Golden West College recently opened a new simulation laboratory where
students can gain hands-on training in a realistic hospital setting
Huntington Beach, Calif. — In response to a critical shortage of registered nurses in California, Golden West College (GWC) is expanding access to its top-rated nursing program with the launch of a second application window this year. From July 1–8, 2025, prospective students can apply for admission to the GWC School of Nursing for the Spring 2026 semester.
This expansion is made possible through a transformative $3.5 million grant from a private donor, awarded in Fall 2024 as part of a three-year initiative to grow the College’s capacity to train highly skilled, career-ready nurses for Orange County and beyond.
“Golden West is one of the region’s leading providers of nursing education, offering pathways that begin in high school and lead all the way to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing,” said Meridith Randall, President of Golden West College. “The generous support of this private donor allows us to train more nurses to meet the urgent needs of our local healthcare system, benefiting not only our students, but the community as a whole.”
California — and particularly Orange County — continues to face a nursing workforce crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite high demand for nurses with bachelor’s degrees, public university programs remain heavily impacted, accepting fewer than 8% of applicants in Southern California in recent years. This shortfall forces many students to turn to costly private institutions, often incurring significant debt.
GWC is working to close this gap through affordable, accessible programs that reduce time to degree and promote diversity in the nursing profession. The College’s Concurrent Enrollment Program (CEP) with Cal State San Bernardino allows students to simultaneously pursue both an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), dramatically reducing both time and cost. In addition, the Running Start to Nursing dual enrollment program enables high school students to take tuition-free prerequisite courses beginning in 10th grade.
With a 99% NCLEX pass rate and strong partnerships with local healthcare providers, GWC’s School of Nursing has become a model for workforce-aligned, community-centered nursing education.
“This second application window is a strategic move to increase the number of qualified nursing graduates entering the workforce each year,” says Dr. Alice Martanegara, Associate Dean and Director of Nursing at Golden West. “By expanding capacity now, we’re preparing students to meet the evolving needs of hospitals and clinics across the region.”
The recent private donation will primarily support the hiring of additional nursing faculty and staff to serve the increasing number of students entering the program. It will also help expand access to clinical rotation placements, a critical component of hands-on training that can often limit program capacity due to hospital staffing constraints.
Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.goldenwestcollege.edu/nursing for eligibility details and application instructions. The application portal will be open July 1 through July 8, 2025, for the Spring 2026 cohort.
