First semester and second semester of the Associate of Science Degree Program may be challenged at Shasta College by qualified students. The third and fourth semesters are necessary to fulfill the residency requirement for Shasta College’s Associate Degree. Each semester consists of two or more Associate of Science Degree (REGN) courses. To successfully complete a Semester Challenge, all courses must be successfully challenged in the challenged semester. 

LVN students wanting to challenge 1st and 2nd semesters in order to join the ADN program in 3rd semester must have completed a transition course with IV skills in order to meet the criteria for 3rd semester entry.

Qualified students wishing to challenge must check the appropriate boxes on the Multicriteria Application when applying to the program and complete the following steps:

A. Upon review of all qualified applications, the Program Director shall arrange for the challenge exams based on any space availability in the ADN program.

B. The student must complete the necessary paperwork. The Health Sciences staff will give the applicant the Petition for Credit by Examination form. The student is to complete in the following sequence: 

a. The student will complete the petition and return to the Health Sciences office for signatures prior to the date established when given the form but in any case, no later than September 30.

b. Health Sciences Staff will secure the course faculty and ADN Program Director’s signatures and notify the student when form is ready to be returned to the student.

c. Student will then submit the completed signed petition to the Admissions & Records Office (may be subject to a processing fee). 

d. Student must present the petition and receipt to the course faculty prior to sitting the scheduled Theory, Clinical, and Math Challenge Examinations. 

C. The Theory, Clinical, and Math Challenge Examinations will be scheduled no later than October prior to the student’s enrollment. 

D. If the applicant does not successfully pass the Theory, Clinical, and Math Challenge Examinations, the Challenge is effectively completed and the student cannot advance into another semester but may qualify to enter into the first semester.

E. If the applicant does successfully complete the Theory, Clinical, and Math Challenge Examinations, the student will meet with the program director to discuss availability in program placement. With successful completion of a Semester Challenge, the student and ADN Program Director will be notified of the course grades. Grades are graded on the same grading scale as any ADN student enrolled in that semester.

F. Once an entry date for the student is set and they have accepted, they must enter in the designated time. There are no deferments.  Perspective students who have been given an enrollment deadline or who have accept the invitation to enroll initially and then withdraw or are otherwise unable to accept the position or come in at the designated time will be required to reapply to the ADN Program during the open application period.

For eligibility requirements and process, students should review the Course Challenge section of the ADN Enrollment Practice Policy