Admissions · Selection
Lottery vs. Points Nursing Programs in California, by Region
California RN programs don't all choose students the same way. Some rank applicants by points, some hold a random lottery among eligible applicants, some do both, and many universities use holistic review. The mix changes from region to region, which matters if you're deciding where to apply. This guide counts the selection method each program publishes, grouped by the nine regions the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) uses. For what each method means and how to prepare, see the canonical explainer: How California nursing schools choose students.
By the SEAPHE Editorial Team
Data from the California Board of Registered Nursing
Methods by region
| Region | Open programs | Points | Points + lottery | Lottery | Holistic | Eligibility-based | Not published or not yet collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern California | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Northern Sacramento Valley | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Greater Sacramento | 12 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Bay Area | 31 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 0 | 5 |
| San Joaquin Valley | 15 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Central Coast | 7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Los Angeles Area | 47 | 16 | 5 | 3 | 11 | 8 | 4 |
| Inland Empire and Orange County | 31 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 2 |
| San Diego and Imperial | 11 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| All regions | 162 | 54 | 27 | 11 | 39 | 15 | 16 |
Source: SEAPHE's program records, built from each school's own website, catalog or application documents (checked Oct 9, 2026), using the same method categories shown on each school page. Regions follow the BRN's county groupings. "Open programs" are those on the BRN approved list that aren't closed or marked as not accepting students (BRN list retrieved Oct 7, 2026). Counts include ADN, BSN and ELM programs.
Lottery and combined programs, by region
These are the programs whose published method includes a random draw. Every other program in the region uses points, holistic review or eligibility-based admission, or hasn't published a method.
- Northern California. Lottery: Mendocino College. Points + lottery: none recorded.
- Northern Sacramento Valley. Lottery: Butte College. Points + lottery: none recorded.
- Greater Sacramento. Lottery: none recorded. Points + lottery: American River College, Sacramento City College, Sierra College.
- Bay Area. Lottery: De Anza College, Merritt College, Napa Valley College, Santa Rosa Junior College, Solano Community College. Points + lottery: Cabrillo College, Chabot College, City College of San Francisco.
- San Joaquin Valley. Lottery: none recorded. Points + lottery: Bakersfield College, Fresno City College, Merced College, Modesto Junior College, Porterville College, San Joaquin Delta College.
- Central Coast. Lottery: none recorded. Points + lottery: Hartnell College, Santa Barbara City College.
- Los Angeles Area. Lottery: Glendale Community College, LA City College, LA Valley College. Points + lottery: Cerritos College, College of the Canyons, LA Harbor College, Moorpark College, Mt. San Antonio College.
- Inland Empire and Orange County. Lottery: Copper Mountain College. Points + lottery: Chaffey College, Cypress College, Mt. San Jacinto College, Riverside City College, Santa Ana College.
- San Diego and Imperial. Lottery: none recorded. Points + lottery: Mira Costa College, Palomar College, San Diego City College.
How each lottery works differs. LA City College uses "Chancellor's validation cut score (80) then random lottery". Chabot College ranks applicants by a 100-point score and enters the top third into a random lottery. Bakersfield College fills 70% of seats by points and 30% by lottery among eligible applicants. Each school page on SEAPHE quotes the school's wording and links to the source.
What changes by method
Points programs. Your score decides. Use the points calculators for programs that publish a rubric, and work on the items you can still change before the deadline.
Lottery programs. Meeting every minimum gets you into the draw, and extra points above the minimum usually don't help. Many California community college lotteries use the state Chancellor's Office validation formula (prerequisite GPA and grades) plus a passing entrance exam score as the minimum.
Points + lottery. Points still matter, to win a ranked seat or to reach the group that's drawn.
Holistic. Essays, letters, experience and sometimes interviews count. This is common at UC, CSU and private universities.
Eligibility-based. Common at private colleges with several start dates a year. You're admitted if you meet the requirements while seats remain.
Statewide picture from the BRN
The BRN asks every program which methods it uses. Programs can report more than one.
| Method (2024–25) | Generic ADN | LVN-to-ADN | BSN | ELM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking by specific criteria | 71.1% | 80.0% | 75.0% | 92.9% |
| Random selection | 26.5% | 20.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Modified random selection | 20.5% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Interviews | 8.4% | 20.0% | 33.3% | 57.1% |
| Programs reporting | 83 | 5 | 48 | 14 |
Source: BRN 2024–25 Annual School Report, Table 47 (p. 35).
The BRN's figures and ours count different things: the BRN counts every method a program reports, while we assign each program one category based on its own pages. They won't match exactly.
Using this when you choose where to apply
- Mix methods. If your grades and exam scores are strong, points programs reward them. If you meet the minimums but your scores are average, lottery programs give everyone who qualifies a chance at the draw. Many applicants apply to both kinds.
- Check timing. Windows vary within each region. See the deadlines calendar.
- Look at your region in depth. Our regional guides list every program with its method, BRN-approved enrollment and listed cost: Bay Area, San Diego, Sacramento, Orange County, Inland Empire.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a lottery program ignores grades. Most still require a minimum score built from your prerequisite grades.
- Relying on last year's method. LA Pierce College, for example, used 50% points and 50% lottery for Spring 2026 and says it uses only multi-criteria screening from Fall 2026 (checked Oct 13, 2026).
- Applying only where you live. Some lottery and points programs don't give residency preference. Read each packet.
Frequently asked questions
Which California nursing programs use a lottery?
In SEAPHE's records, 11 open programs use a lottery after a minimum and 27 combine points with a lottery. All are community college ADN programs. They're listed by region above.
Is a lottery fairer than points?
Each method is a choice the program makes. Lotteries treat all eligible applicants the same. Points programs reward measurable preparation. Neither is better for everyone.
Do BSN programs use lotteries?
None reported random selection in the BRN's 2024–25 data (Table 47).
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Sources
- SEAPHE program admission records: each school’s own admissions page, linked on its SEAPHE school page (checked 2026-10-09).
- BRN Pre-Licensure RN Programs list (open status): https://www.rn.ca.gov/education/rnprograms.shtml (checked 2026-10-07).
- BRN 2024–2025 Annual School Report, Table 47: https://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/education/prelicensure24-25.pdf (checked 2026-10-07).
- LA City College ADN selection page (quoted on SEAPHE explainer): see SEAPHE school page / admission_reqs.json (checked 2026-10-09).
- Chabot College RN criteria worksheet: https://www.chabotcollege.edu/nursing/docs/application/rn-criteria-worksheet.pdf (checked 2026-10-09).
- Bakersfield College RN program (selection detail): see admission_reqs.json source_url (checked 2026-10-09).
- LA Pierce College, Nursing application requirements (Selection): https://www.lapc.edu/academics/pathways/stem/nursing/application-requirements (checked 2026-10-13).
Last updated Oct 13, 2026. Figures change every year; check each source for the latest release.