Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree (ASCEND)
In the Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree (ASCEND) Program, you can save money and complete your bachelor’s degree from the Texas A&M College of Nursing just one semester after completing your associate degree.
Students in the ASCEND Program co-enroll in the Blinn College District Associate Degree Nursing Program and the Texas A&M College of Nursing on their way to both Associate of Applied Science and Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees. Students can complete their entire nursing education in Bryan/College Station, completing their associate degree with Blinn at Texas A&M-RELLIS and their bachelor’s degree at Texas A&M.
Degree Plan
The Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree (ASCEND) is an RN-to-BSN program exclusively for Blinn College nursing students. Students enrolled in the Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree at Blinn are eligible for co-enrollment in the Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Texas A&M University.
Students may apply to ASCEND during their first or second semester of the Blinn Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Program. Depending on their Blinn Nursing program entry term, students can earn their BSN from Texas A&M in as little as one semester after completing their ADN program at Blinn. ASCEND graduates are eligible to receive an Aggie Ring upon graduation from Texas A&M.
For information on Blinn's ADN program, email [email protected] or [email protected].
General Timeline – Fall Admissions
January
The Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) application opens. You must have already applied and been accepted to Blinn College.
March
Deadline for completing the Blinn ADN admissions process.
April
Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing Program begins releasing admissions decisions for the next Fall start.
The Blinn ADN-RN program will then walk you through the admissions process for ASCEND.
October
The Blinn ADN-RN program will walk you through the admissions process for ASCEND.
General Timeline – Spring Admissions
August
The Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) application opens. You must have already applied and been accepted to Blinn College.
October
Deadline for completing the Blinn ADN admissions process.
November
Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing Program begins releasing admissions decisions for the next Spring start.
The Blinn ADN-RN program will walk you through the admissions process for ASCEND.
FAQ
The Aggie Student-Centered Express Nursing Degree (ASCEND) Program allows students to pursue their Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nursing with the Blinn College Associate Degree Nursing Program and their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from the Texas A&M College of Nursing.
To qualify for the ASCEND program, you must first be enrolled in Blinn’s Associate Degree Nursing Traditional Option program as a first or, second, or third semester student. Then, you must maintain a 3.0 GPA calculated in three different ways: (1) in your Blinn nursing courses, (2) A&M Prerequisites, and (3) Nursing Sciences (as defined by Texas A&M). In addition, you must be in good standing at Blinn College and complete an application for the ASCEND program during the published timeframe.
Blinn Admissions
Admission to the ADN program is competitive; we recommend striving for the highest grades you can make (but a minimum of a C) on the seven (7) ADN prerequisite and three (3) co-requisite courses (ENGL 1301, PSYC 1301, BIOL 2401, BIOL 2420, BIOL 2402, PSYC 2314, and the humanities elective). Note the average admitting GPA of these 7 courses is a 3.6.
TAMU Admissions
Prerequisites for the ASCEND program
- A minimum of a 3.0
Nursing Sciences (General psychology, lifespan psychology, statistics, chemistry, anatomy and physiology 1 and 2, microbiology
- A minimum of a 3.0
Completed ADN (RNSG) courses (from Blinn)
- A minimum of a 3.0 on any RNSG courses taken/completed
No. To apply for the ASCEND Program, you must enroll in the Traditional Option of the Associate Degree Nursing Program. Those students enrolled in the Transition Options would apply to Texas A&M RN-BSN Program through the established application requirements.
Students will complete 60 credit hours of prerequisite courses, 60 credits in the Associate Degree Nursing program at Blinn, and 30 credits of RN-BSN coursework at Texas A&M University. The breakdown of cost is as follows:
- 60 credit hours of prerequisite courses- vary depending on where you complete these courses
- 60 credit hours of ADN courses (Blinn rate)-approximately $11,500
- 30 credit hours of RN-BSN coursework (Texas A&M rate) - approximately $11,500
Students accepted to the ASCEND Program pay the respective tuition and fees separately at both institutions, pro-rated as appropriate based on the semester credit hours enrolled at each institution, by the established deadlines.
Students will be considered in-absentia at Texas A&M University and therefore not subject to the Recreation Sports Fee, the Health Center Fee, and the Student Center Complex Fee.
While students are completing courses in Blinn’s Associate Degree Nursing Program, financial aid will be completed through the Blinn Financial Aid Office. During summer sessions if students are completing courses only at Texas A&M, or when students are completing courses at Texas A&M after graduating from Blinn, students will complete financial aid through the Texas A&M Financial Aid Office.
Clinicals for all Blinn nursing courses will be completed in within Blinn’s service area. See the article for details- In-depth clinical training prepares Blinn Associate Degree Nursing students for success