RN BRIDGE for WORKING ADULTS

Complete Your RN Prerequisites Online

Take your RN prerequisite courses online with less time, money, and stress. Your nursing education is within reach – get started today.

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Prerequisites for Nursing

Every nursing program has different admission requirements. In addition to a high school diploma (or GED), there are a variety of nursing prerequisites available. Common nursing school prerequisites include:

Introduction to Psychology
4 weeks
Developmental Psychology
5 weeks
Sociology
5 weeks
Humanities
8 weeks
American Government
5 weeks
Spanish 1 & 2
6 weeks each
College Algebra
9 weeks
College Composition
8 weeks

Finishing your RN prerequisites is necessary for getting into nursing school. But how can you make this work with your busy schedule?

Learn How

Test out of RN prerequisites

We help working adults test out of prerequisites for nursing through a system called credit by exam. By taking one proficiency test, you can earn your college credits in less time.

how it works


  • PLAN

    Discover which prerequisites you can test out of.


  • PREP

    Take our test prep course to learn the subject material.


  • PASS

    Pass a proficiency exam to earn college credits.

Learn How

Earn your RN prereq credits with Achieve

less stress

Reduce your workload and focus only on what you need to know.

less time

Attend instructor-led online test-prep courses once a week for 4-8 weeks.

more convenient

Earn college credits from the comfort of your home.

Learn How

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I test out of nursing prereqs?
Yes. The credit by exam system has been in place for decades to help working adults pursue their education. Many nursing prerequisites fall within this system, meaning you can take advantage of significant time savings while working towards your goals.

Note that every nursing school has different requirements so it’s important to verify which prereqs you need and whether your college accepts credit by exam.

Achieve can help you verify this information and find the right accredited college for you.

How many courses can I test out of?
Achieve offers test prep courses for 16 prerequisite subjects. Depending on which prereqs you need and how many credit-by-exam credits your accredited college will allow, you can potentially test out of up to one year of college courses.

You can test out of as many or as few courses as your schedule allows. Our test prep courses meet once a week for three hours at a time, offering you an efficient way to prepare for your exam.

Are credit by exam credits the same as college credits?
Yes. Credit by exam helps you earn 3 college credits for each proficiency test; traditional semester-long courses also grant 3 credits. When you pass your exam, these credits are transferred to your accredited college and show up as “pass” or “complete” on your transcript.

The only difference is how long it takes to earn the credits. Completing a traditional college course often takes 16 weeks, whereas our test-prep courses can be finished in as few as 4 weeks, accelerating your progress.

Does my college accept credit by exam nursing prereqs?
Credit by exam is accepted by 2,900 accredited colleges and universities in the United States. Every school has different requirements so it’s important to verify guidelines ahead of time.

Check with your chosen nursing program to see what’s required. BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) programs typically call for more prerequisites than an ADN (Associate Degree in Nursing) program.

Achieve can help you verify this information and find the right accredited college for you.

Is Achieve a school?
No. Achieve does not offer degrees or credits directly. Our services fill in the educational gaps and support systems that traditional colleges do not offer.

Many working adults find the structure and system of college unrealistic for their busy lives. While Achieve is not a school, we support those pursuing their education with college prep services that save time and stress.

How do I get started?
The first step is meeting with an Achieve Advisor who will create a custom RN Bridge Plan based on your goals. Once your plan is in place, you can start taking your first prep course in as soon as one week!

Kickstart the process by sharing a few details about your education history and goals.

Working adults just like you are succeeding with Achieve

jessica carr

LPN-RN BRIDGE, TENNESSEE

“I’ve been an LPN for 20 years and want to go back to RN school. But, with three kids and a full time job, traditional college just wouldn’t allow for it. I looked into Achieve and was able to take the classes that I needed to take.”

natalya mach

RN BRIDGE, New York

“What made college so hard for me was…going to school three days a week. Achieve’s schedule and the way their classes are setup seemed manageable to me. I chose Achieve because it worked for my schedule as a working mom…”

charlene solano

CNA-RN BRIDGE, Rhode Island

“I’m a single Mom, I work a second-shift job, and I pick up jobs. That’s made it harder to get back into school. With Achieve it’s a lot more flexible for me on my days off…”

Online nursing prereqs with Achieve

Take the first step towards your RN by completing your prereqs online.

Learn How