Skip to main contentSkip to main navigationSkip to footer content

Nursing Prerequisites to take in High School (+VIDEO)

Are you thinking about becoming a nurse? If you’re a junior or senior in high school and you’re thinking about going into nursing, you can take some classes in high school that will accelerate your progress in nursing school. Depending on the college or university you want to attend, nursing prerequisites taken in high school can transfer as long as they are college level. Let’s get started!

To become an RN, you can either pursue an Associate’s of Science in Nursing (ASN or ADN), a two-year degree, or a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN or BDN), a four-year degree. You also have the option of first doing the ADN, becoming a nurse, and then returning later for an RN-to-BSN bridge program.

Interested in becoming a nurse? Click here to speak with admissions. We have an admissions adviser just for high school students. 

In order for you to get your BSN, one will need to obtain a total of 120 credits. Of those credits, 48 will be general education and 72 will be nursing credits. While still in high school you can take some concurrent enrollment classes through local colleges that can possibly transfer over to Nightingale College, or other nursing schools, that will go toward the 48 general credits of general education.

Note: These are requirements of Nightingale College’s programs. Other colleges and universities might vary in what they accept or require.

Below is a list of classes you can take as a junior or a senior to help possibly get some credits under your belt before you even begin nursing school.

Download this blog in checklist form here.

Physical and Life Science

A minimum of 15 semester credits is required in this category. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory, or required in our curriculum. The others are not required but may transfer. With these classes, you need to earn a B- grade or higher to transfer credit.

       *CE Medical Anatomy and Physiology

       *CE Pathophysiology

        CE Biology

        CE Chemistry

       CE Environmental Science

        CE Physics

English and Composition

A minimum of 6 credits is required in this category. Courses marked with an asterisk (*) are mandatory. These classes require a B- grade or higher to transfer credit.

       *CE Technical Writing (usually English 1010)

         CE English Composition

         CE Technical Writing

        CE Academic Writing

        CE Creative Writing

        CE Communications

Mathematics

A minimum of 6 credits is required in this category. B- grade or higher to transfer credit.

       *CE Statistics

         CE Intermediate Allegra (usually 1050)

         CE Calculous

        CE Trigonometry

Human Behavior and Social Science

A minimum of 6 credits is required in the category. C- grade or higher to transfer credit.

        CE Psychology

        CE Human Growth and Development

        CE Sociology

        CE Abnormal Psychology

        CE Cultural Anthropology

        CE Organizational Behavior

        CE Macroeconomics

        CE United States History

Humanities and Fine Arts

A minimum of 6 credits is required in this category. C- grade or higher to transfer credit.

       CE Religion

        CE Introduction to Philosophy

       CE Western Civilization

       CE Foreign Language

Upper-Division Electives

A minimum of 3 credits of any additional upper-division elective course(s). Other Electives Course Semester Credits. C- or higher grade to transfer credits. Here are some examples of ones that could be helpful to you in your nursing career:

      CE Nutrition

      CE Microbiology

A combined total of 48 General Education and elective credits are required for the BSN Degree.

The above classes are examples of some classes that you can take while In high school. Taking even a few of these classes can give you a great jump start to your college career. If you do not take any of these CE courses while In high school, you will be able to take them while attending Nightingale College.


You might be interested in NurseJournal.org’s prerequisites for nursing school guide. Below are some of the requirements needed for nursing school:

✔ Anatomy and physiology

✔ Biology

✔ Chemistry

✔ Lifespan growth and development

✔Psychology

Read the full prerequisite guide below:

https://nursejournal.org/resources/prerequisites-for-nursing-school/


Skip to main content