Nursing Frequently Asked Questions

• When do I apply to the Associate Degree Nursing or the Practical Nursing Program?

  • Pre-ADN students can access the competitive ADN application link, located online through MyNMC Self Service under Admission, during the following times:
    April 1–June 1 for Fall semester consideration
    August 1–October 1 for Spring semester consideration
  • The Practical Nursing Certificate program does not require a competitive application submission. This program utilizes a waitlist process for determining admission. Students are admitted in order of eligibility completion. Please submit the Practical Nursing Program Waitlist Request Form to be added to the waitlist. This form can be submitted at any time prerequisites have been completed.

• How can I earn competitive points?

  • To understand how competitive points are calculated for the competitive ADN application, please review the ADN Competitive Admission Rubric.
  • Points are calculated using the grade achieved on the first attempt at a course. Repeated courses will have no relevance for competitive points.

• If I am not accepted to the ADN program for my preferred semester, what are my next steps?

  • Applicants who earn the most competitive points and apply by the deadline will be offered admission to the ADN program. In the event that there are more applicants than available spaces, students who are not initially accepted will be placed on a waitlist based on the points system. If an admitted student declines an invitation or subsequently withdraws from the program, the next student on the waitlist will be invited to fill the vacant space. This process will continue until one month prior to the start of the semester. If waitlist students are not offered a space, they will be required to submit an updated admission application for the following semester. Students must resubmit supplemental documentation for each new application. Students must also continue to meet eligibility criteria (GPA, etc...) throughout this process.

• What is the process if there are more open spaces than qualified applicants?

  • If the admission deadline passes with fewer applicants than seats available, late admission applications will be accepted and reviewed. Admission will be finalized four weeks prior to the start of the semester (approximately August 1st and December 15th). Students will be notified via email if there are open spaces following the admission timeframe.

• How can I increase points if I need to apply for the ADN program a second time?

  • The most significant opportunities to increase competitive points include improving HESI A2 cumulative score. Students may also take BIO 228, ENG 112 and a group one Humanities course prior to admission to the ADN program for additional points. Points are calculated using the grade achieved on the first attempt at a course. Repeated courses will have no relevance for competitive points.
  • Students may appeal this policy. Please contact Health Occupations ( healthoccupations@nmc.edu) or your academic advisor for assistance with this process.

• How many times can I repeat a class?

  • There is a repeat policy in place for math and science classes required for the nursing programs (MTH 111 or 120, BIO 227, BIO 228). These classes may only be repeated once. Transferred classes are considered a first attempt as well as the following grades: W (withdrawal), AU (audit), FA (failed to attend), and I (incomplete). If the repeat policy is violated, students are no longer eligible for NMC’s nursing programs. This policy supersedes NMC’s policy regarding Repeating Courses for math and science classes.

• What is the Nursing Progression Policy?

  • The Nursing Progression Policy indicates that a final course grade below 2.5 in all HNR (Nursing) courses is considered a failure to progress. Students who receive a failure to progress are dismissed from the program with the option to apply for readmission (contingent upon space availability). Students who receive a second failure to progress are dismissed from the program and may not apply for readmission for three years. Withdrawing from a class after 33% of the class has been completed is also considered a failure to progress. Review the Nursing Program Policy Manual for detailed information regarding the Progression Policy.

• How do I keep my classes up to date?

  • If Anatomy and Physiology classes are older than five years from program admission start date, students may update their skills through one of two options. An Anatomy and Physiology competency exam is available to students who have earned the required course credit and grade of 2.5 or higher (including BIO 228 – Anatomy & Physiology II). A score of 75% or higher is required on the exam, and it can be taken a maximum of two times. There must be a minimum of 60 days between attempts. Contact the Nursing Office Assistant for the Health Occupations Academic Area to arrange to take the exam. The student may also choose to retake A&P to update their knowledge as well. Contact Student Financial Services to determine if these courses are eligible for financial aid.
  • If the required math course is older than five years from the program start date, students may update their skills through one of two options. The Accuplacer exam is available to evaluate math placement. NMC recommends khanacademy.org as a free resource. The following website provides practice tests: accuplacerpractice.collegeboard.org. Contact the Student Success Center for more information on testing. The second option is to retake the required math class. Contact Student Financial Services to determine if these courses are eligible for financial aid.

• How is the Nursing GPA calculated?

  • GPA for eligibility and competitive points consideration is calculated by averaging overall NMC GPA with any transfer school GPA's.

• Can I apply to both the ADN and PN programs?

  • Students must choose either the ADN or the PN program. Students may not be on the PN waitlist and apply competitively for the ADN program.

• What if two or more students earn the same number of points? Who is considered for admission first?

  • If two or more students are equally qualified, admission will be granted to the student who applied first.

• Why don't you add more instructors and clinical spaces?

  • NMC is very fortunate to be able to use Munson Medical Center for our clinical rotations. The nursing programs use the majority of nursing units within the hospital, including specialty areas. Because of this, there are no additional clinical spaces available for students. Additionally, the Michigan Board of Nursing (MBON) dictates the number of students in our clinical groups. This regulation is in place to ensure that students can provide safe patient care.

• Is the online program the same as the Face-to-face program?

  • The online program is the same as the face-to-face program. The program outcomes and content are the same; however, the delivery method is different. For the online program, lecture course content is presented online. Proctored testing, labs, and clinical rotations are completed on campus or on site for both programs. Clinical rotations are completed in the Traverse City area.

• I have “everything” done and am just waiting to be admitted — or — I am required to take 6 to 12 credits for my financial aid. What do I do now?

  • Many hospitals and other industry employers, require or encourage nursing professionals to continue their education post-ADN completion. It is recommended that ADN students search for a BSN program of interest. The University Center at NMC provides local BSN options. After choosing a program, students may check for prerequisite or general education requirements that may be taken at NMC for transfer credit and potentially use financial aid if available. Contact Student Financial Services to determine if additional courses are eligible for financial aid.

• How many students do you accept each year (or semester)?

  • In the fall, NMC accepts 20 ADN students into the face-to-face option, 20 ADN students into the online option, and 4 students into the LPN-ADN Completion option. NMC also admits 8 students into the PN program. For the spring semester, NMC accepts 40 ADN students into the face-to-face option, 4 students into the LPN-ADN Completion option, and 8 students into the PN program. The PN program is only offered in the face-to-face format.

• How much does the program cost?

  • Please review the following information to assist with estimating the costs of the programs: ADN Program Costs, PN Program Costs, and ADN Completion Option Program Costs.

• Do you have night or weekend classes?

  • Classes and clinical may be scheduled Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and/or Friday. Some of the clinical sections are offered in an afternoon/evening shift. Clinical assignments range from two to three days per week and from three to twelve hours per day. Currently, we do not offer any weekend classes.

• What is the difference between a Practical Nurse (PN) and a Registered Nurse (RN)?

  • Once licensed, the LPN (licensed practical nurse) works under the guidance of the professional or registered nurse (RN). The RN is the coordinator of care for a group of patients. RNs are a member of an interdisciplinary team helping the patient achieve their optimum level of wellness. The RN may delegate tasks to other members of the healthcare team, for example, LPNs and nursing assistants, while providing patient care.

• Are there good paying jobs available for lPNs?

  • Yes, there are good paying jobs for licensed practical nurses. Most of these jobs are in extended care facilities, home care, and in physician offices. See NMC’s online Career Coach for Practical Nursing for more information.

• Can I take any nursing classes before I am admitted to the nursing program?

  • Nursing classes are only available to nursing students. Informatics Essentials (HAH 100c) is an Allied Health course. However, this is also only available to pre-nursing students because this class is linked to clinical coursework at Munson Medical Center. Charting in an electronic health record is taught in HAH 100c and this is linked to nursing education.

• How long do I have to wait for clinicals?

  • Clinicals begin in the first semester of the nursing program.

• Can I work while I’m in the program?

  • This program is very demanding and requires hours of preparation and study time to be a safe patient care provider. Students are working with people whose lives are in their hands. Students must be alert and prepared at all times. Due to the educational demands of nursing school, students are encouraged to work part-time at a maximum while also reflecting on additional demands on time.

• Where do I go for academic advising?

  • All pre-nursing students see our professional advisors in the Advising Center for assistance with prerequisite requirements. After students are admitted to the nursing program, they are assigned a full time nursing faculty member to provide academic advising throughout the program.

• Can I transfer nursing courses from other colleges?

  • In order to evaluate if nursing classes can be transferred, please submit all syllabi from courses previously taken to the Director of Nursing for consideration. Additionally, if you have attended a previous nursing school, you must submit a letter of good standing from your previous Director of Nursing.

• What CPR certification do I need for the nursing program?

  • NMC offers BLS for Healthcare Providers (HPD 110) at the beginning of fall and spring semesters (0.2 credits). Equivalent classes include: American Heart Association: HeartCode ® BLS (CPR and AED), American Red Cross: Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers or CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers and Healthcare Providers. Students may take CPR during their first semester of nursing courses. Students are required to recertify every two years.

• Do you do drug testing?

  • Yes, a mandatory drug screen is conducted on all nursing students after admission and prior to clinical rotations. Students may also be required to submit to drug testing for cause or as required by clinical agencies. Alcohol and Drug Policy and Procedures can be found in Appendix A of the Nursing Program Policy Manual.

• Will a DUI Prevent me from entering the program?

  • The first two DUI convictions are typically misdemeanors. They would not exclude a person from entering the program. A third DUI conviction generally becomes a felony. This would require a 10 year exclusionary time period between the applicant's discharge from state supervision to the date of program entrance (actual entrance into the program).

• How do I know if what is on my record will keep me out of the program? I don't want to start working toward a nursing degree if I won't be admitted to the program.

  • The following links provide information on State and Federal exclusions for criminal history. If you have a criminal history, please review them to determine if you are eligible for clinical placement as a nursing student. Felonies typically have restricted admission for a 10- to 15-year period from the time of completion of sentence and all probation time served. Misdemeanors vary in the severity of the crime and the time frame a student would be excluded from placement in a health care setting. Misdemeanor guidelines do not require completion of probation time in the exclusion time period.
    Michigan Public Health Code (excerpt) Act 368 of 1978
    Federal law 42 USC 1320a-7 as referenced in Michigan legislation
  • Once admitted to the program, students subsequently convicted of crimes identified at the state and/or federal level as exclusionary will be dismissed. It is the student’s responsibility to report changes in the status of their criminal background to the director of the Nursing Programs.
  • The exclusionary criteria are subject to change based on Michigan Criminal Law and the MBON Administrative Rules. MBON implements the law and/or Administrative Rules documented at the time of application for licensure, not the law and/or Administrative Rules that were current at the time the student applied to the nursing program.

• Do I need to complete a health form?

  • Yes. A documented physical health assessment, including immunization records is required. Students may work with their health care provider or make an appointment with Health Services at NMC to complete this requirement. Student health requirements can be found in the Nursing Program Policy Manual.

• I have AP (Advanced Placement) and/or CLEP course credit applied to my NMC study transcript. Does this credit qualify for competitive points?

  • Students who have earned transfer credit for PSY 101 or a group one Humanities course with AP or CLEP scores will receive two competitive points because the credential is considered to be equivalent or above the required grade of 2.5.

• If I have completed more than one Group 1 Humanities course, which course will be used to complete the degree requirement and be considered for competitive points as well as the Nursing GPA calculation?

  • The humanities course with the highest grade earned will be used.

• What happens after I apply?

  • After you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation that your application has been successfully submitted. You may monitor your competitive points under self-service.

• Can I retake the HESI test? what if I took previously?

  • You can retake the HESI A2 exam once. There must be a minimum of 60 days in between. If you retake, you will need to sign up for the repeat test option. Please see the HESI page for more information.
  • If you have taken the HESI A2 exam at another institution, you can use this score as long as it is within the previous 5 years.
  • HESI A2 scores are valid for 5 years.