Overview
Career outlook
Employers hire licensed practical nurses to provide basic patient care such as monitoring vital signs, administering medications, and assisting with daily needs under the supervision of registered nurses and physicians.
Getting in
What Bates Technical College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Prerequisite courses
- Transcripts
- Background check
- Drug screen
- Immunizations
- CPR certification
Full-time program is 3 quarters (80-credit Certificate of Competency or 90-credit AAS); part-time 6-quarter option, next start TBA. Applicants need a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA in the mandatory prerequisite courses; $50 non-refundable application fee. Priority application closes June 30 at midnight for the fall cohort (40 full-time slots). Post-admission: criminal background check, 10-panel drug screen, immunizations (incl. TB, Hep B, MMR, Varicella, TDaP, flu, COVID-19) and AHA BLS. Entrance exam not mentioned.
Checked Oct 2026 on the school's site. Requirements change each cycle, so confirm before you apply.
Paths
Routes into LPN. The first step is where you enroll today.
Medication Aide to LPN
Your medication administration experience counts. Bridge from certified medication aide into practical nursing and full LPN licensure.
CNA to LPN
Step up from nursing assistant to licensed practical nurse. The fastest license upgrade in nursing, and the standard bridge toward RN.
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.