Admission

Application Periods & Deadlines

Applications are only available during our application period. We only accept applications filled out and submitted online during the following times:

January 1 - January 31 Admission to the program  will begin with the first course, N210 Nursing Role Transition, in the Summer intersession.

July 5 - July 20 Admission to the program will begin with the first course, N210 Nursing Role Transition, in the Winter Intersession.

All materials must be received by the deadline date. Applications, transcripts and other supporting documents are not accepted late.

Career Ladder (LVN to RN) Application

To All Applicants:

As a requirement to access the clinical affiliate sites which are a required part of the curriculum, all students must show proof of completion of an approved Covid-19 Vaccination series.

Although students might be eligible to obtain an exemption to participate in activities on campus, our clinical affiliate sites do not afford trainees this option for the safety and protection of their patients and staff.

We also encourage you to visit the following website for additional information http://smcun.com/about/president/coronavirus-updates/index.php

General Admission Information

Before applying to the Career Ladder Nursing program, please review the following admission requirements and recommendations.

Nursing students must have the ability to communicate safely, accurately, and effectively in both written and spoken English in a rapidly changing health care environment.

Transcripts and applications are not kept on file. Prior applications and transcripts are shredded after the completion of the selection process.

All applicants should submit a PDF copy of official transcripts from any college attended outside of Pasadena City College. All applicants are required to upload a copy of official transcripts from each college (including Advanced Placement transcript scores) attended with your online application. Official transcripts may be requested throughout the process for verification or upon admission to the program.

Follow these basic directions for scanning documents to your online application:

    • Open and scan the official transcripts using a device such as a printer or scanner
    • Follow the scanner manufacturer's directions to scan each document to your computer or USB drive
    • Select the PDF file format option before scanning. Only PDF files of your transcripts and other supporting documents will be accepted. Formats such as JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIF, screenshot, word documents, etc. will not be accepted for the application process.
    • Save your PDF document to a folder in a location on your computer or removable drive that you can easily access (Desktop or Documents folder is suggested)

      NOTE: Students who do not have access to a personal scanner may choose to use a commercial copying center to have their required documents scanned and made into PDFs that then may be uploaded as part of your application.

      Follow these basic directions for uploading documents to your online application:
    • When prompted on  the application to upload your documents marked "Drop Files here or Select Files" click on this button
    • Find the PDF files you want to upload from your computer or flash drive.
    • Select the file by double clicking on it (tap twice)
    • Your file will be uploaded.

English 001A Reading and Composition, Anatomy 025 Human Anatomy, Physiology 001 Human Physiology, Chemistry (college chemistry with a lab), and Microbiology 002 Microbiology must be completed with a minimum 2.5 GPA before you can apply to the Career Ladder program.  It is preferred that the basic science courses; anatomy, physiology, chemistry, and microbiology be completed within the past five years with a grade of “C” or higher. The BRN requires a C or better in all BRN required coursework in order to be considered for licensure.

It is recommended that you complete non-nursing courses prior to beginning the RN program. The program is very rigorous and students will generally not be able to manage additional classes or work during the semesters they are in the program.

An Assessment/Readiness test is required. This is a basic test of reading, vocabulary, math and science that is highly correlated with success in a registered nursing program. A minimum score of 62 is required to apply to the nursing program. Study material to prepare for or help raise your TEAS score can be found in ATI's Smart Prep for TEAS  at http://atitesting.com/teas/smart-prep Register and pay the test fee through ATI and take the proctored exam in person or online. Official transcripts must be sent to PCC Nursing for consideration in admission. Students who apply that have met all other admissions criteria and do not meet the established TEAS eligibility criteria will be given the option to participate in a TEAS remediation plan. After successful completion, students are eligible to retake the TEAS exam and reapply for entry into the nursing program. If the remediation plan is not complete by the deadline, the student is encouraged not to retake the TEAS exam or re-apply to the program.

If you have previously purchased your TEAS transcript to be sent to Pasadena City College ADN Program electronically, you will not be able to resend your TEAS transcript if you are reapplying to the program.  Once the TEAS transcripts have been sent electronically, it will be saved in our system.  You must upload a PDF file of your TEAS transcript to your application each time you apply.

TEAS 7 scores will be accepted.

NOTE: Beginning with the July 5 - July 20, 2023 application, only the TEAS 7 score will be accepted. 

Individuals applying to participate in the Career Ladder Nursing Program at Pasadena City College who have previously attended or were dismissed from another nursing program may be asked to submit a letter of patient safety in clinical practice. The Nursing Program Director from the nursing program the student attended should provide the letter. The patient safety letter should be addressed to the Dean of Health Sciences, who will share the letter with the Pasadena Nursing Program Director to determine if any other action needs to be taken.

A Social Security number is required to be admitted to the program. The clinical sites we use require each student to have a social security number to register and chart in the electronic medical record (EMR) and complete the clinical portion of their nursing education.

Valid California LVN license. Print out a copy of your license verification from http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/consumers/license_verification. 

Questions regarding course equivalency for coursework taken at colleges other than Pasadena City College should be directed to the Counseling Office.  The Counseling Office can be reached at http://smcun.com/academics/support/counseling/index.php

Submission of an application packet does not guarantee admission.

Late submission of application, transcripts, or other supporting documents is not accepted.

How to Apply

1  Apply for admission to PCC

If you are not currently enrolled at PCC, you need to apply for admission to the college, in addition to applying to the Career Ladder Nursing Program. Apply now to PCC.

Please Note: Acceptance to the college is not an acceptance into the nursing program. College admission is necessary and allows you to obtain a PCC ID number.

2   Complete Your Application Packet

To apply to the Career Ladder Nursing program you need to submit an online application that includes:

For submitting transcripts with your online Career Ladder application:

  • All applicants should submit a PDF copy of official transcripts from any college attended outside of Pasadena City College. All applicants are required to upload a copy of official transcripts from each college (including Advanced Placement transcript scores) attended with your online application. Official transcripts may be requested throughout the process for verification or upon admission to the program. This also includes your LVN Nursing School transcripts.  If you are submitting Advanced Placement coursework to meet any requirement an official A.P. transcript must be submitted.  Verification of any advanced degrees you have earned must be posted to your transcripts.
  • If you have foreign transcripts, please read our information on how to have your transcripts evaluated. A scanned pdf version of the official evaluation report must be uploaded with your application.
  •  One official transcript from the LVN school you graduated from must be scanned, saved as a PDF file and uploaded to your application.
  • Copy of your current California LVN license verification printed from the BVNPT website http://www.bvnpt.ca.gov/consumers/license_verification 
  • Attach a copy of your TEAS transcript with an Adjusted Individual Total score of 62 or higher to your online program application. In addition, request ATI send your TEAS results to PCC unless you have previously sent your TEAS transcript electronically from ATI to Pasadena City College ADN program.
  • Documentation of all applicable criteria for awarding points.

Incomplete applications will not be considered in the selection process. Late applications, transcripts and/or supporting documents will not be accepted after the deadline date.

Selection Criteria

Selection to the program is based on the following criteria:

  • GPA for Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, Microbiology, English,  (minimum GPA 2.5 to apply)
  • Approved Diagnostic Assessment Tool TEAS (minimum score of 62 to apply).  Students who apply that have met all other admissions criteria and do not meet the established TEAS eligibility criteria will be given the option to participate in a TEAS remediation plan. After successful completion, students are eligible to retake the TEAS exam and reapply for entry into the nursing program. If the remediation plan is not complete by the deadline, the student is encouraged not to retake the TEAS exam or re-apply to the program.
  • Completion of relevant coursework; Introduction to Sociology, Human Nutrition, Lifespan Developmental Psychology, Elementary Statistics, Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication, Critical Thinking (ENGL 001C, PHIL 025, 030, 033, PHSC 002,SPCH 006 or 012).
  • Relevant healthcare certificates, current patient care experience, veteran status, previous academic degree 
  • Life experiences or special circumstances of an applicant (all applicants receive the maximum points)
  • Proficiency or advanced coursework in languages other than English 

See the Full Selection Criteria Here

Program Acceptance

We will notify applicants to the Career Nursing Program by email approximately 10 weeks after the close of the application period.

Upon acceptance to the  program, you will be required to:

  1. Complete a Health Clearance (forms will be provided) and enter medical and immunization data into CastleBranch.com.
  2. Covid 19 and Influenza vaccinations are required for clinical rotations.
  3. Complete an annual background check through CastleBranch.com to be able to attend clinical experiences. Details regarding these clearances will be provided with the acceptance packet upon selection. Clinical affiliation sites require an unencumbered background check.

The nursing program requires a clear drug screen each semester you are providing patient care.

If you have questions or concerns about the drug screen or background check, we encourage you to make an appointment to discuss these concerns with the nursing program director. You can also view some of the issues on the BRN website at www.rn.ca.gov.

How to Provide Your Transcripts to PCC's Admissions and Records Office:

 It is your responsibility to request the transcripts from the schools you have attended and ask that they be sent directly to the PCC Admissions & Records office. All transcripts from other schools must be official. 

You can have transcripts sent in one of the following ways:

1. By Mail
Ask your school to mail an official transcript to us at:

Pasadena City College
Admissions & Records Office L-113
1570 E. Colorado Blvd.
Pasadena CA 91106-2003

2. Electronically (PDF Only)
An official transcript can be emailed in the following ways:

Emailed from the third party vendor, Credentials Inc., Parchment, National Student Clearinghouse
Emailed from a school or 3rd party vendor not listed above to transcripts@smcun.com
Note that an emailed transcript from you, the student, will not be accepted

Transcript Evaluation

If you are a student with foreign transcripts, you must have your transcripts evaluated by one of the following three companies before applying. A detailed/comprehensive report with breakdown of upper and lower division courses is required.

International Research Foundation (IERF)
(310) 258-9451 | www.ierf.org

Academic Credentials Evaluation Institute (ACEI)
(310) 275-3530 | http://acei-global.org

American Education Research Center (AERC)
(626) 339-4404 | www.aerc-eval.com