Admissions

Nursing Programs Admissions Requirements

Practical Nursing Admission Requirements
Associates Degree in Nursing Admission Requirements

Practical Nursing Admission Requirements

  1. Completed application to Salem Community College
  2. Completed application to Practical Nursing program (application available only by attending a Nursing Information Session)
  3. Submission of high school transcript or proof of GED
  4. Completion of all English and mathematics basic skills coursework
  5. Completion of high school biology with a C+ or higher, or BIO 110 (Human Biology) with a 78% or higher
  6. Completion of high school chemistry with a grade of C+ or higher, or completion of CHM 100 (Basic Chemistry) with a 78% or higher
  7. Completion of the following with a grade of C+ (78%) or higher in each course:
    • BIO 220 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
    • BIO 221 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
    • ENG 101 English Composition I
    • PSY 111 Human Growth and Development
    • MAT 115 Fundamentals of Mathematics for Nursing
    • SCO 107 Skills for Nursing Success
  8. Transfer students must submit a transcript to Student Services for the courses in #7 with a grade of C+ (78%) or higher. Students who completed Human Anatomy & Physiology more than 5 years ago must do one of the following:
    • Complete the Excelsior comprehensive Human Anatomy & Physiology exam (pass with a C+ or higher);
    • Take the biology department Human Anatomy & Physiology exam(s); or,
    • Retake Human Anatomy & Physiology I and/or II (BIO 220, BIO 221).
  9. Completion of Nurse Entrance Test (NET) taken within the past 2 years with a composite score of 60% or higher. Students who have taken the NET and have not met the composite score requirement may retest twice a year. Students must wait at least 4 weeks before retesting. Only tests taken at Salem Community College are accepted.
  10. An overall GPA of 2.3 or higher
  11. Successful passing of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam of 79 (iBT format), with a speaking score of 23 or higher, if American English is not the student’s native primary language. Students may repeat the test one time and may seek an exemption by permission of the Director of Nursing. Exemption criteria are based on published recommendations from ETS. Please visit the ETS website at www.ets.org for further information. Students who do not score 23 or higher on the speaking section of the TOEFL must take Introduction to Speech Communication (ENG 202) and pass with a C+ or higher before reapplying to the nursing program.

Advanced Placement: Students who meet the prerequisite requirements, have a 78% or higher in their current program and are returning to a nursing program within a year of separating from their primary program are eligible for advanced placement. Students are held to the same standard as returning PN students. Computer-based testing and a math exam will determine a student’s readiness to enter the program with advanced standing. To initiate this process, the student must submit a letter of intent and an official transcript along with course syllabi to the Director of Nursing for evaluation. Student submissions are considered on an individual and space-available basis after all criteria are met.

An example of the admission scoring rubric is available to all students through Student Services.

Associate Degree in Nursing Admission Requirements

  1. Completed application to Salem Community College
  2. Completed application to the Associate Degree in Nursing program (Application available only at Nursing Information Session)
  3. Submission of LPN license
  4. Submission of high school transcript or proof of GED
  5. Completion of high school biology with a C+ or higher, or BIO 110 (Human Biology) with a 78% or higher
  6. Completion of high school chemistry with a grade of C+ or higher, or completion of CHM 100 (Basic Chemistry) with a 78% or higher
  7. Completion of the following program prerequisites with a grade of C+ (78%) or higher:
    • BIO 220 Human Anatomy & Physiology I
    • BIO 221 Human Anatomy & Physiology II
    • ENG 101 English Composition I
    • ENG 102 English Composition II
    • PSY 101 General Psychology
    • PSY 111 Human Growth and Development
    • SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
    • MAT 115 Fundamentals of Mathematics for Nursing
    • Humanities Limited Elective
  8. Transfer students must submit a transcript to Student Services for the courses in #7 with a grade of C+ (78%) or higher. Students who completed Human Anatomy & Physiology more than 5 years ago must do one of the following:
    • Complete the Excelsior comprehensive Anatomy & Physiology exam (pass with a C+ or higher);
    • Take the biology department Human Anatomy & Physiology exam(s); or,
    • Retake Human Anatomy & Physiology I and/or II (BIO 220, BIO 221).
  9. Completion of Nurse Entrance Test (NET) taken within the past 2 years with a composite score of 60% or higher and reading comprehension score of 60% or higher. Students who have taken the NET and have not met the composite and/or reading comprehension requirement may retest twice a year. Students must wait at least 4 weeks before retesting. Only tests from Salem Community College are accepted.
  10. Successful completion of Salem Community College’s NUR 200 (LPN to RN Transition) course with a C+ (78%) or higher.
  11. An overall GPA of 2.3 or higher
  12. Computer competence with basic keyboarding and word processing skills
  13. Successful passing of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam of 79 (iBT format), with a speaking score of 23 or higher, if American English is not the student’s native primary language. Students may repeat the test one time and may seek an exemption by permission of the Director of Nursing. Exemption criteria are based on published recommendations from ETS. Please visit the ETS website at www.ets.org for further information. Students who do not score 23 or higher on the speaking section of the TOEFL must take Introduction to Speech Communication (ENG 202) and pass with a C+ or higher before reapplying to the nursing program.

Advanced Placement: Students who meet the prerequisite requirements, have a 78% or higher in their current program and are returning to a nursing program within a year of separating from their primary program are eligible for advanced placement. Students are held to the same standard as returning ADN students. They must apply for advance standing and must meet the written and skill competency requirement. To initiate this process, the student must submit a letter of intent and an official transcript along with course syllabi to the Director of Nursing for evaluation. Student submissions are considered on an individual and space-available basis after all criteria are met.

An example of the scoring rubric is available to all students through Student Services.