What Is Pre-Nursing and Is It Worth It

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Your Health Magazine Contributor

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What Is Pre-Nursing and Is It Worth It

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If you want to become a nurse, you might assume the next logical step is to apply directly to nursing school. But it doesn’t have to be. In fact, it can be the wrong move if you still need anatomy, microbiology, psychology, or other prerequisites.

A pre-nursing program lets you get those courses out of the way first, build a stronger academic record, and then apply to an ADN or BSN program with fewer loose ends. That said, pre-nursing is not a nursing degree, and it does not make you an RN. It’s more of a preparation for the actual nursing program.

For some students, that extra step makes sense. For others, it is an unnecessary expense. Understanding that distinction will save you time, money, and frustration.

What Is a Pre-Nursing Track?

Pre-nursing is a college program built to prepare you for admission into a professional nursing program, such as an ADN or BSN. Instead of jumping straight into clinicals, you take core general education and science classes.

Typical requirements include:

• Human anatomy and physiology
• Microbiology
• Psychology and human growth and development
• English composition, mathematics, and communication

However, prerequisites vary by institution. So, before you enroll, pull up the admission requirements for two or three ADN or BSN programs you might actually apply to. Compare them with the pre-nursing course list; if the credits do not line up, you could end up paying for classes you later have to repeat.

Who Should Consider Pre-Nursing?

There are two groups of people who tend to get the most value from it: students starting college for the first time and people changing careers.

It’s less useful if you already possess most of your prerequisites, as adding an extra full degree will only inflate tuition and time.

Some strategic planning is critical here because nursing-school admission is not always a simple matter of submitting an application and waiting for a yes. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing reported 93,176 qualified applications that were not accepted in 2025 across baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs. Capacity issues, including limited faculty, clinical placements, and classroom space, contribute to the problem.

A strong prerequisite record will not guarantee admission, of course. But it certainly gives you something useful to work with.

Online vs. Campus Pre-Nursing

A pre-nursing program for aspiring nurses can be fully online. Georgia Military College (GMC Online), for example, can be finished in as little as 1.5 years, with an estimated annual cost of $8,640 (including tuition, fees, textbooks, and materials).

An online format works best if you are balancing work, family, or other commitments. However, you must verify how target nursing schools view online science labs. Some programs strictly require hands-on, in-person lab hours, or have expiration limits on how old your science credits can be.

Is It Worth the Cost and Time?

To cut to the chase: if you already have most of your prerequisites, another degree may add little beyond cost and time. But if you are starting from scratch, though, an organized pre-nursing program can put several required courses into one coherent plan.

It can also make the transition into nursing school less abrupt. Anatomy and physiology will not teach you how to start an IV or handle your first clinical shift, obviously. They can, however, give you a working understanding of body systems and disease processes before you have to apply that knowledge to patient care.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6% employment growth for registered nurses from 2025 to 2035 (which is faster than average), with about 180,800 openings each year on average. So the demand is clear. 

Still, you need to do your homework. Before you choose pre-nursing, look beyond the program title. Check the courses, transfer policies, total cost, lab requirements, and the admission rules of the nursing schools you want next. If those pieces fit, pre-nursing can be a great first step.