Selective Admissions Associate Degree Nursing Program Application Procedure

Purpose Statement

To outline the selective admission steps for students to apply to the Associate Degree Nursing program.

Procedure

Students must be accepted to the College before being eligible to apply for admission into the Associate Degree Nursing program. All applicants who have completed the admission requirements and application procedures by the program application deadlines will be considered for admission to the program. Meeting the minimum admission requirements to be placed into the candidate pool for admission consideration does not guarantee admission to any nursing program.

Part 1: Associate Degree Nursing Program Application Process

1. The student applies to the College and must be accepted prior to applying to the Associate Degree Nursing program.
2. The student completes the online Associate Degree Nursing Program Application, found on the program's webpage, www.minnesota.edu/programs-and-degrees/associate-degree-nursing, prior to the application deadline (see part three of this procedure). Please note, the online nursing program application is in addition to the general admission application to the College. 
   1. After completing the online nursing program application, the applicant will receive an email submission confirmation. Applicants should save a copy of the confirmation email. No paper copies of online applications will be accepted.
3. The student completes assessment testing in math and English unless college-level coursework in math or English has previously been completed or a waiver is on file. Guided self-placement cannot be used for nursing applicants.
4. All applicants are required to complete the Health Sciences Reasoning Test-Associate Degree (HSRT-AD) prior to the application deadline. HSRT-AD scores expire one year after the test date and must be valid at the program application deadline.
   • Applicants must achieve a minimum HSRT-AD overall score of 73% to be considered for nursing program entry.
   • The HSRT-AD must be taken at a Minnesota State Community and Technical College campus.
   • The applicant is responsible for paying the HSRT-AD test fee prior to taking the test.
   • The HSRT-AD may be taken up to two times per application cycle. There is a two-week waiting period between attempts if retaking the test.

Part 2: Selection Criteria for Acceptance to Associate Degree Nursing Program

Applicants will be selected based on meeting the following criteria:

• HSRT-AD score of 73 or higher. HSRT-AD completed on or before the application deadline. 
• Math requirement: Based on completed math courses, assessment score, or waiver, eligible to take MATH 1114 College Algebra. 
• English requirement: Based on completed English courses, assessment score, or waiver, eligible to take ENGL 1101 College Writing
• GPA and successful completion of select general education courses or high school GPA, depending on how many general education credits have been earned (refer to the Associate Degree Nursing program webpage for details).

All eligible applicants meeting the above criteria will be ranked by their HSRT-AD overall score. Those with the highest scores will be awarded a seat. In the event of a tie, the HSRT-AD analysis score will be used as a tiebreaker. The HSRT-AD inference score will be used if an additional tiebreaker is needed.

Applications of students not accepted into the program each round will remain on file through that admission cycle only. If a student chooses to reapply for the next admission cycle, the student must resubmit the entire application.

Part 3: Timelines for Associate Degree Nursing Program Application and Notification of Admission Status

Subpart A: Fall program start – Fergus Falls campus (32 students), Wadena campus (32 students)

1. Associate Degree Nursing application deadlines for the Fergus Falls (32 students) and Wadena (32 students) campuses:
   • Round one application deadline: January 15, 11:59pm Central Standard Time. 
   • Round two application deadline: March 1, 11:59pm Central Standard Time. 
   • If seats are still available after round two, a third-round application deadline will be added after spring semester grades are posted.
2. After the application deadline, applications will be reviewed by the College’s selective admissions and advising specialist.

3. The College will send a letter of acceptance, denial or waiting list status letter via email to the applicant within 30 days after the application deadline. Admission is conditional pending all program requirements are met (see part four of this procedure).

   Accepted applicants:

   1. Must accept their seat in the Associate Degree Nursing program within 5-10 business days. Failure to notify the College of acceptance by this date will result in the forfeiture of the applicant's seat in the program.
   2. Must register for their nursing classes (program core classes) by July 1. Failure to register by this date will result in the forfeiture of the applicant's seat in the program.

   Applicants on the waiting list will be offered a seat as they become available.

   1. The waiting list will expire on July 1. Applicants not offered a seat will need to reapply in the next application cycle.

Subpart B: Spring program start – Detroit Lakes campus (32 students), Moorhead campus (16 students)

1. Associate Degree Nursing application deadlines for the Detroit Lakes (32 students) and Moorhead (16 students) campuses:
   • Round one application deadline: August 1, 11:59pm Central Standard Time. 
   • Round two application deadline: September 1, 11:59pm Central Standard Time. 
   • If seats are still available after round two, a third-round application deadline may be added.
2. After the application deadline, applications will be reviewed by the College’s selective admissions and advising specialist.

3. The College will send a letter of acceptance, denial or waiting list status letter via email to the applicant within 30 days after the application deadline. Admission is conditional pending all program requirements are met (see part four of this procedure).

   Accepted applicants:

   1. Must accept their seat in the Associate Degree Nursing program within 5-10 business days. Failure to notify the College of acceptance by this date will result in the forfeiture of the applicant's seat in the program.
   2. Must register for their nursing classes (program core classes) by December 1. Failure to register by this date will result in the forfeiture of the applicant's seat in the program.

   Applicants on the waiting list will be offered a seat as they become available.

   1. The waiting list will expire on December 1. Applicants not offered a seat will need to reapply in the next application cycle.

Part 4: Post-Acceptance Additional Requirements

After notice of acceptance into the Associate Degree Nursing program, additional information is required to be submitted to the nursing department by the deadline stated in the acceptance communications. 

Requirements include, but may not be limited to:

• Current CPR certification. Refer to the Associate Degree Nursing program webpage, www.minnesota.edu/programs-and-degrees/associate-degree-nursing, for details.
• Proof of completion of a Certified Nursing Assistant course or Healthcare Core Curriculum with a nursing assistant skill set within the last five years, with a minimum grade of C or Pass, or are a current unencumbered Certified Nursing Assistant.
• Completed health exam and immunization record, including current immunizations and/or requirements as defined by clinical partners.
• Completion of current Minnesota Human Services Background Study and National Background Check. Information to complete each study/check will be included in an email from the College’s lab assistant.

The additional information requested must be received in accordance with the deadlines and remain current throughout the program. Failure to submit information by the deadline will result in the student forfeiting their seat. A Level One Appeal can be submitted to request an extension to the deadline.

Disclaimer
Prior to the start of the program, all students must have a clear criminal background check with no unresolved disqualifying convictions. For more information about the background study process and disqualifying crimes, contact the Licensing Division, Minnesota Department of Human Services. An applicant’s seat in the nursing program will be forfeited if the applicant fails or refuses to complete the background study or background check, or is disqualified through the background study or background check.

Clinical rotation sites and employers may have additional documentation requirements related to drug use and criminal background checks. Students are responsible for any associated fees and meeting any other requirements to participate at the site.

Responsibility

Students

Submit application to the College. After being accepted to the College, complete the Associate Degree Nursing program’s selective admissions application and eligibility requirements prior to the deadline. If accepted into the program, submit additional required documentation to the nursing department prior to the deadline.

Selective Admissions and Advising Specialist 

Review applications and notify applicants via email regarding their application status. 

College Lab Assistant

Notify students who have accepted their seat about the additional required documents that need to be submitted. Collect and document documents received. See Part 4: Post-Acceptance Additional Requirements.

Associated Policies and Procedures

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Selective Admission Program Policy