Selection Process for Nursing Program

A group of nurses stand together in front of a building

Admission to the Nursing program is on a competitive basis due to the limited number of spaces available in courses that require clinical practice in hospitals and other health care settings. The number of spaces can vary from year to year. Selection of students is made once a year at the end of the spring semester. The deadline to apply to the Nursing program is June 1. All students who meet the admission criteria and apply to the program are ranked according to the ATI TEAS Exam score and the prerequisite GPA. Please keep in mind the TEAS exam scores expire in three years. All science prerequisites expire after 10 years of taking the class. The highest ranking students are offered the available program seats on a conditional basis. Please note, Atlantic and Cape May County residents are given priority consideration in the selection process. Residents of other counties are admitted on a space-available basis.

Conditional acceptance by the Nursing program, should they meet the post-acceptance requirements, permits the student to enter the program in September of the year in which they applied. Students who are not accepted into the fall class will need to reapply to the Nursing program the following year and may retake the ATI TEAS Exam or any prerequisite courses to improve the likelihood of success in the competition for admission.

Conditional Acceptance Process

Students admitted to the Nursing program will receive a conditional acceptance. Students are not considered accepted to the Nursing program until all the following requirements are met. A student's conditional acceptance letter will contain the information needed to comply with all requirements. Please note, there will be additional costs associated with meeting the following program requirements.

Nursing Program Requirements

  • Students must begin the program in the fall of the year they receive the conditional acceptance.
  • Students who are unable to do so must contact the Admissions Office in writing to decline their seat and reapply to the program to be considered for a future class.
  • Students admitted to the program must complete the Nursing Program in its entirety within a three year period.
  • Students must meet the health requirements of the State of New Jersey and the clinical agencies that are used for clinical practice.
  • Students' Health Requirements include:
    • Physical Examination – Nursing Student Health Form available on the Immunitrax website
    • Immunization requirements -Titers are required for: MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B
    • Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) required annually – see Nursing Student Health Form for details
    • Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis) Vaccination. Students who have received the Tdap vaccination within the last 10 years must provide documentation. Pregnant students are encouraged to discuss the vaccination with their health care provider.
    • Influenza Vaccination (Flu Shot) required annually during the influenza season (due OCT 1)
  • Additional student requirements include:
    • Completion of an Assumption of Risk and Release Form, which indicates an understanding of hazards inherent to the health care field.
    • Completion of a Criminal History Background Check (CHBC). Any student who fails to pass the criminal background check or is refused by a clinical facility due to the results of his/her criminal background check, will be unable to continue in the Nursing Program.
    • Completion of Urine for Drug Screening (UDS). Any student who fails to produce a negative Urine for Drug Screening (UDS) result, will be unable to continue in the Nursing Program. Students who produce a diluted urine sample will be allowed one additional attempt to produce a negative UDS result. If the second urine sample remains a diluted sample and/or produces a positive finding, the student will be unable to continue in the Nursing Program.
    • Completion of the CPR certification is required before entering the Nursing Program. The only acceptable CPR certification program permitted for admission to the Nursing Program is Basic Life Support for the Health Care Provider offered by the American Heart Association.

Questions?

For more information contact nursing@atlantic.edu or make an in-person appointment at our One-Stop Welcome Center Monday-Friday 9 a.m-4:30 p.m.