Program Description

The Alvin Community College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program is approved by the Texas Board of Nursing (BON) to provide an educational program for individuals interested in a career as a Registered Nurse (RN). Upon successfully completing program requirements, the graduate is qualified to make application to write the National Council Licensure Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN). Alvin Community College ADN graduates consistently perform above state and national averages on the RN licensure exam. As reported by the BON, the Alvin Community College ADN pass rates for first-time testers are: Year 2011 - 97%, Year 2010 - 96.2%, Year 2009 - 98%, Year 2008 - 92%, Year 2007 - 98%.  Click here to compare ACC ADN pass rates with other Texas nursing schools.

Two Pathways to the ADN Degree

FIRST PATHWAY: the 2-year ADN program is the traditional pathway to enter the ADN program. ADN coursework, excluding pre-requisites, is designed for completion within 2 years. A new class of 60 students starts each August (Fall semester), and a new class of 20 students starts each January (Spring semester). The application period is January - March for the Fall class, and September - October for the Spring class. Applicants meeting minimum admission requirements become part of an applicant pool and the top applicants from this pool are selected for admission.

SECOND PATHWAY:  the 1-year LVN-ADN Transition program provides an abbreviated pathway to allow nurses who are already LVN’s to earn their ADN. A new class of 10-20 students starts each mid-May. The application period is January to the first week of March each year. Applicants meeting minimum admission requirements become part of an applicant pool and top 10-20 applicants from this pool are selected for admission.

Reasons for Selecting ACC for your Nursing Education

• The program receives commendations from the Texas Board of Nursing for our graduates’ excellent pass rates on the NCLEX-RN licensure exam.
• New!  Through an agreement with UTMB Nursing Program and Alvin Community College, ACC nursing students can earn nursing credits toward their bachelor's degree in nursing while enrolled in the ACC ADN program.
• The program is accredited by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).
• Clinical affiliations are with community hospitals as well as with hospitals in the world famous Texas Medical Center in Houston.
• Graduates report that they start their careers as a Registered Nurse earning $50,000.

Application Periods

The next 2-year ADN program that you can apply to starts January 2013.  The application period will be Sep 4 - Oct 3, 2012.  Click here for the application steps.  The application deadline is 4 pm, Oct 3, 2012.

The next LVN-RN Transition program that you can apply to starts May 2013. The application period will be Jan - Mar 2013 (exact dates to be announced later).  Click here for the application steps.  The application deadline will be announced later.

An application link will be visible on this web page in the upper right corner when an application period is in progress.

Notifications  of whether an applicant is accepted into a nursing program occur:
Approximately the first part of April for LVN-RN Transition program
Approximately the middle of May for 2-year ADN program that starts the Fall semester
Approximately the middle of November for the 2-year ADN program that starts the Spring semester.

Notifications are sent via email so please keep your email address current with the ADN office.

It is the applicant's responsibility to regularly check the status of their nursing application by clicking the "Check your status" link above.

Steps to Prepare for Nursing Application

• Catalog Information - Read and understand the catalog information in the application instructions.  This includes a list of courses in the nursing program, course descriptions, and detailed information on eligibility and progression requirements. 
• Take Entrance Exam - All applicants must take the ACT or SAT test - no exemptions. An acceptable ACT or SAT score must be submitted to the ADN department by the nursing application deadline. Required minimum scores: for ACT the sum of the English and Reading scores must be 38 or higher; for SAT the Critical Reading section must be 460 or higher. Writing, Math and Science scores are not used.  Scores must be from tests taken after 1995. Most accepted applicants have higher than the minimum test score.  Click here for ACT/SAT information and test dates.
• Begin Academic Coursework- Complete as many of the academic nursing curriculum courses as possible by the nursing application deadline and strive to earn high grades. Most applicants accepted to the ADN program have GPAs between 3.0 and 4.0 and have completed many of the academic nursing curriculum courses. Completing pre-requisite courses is NOT required to apply to the program. It is optional to take RNSG 1108 and/or RNSG 1215 before acceptance into a nursing program.
• Obtain the series of three Hepatitis B vaccinations – It is very important to start the Hepatitis-B series now.  Applicants must submit documentation of at least the first two Hepatitis-B injections to the ADN department by the nursing application deadline. The series of 3 vaccinations takes approximately 7 months to complete.  Immunization #2 is given one month after the first, and immunization #3 is given five months after #2.
• Apply to ACC - You must be admitted to the College before applying to a nursing program.  Click here to start the College admission process  At the time of application to the College, confirm with Enrollment Services Center (281-756-5800) that you have met the Texas State Initiative (TSI) requirements.  All applicants must meet TSI requirements by the nursing application deadline.
• Attend a Meeting – Prepare for your nursing education by attending one of our information meetings. Information meeting attendance is optional.  During application periods, there are mandatory Applicant Meetings and all applicants must attend one of them. Attending an information meeting does not substitute for attending an Applicant Meeting. Click here for meeting schedules.
• Apply on-line to ADN – Apply on-line to the ADN program you are interested in during an application period.  The online application link will be visible on this web page in the upper right corner during the time an application period is in progress.  To find the dates of the application periods, see the "Application Periods" heading further up on this web page.
• Questions – Either email at nursing@alvincollege.edu or call 281-756-5630.

Career Opportunities

Employment of registered nurses is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Thousands of job openings also will result from the need to replace experienced nurses who leave the occupation, especially as the age of the registered nurse population continues to rise. Graduates from Alvin report that they typically start their careers earning over $50,000 per year.  For examples of job listings click on the "After College" link above.

Program Investment

Approximate cost for the 2-year degree program is $6,300 in-district or $8,100 out-of-district. Approximate cost for the 1-year Transition program is $5,200 in-district or $6,400 out-of-district. This includes uniforms, tuition, fees, books, and supplies for the Nursing (RNSG) courses*, graduation costs, and the National Council Licensure Exam. Financial assistance is available to those who qualify; for more information please click here to go to the ACC financial aid web page..

*Tuition, books, fees and supplies for academic courses required to complete the nursing degree are extra.  Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice.  The most current costs breakdowns are in the 2-year and Transition application instructions.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

You are welcome to ask questions at an ADN information meeting.  These meetings are open to all who are interested in finding out more about either the 2-year ADN program or the 1-year LVN-to-ADN Transition program. Click here for meeting schedule (no reservation required).

For more information, contact the ADN department: nursing@alvincollege.edu or 281-756-5630.

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