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Nursing Education Initial Applicant Information

FALL 2023 NURSING APPLICATION PERIOD IS NOW CLOSED

SPRING 2024 APPLICATION PERIOD IS FROM FEBRUARY 1 TO MARCH 29

 INFORMATION BELOW WILL BE UPDATED IN DECEMBER FOR SPRING 2024.

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Resources & Application Information:

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NURSING PROGRAM STEPS TO APPLICATION

1. Ensure you are a Virginia Peninsula Community College student with a valid student ID number. Apply on-line at https://www.apply.vccs.edu/applications/vccs/apply.html?application_id=4096 to submit a college application. Placement tests may be required.

2. Pre-requisite Course Requirements:

  • BIO141 - Anatomy & Physiology I
  • ENG111 - English Composition I
  • MTH154 - Quantitative Reasoning (Replaces HLT230)
  • PSY230 - Developmental Psychology
  • SDV101 - Orientation to Health Sciences (Replaces SDV100)
  • BIO142 - Anatomy & Physiology II (for PN-RN bridge applicants ONLY)

For the fall 2023 application period, the original 5 pre-reqs will be accepted (BIO141, ENG111, HLT230, PSY230 and SDV100) as well as the new MTH154 and SDV101. 

SDV100 and HLT230 will no longer be accepted after the fall 2023 application period, and MTH154 and SDV101 will need to be taken in order to apply in the spring 2024.  Fall 2023 is the last application period course substitutions for MTH154 will be accepted.  Course substitutions will no longer be accepted for spring 2024 applications and the new MTH154 and SDV101 must be completed.

Should SDV101 not be offered as a FA23 course offering as planned, please register for SDV100 instead.  SDV100 credit will be accepted, and a course substitution form will be required to award credit for SDV101.  SDV100 can be taken in an 8W1 session that ends on October 17, one week after the close of the application period.  Assuming all other requirements are met, acceptance to the program will be contingent on successful completion of this course.  SDV100 is the only 8W1 course that can be in progress and students may apply.  All other pre-reqs (BIO141, ENG111, MTH154, and PSY230) must be completed before application.

Any science or math pre-req or gen-ed class (BIO141, BIO142, BIO150 and MTH154) expires after 5 years of completion and will need to be retaken.  If BIO142 and BIO150 have already been completed and are less than 5 years old at application, these do not need to be retaken if they expire after acceptance to the nursing program.

All pre-reqs must be completed with a grade of B or higher for nursing application, even though the College accepts a C grade for transfer credit.  It is NOT recommended to repeat any course already passed in order to improve chances of selection. Instead, please study and prepare for the ATI TEAS admissions exam so you perform above the benchmark for application.

A minimum curricular GPA for these pre-req classes must be at least 3.0 to be eligible for application. Any course that posts a P grade will not be included in this curricular GPA calculation.  With program approval, the cumulative GPA may be used for application if a curricular GPA of the 4 pre-req courses cannot be calculated. SDV101 is not included in the curricular GPA.

3. Official college transcriptsfor previous degree or courses taken must be submitted for evaluation of transfer credit.  Please visit: Request for Transfer Credit Evaluation Web link for direction on how and where to send your transcripts and to request the evaluation.  Please email Admissions@vpcc.edu if you have questions or need assistance with this process.

PN-RN bridge students must submit transcripts as above and must also submit official of transcripts for PN education.  BIO150 is a pre-req for 3 rd semester nursing classes and must be completed before joining the RN degree students; ensure to take this class in a summer session.

4. Official high school   transcript or GED transcript must be submitted.  Please email Admissions@vpcc.edu  if you have questions or need assistance with submitting this transcript or call 757-825-2700.

  • A grade of C for one year of high school Chemistry is required by the Board of Nursing. If this course was not completed in high school, it may be completed at the college level in CHM101.
  • A grade of C for one year of high school Algebra is required by the Board of Nursing. If this course was not completed in high school, it may be completed at the college level in MTH154 or other higher level math course.
  • If you attended high school in a foreign country and cannot obtain your transcript, your diploma will be accepted to show completion of secondary education. Please ensure translation if necessary. College Algebra and Chemistry will be required if high school transcript.

5. Contact an Advisor BEFORE SEPTEMBER 1 at https://www.vpcc.edu/advising to set up an appointment to ensure all pre-req requirements are complete and that you are eligible to apply. 

6. Attend a virtual information session. Please review Fall 2023 Nursing Information presentation slides are being updated and will be posted here soon. Please review the spring information session here [ 2023 Info Session PP Presentation ] . Attendance at an information session is no longer required, but strongly recommended.

A live review of Fall 2023 application requirements and process, a brief overview of the nursing program, and a Q&A session with program head will be held on:

Next virtual information sessions:
  • Tuesday, October 17, 2023, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm - -- CANCELLED DUE TO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES -- Please plan to attend the next session on:
  • Tuesday, November 14, 2023, from 1:00 – 3:00 pm - Please use Zoom link https://vccs.zoom.us/j/3603671899 to join this session.  This is the  LAST information session of the fall 2023 semester.  Information Sessions will resume in January 2024.
Please also plan to attend our Nursing Open House scheduled for September 5, 2023 at 6:00 pm at the Historic Triangle campus. Click here for more details: Nursing Open House Flyer

7. Request  a reference from a Biology or Health ( preferred) faculty member (full-time or adjunct) from any higher education institution. A professional reference may be submitted as an alternate if a BIO or HLT instructor reference cannot be obtained. Please contact your reference provider to ask them to complete the reference section of your NursingCAS application and to look for an emailed link from NursingCAS. A separate reference form is no longer required. 

8. A  resume for your work experience may also be included in your NursingCAS application. Please complete the EXPERIENCE portion of the NursingCAS application to include your work history, any medical or allied health experience you may have, as well as any military service. Upload a copy of your resume to NursingCAS (if desired, not required).

PLEASE APPLY EARLY SO YOU HAVE TIME

TO STUDY AND PREPARE

FOR THE ATI TEAS ADMISSIONS EXAM

9. Complete the on-line application at NursingCAS.org for the program you wish to apply:

All applications must be received BEFORE 5:00 pm on Sunday, October 8.

An application fee of $60 is required upon application submission. 

For the RN degree program, applications will be ranked for Day or Evening/Weekend selection based on the cohort you select: 

  • If you also select DAYS and EITHER, your application will be considered for both days and evening/weekends. This implies you prefer DAYS but allows your application to be considered for the Evening/Weekend program if you are not selected for DAYS. 
  • The same holds true if you select EVENING/WEEKEND and EITHER.
  • If you select EITHER only, this means you have no preference and can be placed in either DAY or EVENING/WEEKEND cohorts depending on your ranking.

The PN-RN Bridge application is for 2 courses (NSG115 and NSG200) in day-only fall sessions in Hampton.  NSG115 is not Financial Aid eligible and must be paid out of pocket. Upon completion of these 2 classes, applicants are eligible to join RN degree students in the 3rd semester at the Hampton campus in August 2024 or at the Williamsburg campus in January2025.  Advanced standing credit for 1st and 2nd semester nursing courses will be awarded after successful completion of NSG115 and NSG200.

 Please be prepared to:

  • Upload copies of college transcripts for nursing pre-req classes (BIO141, ENG111, MTH154, PSY230, and SDV10. PN-RN Bridge applicants ensure BIO142 (and BIO150 if already completed) is listed on the transcript.
  • Upload copy of high school transcript for proof of graduation and completion ofAlgebra and Chemistry.
  • PN-RN Bridge applicants must also upload a copy of transcripts for PN Education and a copy of their PN license.
  • Request a reference from a BIO or HLT instructor.
  • Complete the Experience section of the application for your employment, medical experience, or military service and upload a resume.
  • Schedule your ATI TEAS exam.

10. ATI TEAS Admissions Testing– Please review TEAS information at TEAS Exam Details | ATI (atitesting.com) will be administered in the Hampton III Building (525 Butler Farm Road, Hampton) in Room 734 A/B from 10am to 2pm (Don’t be late!)  Please email PSAHHS@vpcc.edu to schedule your exam after the application period has opened and your pre-reqs are all complete.

Fall 2023 TEAS Testing Schedule

  • Friday, September 29, 2023
  • Friday, October 6, 2023
  • Tuesday, October 10, 2023 - This is the last test of the application period.

Additional test dates will be added as necessary -- 50 Students Per Test Session

Create your username and password ONLY for your ATI Testing account at How to create an ATI Student Account (atitesting.com) .   Click on Create Account at the top of the page just below the orange bar.   DO NOT REGISTER for an exam at this time .  Test registration will take place on exam day.  Please visit https://help.atitesting.com/create-an-ati-account for additional direction and assistance.

PLEASE NOTE:  In order to log into campus computers, your VCCS login is required.  If you do not know your VCCS user information, please contact the Help Desk at 757-825-2709 for assistance in resetting your password.  Your username will be abc12345 for example.

The exam costs  $70 (includes July 1 $5 increase) payable on-line on test day.  DO NOT PAY IN ADVANCE.  Please bring your credit card and driver’s license or student ID with you on test day.  Payment will be made, and your test will begin.

TEAS is a 4-hour general knowledge exam that tests reading comprehension, grammar, math, and science.  The test will begin at 10 am; late arrivals will not be admitted. 

If you have previously taken the ATI TEAS exam elsewhere, unfortunately, those results are not accepted by the nursing program. This exam  must be taken through Virginia Peninsula Community College.

Scores are valid for two application cycles and can be used twice. The most recent score is counted, not the highest score. If you tested in Fall 2022, you need to test again.

Please purchase the ATI TEAS study guides, tutorials and practice tests at https://www.atitesting.com/teas/teas-prep .  Here is a SmartPrep flyer for more information [ SmartPrep Flyer ].

Please visit local libraries, etc. for other remediation materials. More information for practice tests and remediation materials will be added here as new information becomes available. 

Please prepare for this high-stakes exam early by taking a practice test to assess the areas in which you are weakest and then focus your studying in those areas. Set a timer to practice taking a timed test.

Please visit https://www.atitesting.com/teas/register/teas-on-campus-at-institution to learn more for what to expect and do on test day and visit ATI’s Help Center at https://help.atitesting.com/ati-teas-version-7 for additional information on the exam, scoring and transcripts.

Decision letters will be sent electronically by the middle/end of October to all applicants to both the RN degree program and PN-RN bridge classes. All applicants will receive written notification sent to student email @email.vccs.edu addresses.

Please monitor this website regularly for updates and new information on all the application requirements.

THANK YOU FOR APPLYING TO VIRGINIA PENINSULA COMMUNITY COLLEGE'S

NURSING PROGRAM!!!

Program Acceptance and Decision Information

Acceptance

All students who apply to the nursing program will be notified of their admission status by email. Students applying to the Hampton Campus will be notified by May 15th. Students applying to the Historic Triangle Campus will be notified by November 1st. There are two types of acceptance: conditional and alternate.

Conditional Acceptance

In order to comply with clinical agency requirements, the Virginia Peninsula Nursing Program mandates the following admission requirements:

  • Attendance at a mandatory orientation session.

  • Pre-entrance medical examination with required laboratory tests and immunization records. If the medical exam indicates a finding which would prohibit a student from attending clinical, the student cannot successfully meet the course requirements and will not be able to continue in the nursing program.

  • Validation of successful completion of the American Heart Association's Healthcare Provider CPR course. Students are responsible for the cost of the CPR course.

  • Criminal background check and drug testing. If the criminal background check or drug screen indicates a finding which prohibits a student from attending a clinical agency, the student cannot successfully meet the course requirements and will not be able to continue in the nursing program. Students are responsible for the cost of the background check and drug testing.

In addition, clinical agencies may implement criminal background checks or random urinary drug screenings. Nursing students, if selected by the agency, may be included in this testing. These policies are the procedures of the clinical agencies, not the college.

Alternate Status

Alternates have met the admission requirements but the number of applications that were received exceeded the number of students that could be accepted. Normally, the nursing program has students who decline admission, and attrition occurs. Should seats become available, students with alternate status may then be offered conditional acceptance.

Financial Requirements

In addition to college tuition, fees, and course textbooks, the Nursing program has additional costs for which students will be responsible. Costs may include but are not limited to criminal background check and drug screen, medical examination, immunization/titers, CPR certification, uniforms, instruments and supplies, transportation to and from clinical sites, testing resources, and certification and licensure fees. Contact the Health Professions advising office for additional information.