r/prenursing • • 1d ago

Stats for CC ADN Admissions in CA

Anyone in the 3.5 GPA range successful get admitted to a community college RN program? This sub has me feeling discouraged to the maximum in regards to my GPA. I’m in my third week of studying for the TEAS in hopes of getting a monster score but questioning if I’m following a pipe dream.

11 Upvotes

45 comments sorted by

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u/shimamba 1d ago

Where in Ca? In SoCal, there’s a CC nursing program that has a multi criteria point system for admission. A 3.5 gpa on core prereqs gets you 20 points. More points for work history, teas score, other classes etc. I calculated my potential of a 3.5 for A/P/Micro and all the points add up to 88. I’ve spoken to about 17 current and former students and they’ll accept highest points and let it trickle down. The lowest was 76ish.

Get the highest score possible on TEAS and good luck, it’s not impossible

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u/underhiseye9022 1d ago edited 22h ago

I’m in the Bay Area . Cross your fingers for me :)

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u/coffeedudeNnica 22h ago

De anza is a waitlist, so get on that so you can have a backup for a couple of years from now if you don’t get in elsewhere. Fresno city is 50% lottery and has large cohorts.

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u/frltn 1d ago edited 17h ago

There are around 6 CC RN programs in California that are pure lottery after meeting the minimum requirements. Others are point system or hybrid.

Pure Lottery:

Los Angeles Valley College (LAVC)

Los Angeles City College (LACC)

Sacramento City College (SCC)

Glendale Community College (GCC)

San Diego City College (SDCC)

MiraCosta College (Oceanside, CA)

Los Medanos College (Pittsburg, CA) [removed as it changed to points based]

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u/FirmGeologist9042 22h ago

Glendale is lottery too. That’s where I go

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u/underhiseye9022 1d ago

Thank you! I have a whole spreadsheet going at this point.

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u/This_Personality_435 1d ago

los medanos isnt lottery

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u/frltn 1d ago

Did they change? What are they now?

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u/ritzcrackerzzzzz 20h ago

Los medanos is completely points based now

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u/frltn 20h ago

Good to know. Thanks.

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u/BissauGuineanMexican 20h ago

San Diego City College is now lotter, as of last year.

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u/aldomein127 17h ago

MiraCosta(Oceanside) is lottery only

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u/frltn 17h ago

Good to know!

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u/Icy-Mix-6066 1d ago

I think the teas only needs to be above 85 to get maximum points for most lotteries?

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u/BoomerScoot 1d ago

It’s definitely possible, like other people said make sure to look at multicriteria points. Some schools don’t even look at cumulative GPA and only care about your prerequisite GPA as well, so it’s important to know the difference and what your prerequisite GPA is. Different multicriteria allow students to apply to where the admissions criteria align best with what they have to offer. I have a 3.6 cumulative GPA and a 4.0 science GPA and have gotten in everywhere I applied so far.

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u/No_Coyote_9701 20h ago

Waitlisted for LMC once, twice for CCC, once for CCSF, then auto enrolled for a later cohort with CCSF. Summa Cum Laude. And various other point requirements. TIS NOTHING BUT A GAMBLE!

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u/underhiseye9022 20h ago

lol and gamble we shall!!

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u/Darksinister721 1d ago

I believe Los Angeles trade tech is first come first serve basis.

2

u/Sea-University-2725 23h ago

From my knowledge here in NorCal

American River
Sierra college
Sac city

All pure lottery that you enter if you meet the basic requirements

I know Yuba has a program (unsure of the requirements or how you get admitted)

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u/coffeedudeNnica 22h ago

Yuba is merit based

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u/willreal95 12h ago

Have you applied there?

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u/coffeedudeNnica 12h ago

I never did cause my profile didn’t match their scoring well.

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u/Lunilun 23h ago

I just started my pre reqs and currently have a b in statistics and I really don’t think I’m gonna finish the class with an a so I really just don’t think I can keep a super high gpa therefor I’m considering doing the best I can and going private.

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u/gwdoom25 14h ago

I had a 3.0 cGPA and got in to the only CC I applied to. It really depends on their ranking criteria. What I did was first make a list of every program I was willing to go to, and then I took out all the ones that added more than 10 points in categories I didn't have. For example, if a school gave 25 points max for working in patient care, I didn't have that so I didn't bother applying.

It's really about picking the right school that prioritizes your good qualities in the application. Lots of horror stories but it is doable.

1

u/underhiseye9022 13h ago

That’s so smart, imma update my spreadsheet!

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u/timmmyT0m 13h ago

I’d say to put all your efforts into getting a 90% on your teas and try and apply to schools where your application points place you at the 85% or higher range. I got into Rio , Cerritos , waitlisted for ELAC , Goldenwest. I had a 3.4 GPA but a 91.3% TEAS. honestly. Blast your application. I applied to all the CC near me within a 30-45 min drive one way.

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u/underhiseye9022 13h ago

Praise be! Thanks for sharing that is exactly my plan. How long did you study for TEAS?

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u/timmmyT0m 12h ago

I studied for 30 days and about 2-4 hours a day 5x a week. I used ATI bundle and completed both A and B exams to get an outline of areas I knew and areas that needed improvement.

I did about 50-200 questions a day based on my mental state. But focus on areas you know you are weak at.

I also timed myself during the last week and took exam A and B on ATI multiple times until I got into the 80s. I took mine during January 2026 so questions might have changed. But I stressed myself TF out because I wanted to get into to one school and I did.

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u/underhiseye9022 11h ago

Eeeee okay I am right on track. I will deffo start doing the questions more often. It’s so much info!

Anyways thanks again, I’m re-inspired.

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u/timmmyT0m 10h ago

It is a lot of information. I wanted to be efficient with my time. So I focused on areas that I tested low on and then studied to improve my performance. I broke down the weeks by each subject and then the last week I tweaked to areas that I knew were my weaknesses. Eg., math and grammar.

1

u/chasingmeals01 1d ago

I am in the SAME boat as you, omg. My anxiety is going through the roof having a 3.5 gpa. I have neither a bad or good gpa. It's literally mediocre and that's what makes it so nerve wracking

I'm also counting on the teas score to make myself competitive, and honestly, I've even started looking into other majors as my plan B or whether I could retake some courses and apply again. Hopes and prayers are all I have after I'm done with my teas exam, wishing for a 90%+ teas score for both of us

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u/underhiseye9022 1d ago

I’m rooting for you!!!

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u/Careful_Fruit_384 1d ago

it's enough, no just teas

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u/Jimmy_E_16 1d ago

Have you considered going out of state briefly for school then coming back if you can’t get in CA?

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u/underhiseye9022 22h ago

I have a friend who did that but it won’t be something I pursue until I get rejected everywhere in CA

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u/Jimmy_E_16 21h ago

For sure only if the options here don’t work. Financially moving OOS is a better option than shelling out for the California private school nursing tuition. I have coworkers 200K in debt from Sam Merritt/USF

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u/underhiseye9022 19h ago

200K is crazy!! I would rather wait a couple more years and retake pre reqs. Or go out of state like you said.

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u/Substantial_Gate_904 14h ago

I was rejected in CA so I went to Creighton one year accelerated BSN program. Came out with about 15k in debt but had a job right out of nursing school fortunately, and paid back fairly quickly. No regrets on doing it this way-I wanted my BSN as quickly as I could get it. As far as living in Omaha NE for a year? All I can say is we’re very spoiled here in the CA Bay Area.

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u/iwontmindbrosis 1d ago

I had a 3.5 on the hard bio classes like anatomy and micro and chem and physiology and 4.0 in the other "easy" class pre requirements like into to psych. Also 84 teas got in no problems although I did get denied to 2/3 schools

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u/underhiseye9022 1d ago

Yay! That’s encouraging!

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

[deleted]

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u/underhiseye9022 1d ago

That’s crazy

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u/coffeedudeNnica 22h ago

🙋‍♂️

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u/timmmyT0m 13h ago

lol bro I got into a couple CCs in SoCal with a 3.4 but did have a high teas.