ASN Program FAQ

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.

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

The nursing program is based at the James D. Maddox Heritage Hall campus 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.

We currently partner with clinical facilities in Floyd, 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://ghcservices.highlands.edu:9002/CLASSCHD/html_class_schedule.class_search

Program eligibility requirements overview:

1. Must be a student of the college or have an application submitted to the college.
2. Must have an active CNA license or Georgia LPN license for the Traditional ASN Program that starts in the fall semester.
   1. For the LPN/Paramedic Bridge, applicants must have an active Georgia LPN or Paramedic license. Out of state LPN/Paramedic licenses are not accepted.
3. For all nursing applicants: The TEAS can be taken up to four times in an application cycle. Two application cycles are still eligible so a possible total of eight attempts between the last two cycles. Must have a minimum composite score of 70. Scores are not rounded up (ex: 69.9 is unacceptable).
   1. Traditional Program applicants current eligible TEAS dates: April 2, 2022 - April 1, 2023 and April 2, 2023 - April 1, 2024.
   2. LPN/Paramedic Program applicants current eligible TEAS dates: August 2, 2022 - August 15, 2023 and August 16, 2023 - August 15, 2024
4. Nursing Information Sessions:
   1. All Nursing program applicants are now required to attend a nursing information session and submit proof of attendance with their nursing application.
      1. Attendees will be given instructions on how to submit proof of attendance during the information session.
5. Applicants can be missing up to three prerequisite classes and still be eligible, however, they will not have these points in their admission score and will not be as competitive against applicants with all prerequisites completed.

If a student fails to meet any one of the requirements listed above, by the appropriate application deadline, they are automatically not eligible for the nursing program. No admission score is determined for ineligible applicants.

Detailed program eligibility requirements:

1. Already be a student of the college, or have an application submitted to the Georgia Highlands College Admissions office.
   1. High School option students should apply for summer semester.
   2. Traditional program students should apply for fall semester.
   3. LPN/Paramedic Bridge program students should apply for spring semester.
2. Traditional ASN Program applicants must be C.N.A. certified and able to submit a copy of the C.N.A. license by the April 1^st deadline. Bridge Program applicants must hold either an LPN or Paramedic license with the state of Georgia and able to submit a copy of their license by the August 15th deadline.
   1. Your C.N.A. license can be active in any state, but it must be active through the April 1st deadline.
   2. Your C.N.A. license can expire after the April 1st deadline; however, many nursing students keep an active license so they can work as Nurse Techs.
   3. Students should plan to complete their CNA licensure the summer or fall semester before their application deadline in the spring in order to avoid issues with the CNA licensing exam.
   4. A C.M.A. license will not take the place of the C.N.A. license. The two licenses train students for different skills, C.N.A.’s are taught more patient care skills that are necessary for nursing.
   5. For Bridge Program applicants your LPN or Paramedic license must be a Georgia state license and active through the August 15th deadline.
3. Complete the general academic courses listed on the Pathway Map - Nursing or the LPN-Paramedic Bridge Pathway.
   1. If you are taking any prerequisite classes at GHC during the spring semester that you will be applying to the program, your admission score will be configured after spring grades are available.
   2. Transfer students should plan to have any required courses transferred in by the fall semester before applying to the program. Only GHC spring semester grades will be calculated into admission scores.
   3. For LPN/Paramedic Bridge students, classes completed through the summer semester will count in your nursing admission score.
      1. For Bridge students transferring summer courses in from another institution, the official transcript with summer grades must be submitted to the GHC Admissions Office by August 15th.
4. The TEAS for Nursing exam:
   1. Nursing Program applicants: No more than four attempts in each application cycle (the application cycle runs from April 2nd – April 1st each year for the traditional program, and from August 16th – August 15th each year for the LPN/Paramedic bridge program).
      1. TEAS scores are good for two application cycles.
         1. A total of eight attempts, four per application cycle, are now eligible. Applicants must have no more than four attempts per application cycle, otherwise only the first four attempts from each application cycle will be accepted.
      2. If you take the the TEAS exam through the Georgia Highlands Testing Center we have access to your score report(s). However, if you take the exam at another testing center, or proctored online with ATI, you will need to log into your account at www.atitesting.com to request and pay for an official score report to be submitted to GA Highlands College.
      3. Applicants taking the TEAS exam through outside testing centers close to the application deadline should be aware they need to submit their score report as soon as the exam is finished. Please reach out to chooper@highlands.edu the day after submitting your score report for confirmation that it has been received.
      4. ATI only allows their proctors to oversee online TEAS exams. GHC staff are not allowed so students planning to take a proctored online TEAS exam will need to follow #3 above in order to submit their official score report(s).
      5. Applicants are not to email a copy of their score report to the Atrium Health Floyd Nursing Department. Only electronic copies received directly from ATI are considered official.
      6. If a student takes multiple attempts at the TEAS exam (more than four per application cycle), only the first four attempts in the application cycle will be permitted.
   2. An overall composite/total score of at least 70.
   3. If you score an overall 70 or higher on all attempts, then the highest section scores from each attempt will be used in the scoring process.
      1. The Math, Science, and Reading overall section scores are used in the admission score for the program.
   4. The nursing department does not have a set amount of time that students must wait between attempts at the exam. This rule would only come from the testing locations and the nursing department has no control in this situation.
   5. The GHC Testing Center is preparing to offer a TEAS prep course in the future. For more information please reach out to the GHC Testing Center.

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. 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 no longer available due to the amount of different TEAS sections and subsections that are now included in the score.

1. 50% of your score comes from all graded attempts at BIOL 2251K, 22522K, and 2260K 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 biology classes has changed from six to ten years. All graded attempts at the biology classes from the last ten years will 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.

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.

1550 is the maximum points possible based on each section breakdown below:

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:

• Pathway Map - Nursing
• 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.
2. April 1st for the traditional program that starts each fall semester.
3. August 15th for the LPN/Paramedic bridge program that starts each spring semester.

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 required from the state licensing exam. A CNA program completion certificate is not eligible.

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 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’m still eligible for the program without my actual license?

Applicants who have a state licensing test date for the CNA that puts them at risk of not being eligible for the program 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 default age of the three biology classes for LPN/Paramedic applicants is ten years. The waiver letter is no longer required. Students should be aware that all graded attempts at the three biology classes from the last ten years will count in the admission score. This is usually the biggest reason an applicant's admission score is not competitive.

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 either 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 2251K – Human Anatomy & Physiology I
2. *BIOL 2252K – Human Anatomy & Physiology II
3. *BIOL 2260 – Foundations of Microbiology (BIOL 2260L is required)
4. ENGL 1101 (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 2251K, 2252K, 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 are changing to BIOL 2251K, 2252K, and 2260 & 2260L. The old prefixes will still be valid for students who have already completed them.

Pathway Map - Nursing

LPN/Paramedic Bridge Program Pathway Sheet

Nursing Application Reviews

Traditional Program applications require:

1. An active CNA 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 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.
• Eligible GHC student applications are reviewed after spring semester grades are available in early May.
• 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.

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 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 August or early September.

What is the typical nursing schedule like each week?

October 2022 Nursing Schedule

For the High School and Traditional programs, students can expect to be on campus for classes, campus lab, and simulation lab activities at least 2-3 days per week in the fall and spring semesters of the program. These do not include clinical days, which are scheduled at the beginning of each semester.

LPN/Paramedic Bridge program students start the program in the spring semester with classes taught online and approximately six visits to campus for campus lab and simulation lab activities. In the last two semesters of the program bridge students merge with the traditional and high school program students to finish out as one class. It is in these last two semesters where bridge students can expect to be on campus at least 2-3 days per week.

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. Lab kits are also required and are approximately $110 each. 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://ghcservices.highlands.edu:9986/SCORE/zwsktrna.P_find_location

Traditional ASN Pathway Map

LPN/Paramedic Bridge Pathway Map

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 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 SCOREcard. 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

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 Director of Nursing (pstover@highlands.edu) via email and copy 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.