Nursing is a challenging, rewarding, and competitive field. Students who wish to complete a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree (BSN) will begin with two years of study at Volunteer State Community College which focus on math and science courses required for admission to most nursing schools. Completion of a pre-nursing A.S. degree at Vol State is wise. Students who transfer without an A.S. degree are sometimes required to complete additional general education courses at a four-year university. Admission to four-year nursing schools is very competitive and pre-nursing students must strive for academic excellence in every course they take.
Students who plan to pursue a two-year associate degree nursing program, such as Volunteer State’s Nursing A.A.S. program, should enroll in the Pre-Nursing - A.S. program and work closely with an academic advisor to select courses required by their intended nursing schools.
Partnerships with Universities
Volunteer State works closely with all area nursing schools to ensure that our courses and recommended degree programs match their admission requirements, which can be quite different from one school to the next and can even change during the course of an academic year. For that reason, pre-nursing students should choose a nursing school during their first semester or two at Vol State and work closely with their academic advisor each semester to ensure that they have selected the most appropriate classes.
Students who plan to apply to other area nursing schools, including two-year associate degree nursing programs, should enroll in the Pre-Nursing - A.S. program and work closely with an academic advisor to select courses required by their intended nursing schools. Vol State graduates commonly transfer into nursing programs at Austin Peay, Belmont University, David Lipscomb, Middle Tennessee, Tennessee Tech, Union University, University of Tennessee, Union University, and Western Kentucky University. Western Kentucky University and Columbia State Community College offer LPN to RN bridge programs.
Steps in the Process
- Fill out an application to Volunteer State Community College.
- If needed, take the placement tests in Reading, Writing, and Mathematics. The Learning Commons can help you prepare for testing, or schedule an appointment at the Testing Center.
- Meet with a Vol State advisor to schedule all required Remedial or Developmental refresher courses.
- Request official transcript(s) and have them sent to Vol State. Your transcripts will be initially evaluated, but specific courses may need additional evaluation.
- Full-time students must have shot records approved through Admissions. Part-time students must be cleared for registration.
- Review the Program of Study for your major located under the "Academics" tab on the homepage, and have your advisor setup a plan for you in Degree Works to follow.
A student may request a Vol State application from the Office of Admissions (615) 230-3688 to be completed and returned. Vol State Online applications are accepted.
Many of the prospective Nursing students entering at Vol State have been out of school for some time. Students who are 21 or older will be REQUIRED to take a Tennessee Board of Regents' Placement test. This is the same placement test used at all Board of Regents' Community Colleges, Technical Institutes and Universities. This test battery is part of the normal process of registering for college courses for all students who enter to pursue degrees. The test has parts on Reading, Writing, and Mathematics, including Algebra. Many students who enter college today need some help in reading, writing or math. Based on test results, some students must take refresher courses before they can enroll in college-level classes.
