HOW TO APPLY TO THE ASSOCIATE DEGREE NURSING PROGRAM
AND HOW TO BE ACCEPTED

 

Thank you for your interest in our nursing program. You will find all of the information concerning our program right here on our Web page. I am Megan Jones, your advisor. I would like to try to explain the application process, the requirements for you to enter our program, and the admission process. You may view and print the forms that are referenced in this explanation.

Begin by reading the checklist. You can see that you must apply by December 1st to be considered for acceptance into our program in the following fall semester. We admit one class of 96 students each year to begin taking classes in August. To apply, complete the Application for Admission–Associate Degree Nursing form, submit it to the Enrollment Center, and pay the application fee of $20 to the Enrollment Center no later than December 1st.

Fairmont State requires that all students have test scores that meet the minimums for English and Math to take college level English, Math, and Science courses, therefore, meeting these minimum requirements is a pre-requisite to entering the nursing program. The Nursing applicant must have a minimum ACT (SAT) English score of 18 (450) or take English 0097 and a minimum ACT (SAT) Math score of 19 (460) or take Math 0095. The English and Math COMPASS tests can be used to test out of the developmental courses. To take the COMPASS tests, contact Nancy Parks in room 218 of the Hardway Building, by e-mail nparks@fairmontstate.edu or by phone at 304-367-4990.

You must have completed algebra, chemistry, and biology at the high school level or in college. One credit of each course in high school or one semester of each course in college must have been successfully completed by December 15. Anatomy and Physiology from an LPN program may be substituted for biology. If a high school course is used for biology, the highest grade will be selected from one credit of Coordinated Science 10, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, or Zoology. If a college course is used for the biology pre-requisite, the best semester grade for A&P or Human Biology or Science That Matters is used. Math 0095, Math 1100, or Math 1112 may be used in place of high school algebra. Science That Matters, Chemistry of Life, or General Chemistry may be used for the chemistry pre-requisite. The grade from one semester of Science That Matters can be used for both grades for chemistry and biology. If you have both high school and college courses that can be used for the pre-requisites, the course with the highest grade will be used. You always get the benefit of your best work.

You will see later when the score sheet for admission is explained that the higher your GPA, the better it will be for your score. You must have at least a 2.0 to be considered, but a low GPA can lower your score on the score sheet enough that your score would be too low for you to be considered for admission. If you have taken college courses, your college GPA must be at least a 2.0. If you have not taken college courses, your high school GPA must be at least a 2.0. If your high school GPA is low, you can take at least 10 credits of college classes to improve your GPA. Once you have completed 10 credits of college work, your college GPA will be used on the Score Sheet for Selection.

In order to apply to Fairmont State’s Nursing Program, a pre-nursing test (TEAS) must be completed with a score of 50 or above in every area. The test measures ability in English, Reading, Science, and Math. The applicants’ individual scores in all four areas, will be used on the score sheet. If you would like to take the TEAS test please click here to register online. There is a test fee of $35.00. The test may be retaken to improve the scores for the score sheet. The TEAS must be taken by December 1st so that the scores from this test will be in the applicant file by December 15.

Along with submitting your nursing application, you must also make sure that the Enrollment Center has received your college application, test scores, transcripts from other schools that you have attended, your high school transcript, and your math 95 grade, if applicable. Evidence of all post-secondary education attempted or completed must be submitted to the Enrollment Center. It is your responsibility to contact the Enrollment Center to make sure that your application file is complete. An incomplete file will not be evaluated for a score sheet to be completed and the applicant’s name will not appear on the applicant list. In addition, an applicant who fails to meet all of the pre-requisites will not be placed on the applicant list.

 

Summary of requirements that must be met by December 15 for the nursing application to be considered:

 

1.  Submit nursing application and pay the application fee of $20 to the Office of Admisssions by December 1st.

2.  Have taken the ACT, or SAT, or COMPASS English and Math

3.  If highest ACT English score is below 18 or SAT Verbal is below 450, or equivalent COMPASS, then must pass English 0097

4.  If highest ACT Math score is below 19 or SAT Math is below 460, or equivalent COMPASS, then must pass Math 0095

5.  Must have one credit of the following courses in high school (or one semester in college):

  • Biology OR Coordinated Science 10 OR Anatomy & Physiology OR Zoology (Science That Matters, A&P, or Human Biology)
  • Chemistry (Science That Matters or Chemistry of Life or General Chemistry)
  • Algebra (Math 0095 or Math 1100 or Math 1112.  Note that Math 0095 is a credit/no credit class.  Credit is recorded as a grade of "C" on the score sheet.  

6.  File must be complete by December 15 with FSC application, nursing application, test scores, high school transcript, all transcripts from all schools attended (Evidence of all post-secondary education attempted or completed must be submitted to the Enrollment Center), and Math 95 grade. The $20.00 application fee must be paid by December 1st.

7.        Must have at least 2.0 GPA for college work and for high school if no college work exists

8.        A score of 50 or higher must be attained on every area of the TEAS.

9.     The score on the score sheet must be at least 85%.

 

Next, I will explain the Score Sheet for Selection of Candidates. You must score at least 85% to be considered for admission. The higher your score, the more likely it is that you will be admitted. It all depends on how many applicants have a score higher than yours. The top 96 applicants will be offered admission. If you are not one of the first 96 accepted, your name may be placed on the alternate list. As applicants decline admittance, acceptance is granted to the applicant at the top of the list. We admit 96 students to begin in the fall semester, so the admission process continues until classes start so that we begin with 96 students.

In order to apply to Fairmont State’s Nursing Program, a pre-nursing test (TEAS) must be completed with a score of 50 or above in every area. The test measures ability in English, Reading, Science, and Math. The applicant’s individual scores in all four areas will be used on the score sheet; you can see that number 1 refers to TEAS scores. There are ranges of scores that equal a designated number of points. Your highest scores from the test will be placed on the corresponding lines in the right column. In order for you to have a good chance of getting accepted, you want a total number of points in the right column in this area to equal no fewer than 12, but the higher the number of points, the better for your overall score. For more information about the TEAS test, including testing dates, click this link for frequently asked questions about the TEAS test.  (Note: The TEAS can only be taken twice in a calendar year.)

The number 2 area on the score sheet is GPA. If you have fewer than 10 credits of college work, your high school GPA is used. Once you have 10 credits or more of college work completed, your college GPA from the previous 5 years is used. For LPN applicants who have no college credits whose LPN GPA is better than their high school GPA, we will use the LPN GPA for the score sheet. Those with a GED, and no college work, will receive 2 points for this area. The number of points for the GPA range is placed on the GPA line. It is best for you to have a GPA of 3.0 or higher for a score of 4 or 5.

Number 3 takes into consideration your grades for algebra, biology, and chemistry. You must have completed algebra, biology, and chemistry at the high school level or in college. One credit of each course in high school or one semester of each course in college must have been successfully completed by December 15. Anatomy and Physiology from an LPN program may be substituted for biology. If a high school course is used for biology, the highest grade will be selected from one credit of Coordinated Science 10, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, or Zoology. If a college course is used for the biology pre-requisite, the best semester grade for A&P or Human Biology or Science That Matters is used. Math 0095, Math 1100, or Math 1112 may be used in place of high school algebra. Science That Matters or Chemistry of Life or General Chemistry may be used for the chemistry pre-requisite. Taking one semester of Science That Matters can be used for both pre-requisites of biology and chemistry. If you have both high school and college courses that can be used for the pre-requisites, the course with the highest grade will be used. You always get the benefit of your best work. It is best if you have nothing less than a B in each course so that the score on each line will be a 3 or 4. 

The number 4 area takes into consideration the support courses that apply to the Nursing program. You may take these courses before being admitted to the program. If you complete some or all of the support courses before you apply to the program, and make A’s and B’s, you can increase your overall score. On the first column of lines, place the number of credits each course is worth. The middle column is for the course grade, and the last column of lines is for the quality points. To figure the quality points, multiply the number of credits by the number for the grade. To get your GPA for these courses, divide the total quality points by the total number of credits completed. The same scale is used to determine the number of points for this GPA as for the GPA in number 2. The total number of support course credits completed gives you points based on the scale provided. 

The ACT/SAT/COMPASS area in the lower left corner of the score sheet is a prerequisite. Fairmont State requires that all students have test scores that meet the minimums for English and Math to take college level English, Math, and Science courses; therefore, meeting these minimum requirements is a pre-requisite to entering the nursing program. The nursing applicant must have a minimum ACT (SAT) English score of 18 (450) or take English 0097 and a minimum ACT (SAT) Math score of 19 (460) or take Math 0095. The English and Math COMPASS tests can be used to test out of the developmental courses. To take the COMPASS tests, contact Nancy Parks in room 218 of the Hardway Building, by e-mail nparks@fairmontstate.edu, or by phone at 304-367-4990.

Once all of the points have been assigned in the right hand column, the total score can be determined. If there are points for areas 1 through 3, but not 4, add all of the points and divide by 33. If there are points for areas 1 through 4, add all of the points and divide by 35. LPN’s get 5 additional points since they have been successful in a basic nursing program and have a base on which to build. Applicants who have an earned bachelor's degree also receive 5 additional points, since they have successfully completed a college degree.  You must score at least 85% to be considered for admission. The higher your score, the more likely it is that you will be admitted. It all depends on how many applicants have a score higher than yours. If you are not one of the first 96 accepted, your name may be placed on the alternate list. As applicants decline admittance, acceptance is granted to the applicant at the top of the list. We admit 96 students to begin in the fall semester, so the admission process continues until classes start so that we begin with 96 students.

In the event that students end up with the exact score on the score sheet, a secondary analysis is completed to determine ranking.  The cumulative GPA times the highest composite score on the TEAS is used.

If you need additional information, you may contact me at 304-367-4233 or in room 219 of the Hardway Building or by e-mail Megan.Jones@fairmontstate.edu. The secretary can also be of help if you call 304-367-4133 or 304-367-4003.

 

 

Page last modified: 11/06/2008