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There’s more than one path to becoming a nurse, and the right nursing program depends on where you’re starting, how fast you want to be working, and what kind of career you’re building toward. A licensed practical nurse, a hospital floor RN, and a future nurse leader are all real nursing careers, but they start at different programs.
Four main paths lead into nursing school: Practical or Vocational Nursing, the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), and bridge programs for nurses already licensed at one level who want to advance. Each RN program (or PN program) has its own length, its own licensure exam, and its own kind of work on the other side.
Use this page as a guide to help you choose the right program for you. We cover what each program prepares you for, how long it takes, and how to think about the trade-offs. When you’re ready to compare specific paths in depth, follow the links to the deep-dive guides. When you’re ready to look at programs near you, head to the campus locator.
Nursing programs sort into four buckets. The first three are entry points. The fourth is for nurses already licensed at one level who want to move up.
A Practical Nursing program runs roughly 12 to 15 months and prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-PN. Passing that exam earns licensure as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) in most states, or a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) in Texas. The scope of practice and the work are the same; the title changes by state.
LPNs and LVNs handle direct patient care under the direction of an RN or physician: vital signs, wound care, medication administration in many settings, charting and bedside support. They work in long-term care, clinics, physician offices, home health and some hospital units.
For many students, the PN or VN credential is a first step into nursing rather than the final destination. Bridge programs (covered below) let LPNs and LVNs move on to RN licensure without starting over.
An ADN is a two-year nursing degree that prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Passing that exam earns Registered Nurse licensure.
RNs work across the full range of patient care settings: hospital floors, ICUs, emergency departments, surgical units, clinics, long-term care, schools, home health and more. The ADN is the shortest route to RN licensure, which makes it a practical choice for students who want to start earning as a nurse sooner. Many ADN graduates later complete an RN-to-BSN program to expand their long-term options.
A BSN is a bachelor’s degree in nursing, traditionally a four-year program. Some schools, including Galen, offer a three-year BSN that completes the same degree in a compressed timeline. Like the ADN, the BSN prepares students for the NCLEX-RN and RN licensure.
The difference is what the degree opens up after licensure. BSN-prepared nurses qualify for a wider range of positions, including roles at Magnet-recognized hospitals, leadership tracks, public health, case management, and specialty areas that prefer or require a bachelor’s. The BSN is also the standard prerequisite for graduate nursing programs.
A bridge program is for nurses already licensed as an LPN or LVN who want to become RNs. The bridge awards an ADN degree and prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN.
Bridge programs are built around what you already know. You move toward RN licensure without repeating material you’ve already learned, which makes the bridge a direct next step for working LPNs and LVNs.
| Program | Length | Prepares for | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical / Vocational Nursing | ~12 to 15 months | NCLEX-PN | LPN (or LVN in Texas) |
| Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) | ~2 years | NCLEX-RN | Registered Nurse |
| Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) | 3 to 4 years | NCLEX-RN | Registered Nurse with bachelor’s degree |
| LPN/LVN to ADN Bridge | Varies; depends on prior credentials | NCLEX-RN | Registered Nurse |
The right program is the one that fits the life you’re living and the career you’re working toward. Four factors usually decide it.
Time commitment. Practical Nursing gets you licensed and working in about a year. An ADN takes roughly two. A BSN takes three to four. Bridge programs sit on top of existing credentials and run shorter than starting fresh. If speed to first paycheck is the priority, PN or ADN wins. If you’re building toward leadership or specialty roles over a longer horizon, the BSN earns its extra time.
Career goals. Hospital floor nursing, long-term care and many clinic roles are open to both ADN and BSN graduates. Magnet hospitals, leadership tracks, case management, public health and graduate school typically expect or require a BSN. LPNs and LVNs have a defined scope under RN supervision and a clear path to advance through a bridge if they want more.
Cost and trade-offs. Program length affects total cost, and total cost includes more than tuition. Shorter programs mean earlier earnings. Longer programs may mean broader options later. We cover the full picture on our Paying for Nursing School page.
Your current situation. Already licensed as an LPN or LVN? A bridge program is usually the fastest route to RN. Career changer with a non-nursing bachelor’s? Look at accelerated BSN options. Starting from scratch and want to be working as a nurse as soon as possible? The ADN is the shortest path to RN licensure.
The short answer: between about one year and four, depending on the program and your starting point.
A Practical or Vocational Nursing program runs roughly 12 to 15 months. An ADN typically takes about two years. A traditional BSN takes four; an accelerated or three-year BSN compresses the same degree into less time. Bridge programs vary because they’re built on credentials you already hold.
Several factors stretch or shorten any of those numbers. Prerequisite coursework, if you haven’t already completed it, adds time before the nursing program begins. Full-time versus part-time enrollment changes the pace. Cohort start dates and clinical placement schedules affect how soon you can begin. Your program’s structure (some run year-round, others on a traditional academic calendar) shapes the total timeline.
We break down each program’s timeline, prerequisite requirements, and what to expect at each stage on our How Long is Nursing School? page.
This is the most common decision point for new nursing students. Both prepare you to sit for the NCLEX-RN. Both lead to Registered Nurse licensure. The difference is degree level, program length, and what each opens up after graduation.
An ADN is the faster path to RN. You finish in about two years, take the NCLEX-RN, and start working as a nurse. For students who want to be earning sooner, or who plan to complete an RN-to-BSN later while working, the ADN is often the practical choice.
A BSN takes longer (three to four years) and costs more, but the bachelor’s degree expands long-term options. Magnet hospitals, leadership roles, case management, public health, and graduate school typically expect a BSN. Some employers offer tuition assistance for ADN-prepared nurses who want to bridge to a BSN after they’re hired, which is one reason the ADN-then-BSN path is common.
There’s no single right answer. The right one depends on how soon you want to be working, what kinds of roles you’re aiming for, and how you want to sequence school and career.
If you’re already a licensed practical nurse or licensed vocational nurse, a bridge program is the most direct route to RN licensure. Rather than starting nursing school over, a bridge builds on the clinical foundation you’ve already developed in your PN or VN program and in practice.
Galen’s pathway is an LPN/LVN to ADN Bridge program. You earn an Associate Degree in Nursing and become eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. The program is structured around what working LPNs and LVNs already know, so you spend your time on the coursework and clinical experience that move you toward RN practice.
Bridge programs are designed for nurses who are working while they study, with course schedules and clinical placements built around that reality. For most LPNs and LVNs considering the next step, the bridge route is faster and more efficient than enrolling in a standalone ADN or BSN program.
Nursing school cannot be fully online. Every prelicensure program (PN/VN, ADN, BSN) requires supervised clinical hours in real healthcare settings. That’s a licensure requirement, not a school preference. A program advertised as “online” almost always means online coursework paired with required in-person clinicals.
What varies is how much of the rest happens online. At Galen, prelicensure students complete general education coursework online, attend nursing classes on campus, and complete clinical rotations at partner facilities. That hybrid structure is the norm in nursing education, not the exception.
Fully online programs do exist at the post-licensure level. RN-to-BSN, MSN and DNP students who are already licensed and practicing can complete their advanced degrees largely or entirely online, because the clinical experience requirement is met differently at those levels.
Galen College of Nursing is a nursing-focused college with 25 campuses across 13 states. As a nursing school, we offer prelicensure programs at the practical, associate, and bachelor’s levels, plus a bridge for LPNs and LVNs moving up to RN.
The programs available at Galen include:
Program availability varies by campus. Not every campus offers every program.
A few things distinguish how Galen runs these programs. Our partnership with HCA Healthcare gives students clinical placements in one of the largest hospital networks in the country, and offers tuition assistance opportunities for students who are HCA employees or who join HCA after graduation. Curriculum is approved by the appropriate state boards of nursing. Nursing courses and clinical rotations happen on campus and in partner facilities; general education coursework is online, which gives students flexibility around the parts of their schedule that don’t require hands-on instruction.
Our aim across every program is the same: graduates who are competent, confident, and compassionate, and who are ready for the realities of bedside nursing on day one.
Galen is expanding access to nursing education in locations across the country.
LPNs (or LVNs in Texas) and RNs have different scopes of practice, different licensure exams and different educational requirements. LPNs and LVNs complete a Practical or Vocational Nursing program, pass the NCLEX-PN and provide direct patient care under the direction of an RN or physician. RNs complete an ADN or BSN, pass the NCLEX-RN and practice with broader autonomy across a wider range of clinical settings.
Most nursing programs require prerequisite coursework before you start the nursing curriculum itself. At Galen, all prerequisites are included in our programs, which means you can get started right away
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a standardized admissions test used by many nursing programs to assess readiness for nursing coursework. It covers reading, math, science, and English. Most programs set a minimum score for admission.
GPA requirements vary by program and school, and ADN and BSN programs typically set different minimums. Rather than relying on a general number, check the specific requirements for the program and campus you’re considering. Galen’s admissions team can walk you through what’s expected for the program you’re applying to.
Yes. Nursing programs are typically accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). Accreditation matters because it affects NCLEX eligibility, credit transfer between schools, and eligibility for many federal financial aid programs. Always confirm a program’s accreditation status before enrolling.
A three-year BSN completes the same Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree in three years instead of four. Programs achieve this through year-round scheduling and a tightly sequenced curriculum. Galen offers a three-year BSN at select campuses. Graduates earn the same BSN degree and sit for the same NCLEX-RN as graduates of traditional four-year BSN programs.
Many students do, especially during prerequisite coursework and the earlier semesters. It becomes more difficult during clinical rotations, which often run on hospital schedules that include early mornings, evenings, and weekends. Most full-time nursing students who work hold part-time or flexible roles. Bridge programs for LPNs and LVNs are typically structured with working nurses in mind.
It’s a program for licensed practical nurses or licensed vocational nurses who want to become Registered Nurses. The bridge awards an ADN degree and prepares students to sit for the NCLEX-RN, building on the clinical foundation you developed in your PN or VN program and in practice.
No. Texas calls it Vocational Nursing, and the credential is LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse). Most other states use Practical Nursing and LPN. The scope of practice is similar across states, with some variation in what tasks LPNs and LVNs are authorized to perform.
The NCLEX® (National Council Licensure Examination) is the licensure exam every nurse must pass to practice in the United States. There are two versions: NCLEX-PN for Licensed Practical and Vocational Nurses, and NCLEX-RN for Registered Nurses. Your nursing program prepares you to sit for the appropriate exam based on the credential you’re pursuing.
Sometimes. Transferability depends on the program you’re applying to, the accreditation status of the credits you’ve already earned, how recent the coursework is, and whether the content aligns with the program’s requirements. Admissions can review your transcripts and tell you what will and won’t transfer.
Cost varies widely by program type, school, and location. PN programs are generally the least expensive because they’re the shortest. BSN programs cost more because they’re longer. Tuition is only part of the picture, and so are scholarships, grants, employer tuition assistance, and federal aid. Our Paying for Nursing School page covers the full cost picture.
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