Steps to apply to an Health Science or Nursing program

Step 1 Apply to Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

Step 2 Attend/View an Information Session

Step 3 Submit External Transcripts for Evaluation (only if needed)

Step 4 Take Virginia Placement Tests for English and Math This step is only required for students who have not already transferred college English or Math

Step 5 Complete the Pre-Admission Requirements for the Program

Step 6: Apply to the Program

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Health Science and Nursing Application FAQ

Do you need to complete all entry requirements before applying to an Health Science or Nursing program?

I already applied to NOVA so why can’t I register now for a program at the MEC?

How competitive are the Health Science and Nursing programs?

I applied, met all the minimum requirements, but I was not accepted. Why not?

I am an international/out‐of‐state student. Can I apply to the Health Science or Nursing programs?

I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I really need to provide my high school transcripts?

I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I need to take ENG 111 College Composition?

I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I need to take SDV 101?

I have been to college but have not graduated; can I still have SDV waived?

I have not met one or more of the entry requirements, Should I go ahead and apply anyway?

Do I need to update my information in SIS before applying?

 

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Transfer credit

What about transfer credit from external schools?

How do I Check the Status of Transfer Credits

International Transcripts

Can I send my international transcript to NOVA for evaluation?

Which Evaluation Agency can I utilize for the evaluation of my College Transcript?

Do I need to have my high school transcripts evaluated if I have a college degree?

Which Companies can I utilize for the evaluation of my High School Transcripts?

Will my medical degree from abroad waive my entry requirements?

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Testing

I already have a degree; do I need to take the VPT Math placement test?

I already have a degree; do I need to take the ATI TEAS test?

How do I pay for the ATI TEAS test?

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Transfer Out of NOVA

What Transfer Options Exists for my major?

I want to attend Medical School

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Other

Can I work full‐time and still attend the program

My program requires health insurance. Does NOVA offer a Student Health Insurance plan?

Do you have any additional questions, we should add to this list?

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 Steps to apply to an Allied Health or Nursing program

Step 1 Apply to Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)

• Apply online to NOVA as a degree-seeking student: http://www.nvcc.edu/admissions/apply/index.html
• Students who have not attended for more than three consecutive semesters must re-apply to the college

Step 2 Attend/View an Information Session

• View the mandatory program Information Session: http://www.nvcc.edu/medical/sessions.html
• Some Programs have  mandatory in-person workshops or information sessions that must also be attended
  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
  • Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Physical Therapist Assistant
• Record the Information Session code on the Allied Health Application

Disclaimer: Information sessions may be updated annually so check back every summer

Step 3 Submit External Transcripts for Evaluation (only if needed)

This step is only required for students who have taken courses outside of NOVA

All applicable courses must be posted to your NOVA student record before submitting an application

• The College Records Office evaluates transcripts, please visits nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit.html to learn more about their process.
• Allow 4 to 6 weeks for US transcripts and 8 to 10 weeks for international transcripts to be evaluated
• Submit official sealed transcripts from outside colleges to Student Services
• Complete a Transcript Evaluation Request Form online: https://dashboard.nvcc.edu/Default.aspx
• College credit from universities outside the U.S. must be evaluated by an international credit evaluation agency before submitting it to the college. NOVA accepts evaluations from https://www.ece.org/ECE, wes.org or www.ierf.org

Step 4 Take Virginia Placement Tests for English and Math This step is only required for students who have not already transferred college English or Math

• Campus Testing Centers: http://www.nvcc.edu/testing/campus.html
• See program specific Math placement test requirements
• Placement Tests are valid for five years

Step 5 Complete the Pre-Admission Requirements for the Program

Health Science Programs: https://www.nvcc.edu/academics/divisions/health-sciences/index.html

Nursing: http://www.nvcc.edu/medical/divisions/nursing/index.html

• Plan your schedule so that all requirements will be completed by the application deadline
• Final grades for pre-requisite courses must be posted before submitting an application

Step 6: Apply to the Program

• Submit your application within the specified application period for the program
• Follow the application submission instructions
• Allow 6 to 8 weeks after the deadline has passed for your application to be processed
• Check your VCCS student email account frequently for your application status

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 Health Science and Nursing Application FAQ

Do you need to complete all entry requirements before applying to an Health Science or Nursing program?

Yes, while requirements vary by program, you must complete prerequisite requirements by the application deadline. You cannot be currently enrolled when you submit your application. All grades must be posted to your account.

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I already applied to NOVA so why can’t I register now for a program at the MEC?

Medical education programs include student learning experiences called “clinical rotations” that are held at a local hospital, doctor’s office, or other patient care facility. Due to the limited number of available clinical sites, each program can only accept a specific number of students each year.

To ration spaces, some programs are first‐come/first served while other programs are competitive. Interested students should attend or view the program Information Session to find out the required pre‐requisites and how and when to apply.

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How competitive are the Health Science and Nursing programs?

Each program has its admission criteria that are used to rank candidates. The applicant pool can vary from year to year. The competitiveness of a program depends on the number of applications received versus the number of students that can be accepted, and the quality of the applications received for that admission cycle. For the best chance of acceptance, applicants will want to focus on being competitive versus just meeting the minimum requirements to apply.

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I applied, met all the minimum requirements, but I was not accepted. Why not?

Admission into Health Science and Nursing programs is competitive. Due to the sheer volume of applications, programs have established criteria to rank students. While criteria vary from program to program, there are some general insights. Please visit program homepage and information sessions for specific criteria used.

Criteria may include but is not limited to the following:

• A Competitive Cumulative GPA, prerequisite GPA or science GPA (varies by program)
• A Competitive ATI TEAS score (DNH, DMS, NUR, RAD)
• A Completion of program co-requisites ( DNH, DMS, OTA, PTA, RAD, RTH)
• Total Clinical Observation Hours (OTA, PTA)
• Work experience (DNH, OTA)

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I am an international/out‐of‐state student. Can I apply to the Health Science programs?

Any students who have met the required pre‐requisites may apply to an Health Science  or Nursing program. However, international and out‐of‐state students should note the following priority admission policy:

Due to the limited laboratory, classroom and/or clinical space, certain Allied Health programs have restricted enrollment. As stated in the NOVA catalog, Health Science students are accepted on either a competitive or a first‐come/first served basis with priority given to:

1. Legal residents domiciled in the cities and counties supporting the College
2. Other Virginia legal residents
3. Out‐of‐state applicants
4. International students requiring Form I‐20

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I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I really need to provide my high school transcripts?

Yes, if you are applying to the nursing program, you will be required to provide your course-by-course transcript regardless of the level of education.  International students will need to have their equivalent high school credential evaluated as well. University transcripts evaluations often lack the required high school information. For international high school evaluations, refer to the Do I need to have my high school transcripts evaluated if I have a college degree? section.

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I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I need to take ENG 111 College Composition?

Yes, you must either take or transfer ENG 111 and have completed it with the required minimum grade. Bear in mind that some majors within the Allied Health division require a minimum grade of a “B”. Your degree will not waive the ENG 111 or grade requirement.

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I have an associates/bachelors/master degree; do I need to take SDV 101?

No, the current policy as outlined in the Credit for Prior Learning Manual P. 10, state that those, “who have graduated with an associate, baccalaureate or higher degree from a regionally accredited United States institution of higher education are considered to have fulfilled NOVA’s SDV requirement.” (http://www.nvcc.edu/prior-learning/cpl-manual.html) Applied Associates degrees do not waive the SDV requirement.

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I have been to college but have not graduated; can I still have SDV waived?

Yes, you can also satisfy the SDV 101 requirement via testing. The SDV ABLE exam is available to take at any campus. Passing the exam will exempt you from the SDV 101 requirement. http://www.nvcc.edu/academics/success-skills/exam.html

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I have not met one or more of the entry requirements, Should I go ahead and apply anyway?

No, incomplete applications are rejected and will not be considered for admission. Only those that have satisfied all entry requirements at the time of application are considered for admission.

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Do I need to update my information in SIS before applying?

Yes, you should go to MYNOVA>SIS>Campus Personal Information> and update your Addresses, phone numbers, and email address.

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Transfer credit

What about transfer credit from external schools?

All transfer credit must be posted to your academic record by the application deadline. Submit your official sealed transcripts from each school attended to a NOVA Student Services Center. For further details, please visit our website http://www.nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit.html. Students from other VCCS school only need to submit the Transfer Credit Evaluation Request (form 125‐049E) form (https://dashboard.nvcc.edu/Default.aspx.)

Applicants with pending transfer credit after the deadline will not be considered for admission.

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How do I Check the Status of Transfer Credits

You can check the outcome of your transcript evaluation request by logging onto MyNOVA and >accessing your transfer credit report.  MYNOVA>SIS>Self Service>Transfer Credit > View Transfer Credit Report

MYNOVA: https://www.nvcc.edu/academic-tools/index.html

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International Transcripts

Can I send my international transcript to NOVA for evaluation?

Yes. However, the College Records Office requires that you have your international transcript evaluated by an accredited evaluation agency.
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Which Evaluation Agency can I utilize for the evaluation of my College Transcript?

Please visit http://www.nvcc.edu/cro/transfercredit.html and click on the International transcripts tab to learn which companies are acceptable by the College Records Office.
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Do I need to have my high school transcripts evaluated if I have a college degree?

Yes, if you are applying to the nursing program you will be required to have your high school transcript evaluated. Your university level evaluation will not always contain the required information.
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Which Companies can I utilize for the evaluation of my High School Transcripts?

The two most popular companies utilized by students are Educational Credential Evaluators (www.ece.org) and International Education Research Foundation (www.ierf.org) .
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Will my medical degree from abroad waive my entry requirements?

Foreign medical degrees, training and work experience do not exempt students from any entry requirements.  A course-by-course evaluation of your college and university transcripts will be required to determine if any program requirements have been met. Please refer to your program website for the validity period of science courses.

 

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Testing

I already have a degree; do I need to take the VPT Math placement test?

Students are required to take the VPT Math Placement test if they have not transferred a college math course. Students that have taken the SAT and ACT exams may also be waived form the test. Please provide an advisor with your scores to determine if you can be waived from the test.
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I already have a degree; do I need to take the ATI TEAS test?

Prior coursework or degrees do not waive students from the ATI TEAS Test. All applicants to programs with an ATI TEAS are required to take one.
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How do I pay for the ATI TEAS test?

Please go to the following link for more information www.nvcc.edu/medical/testing and click on Paying for TEAS Test.

 

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Transfer Out of NOVA

What Transfer Options Exists for my major?

Many of our programs offer a wide range of transfer options. Popular transfer destinations for our Allied Health and Nursing students include George Washington University, George Mason University, University of Virginia, Old Dominion University and many more. We encourage you to review the list of guaranteed admissions agreements (www.nvcc.edu/gaa) in place as well as visiting an advisor or counselor to learn about specific options for your specific major.
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I want to attend Medical School

If your ultimate goal is to become a medical doctor, your best plan of action would be to major in the Associate of Science (A.S.) in Science degree program at one of the general campuses of NOVA.  The MEC prepares students for Health Science  and Nursing career fields.  Transfer is always an option but our programs are more vocationally focused.  You would need a transferable degree to a university in order to obtain your Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and then attend Medical School thereafter.

For more information about the Associate of Science (A.S.) in Science at NOVA please visit: http://www.nvcc.edu/curcatalog/programs/pdf/Science-AS.pdf.

If you would like additional transfer advisement, visit to one of the general campus counseling centers closest to you.  It would also be beneficial to start researching some of the colleges/universities and schools with pre-medical programs and science majors that may be of interest to you.

You can use the following list of websites to assist you as you plan your academic future.

• https://prehealth.gmu.edu/
• https://www.aamc.org/
• https://www.prehealth.umd.edu/

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Other

Can I work full‐time and still attend the program?

The Health Science and Nursing programs are intensive, and it is highly recommended that students work no more than 20 hours while attending the program. Any work schedules that students have must be arranged around the designated days and times for the lectures, labs, and clinical rotations for the program.

My program requires health insurance. Does NOVA offer a Student Health Insurance plan?

No. NOVA does not offer a student health insurance plan. Students are encouraged to visit www.healthcare.gov for health insurance options.

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Do you have any additional questions, we should add to this list?