Yes—Baker College offers a Direct Admission Program for high-achieving high school seniors who plan to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. 

Qualified applicants can secure their spot in the BSN nursing program and lock in scholarship funding before they graduate from high school. This early acceptance provides priority registration, dedicated advising, and access to pre-matriculation resources such as campus visits and transitional workshops. 

To be considered for the direct entry nursing program, submit the following items before February 1 of your senior year:

• A completed Baker College application
• A copy of your high school transcripts
• A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• A minimum grade of 2.7 or higher (on a 4.0 scale) in biology and one other science course

Learn more about direct admissions and explore our Running Start Program pathways that allow you to earn college credits while in high school.

No—an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a nursing diploma is sufficient to sit for the NCLEX-RN and become a licensed registered nurse. However, many hospitals and health systems now prefer—or even require—a bachelor's degree in nursing for new hires, and a BSN is becoming the industry standard for leadership, specialty roles, and graduate study. 

To apply for the nursing BSN you’ll need a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA on all college coursework.

In addition, science prerequisites—Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology I & II, Microbiology, and HSC 1010—must each be completed with at least a B– (2.7) grade. 

These nursing prerequisites ensure you have the foundational knowledge needed for the nursing courses and help set you up for success in the BSN program. 

If you find yourself needing extra support, our Academic Resource Center and dedicated nursing advisors are available to help you strengthen your GPA and master prerequisite material.

The Bachelor of Science in Nursing at Baker College is 120-credit-hours, including 25 credits of general education and science prerequisites, and 62 credits of nursing coursework. Most students complete the nursing curriculum in four years, following a fall-spring semester schedule. 

Each year builds from foundational science and health courses in the first two years to advanced nursing theory and clinical practicums in your junior and senior years, with courses designed to integrate classroom learning with hands-on simulation labs and in-field clinical experiences, ensuring you meet all state board requirements by graduation.

We ensure you develop practical nursing skills well before you enter the hospital setting. All pre-licensure BSN students spend significant time in our state-of-the-art simulation labs, where high-fidelity mannequins and virtual reality scenarios replicate real-world patient emergencies, assessments, and interventions. These controlled exercises are followed by guided debriefings led by experienced faculty, helping you refine your clinical judgment and technical technique.

Once you’ve mastered core competencies in the lab, you transition into supervised clinical rotations at partner hospitals, clinics, and community health sites—applying your knowledge with live patients under the mentorship of practicing nurses and instructors. This blended approach of simulated practice and hands-on patient care prepares you to hit the ground running on day one of your nursing career.

Clinical experiences start in your sophomore year and expand in complexity each semester, ensuring you build confidence and skills over time. Baker’s nursing clinical coordinator works with you to match placements at accredited partner hospitals, outpatient clinics, long-term care facilities, and community health agencies located near your campus. 

You’ll typically complete between 100–200 clinical hours per semester, rotating through specialties such as medical-surgical, pediatrics, mental health, and maternal-child nursing. 

Placement schedules are organized in advance—allowing you to balance lab days, classroom work, and clinical shifts—while ongoing support from faculty and site preceptors helps you integrate theoretical knowledge with real-world patient care.

Baker graduates continue to demonstrate strong readiness for professional practice, with a first-time NCLEX-RN exam pass rate of 89.88% in 2024. 

Several of our campuses, including Cadillac and Owosso, achieved an outstanding 100% pass rate, reflecting the consistency of our curriculum and faculty support. 

These results underscore the effectiveness of Baker’s comprehensive NCLEX prep, which include dedicated review courses, practice exams, and individualized coaching. Our rigorous blend of theory, simulation lab work, and real-world clinical rotations equips students with the knowledge and confidence they need to succeed on licensure day and beyond.

With a bachelor's degree in nursing from Baker College, you’re qualified to sit for the NCLEX-RN and begin your registered nurse career in virtually any healthcare setting. 

Common entry-level roles include Medical-Surgical RN, Labor & Delivery RN, Pediatrics RN, and Emergency Department RN; your BSN also makes you eligible for specialty certifications like Critical Care, Oncology. 

A BSN degree is also the prerequisite for advanced practice or administrative careers—such as Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Leader, or Healthcare Manager—and provides the academic foundation for graduate study in nursing.