How to contact the ASN program?

Please contact the Nursing Program Coordinator, Chance Hooper, at 706-295-6321 or by email at chooper@highlands.edu with any questions. If you leave a voicemail, please make sure you have your voicemail setup and there is room to leave a message if needed. I am available 7:30am-5pm Monday - Thursday and 7:30am-11:30am Friday.

What campuses are the nursing classes taught on? What about clinical sites?

The nursing program is based at the James D. Maddox Heritage Hall site located at 415 East 3^rd Avenue Rome, GA 30161.

Nursing lectures are held in Lakeview Auditorium on the Floyd Campus at 3175 Cedartown Highway Rome, GA 30161 with campus lab and simulation lab activities at the Heritage Hall location at 415 East 3rd Avenue Rome, GA 30161.

Please visit the new Virtual Tours website to take an online tour of each Georgia Highlands campus.

Our main clinical partner is Atrium Health Floyd with a minor clinical presence in, Polk, Bartow, Paulding, and Cobb counties.

What campuses are nursing prerequisites available on?

Georgia Highlands College offers general education prerequisite courses online and on its four campuses:

Floyd Campus 3175 Cedartown Highway Rome, GA 30161

Cartersville Campus 5441 Highway 20, NE Cartersville, GA 30121

Marietta Campus 1090 Northchase Parkway, Suite 150 Marietta, GA 30060

Paulding Campus 25 Courthouse Square Dallas, GA 30132

How can I see what classes are taught on what campuses or online?

To see what classes are available online or on the different campuses, students will want to use the public Course Offerings link to search: https://www.highlands.edu/ghcbanner/course-offerings

What are the class and clinical schedules like?

Below are examples of the fall 2024 class and clinical schedules for both the first and second year cohorts:

First Year Fall 2024 Class Schedule

First Year Fall 2024 Clinical Schedule

Second Year Fall 2024 Course Schedule

Second Year Fall 2024 Clinical Schedule

Full program Clinical Hours breakdown

Atrium Health Floyd Full-Time Nursing Pathway

Admission to the program is a two-step process, requiring the student to apply to the college and then the nursing program.

1. Applicants must submit the following materials to the Georgia Highlands College Admissions Office:
   1. Completed Georgia Highlands College Application for the summer after high school graduation.
   2. Copy of high school transcript.
   3. Official copy of transcripts from all colleges previously attended if a dual enrollment student.
      1. These are only required if the applicant attended college classes while dual enrolled at another institution, GHC dual enrollment students will skip this process.
   4. An official ACT score report must be submitted to the GHC Admissions office.
   5. Check Admissions Status
      1. If accepted into the program, all GHC Admissions requirements MUST be completed in order to be registered for nursing classes.
   6. Applicants must meet the following requirements for nursing program eligibility:
      1. Must be 18 years of age by August 1^st of application year.
      2. An ACT composite score of at least 24 OR an SAT score of at least 1160.
         22. An English score of at least 22.
         23. A Math score of at least 20.
      3. If English is the student’s second language, proof of the following achievement on the TOEFL is also required:
         1. 550 on paper-based exam
         2. 213 on computer exam
         3. 80 on internet exam
      4. Applicants must attend a live nursing information session in mid-March

Application Process for the Atrium Health Floyd Full-Time ASN Pathway (Application Deadline 11:59pm March 1^st)

After submitting the required documents to the GHC Admissions Office for college acceptance, students must submit their nursing application with the following documents by 11:59pm March 1st:

1. Driver’s license or other government issued photo ID
2. Optional CNA license

An admission decision will be made before the end of March and applicants will be notified by the email provided on their nursing application. Accepted applicants will start classes in the summer semester.

Atrium Health Floyd Traditional ASN Program (Application deadline 11:59pm April 1^st)

Admission to the program is a two-step process, requiring the student to apply to the college and then the nursing program.

1. Applicants must submit the following materials to the Georgia Highlands College Admissions Office:
   1. Completed Georgia Highlands College Application for the summer after high school graduation.
   2. Copy of high school transcript.
   3. Official copy of transcripts from all colleges previously attended.
      1. These are only required if the applicant attended college classes while dual enrolled at another institution, GHC dual enrollment students will skip this process.
   4. Check Admissions Status
      1. If accepted into the program, all GHC Admissions requirements MUST be completed in order to be registered for nursing classes.
   5. Applicants must meet the following requirements for program eligibility:
      2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the required general core courses
         1. A grade of C or better in A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, ENGL 1101, MATH 1001 or higher.
            1. The C in the biology courses includes both lecture and lab
            2. It is the policy of the GHC nursing program to require students to retake biology courses if they were taken more than six years before the application deadline for the nursing program.
         2. A minimum composite score of 70 on the ATI TEAS exam.
            1. An official ATI TEAS score report is required by the application deadline.
               1. Applicants who test with the GHC Testing Center do not have to worry about submitting their score reports.
               2. Applicants who test outside of the GHC Testing Center must submit an official score report to GA Highlands College through their ATI account.
               3. Cannot be older than two years from the application deadline.
               4. No more than four attempts in each application cycle.
                  1. The application cycle runs April 2^nd – April 1^st yearly
               5. Applicants must attend a nursing information session
                  1. The information sessions are held the third Wednesday of every month from 11am-12pm via Microsoft Teams
                  2. The registration links for the information sessions are available under the Nursing Information Sessions drop down box at the bottom of the program page.

Atrium Health Floyd LPN & Paramedic Bridge to RN Program (Application deadline 11:59pm August 15^th)

Admission to the program is a two-step process, requiring the student to apply to the college and then the nursing program.

1. Applicants must submit the following materials to the Georgia Highlands College Admissions Office:
   1. Completed Georgia Highlands College Application for the summer after high school graduation.
   2. Copy of high school transcript.
   3. Official copy of transcripts from all colleges previously attended if a dual enrollment student.
      1. These are only required if the applicant attended college classes while dual enrolled at another institution, GHC dual enrollment students will skip this process.
   4. Check Admissions Status
      1. If accepted into the program, all GHC Admissions requirements MUST be completed in order to be registered for nursing classes.
   5. Applicants must meet the following requirements for program eligibility:
      2. A minimum GPA of 2.5 in the required general core courses
         1. A grade of C or better in A&P I, A&P II, Microbiology, ENGL 1101, MATH 1001 or higher.
            1. The C in the biology courses includes both lecture and lab
            2. The science classes do not expire for working LPN/Paramedic applicants.
            3. When sciences are taken within six years, those recent attempts within six years will be counted and the older sciences excluded
         2. A minimum composite score of 70 on the ATI TEAS exam.
            1. An official ATI TEAS score report is required by the application deadline.
               1. Applicants who test with the GHC Testing Center do not have to worry about submitting their score reports.
               2. Applicants who test outside of the GHC Testing Center must submit an official score report to GA Highlands College through their ATI account.
               3. Cannot be older than two years from the application deadline.
               4. No more than four attempts in each application cycle.
                  1. The application cycle runs August 16^th – August 15^th yearly
               5. Applicants must attend a nursing information session
                  1. The information sessions are held the third Wednesday of every month from 1pm-2pm via Microsoft Teams

How is the nursing admission score determined?

The nursing admission score is determined by the grades in the prerequisite classes and the subsection scores within the ATI TEAS exam. Preference is given to students who take their science classes at GHC by awarding a few extra points versus students who transfer them in. All prerequisites must be completed in order to have a truly competitive admission score. Any classes completed AFTER the application semester (Spring/Traditional or Summer/Bridge) at GHC cannot be included in the admission score. A points worksheet is not available.

1. 50% of your score comes from all graded attempts at BIOL 2251/2251L, 2252/2252L, and 2260/2260L taken within the past six years.
   1. All graded attempts include A, B, C, D, or F.
      1. Classes marked as W (Withdraw) or WF (Withdraw Failing) are not counted in the admission score as attempts.
   2. For LPN/Paramedic applicants, the age of the three biology classes does not matter. All graded attempts at the three biology classes will however, count in the admission score.
2. 50% of your score comes from the highest-grade attempt at the remaining prerequisite classes and the Math, Science, and Reading sections from the ATI TEAS exam.
3. 100 extra points will be awarded to applicants who have an active CNA license submitted with their nursing application, or submitted to chooper@highlands.edu by 11:59pm April 1st.

Admission Score Breakdown

No points are awarded for grades of D or F, for each new attempt at the three sciences the student loses 50 points for B's, 100 points for C's and 200 points for D or F. Score example below is based on students taking their science classes here at GHC.

1650 is the maximum points possible based on each section breakdown below:

Active CNA license: 100 points

Sciences: 800 (all A's and one attempt at each)

TEAS: 337.5 (highest possible section scores)

Gen Ed Prerequisites: 412.5 (all A's)

*Multiple science attempts breakdown: If a student made a D or F and an A in A&P I, then goes on to make an A in A&P II and Microbiology, the total science section points that student can obtain is 600. Because no points are awarded for the D or F grade, it takes space in the score and cuts the total amount from 800 to 600.

*If the student made a C and an A in A&P I the total science section points would be 700.

*For a B and A in A&P I the total science section points would be 750.

*For each additional attempt at the three science courses, the total points a student can obtain are reduced so full points are not available.

How is my nursing GPA calculated?

A student’s nursing GPA is different from their cumulative GPA. The nursing GPA is calculated using the highest-grade attempt at each of the prerequisite general education classes listed on the Nursing Pathway sheets:

• Traditional ASN Pathway
• LPN & Paramedic Bridge Pathway

Does GHC have tutors to help students prepare for the TEAS exam?

Please contact the GHC Testing Center, they will be able to assist you. You can reach their office at 706-204-2110 or via their website: https://sites.highlands.edu/testing/

What are the important deadlines for the nursing program?

1. March 1st for High School students/Graduates that start each summer semester.
   1. Application available January 1st - March 1st
2. April 1st for the traditional program that starts each fall semester.
   1. Application available January 1st - April 1st
3. August 15th for the LPN/Paramedic bridge program that starts each spring semester.
   1. Application available May 1st - August 15th

How many students are accepted into the program each year?

The Traditional ASN Program admits 100 students each year in the fall semester. The LPN/Paramedic Bridge Program admits 50 students each year in the spring semester.

How are applicants notified of acceptance or denial to the nursing program?

For both programs the notification letter will be sent to the email provided on your nursing application. If an applicant uses a personal email on the nursing application and also has a GHC student email in the system, they will receive the letter at both emails.

1. Full-time High School pathway applicants are notified in late March by email.
2. Traditional program letters are typically sent out in late May to early June
3. LPN/Paramedic bridge program letters are typically sent out in mid to late September.

Is there a wait list for the nursing program?

The wait list consists of eligible applicants to the program who applied by the April 1st (Traditional) or August 15th (LPN/Paramedic Bridge) deadline, and who are not accepted in the initial cohort. Students on the wait list are notified in their notification letter what number they are on the list.

Eligible applicants are ranked by admission score from highest to lowest and the nursing admissions committee determines the total that can be accepted for the cohort based on GBON rules. If anyone who is offered a spot in the program chooses to decline their spot, or fails to respond to their notification letter by the deadline date provided, that applicant will be passed over and the next student on the wait list will be offered the spot. This will continue until the cohort is filled.

The CNA license is now optional effective November 13, 2023. Students must upload the CNA license or proof of successful completion of both the Written & Skills portions of the exam to qualify for 100 extra points. A CNA course completion certificate is not valid.

How can I find a CNA class/program that is convenient to me?

The Georgia Highlands College Continuing Education department offers a CNA licensing program. More information (contact their office with any questions) is available on their website: https://sites.highlands.edu/ccpe/

CNA classes/programs for the state of Georgia can be found by doing a Google search near your location or at the state website: https://www.mmis.georgia.gov/portal/ResourceProxy.aspx?iCProxyTo=MS0uL1Byb2dyYW1TZWFyY2guYXNweA==

Be sure that you can complete the CNA class/program with enough time to sit for the state licensing exam and submit a copy of your active CNA license by the April 1st deadline. It is recommended that applicants complete the CNA licensing requirement the summer or fall semester before the spring application deadline to avoid complications with testing dates.

I’ll be taking my CNA state licensing exam near the March 1st (High School option)/April 1st (Traditional) deadline. How do I make sure I receive 100 points for the program admission score without my actual license?

Applicants who have a state licensing test date for the CNA close to their application deadline date can submit a picture, or copy of the email from the state, showing they have passed both the Written and Skills portions of the CNA licensing exam. For students who are waiting for their physical CNA license from the state, they can visit the Georgia Nurse Aide Registry website and submit a picture or pdf copy of their license information: https://www.mmis.georgia.gov/portal/ResourceProxy.aspx?iCProxyTo=MS1OdXJzZUFpZGVTZWFyY2guYXNweA%3D%3D

Can I use financial aid to cover the cost of the C.N.A. class?

Please contact the office of Continuing Education, they are responsible for the C.N.A. program and will be able to assist you with any questions. You can reach their office at 1-800-332-2406 or via their website: https://sites.highlands.edu/ccpe/

My LPN/Paramedic license is not with the state of Georgia, what should I do?

For LPN applicants applying to the program from out of state you will need to transfer your license to the Georgia state license before you will be eligible for the program. LPN’s and Paramedics must apply for a Georgia license using the state application.

For LPN’s: https://sos.ga.gov/index.php/licensing/plb/45/licensure_as_a_practical_nurse

For Paramedics: https://dph.georgia.gov/ems-personnel-licensure

What is the age of the biology classes for LPN/Paramedic applicants?

The three science classes required for the nursing program (Anatomy & Physiology I, Anatomy & Physiology II, and Microbiology) no longer expire.  Applicants with multiple attempts within the last six years will have those attempts counted in the admission score.

I’m an LPN/Paramedic, what is the required letter of 1,000 hours?

Please note, the LPN/Paramedic work hours verification letter is only required for those who graduated from an LPN/Paramedic program more than two years before applying to the nursing program. For those applicants with less than two years since graduation from an LPN/Paramedic program, this requirement is satisfied by uploading an unofficial transcript showing your graduation date within the last two years. These applicants will also need to be sure that an official transcript showing the graduation date has been submitted and received by the GHC Admissions Office.

LPN’s/Paramedics who graduated from an LPN/Paramedic program longer than two years ago are required to submit a letter with their nursing application that states they have worked at least 1,000 hours as an LPN/Paramedic in the last two years. Generalized statements such as “has exceeded” or “more than exceeds” the minimum 1000 hours are acceptable. This is an eligibility requirement and failure to submit a correct letter by the 11:59pm August 15th deadline will result in the applicant being automatically marked as ineligible.

1. The letter must be on official letter head from their supervisor or HR office.
2. The individual filling out the template must include all information as noted in the [brackets].
3. Here is an example of the letter: LPN-Paramedic-Hours-Letter-Template

I’m currently in an LPN/Paramedic program and will not finish until the end of summer or fall semester. Can I still apply for the Bridge program?

If you will have your LPN/Paramedic license by the August 15th application deadline then you will be eligible to apply. However, if you will not have your license until after the deadline date, you will need to wait for the next year.

What is the Keys to Success Nursing Orientation?

Keys to Success is a MANDATORY orientation session for students accepted into the nursing program. Students who fail to attend Keys to Success will not be allowed to start the program and must reapply in the future. During the session, the faculty will go through the nursing student handbook, policies, dress code, clinical supplies, credentialing requirements, and academic and professional standards. Students will also learn how to access D2L and all learning resources required in the program. A valid excuse with documentation is required for anyone unable to attend the session.

Traditional & High School Program: Held in June each year.

LPN/Paramedic Bridge Program: Held in November each year.

What are the prerequisite classes for the Nursing program?

1. #BIOL 2251 & 2251L – Human Anatomy & Physiology I
2. #BIOL 2252 & 2252L – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
3. #BIOL 2260 & 2260L – Foundations of Microbiology (BIOL 2260L is required)
4. #ENGL 1101 – English Composition I (will accept ENGL 1102)
5. HIST 2111 or 2112 – American History I or II
6. POLS 1101 – American Government
7. #MATH 1001 or higher (Will accept STAT 1401)
8. COMM 1100 or 1110 – Human Communications or Public Speaking
9. Humanities Elective – Art Appreciation, Music Appreciation, Literature, Foreign Language, etc.

#A minimum grade of C or better is required in the following courses: Biology 2251/2251L, 2252/2252L, and 2260 & 2260L; mathematics and ENGL 1101 for admission and/or progression in the nursing sequence. Students missing more than three prerequisite classes are not eligible for the program.

ENGL 1101 is required, but if students have both ENGL 1101 and 1102, the course with the highest grade will be used. This is the same for HIST 2111 or 2112 and COMM 1100 or 1110.

If a student is accepted to the program with any missing prerequisites, they must be completed before the student can continue to NURS 2500.

*BIOL 2121K, 2122K, and 2161K have changed to BIOL 2251/2251L, 2252/2252L, and 2260/2260L. The old prefixes will still be valid for students who have already completed them.

Traditional ASN Pathway

LPN & Paramedic Bridge Pathway

Nursing Application Reviews

Traditional Program applications require:

1. Proof of attending a nursing information session
2. OPTIONAL CNA license
3. Applicant driver's license
   1. If the nursing application is submitted and the applicant receives an error it is most likely the file types for the CNA and driver's license. Paste a picture of both into a Word document and upload it in both places and the application will go through.

LPN/Paramedic Bridge applications require:

1. An active Georgia LPN/Paramedic license
2. Applicant driver's license
   1. If the nursing application is submitted and the applicant receives an error it is most likely the file types for the LPN/Paramedic license and driver's license. Paste a picture of both into a Word document and upload it in both places and the application will go through.
3. Unofficial transcript showing graduation from an LPN/Paramedic program in the last two years OR the work verification letter of 1,000 hours if applicant has been out of an LPN/Paramedic program for longer than two years.

Applications are given a quick review within two weeks of submission as other work load permits. After the quick review applicants will be notified by email that their application is complete OR will receive an email detailing missing requirements and the final submission deadline. It is the applicants responsibility to check their email for these notifications in order to avoid not being eligible due to missing items. Due to the number of applications received in the last two weeks before the deadlines, the applications will be reviewed in the order received.

All applicants who are missing eligibility requirements by the application deadline will be notified shortly after the deadline that they are automatically not eligible due to missing requirements, no admission score will be determined for these applicants.

Traditional Application Review:

• Eligible transfer students are reviewed in April after the April 1st deadline.
  • Spring semester transfer grades ARE NOT included in the nursing admission score due to varying dates other institutions finish their semesters.
  • Ineligible applicants will be notified by email within the first two weeks of April. No admission score will be determined, applicants will know what made their application ineligible.
• Eligible GHC student applications are reviewed after spring semester grades are available in early May.

The nursing admissions committee will then meet and rank students based on their nursing admission score to make decisions. Notification letters will be emailed to all eligible applicants (to the provided email on the application) in late May.

LPN/Paramedic Bridge Application Review:

• Eligible applicants are reviewed in August after the August 15th deadline.
• Only GHC students are guaranteed to have summer grades counted in their admission score, this is due to other schools transcript deadlines and transfer evaluations can take up to two weeks to be processed by the Registrar's office.
• Ineligible applicants will be notified by email within the last two weeks of August. No admission score will be determined, applicants will know what made their application ineligible.

The nursing admissions committee will meet and rank students based on their nursing admission score to make decisions. Notification letters will be emailed to all eligible applicants (to the provided email on the application) in before the end of September.

How much is tuition for the associate degree nursing program?

Nursing courses cost the same per credit hour as general education courses. The traditional program is 36 credit hours total across four semesters. The LPN/Paramedic bridge program is 26 credit hours total across three semesters. For updated tuition & fees please visit: https://www.highlands.edu/tuition-and-fees/

What will I need to purchase for Nursing school?

The nursing resource bundle students purchase through Elsevier has changed to an $800 per semester cost, four semesters for the Traditional program, three semesters for the LPN/Paramedic Bridge program. The nursing resource bundle is paid for every student by our generous partner Atrium Health Floyd. Lab kits are also required and are approximately $110 each, these are paid for by the Nursing Department. Please see the Program Costs drop down box on each program’s webpage.

Information for transfer students.

To see how previous college credits may transfer in to satisfy our requirements, please see the Georgia Highlands College Registrar Transfer Equivalency Tool: https://www.highlands.edu/ghcbanner/transfer-equivalency

Traditional ASN Pathway

LPN & Paramedic Bridge Pathway

Please note, nursing classes from other institutions will not transfer into the nursing program here at GHC.

Due to the varying end dates of different college semesters, and the requirement of transfer courses needing to be evaluated and updated into the system for the nursing admissions committee to review, transfer courses are not accepted for the admission scoring process from the spring semester when applying to the Traditional ASN program. Transfer applicants should complete all prerequisites at their institution the fall semester before applying to the Traditional ASN program, or complete their remaining prerequisite classes as a student at GHC in the spring semester they are planning to apply.

Transfer students MUST COMPLETE ALL GHC Admissions requirements (immunization forms, orientations, etc.) by their nursing application deadline.

Some USG institutions teach a Survey of U.S. History class. This class transfers into GHC as a History Elective. It is up to applicants to complete the Curriculum Substitution Form for the course to satisfy the HIST 2111/2112 American History I/II requirement: https://sites.highlands.edu/academic-affairs/forms-for-download/

*You will not receive credit for HIST 2111/2112 in your nursing admission score without having taken the class. The curriculum substitution form is only to receive credit for the history requirement for graduation.

Can I CLEP or take a Departmental Exam to test out of any of the prerequisite courses?

Yes, this is a possibility. However, please note that completing a CLEP test or Departmental Exam for a course only demonstrates that a student has passed a course and does not indicate a specific grade. These students are awarded K credit on their DegreeWorks. Because of this, students can only be awarded a grade of C for admission scoring and nursing GPA purposes.

Why do I need the US & Georgia Constitution and US & Georgia History requirements to graduate?

If you are transferring from an out of state college, you will need to satisfy these legislative requirements before graduation. There is a US & Georgia History and US & Georgia Constitution FAQ available on the School of Social Sciences and Education website: https://sites.highlands.edu/social-sciences-and-education/

All questions about this requirement should be directed to the GHC Registrar's office and the School of Social Sciences and Education via the link above.

Please see Georgia law 20-3-68

How can I contact the Registrar's office about my transfer evaluation, or a re-evaluation?

Students are encouraged to use the GHC 411 Ticketing system to reach out with questions about the status of their transfer evaluation, or to request a re-evaluation of courses: GHC 411 Ticket

Course Withdrawals

Drop/Add & Regular Withdrawal

Hardship withdrawal

What should I do if I want to readmit to the program?

Students wanting to readmit to the nursing program must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 across all courses in order to be eligible. The student will also need to submit a letter to the Program Coordinator (chooper@highlands.edu).

In the letter, students will need to explain what issues led to them being unsuccessful, and what steps they have taken to correct these issues. The letter should not be written immediately after withdrawing or failing out of the nursing program. The letter is to show what you do, in the weeks and months after leaving the program, to overcome the difficulties you faced.

Readmission Letter Deadlines:

Fall Semester – April 1st

Spring Semester – August 15th

I was accepted into the nursing program but declined my spot and would like to apply for the next admission cycle. What do I need to do?

Any student accepted into the nursing program who chooses to decline their spot will need to go through the application process for the next admission cycle. Acceptance is not deferred and applicants will need to follow the same application steps and meet the same eligibility requirements. Students will need to make sure that their CNA/LPN/Paramedic license is still active through the next application deadline. The TEAS exam will also need to be retaken if it falls outside of the last two application cycles, no more than two attempts in each cycle, and the minimum composite score of 70 is still required for eligibility.

Acceptance Letters

Students will receive an acceptance letter via email. We will try to send this letter to both your GHC student email and personal email if both are available, you only need to respond back and accept or decline your spot in the program. There is a response deadline on the letter, responses after the deadline will not be accepted and we will move down the list of eligible applicants until the cohort is full.

Acceptance Packets & ACEMAPP

After a student replies to their acceptance letter and accepts their spot, the entire cohort will receive an email with important information and an attached pdf copy of the acceptance packet documents. This will go to your GHC student email, not your personal email. At this point all communication needs to be through your GHC student email for security purposes.

Once the acceptance packets are sent out, all students in the cohort are added to ACEMAPP. You will receive an invitation and registration link in your GHC student email once this is done. Follow the link and setup your profile in ACEMAPP, this is where you will upload documentation required to be cleared for clinical rotations with our partners.

How do I register for the nursing classes?

The nursing classes are locked in the system to prevent students outside of the program being able to register for them. The ASN Program Coordinator will register all students for the first semester, but during the rest of the time in the program, nursing students will be able to register themselves once their grades are in the system at the end of each semester.