Associate Degree in Nursing Program
How to apply... how to get 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. Here you will find an explanation of 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 traditional and 24 non-traditional LPN students each year. 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 EnrollmentCenter 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 MS. Nancy Parks in room 207 in Jaynes Hall, 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 the end of fall semester. Anatomy and Physiology from an LPN program may be substituted for biology. If a high school course is used for biology, one credit of Coordinated Science 10, Biology, Anatomy & Physiology, or Zoology will count. College course which may be used for the biology pre-requisite is A&P. Math 0095, Math 1100, Math 1107, 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.
You must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA to be considered. 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. For LPN students, your LPN GPA will be used. A 2.0 GPA will be recorded for students possessing a GED.
In order to apply to Fairmont State's Nursing Program, a pre-nursing test (TEAS) must be completed with a score of 50 or higher on the Math and English components, a score of 60 orhigher on the Reading component and a score of 63 or higher on the Science component. The applicant's 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 approximately $50.00. The test may be retaken to improve the scores for the score sheet; however, the test can only be taken twice in a calendar year. The TEAS must be taken by December 1st so that the scores from this test will be in the applicant's file by the end of the semester.
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
The following requirements must be met by December 1 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):
- High School - Biology or Coordinated Science 10 or Anatomy & Physiology or Zoology; College- A&P; LPN - Anatomy & Physiology
- High School Chemistry; College - Science That Matters or Chemistry of Life or General Chemistry
- High School Algebra ; College- -Math 0095 or Math 1100 or Math 1107or Math 1112.
6. File must be complete by the end of fall semester with FSC application, nursing application, test scores, fall semester grades (if applicable), high school transcript and all transcripts from schools attended (Evidence of all post-secondary education attempted or completed must be submitted to the Enrollment Center). The $20.00 application fee must be paid by December 1st.
7. Must have at least 2.0 GPA for college work, LPN school, or for high school if no college work exists
8. You must have achieved a score of 50 or higher on the Math and English components, a score of 60 or higher on the Reading , and a score of 63 orhigher on the Science component of the TEAS test.
Score Sheet for Selection of Candidates
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 traditional student applicants and the top 24 non-traditional LPN applicants will be offered admission. If you are not one of the first students 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 traditional students to begin in the fall semester and 24 non-traditional LPN students to start in May, so the admission process continues until classes start.
The score sheet is divided into 2 sections and several parts under each section. Section I is the Minimum Requirements for admission and the first step of the process. You must meet the minimum requirements in order to be considered for admission. Section II is the Scoring process which ranks students meeting the minimum requirements to determine the top candidates. Section III determines the final score.
So for Section I the students must:
(1). Meet the general admission requirements to FSU including minimum ACT, SAT, or COMPASS scores.
(2). Have all developmental courses completed by the end of fall semester.
(3) Have taken the pre-nursing test (TEAS) and have achieved the minimum score for each component.
(4) 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 or Anatomy and Physiology from an LPN program may be substituted for biology.
(5) Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. High school applicants will use their high school GPA. Once a student has earned 10 college credits, their college GPA will be used. LPN applicants will use their LPN GPA and applicants with a GED will have a 2.0 GPA recorded.
For Section II, the applicants who have met the minimum requirements will have their applications ranked for admission. There are several components that are used to determine a ranking score. These components are:
(1) The applicant's individual scores on the Reading and Science portions of the TEAS test. 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, the higher the number of points on each component, 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.)
(2) The grade that applicant has received in the required nursing support courses.: Anatomy & Physiology (BIOL 1170 or HLCA 1170 & 1171), Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 1101), and Nutrition (FOSM 1110). You can take these courses before being admitted to the program. If you complete some or all of these support courses before you apply to the program, and make A's and B's, you can increase your overall score.
(3) LPN applicants are awarded 5 bonus points since they have been successful in a basic nursing program and have a base on which to build.
(4) High school students are awarded 4 equity points.
In Section III, all the points from Section II are added and then divided by 25 (which is the total number of points for the TEAS components and grades for the support courses). This score is then multiplied by 100 to determine the total percentage score. 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 traditional students or the 24 LPNs accepted, your name may be placed on the alternate list.
In the event that students end up with the exact score on the score sheet, a secondary analysis is completed to determine ranking.
Last Updated: 03/16/2011
