.
RN TO BSN: This program is for current RNs with an associate’s degree (ADN) who wish to obtain a bachelor’s degree.

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Traditional BSN program

There are two options to enter a traditional BSN program.

Option one - Attend A&M and only complete the pre-nursing prereqs (without receiving your bachelor’s degree), and then transfer into a nursing program to receive your BSN degree (one degree).

Option two - Attend A&M and complete your bachelor’s degree, and then enter a nursing program, receiving your BSN degree. With this option, you earn two degrees. One from A&M and the other one from the nursing school.
- If you graduate from A&M and majored in Allied Health, the bachelor’s degree you receive in Allied Health will be your first degree. Then if you transfer to the UT Health San Antonio School of Nursing, you will earn your BSN as your second degree. Now, you have a BS in Allied health and a BSN which equals two undergraduate degrees.

The BSN program typically takes two years to complete, and then students will be ready to take the NCLEX to receive their RN license.

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Second Degree programs

Second Degree programs, also known as Accelerated BSN programs, are for individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree and want to become an RN. Those who already have a degree can also apply to Traditional BSN Programs.

There are currently 14 programs in Texas that offer a second degree BSN:
- Angelo State University - San Angelo
- Baylor University - Dallas
- Concordia University - Austin or Dallas
- Midwestern State University (MSU)
- Texas A&M University - Round Rock only
- Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi
- Texas Christian University - Fort Worth
- Texas Lutheran University - Seguin
- Texas Tech Health Science Center - El Paso
- Texas Tech Health Science Center - Lubbock
- University of Houston - Sugar Land
- University of the Incarnate Word - San Antonio
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - Edinburg
- University of Texas Health Science Center - San Antonio

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Prerequisite Courses

Texas nursing school prereqs can differ from school to school, whether it be a private or public school program. Below is a list of common pre-reqs only. Our office recommends that you check with each school for specific prereq requirements.

COURSE	TX COMMON COURSE NUMBER	TAMU COURSE NUMBER	HOURS REQ.
*A&P I & II	BIOL 2401 & 2402	BIOL 319 & 320	8
*CHEM	CHEM 1405 or 1411	CHEM 119	4
ENGL I & II	any class taught in the ENGL dept	any class taught in the ENGL dept	6
GOVT I & II	GOVT 2305 & 2306	POLS 206 & 207	6
HIST	HIST 1301 & 1302	HIST 105 & 106	6
MATH (College Algebra)	MATH 1314	MATH 102 (or higher)	3
*MICRO (Intro)	BIOL 2420 or 2421	BIOL 206	4
*NUTR	BIOL 1322	NUTR 202	3
PHIL (Intro)	PHIL 1301 or 2306	PHIL 111 or 251	3
PSYC (Intro)	PSYC 2301	PSYC 107	3
*PSYC (Lifespan)	PSYC 2314	PSYC 225	3
SOCI (intro)	SOCI 1305	SOCI 205	3
*STAT	MATH 1342	STAT 201	3
Visual/Perf Arts	TX Core Approved	TX Core Approved	3

*Indicates a common pre-nursing prereq course.

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Research Nursing Schools

Researching nursing programs can be very confusing and time consuming. You may not even know what you don’t know yet, and most schools differ slightly from each other. Below are a few questions you should know about each program before you apply.

Application requirements

What are their prereqs (will they accept AP credit)
What entrance exam do they require (HESI or TEAS)
How do you apply to their program (NursingCAS and/or ApplyTexas)
What terms do they admit students and what are those deadlines
Do they require essays
Are letters of recommendation are required
How do they interview students (online or in-person)
Do they have mandatory orientations

Other factors may include:

Community service
Leadership
Extracurricular activities
Healthcare experience

Research Resources:
AACN - use the American Association of Colleges of Nursing for programs in other states. You can sort by state or even by type of program.

NursingCAS can answer most of these questions for you. This application service allows students to research any of the nursing schools in their program. Even if you are not ready to apply, you should visit their website. Click on ‘apply now’ and do a search for the schools that interest you. If your school does not use NursingCAS, then we recommend you go directly to their website for information.

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HESI vs TEAS These are both formal standardized nursing entrance exams; however, some programs require the HESI, while others require the TEAS. Both tests include the following subjects: anatomy and physiology, biology, chemistry, English grammar, reading comprehension, and mathematics.

*Institutions may limit how many times you can reattempt to take these exams per application period, check with each nursing programs for details.

Registration Information - We at OPSA know that registration for these exams can be very confusing, so we have created a step-by-step handout to guide you through the process.

HESI Registration Handout
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