Admissions

This page details admission requirements and procedures for the Associate Degree Nursing program. The Certified Nurse Assistant and Home Health Aide programs are certificate programs and do not require separate admission.

The requirements, procedures, and application dates are subject to change. It is the responsibility of each student to seek up-to-date information. It is also the responsibility of any student interested in the nursing program to schedule an appointment as soon as possible with the Health Sciences counselor.

Procedures for Applying

Applications will be accepted three times yearly. Admission is subject to available openings. The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program is impacted and has a waiting list.

Application deadlines are October 1, March 1, and July 1.

All applicants must submit:

Application to the ADN program
All required official transcripts
Verification of having met the success score on the state designated assessment examination (TEAS)
Application to Ventura College (new students only)
Submission of current certification as a nursing assistant by the California Department of Health Services and maintenance of active certification (effective March 2008).

Names of academically eligible students will be sent to the School of Nursing for processing on November 1, April 1, and August 1. To be included in a particular applicant pool, all application materials must be submitted by the immediately preceding application deadline. For instance, to be included in the November 1 pool, submit all application materials by October 1. Please expect a 2-3 month wait to receive waiting list status.

Acceptance notifications are made to candidates on October 15 and March 15.

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Qualifying Requirements

One of the following must be completed before applying to the program:
1. High school graduation and GPA of 2.5; or,
2. General Education Development (GED) with a score of 45 and a minimum of 12 semester units of completed college coursework with a 2.5 GPA; or,
3. High school graduate with less than a 2.5 GPA and a minimum of 12 semester units of completed college coursework with a GPA of 2.5; or,
4. Equivalent consistent with Board of Registered Nursing requirement (see the Health Sciences counselor for details).
All of the following must be completed:
1. All official high school and college transcripts must be on file at Ventura College by October 1, March 1 or July 1 to be considered.
2. Application to the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program must be on file with the counseling office at Ventura College by October 1, March 1 or July 1 to be considered.
3. An application to the College must also be filed for the appropriate semester.
4. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check with the transcript clerk in the Office of Admissions and Records to see that his/her official transcripts are on file at Ventura College.
All of the following must be completed before applying to the program. These Ventura College courses, listed with Moorpark (MC) and Oxnard (OC) Colleges’ equivalent courses, are:
1. Chemistry: one year of high school or one semester of college chemistry with laboratory, with a minimum grade of "C": CHEM V01A-V01AL, or CHEM V20-V20L, or Chem V30 and V30L. (CHEM M01A or M12–MC; CHEM R110 or CHEM R120–OC).
2. Anatomy: college anatomy, 4 semester unit course with laboratory, with a minimum grade of "C": (ANAT V01) (ANAT M01 at MC; ANAT R100 and R100L at OC).
3. Physiology: college physiology, 4 semester unit course with laboratory, with a minimum grade of "C": PHSO V01 (PHSO M01 and M01L-MC; PHSO R100 and PHSO R100L-OC).
4. Microbiology: college bacteriology/microbiology 4 unit semester course with laboratory, with a minimum grade of "C": MICR V01; (MICR M01–MC; MICR R100 and R100L–OC).
5. Math: Score of 25 on Ventura College elementary algebra placement test or completion of introductory college math course with a minimum grade of "C": MATH V01 or MATH V30 or both MATH V11A & V11B (MATH M01–MC; MATH RO11–OC).
6. CNA: current certification as a nursing assistant (CNA) in the State of California or equivalent.
NOTE: Students are required to have a minimum overall college GPA of 2.5 and an overall biological science GPA of 2.5 (anatomy, physiology, microbiology) with no more than one withdrawal, D or F in ANY of these three (3) courses.
The following must be completed before entering the Nursing program:
1. Growth and development across the lifespan: HEC V24 or PSY V05 ( PSY M07–MC; CD R102-OC).
2. Students must be in good academic standing (not on academic probation) to be eligible for application to the ADN program.
Effective Spring 2007 and thereafter, students must attain a 70% composite score on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). Once the application for admission to the nursing program is submitted, the student will receive a letter assigning them to the waiting list. At that time, they will be given the choice of three or four testing dates that will be offered to their applicant pool only. The number of testing dates will depend on the number of students in the applicant pool. Students must test on one of the dates specified or will have to be placed in the next applicant pool. Students who do not meet the mandated success score should schedule an appointment with a nursing counselor to discuss remediation options and retesting requirements.
NOTE: The Ventura College nursing program has adopted a prerequisite system based on a formula that takes into consideration a student's overall GPA, GPA in the core biological sciences (anatomy, physiology and microbiology), number of repeats in the core biological sciences, and English GPA. The composite of these factors generates a cut score which will need to be obtained to be admitted into the nursing program. The program is in the process of determining the cut score and it will be published on the Ventura College Nursing website with implementation in Fall 2006. If you have any questions regarding the prerequisite system, please contact the School of Nursing at (805)654-6342.

Students must be in good academic standing (not on academic probation) to be eligible for application to the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program at Ventura College. Additional courses required for those enrolled in the ADN program are listed below. With the exception of human development, students may complete these additional courses before or after acceptance into the ADN program. The School of Nursing recommends that students complete as many courses as possible before acceptance. These Ventura College courses, listed with the Moorpark (MC) and Oxnard (OC) Colleges’ equivalents, are: a. American History and Institutions; b. ENGL V01A (ENGL V02A or V03A not acceptable) (ENGL M01A or MO1AH–MC; ENGL R101–OC); c. PSY V01 (PSY M01–MC; PSY R101–OC); d. ANTH V02 or SOC V01 or V02 or V03 or AES V11 (ANTH M02 or SOC M01, M02, M08–MC; ANTH R102 or SOC R101, R102, R103–OC); e. SPCH V01 or V10 (SPCH M01 or M02 or M07–MC; SPCH R101 or R102–OC). All applicants must contact the Health Sciences counselor for specific admission information regarding the ADN program.

*Contracts with clinical agencies to which students are assigned have changed their requirements. Students with ANY MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY conviction within the past SEVEN YEARS may be denied placement. This will prevent entrance into the Ventura College nursing program. If you have any questions, please contact a nursing counselor at (805)654-6448.

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Admission Process

Each qualified applicant will be assigned a number by the use of random drawings. The class will be selected on the basis of available openings in the order determined by the random numbers assigned to each applicant in each applicant pool. Each qualified applicant, when selected, must decide either to enter the class, remove his/her name from the eligibility list or request a deferment. Applicants may defer entry one time only. Those qualified applicants who are not selected due to limited openings may retain their names (in the order assigned by random drawing) on a waiting list. These applicants then have priority for admission to the next class selected. Students who choose not to enter when selected or after a deferment must reapply and receive a new random number assignment.

After students have been selected by the above procedure, a physical examination must be passed prior to entry into the program. This exam must be consistent with the policies of the teaching hospitals or agencies to which they are assigned for clinical experience. Physical exams may be scheduled with a private physician or through the Student Health Center utilizing the forms provided by the School of Nursing. The examination must demonstrate that the student is physically fit, free from communicable diseases and immune to rubella, rubeola, and varicella. Completion of the hepatitis B vaccine series is required.

All students admitted to a health science program are expected to maintain the highest personal standards of conduct consistent with the professional standards as perceived by the School of Nursing faculty and professional personnel in the agencies used as extended campus sites. Any information indicating that such standards are not maintained is subject to review by members of the School of Nursing faculty and may result in a recommendation to the College for dismissal from the program.

Evidence of physical and emotional fitness upon admission and throughout the program is expected and is subject to medical opinion of the college physician and to medical opinion or policy of hospitals or agencies which are used as extended campus sites for assigned educational experience. Students should refer to the Functional Abilities outlined in the School of Nursing Student Handbook for details. Malpractice insurance and current certification as a CPR health care provider or professional rescuer are additional requirements.

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Financial Aid and Scholarships

The Financial Aid office helps academically capable students by offering grants, loans and work-study employment to those with demonstrated financial need. Financial need is determined by comparing student resources (family contribution, student assets and student earnings) with the cost of attendance. Due to limitations in funding, financial assistance is not always able to fulfill all student needs, but efforts are made to help eligible students.

Students may receive an enrollment fee waiver from the Board of Governors (BOGW). Grants are awarded when exceptional financial need is demonstrated. They do not have to be repaid as long as the student fulfills requirements for eligibility. Loans allow students to defer costs by borrowing money and repaying it with interest after graduating or withdrawing from college. Work-study enables students to earn a portion of their financial aid through part-time employment. Scholarships are also available. They are specific gifts of money that do not need to be repaid.

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Transfer and Advanced Placement

Transfer students may be accepted as space permits and credit for nursing courses taken at another institution will be evaluated on an individual basis. The School of Nursing also provides opportunities for licensed vocational nurses to advance on the career ladder with vertical mobility providing education leading to eligibility for registered nurse licensure. To be eligible for this program, a candidate must be an LVN who is currently licensed in California. Interested candidates should contact the Health Sciences counselor for transfer/challenge requirements and application and should meet with the ADN program director.

Graduate nurses lacking California licensure requirements may be admitted into the ADN Program on a space available basis to complete one or two needed courses as specified by the California State Board of Registered Nursing. Interested applicants should contact the ADN program director.

Graduate nurses lacking California licensure requirements may be admitted into the ADN program on a space available basis to complete one or two needed courses as specified by the California Board of Registered Nursing.

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30-unit Option for LVN and LPN Entrants

To be eligible for this option, a student must be a vocational nurse who is licensed to practice in California. Interested candidates should contact the Health Sciences counselor for an individual evaluation of eligibility. Individuals who become licensed as registered nurses using this option may not be eligible for licensure in states other than California and do not meet criteria for graduation. Students pursuing this option must complete NS V31 and V41 instead of NS V30 and NS V40. All career ladder programs are on a space available basis.

See Programs for details on how the 30 units are distributed.

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