Quick Highlights
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- A-State’s Accelerated BSN requires a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, a minimum 2.5 GPA across all undergraduate coursework and a minimum 3.0 GPA across required prerequisite courses, with a C or better in each prerequisite.
- The required prerequisite list covers 11 courses: microbiology, two semesters of anatomy and physiology, a chemistry course, statistics, two composition courses, psychology, sociology, one history or government course, and college algebra.
- Recent accepted ABSN students at A-State averaged a 3.36 cumulative GPA and a 3.44 prerequisite GPA, which gives a benchmark for how competitive admission is.
- This is a prelicensure program. Applicants who have already been licensed as an RN or have sat for the NCLEX-RN before are not eligible for this program
ABSN programs have science prerequisite requirements that are more specific than most applicants expect, including a minimum grade in each course and a separate GPA threshold calculated on those courses alone. Here are the typical prerequisites accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), or ABSN, programs require nationally, what the online Accelerated BSN program from Arkansas State University (A-State) requires specifically and what your options are if your prior coursework or GPA doesn’t clear the bar.
Core Science Prerequisites Most ABSN Programs Require
Requirements vary by school, but most accelerated BSN programs anchor their prerequisites around the same handful of sciences; the differences tend to show up in grade minimums and GPA thresholds, not which subjects appear. Nationally, those core prerequisites typically include the following:
- Anatomy and physiology
- Microbiology
- Chemistry
- Statistics
These courses usually run alongside general education courses in composition, psychology and sociology. Grade floors and GPA thresholds vary by program, so the specific list below is what matters if you are applying to A-State.
A-State’s ABSN Prerequisite Requirements
To be considered for admission, you must complete the following courses before submitting your application, earn a cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher and receive a grade of C or better in each course, as of September 2026:
- Microbiology for Nursing and Allied Health, with lab
- Human Anatomy/Physiology I, with lab
- Human Anatomy/Physiology II, with lab
- Fundamental Concepts of Chemistry I or General Chemistry I, with lab
- Composition I
- Composition II
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Sociology
- Statistics
- The United States to 1876, or The United States Since 1876, or Introduction to United States Government
- College Algebra
A-State’s Accelerated BSN is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and appears on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s list of approved Registered Nurse (RN) baccalaureate nursing programs, which also notes A-State’s post-licensure RN to BSN option.
How Recent Do Prerequisites Need to Be?
All course attempts, old or recent, are included when your prerequisite GPA is calculated, so an older grade does not disappear from the average just because time has passed. If your science coursework is several years old, confirm current policy directly with an enrollment advisor before you build your application timeline around an assumption, since recency rules can change year to year even when a program’s own materials do not spell one out.
A-State does not publish a specific age limit for prerequisite coursework, which differs from programs that set a hard cutoff, such as five or seven years. The absence of a stated limit is not the same as no policy at all, so treat it as a reason to confirm directly with an advisor rather than an assurance that older coursework will automatically count.
What If My GPA From My First Degree Is Low?
This is the question that causes the most hesitation for career changers, and the honest answer is structural. A-State’s admission standard runs on two separate GPA calculations: a 2.5 minimum across your entire undergraduate transcript and a 3.0 minimum calculated only on your prerequisite courses. That second number carries the most weight for a career changer whose first-degree GPA was unrelated to nursing. A strong prerequisite GPA, even 3.4 or higher, can sit alongside a much more ordinary overall undergraduate GPA and still clear the bar, because admission is evaluated against the prerequisite-specific threshold.
- Remediation path: Retake specific prerequisite courses to raise your prerequisite GPA. Since every attempt at a course counts toward that average, a retake needs to be a genuine improvement, not just a fresh attempt that erases the earlier one.
- Early admission consideration: Applicants with both an overall undergraduate GPA and a prerequisite GPA of 3.6 or higher may qualify for early admission review.
A-State does not publish a guaranteed admission outcome for any specific GPA band above the stated minimums, so treat these thresholds as what clears the bar, not a promise of acceptance.
None of this is meant to discourage a strong applicant from applying. If your prerequisite GPA clears the 3.0 minimum and your overall GPA clears 2.5, you meet the bar for admission to A-State’s program, regardless of how your first degree turned out.
How Competitive Are ABSN Admissions?
Admission to the Accelerated BSN can be highly selective. Applicants should be academically prepared for the pace and expectations of a prelicensure nursing program. The clearest signal of how competitive that is comes from A-State’s own recent cohort data: accepted students averaged a 3.36 cumulative GPA and a 3.44 prerequisite GPA, both comfortably above the stated 2.5 and 3.0 minimums. A competitive application typically includes completed prerequisites with grades at or above those averages and official transcripts. Before starting the program, you will also need a criminal background check, CPR certification, proof of the Hepatitis B series and a TB skin test, and any drug screening a clinical affiliate requires.
Cohort size is the other factor that shapes how competitive the admission process feels in practice. A-State admits ABSN students into cohorts twice a year, in March and October, rather than continuous open enrollment. Because admission is not rolling, a complete, on-time application matters more than it would for a program that accepts students year-round, since a strong file submitted after a cohort has filled cannot be reconsidered until the next start. Clinical rotations are completed in person in Jonesboro or the surrounding area on Friday-through-Sunday schedules, which is worth factoring into your plans alongside the academic requirements.
That selectivity is reflected not only in A-State’s own admissions data. A-State’s Accelerated BSN was ranked among the three best ABSN programs in Arkansas for 2026 by allnurses.com.
Next Steps If You’re Not Quite Ready Yet
If your prerequisite GPA or course list is not there yet, the path forward is usually a community college. Prerequisite science courses are widely available at community colleges at a lower cost than at four-year institutions, and a strong grade on a retake counts toward the same prerequisite GPA calculation that A-State uses for admission.
Because every attempt at a course factors into that average, it is worth deliberately sequencing retakes. Clear the courses with the weakest existing grades first, since those are doing the most damage to your prerequisite GPA, rather than retaking a course you already passed comfortably.
Important Note
A-State’s Accelerated BSN is a prelicensure program. Applicants who have already been licensed as an RN or who have previously sat for the NCLEX-RN are not eligible for admission. If you took nursing courses in the past, you must disclose this on your application and provide a dated, signed letter of good standing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What science prerequisites do ABSN programs require?
A: Most programs require microbiology, two semesters of anatomy and physiology and a chemistry course with labs, plus statistics. A-State’s Accelerated BSN also requires two composition courses, psychology, sociology, one history or government course, and college algebra, all with a grade of C or better, as of 2026.
Q: What prerequisites do I need before applying to an ABSN program?
A: At A-State, all 11 required prerequisite courses must be completed before you submit your application, and your cumulative prerequisite GPA must be 3.0 or higher with a C or better in each course.
Q: Can I get into an ABSN program with a low GPA from my first degree?
A: Possibly. A-State evaluates a 2.5 minimum GPA across your full undergraduate transcript separately from a 3.0 minimum GPA calculated only on your prerequisite courses, so a strong prerequisite GPA can offset a weaker overall GPA from an unrelated first degree.
Q: What are the admission requirements for an accelerated BSN?
A: At A-State: a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, a minimum 2.5 overall GPA, a minimum 3.0 prerequisite GPA, completed prerequisite courses and transcripts. Before starting the program, you will also need a criminal background check, CPR certification, proof of the Hepatitis B series and a TB skin test, and any drug screening a clinical affiliate requires.
Q: Are ABSN programs in Arkansas approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing?
A: Yes. A-State’s baccalaureate nursing programs, including the Accelerated BSN, appear on the Arkansas State Board of Nursing’s list of approved RN baccalaureate degree programs.
Q: How old can my prerequisite courses be?
A: A-State does not publish a specific recency limit, though all prerequisite course attempts count toward your prerequisite GPA regardless of age. Confirm current policy directly with an enrollment advisor if your science coursework is several years old.
Q: Does A-State accept transfer or community college credit for ABSN prerequisites?
A: A-State reviews official transcripts from regionally accredited institutions for transfer credit, so prerequisite courses completed at a community college or another regionally accredited school can count, provided they meet the same grade and content requirements.
Key Takeaways
- A-State’s Accelerated BSN program requires 11 specific prerequisite courses, each with a C or better and a combined prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Admission also requires a 2.5 minimum GPA across your full undergraduate transcript, evaluated separately from the prerequisite GPA.
- Recent accepted students averaged a 3.36 cumulative GPA and a 3.44 prerequisite GPA, a benchmark for how competitive admission is.
- This is a prelicensure program only. Previously licensed RNs and anyone who has already sat for the NCLEX-RN are not eligible to apply.
- A-State’s baccalaureate nursing programs are approved by the Arkansas State Board of Nursing and accredited by ACEN.
The prerequisite list and GPA thresholds are not a formality. They are the actual screening tool A-State uses to build each ABSN cohort, and they are specific enough to plan against, whether that means confirming your transcript already clears the bar or mapping out which retakes come first.
Explore A-State’s Accelerated BSN program to review full prerequisite documentation and start your application.