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 Bishop State Community College asks for, taken from its own admissions page.
What you'll need
- Transcripts
Stand-alone PN certificate (3 semesters, evening/weekend format) admits for fall (application Mar 15 to May 15) and spring (Sep 15 to Oct 31); a Spring/Summer 2027 Downtown application is also posted. Applicants must first be admitted to the college, then apply through the nursing dynamic form. An official ACT score is required (no minimum for PN applicants, TEAS not accepted), with points for ACT, grades in A&P I/II, PSY 210, speech/humanities and a CNA/EMT credential (56 possible). Minimum 2.5 GPA in the PN core courses (ENG 101, MTH 100, BIO 201/202, PSY 210, SPH 106/107), 2.0 cumulative college GPA, or 2.5 high school GPA with no prior college.
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.
People
Acceptees whose paths lead to this program, and how they got in.
Find your next step.
Getting in starts with a path. Pick one, then follow the people who already did it.