Prerequisites
Eight to ten college-level courses get you ready to apply to ADN or BSN programs. Some are gates, some are smart-to-have. Here's the standard list, the order, and the GPA expectations.
How the prereq phase works
Almost every ADN and BSN program in the United States requires the same core set of prerequisite courses. Anatomy & Physiology I and II, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, English composition, and one or two social-science courses (psychology, sociology, developmental psych). Some programs add nutrition, ethics, or an extra writing-intensive course.
The science prereqs (A&P, micro, chem) are the heaviest and the ones programs weight most. Plan your sequence so you take A&P I and II in consecutive semesters while the material is fresh, then microbiology. Take English, statistics, psychology, and sociology around them, not piled on top of A&P.
GPA matters more here than people tell you. Most ADN and BSN programs are competitive, and your prerequisite GPA is one of the only numerical inputs they have. Aim for 3.5 or higher in the sciences. Below 3.0 in A&P closes doors at most competitive programs.
The standard course list
Required courses vary by program. The list below is what we see at the majority of accredited ADN and BSN programs. Always pull each target program's actual prerequisite page before you enroll in classes.
Hard
·Sophomore fall or year 1 spring
What it covers
Cell biology, tissues, integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems. Lab includes dissection and identifying structures.
Why it matters
Foundation for everything in nursing. The science section of the TEAS pulls heavily from this course. Programs care about your A&P grade specifically.
Hard
·Sophomore spring or year 1 fall after A&P I
What it covers
Cardiovascular, respiratory, lymphatic, digestive, urinary, endocrine, and reproductive systems. The systems most clinical care revolves around.
Why it matters
The second half of the foundation. Cardiac and pulmonary physiology especially is how you'll think about every ICU patient you ever care for.
Hard
·Junior fall or after A&P sequence
What it covers
Bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites. Pathogenesis, immunity, infection control, antimicrobial resistance.
Why it matters
Hospital infection control is built on this. You'll think about it every shift, especially in ICU and ER. Lab teaches you sterile technique.
Moderate
·Freshman year
What it covers
General chemistry: atoms, bonding, reactions, solutions, acids/bases, basic biochemistry. Some programs require organic or biochem in addition.
Why it matters
Pharmacology and acid-base balance build on it. Dosage calculations don't require chem but pharm interactions do.
Moderate
·Anytime in the sequence
What it covers
Descriptive and inferential statistics, distributions, hypothesis testing, confidence intervals.
Why it matters
Evidence-based practice (a major component of BSN coursework) is built on stats. Also a graduation requirement for many BSN programs.
Doable
·Freshman year
What it covers
Academic writing, argumentation, research papers, citations.
Why it matters
Nursing requires substantial writing: care plans, charting, evidence-based papers in BSN programs. Your personal statement is written more clearly if you've done this work.
Doable
·Anytime
What it covers
Introduction to psychology: cognition, development, behavior, mental health basics.
Why it matters
Mental-health nursing builds on it. Patient communication, family dynamics, and crisis intervention are easier with this foundation.
Doable
·Anytime
What it covers
Sociology covers social structures, health disparities, group behavior. Developmental Psych covers human growth across the lifespan.
Why it matters
Public-health nursing leans on sociology. Pediatrics and gerontology lean on developmental psych. Most programs require one or both.
Doable
·Anytime
What it covers
Macronutrients, micronutrients, dietary guidelines, special diets (renal, cardiac, diabetic).
Why it matters
Patient education, diet teaching, and clinical nutrition all use it. Some BSN programs require it; many ADN programs include it within the nursing curriculum instead.
Optimal order
Year 1: Get the easier prereqs done early. English Composition, Statistics, Psychology, Sociology, and Chemistry. These keep your GPA up and free your future semesters for the heavy sciences.
Year 2: A&P I in fall, A&P II in spring. Take them back to back so the material is fresh. Don't overload other heavy classes alongside them. Most A&P students who fail or withdraw do so because they were also taking another rigorous course.
Year 2 summer or year 3 fall: Microbiology. By this point your science study skills are sharp.
During all of it: the TEAS or HESI A2 entrance exam, ideally after A&P II so the science section is fresh. Application packets typically due 4 to 6 months before the cohort starts.
GPA expectations
Minimum
2.75 to 3.0
Open-admission and less-competitive programs accept students at this range. The gate, not the goal.
Competitive
3.5+
Most accredited BSN programs use 3.5 as a soft cutoff. Below this and you're competing on test scores, essays, and waitlists.
Top programs
3.7 to 4.0
UCs, top private BSNs, and direct-entry MSN programs. Plus strong TEAS/HESI scores and a sharp personal statement.
A weak prereq GPA is recoverable. Retake the course (most programs let you replace the grade). Take other prereqs at a strong pace. Pair them with a high TEAS or HESI score and a personal statement that shows you understand what you're signing up for. We review applications for exactly this situation.
Where to take them
Community-college credit usually transfers cleanly to ADN and BSN programs, for a fraction of the cost. Verify before you enroll: pull your target programs' nursing-admission page and look for an "accepted institutions" or "course equivalency" list.
Taking prereqs at multiple schools makes transcripts harder to navigate. If you can do them all at one community college, do that. If you must split, keep the heavy sciences (A&P, micro) at the same institution.
Online prereqs are accepted at most programs now, but some schools still require lab sciences in person. Check each target program's online-credit policy before paying for an online A&P course.
FAQ
The standard prerequisite set across most US nursing programs is Anatomy & Physiology I and II, microbiology, chemistry, statistics, English composition, and psychology. Some programs add sociology, developmental psychology, nutrition, or ethics. Exact requirements vary by school, so pull each target program's list directly from its admissions page.
Yes, and most students do. Community-college credit transfers to most ADN and BSN programs. Verify acceptance with each target nursing program before enrolling, because some four-year universities require certain prerequisites (especially upper-division sciences) be taken at a four-year institution. Where possible, take all prerequisites at a single community college to simplify credit transfer.
Most nursing programs set a minimum prerequisite GPA of 2.75 to 3.0. Competitive programs require 3.5 or higher. The most selective programs admit students with 3.7 to 4.0 prerequisite GPAs. The prerequisite GPA matters more than the overall GPA in most admissions formulas. A strong science GPA in Anatomy & Physiology, microbiology, and chemistry carries the most weight.
One to two years for full-time students. The standard set is roughly 25 to 30 credit hours, which is two semesters of full-time coursework. Most students spread it across three to four semesters to keep their science-course GPA strong. Working students often take 18 to 24 months. Anatomy & Physiology I and II are typically taken in sequence (A&P II requires A&P I).
Often, but verify with your target nursing programs. Most accept online prerequisites for general-education courses like English, psychology, and sociology. Some programs require lab sciences (Anatomy & Physiology, microbiology, chemistry) be taken in person to ensure the lab hours meet accreditation standards. Hybrid courses with in-person labs are common middle ground. Check each program's policy before enrolling.
Yes for science prerequisites at many programs. Most nursing programs require Anatomy & Physiology, microbiology, and chemistry to be completed within the last 5 to 7 years. Some programs are stricter (3 to 5 years for sciences). General-education prerequisites usually do not expire. If your sciences are older, plan to retake them as part of your application timeline.
Usually yes. Microbiology often lists Anatomy & Physiology I as a prerequisite or strongly recommends it. The optimal order for most students is A&P I, A&P II, then microbiology, since clinical microbiology connects directly to the body systems covered in A&P. Take chemistry early, since it is a prerequisite for both A&P and microbiology at many schools.
Most nursing programs allow one repeat of a prerequisite course, often counting the higher grade for admission GPA. Some programs count both attempts. Repeating a science course twice (so a third attempt) is usually disqualifying. If a science grade is borderline, retake it before applying rather than risk a competitive application.