This study was designed to provide Widener College (Pennsylvania) with data to develop an admission policy for the registered nurse in the baccalaureate program of nursing. Subjects were the deans of fourteen accredited baccalaureate programs of nursing in the state of Pennsylvania. A letter and a questionnaire comprised of open-end and closed-end questions concerning admission policies and awarding of credit and advanced standing to the registered nurse were mailed to each school. There was a 71 percent return rate. The replies showed that 80 percent reserved spaces for registered nurses; 30 percent had different admission policies for the associate degree nurse and the diploma nurse; all institutions accepted handicapped students; 10 percent reserved spaces for registered nurses from minority groups; all indicated that they admitted the registered nurse for full-time and part-time status; all indicated that transcripts from high school, nursing programs, and all colleges attended were part of the application; 60 percent designated the College Entrance Examination to be required for admission; 90 percent indicated that credit or advanced standing was awarded to registered nurses from a diploma program, while all of the institutions awarded credit or advanced standing to the associate degree nurse; 80 percent awarded credit by examination of selected courses in the nursing major to the diploma nurse as compared to 70 percent for the associate degree nurse; 80 percent used nursing challenge examinations. Implementation, revision, and evaluation of the admission policy are recommended. (Author)