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SVC Nursing Program Entry FAQs

If you questions aren’t answered here, please contact us.

On the Mount Vernon campus, DTA applications are approximately 75 per cohort with 36 offered admissions. On the Whidbey Island campus, 24 are offered admissions.

Check your GPA via online GPA calculator

PREREQUISITES

Individual prerequisites courses must have a GPA of 2.0 (C) or higher. Combined GPA must equal a 3.0 (B) or higher in both the Science and GenEd groupings for a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Prerequisites for Science Group:
(Must have been completed within the last 10 years as of application submission)

  • * CHEM& 121 (Chemistry)
  • ** BIOL& 160 (General Biology)
  • BIOL& 241 (A&P I)
  • BIOL& 242 (A&P II)
  • BIOL& 260 (Microbiology)
  • NUTR& 101 (Nutrition)

*Substitution: *CHEM&161, ** BIOL&211, **BIOL&222

Prerequisites for General Education:
(including first 6 Sciences listed above)

  • ENGL& 101 (Composition I)
  • * ENGL& 102 (Composition II, highly recommended )
  • MATH& 146 (Statistics)
  • PSYC& 100 (General Psychology)
  • PSYC& 200 (Developmental Psychology)
  • HUM 1 & HUM 2 (Humanities combined can equal 9 or 10 credits.)

*Substitutions: CMST&210, CMST&220, CMST&230, ENGL 103, ENGL&235

SVC uses the CollegeBoard GPA scale to assign points to a letter grade. If your school uses a decimal grade, we convert it to a letter grade. Points are based on the letter grade.

Students that place into MATH& 146 and take a full load of classes may finish pre-program courses in 1 year. However, it is much more typical for students taking a full load to complete their prerequisites in about 2 years. The Nursing Program is 2 years, so a total time commitment of 3-4 years is commonly needed to finish the Associate in Nursing DTA. Here is a sample schedule for the Nursing Core, once a student is admitted to the Nursing DTA program:

Year 1
Fall Quarter – 12 cr. Winter Quarter – 12 cr. Spring Quarter – 12 cr.
NURS 171 NURS 181 NURS 191
NURS 172 NURS 182 NURS 192
NURS 173   SOC 191
Year 2
Fall Quarter – 12 cr. Winter Quarter – 12 cr. Spring Quarter – 12 cr.
NURS 271 NURS 281 NURS 291
NURS 272 NURS 282 NURS 292
NURS 273   PHIL 291

There are various ways to obtain your NAC. Courses at colleges like SVC, MEDPREP (accelerated) in Everett, and some Nursing Homes offer NAC classes.

It is recommended you get your license at the beginning of your pre-requisite coursework so that there is time for it to be processed by the state and time for you to be able to accumulate hours towards more points on your application score. Your NAC license has to be in “active” status at the time you submit your Nursing application. Pending licenses will not be accepted; we will not assume you will be approved by the state.

The choice is yours on how to get it—SVC class or an outside company. The key is it has to be American Heart Association Basic Life Support and active. Any other card will cause your Nursing application to be denied. Below is a sample of the card, the e-card looks the same at the top and you may submit a copy of either one with your application.

Example of AHA Basic Life Support Provider card

TEAS stands for Test of Essential Academic Skills It is used to determine the ability of potential students to be successful in a nursing program. The test is created and administered by Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI). It is a standardized exam that covers reading, math, English usage, and science. The most recent cohorts of nursing students received an average of an 83% total score on this exam.

It is suggested that you purchase one of the following study guides directly from ATI:

SVC also offers NURS 099 (TEAS SmartPrep study package will need to be purchased for this class and has a prerequisite of BIOL&160 or equivalent with a C grade or higher). It is offered fall and spring quarters and is a 2 credit class designed to support students preparing to take the TEAS test. Each week practice modules will be taken and test-taking skills practiced.

Students can register to take the TEAS test at SVC, although space is limited. If Skagit does not have any spaces left, you can register at various area locations. Do not take the TEAS test until you are nearly completed with the prerequisite coursework. You can take the TEAS test twice each academic year (a year is July 1-June 30); and scores are good for 3 years. Register at www.ATITesting.com. You will be required to create an account in order to register for the exam.

SVC TEAS’s Admissions requirements for the Nursing Program

TEAS TEST | REQUIRED FOR ALL ENTRY OPTIONS

The entire TEAS test containing 4 categories, Reading, Math, Science, and English and Language Usage, must be taken. Points will be awarded based on the Total Score.

TEAS may not be taken more than 2 times in an academic year (July 1 – June 30) and cannot be more than 3 years old at the time of the application due date.

Example: Total Score 58.7% will equal 58.7 points.

Yes. Once you graduate from Skagit Valley College with your Associate in Nursing DTA (and pass the NCLEX to be licensed as an RN), you are eligible for several RN to BSN programs. Here are a few examples:

You may choose to apply to one of these BSN programs—connect with an advisor at one of these schools, because their specific requirements vary. Some Skagit graduates have had recent success with admission to WSU Nursing program.

  • Skagit Valley College, Medical Assisting AAS. Learn More
  • Bellingham Technical School, Surgery Technology: Learn More
  • Bellingham Technical School, Radiologic Technology: Learn More
  • UW Bothell, Health Studies BA: Learn More

You will need to resubmit all application materials on or before the next application due date. If you are using the same TEAS test scores, you do not need to resend them unless you were notified we did not get them for your last application.

SVC Nursing program does not have a waitlist. For the Mount Vernon campus cohorts, there are 5 selected as alternates who automatically get in the next entry on the Mount Vernon campus if a seat does not become available for the cohort they applied for. For the Whidbey Island Campus, there are no alternates. Mount Vernon alternates are not eligible to “automatically” attend Whidbey if that happens to be the next cohort. If they choose to apply to Whidbey, they will lose their spot on the alternates list for Mount Vernon.

Quarter prequisites are due based on cohort entry. See the table below for more details.

Cohort Entry Non-SVC Classes* SVC Classes
Winter Previous Summer Previous Summer
Spring Previous Summer Previous Fall
Fall Previous Summer Previous Spring

* Non-SVC classes require a transcript evaluation that can take four to six weeks.

Example: If you want to apply for the Nursing cohort entry spring 2024 you will need to take your final prerequisite(s) during the summer of 2023 if you are taking it at another college, or fall 2023 if you are taking it at Skagit Valley College.

Nursing Student Resources

Nursing Information Sessions

Available in person or online via Zoom. These sessions are for students currently taking pre-nursing classes either at SVC or at another institution and for students wishing to gather information about nursing school, either at a community college or a four-year institution.

In-Person | Angst Hall 129 (MV Campus)
Time: 3 – 4  p.m.

  • October 2
  • November 6
  • December 4
  • January 8
  • February 5
  • March 5
  • May 7
  • June 4

Online (via Zoom)
Time:
 9 – 10 a.m

2024
  • September 19
  • October 17
  • November 21
  • December 19
2025
  • January 16
  • February 20
  • March 20
  • April 17
  • May 22
  • June 18

Join on Zoom

TEAS offered at Skagit Valley College

TEAS is currently being offered remotely and available 8 a.m.-12 p.m. on the 2024 dates below. Please visit the ATI website to register.

2024 Sessions

  • Sept. 30
  • Oct. 14
  • Nov. 11
  • Dec. 9

2025 Sessions

  • Jan. 13
  • Feb. 17
  • March 10
  • April 14
  • May 12
  • June 9

REQUEST INFORMATION