WNC Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses (WNC RIBN)
Admission to WNC RIBN at Southwestern Community College (SCC), Sylva, NC
WNC RIBN will dually admit and enroll you at Southwestern Community College and Western Carolina University and provide you with a four - year, seamless associates to baccalaureate nursing education. Unlike in a BSN program, you will have the opportunity to begin working as an RN at the end of our third year in this option and pay mostly community college tuition rates.
WNC RIBN makes an associate and bachelor's degree in nursing both affordable and accessible. The first three years of WNC RIBN are hosted on SCC's campus with one class completed online through WCU each third semester years 1 through 3. Upon successful completion of the first three years in the RIBN curriculum, you will then finish your fourth year of classes through WCU.
Students applying to WNC RIBN must meet dual admission requirements set forth collaboratively by SCC and Western Carolina University (WCU). All SCC RIBN applicants ust meet the SCC Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) requirements. For more information about applying to SCC RIBN, please contact the SCC RIBN Advisor, Linda Deeb, at 828.339.4367 or by email l_deeb@southwesterncc.edu.
The Priority Deadline for RIBN is Jan 31. All application steps listed below must be completed prior to Jan. 31 for consideration. Candidates who apply after the priority deadline will only be evaluated if there are remaining slots available on a rolling admissions basis.
- Follow the Steps to Apply & Enroll
- Meet the testing requirements and complete all required trnaisiton/support courses.
- Applicants must have a cumulative grade point avaerage of 3.0 or higher on a scale of 4.0 for all academic college transcripts. If a student has less than 20 credit hours of college courseswork, then this requirement will default to the high school unweighted GPA.
- As a SELECTIVE ADMISSIONS program, there is only one entry point into this program annually. The TEAS test is required for RIBN Nursing applicants and must score 70 or above. Applications will be ranked using the Health Sciences Admissions Rubric.
- In addition, all nursing applicants must:
- Have completed high school algebra or transferable college math course with a "C" or higher or earned equivalent RISE placement test scores (P2).
- Hold a documented, current, unstrestricted credential in a healthcare field
- Have successfully completed Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 168) within the past five years with a "C" or higher and completed ACA 122 or received a waiver fo this course prior to the Priority Application Deadline of January 31st.
- In addition, students must meet the following WCU requirements:
- General acceptance to Western Carolina University: requires if less than 24 years of age, each student has taken these courses in high school or at the college/university level - 4 units of English, 2 units of social studies - one being US History; 4 units of math - Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry and an advanced math beyond Algebra 2; 3 units of science - such as, life science, physical science, chemistry, biology - must have taken one science with a lab; 2 units of a language (must be 2 units of the same language) other than English.
- ACT - minimum score 19 required. This requirement is waived if the RIBN applicant has 20 or more college credits with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- All applicants fill out a SCC RIBN/aRIBN application and meet with the SCC RIBN Advisor before January 31 of the year they desire fall entry into the program.
Those individuals who are notified of provisional acceptance to the program must attend a mandatory orientation session and have SCC health forms completed by the appropriate medical personnel indicating the candidate is mentally and physically capable of performing the job duties required by this profession.
Once accepted into the program, students will be required to complete an onboarding process, which will include a criminal background check and drug testing prior to participation in the clinical component. If any clinical facility refuses to allow the student to participate in clinical experiences, for any reason, the student will not bed able to progress in the program. Each student completing a health science program check and/or drug test prior to a state or national licensing/certification board approving the graduate to sit for exams.
RIBN students must successfully pass the NCLEX RN exam to progress to year 4 with WCU. All WCU classes will be online courses.
This program is approved by the
North Carolina Board of Nursing
PO Box 2129
Raleigh, NC 27602
919.782.3211, www.ncbon.com
