ATTENTION ALL INTERESTED APPLICANTS!!!

APPLICATIONS ARE NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE CLASS ENTERING AUGUST 2011.

         The admission process is based on an Admission Point Scale.  The application, application fee, essay, and three (3) references must be received by December 15th of the current school year to be considered for admission into the next scheduled class.   All pre-admission requirements (testing, nursing conference, high school pre-requisites, and three (3) college courses, one (1) must be a science) must be completed by December 31st of the current school year.  Remaining materials necessary for the student file to be considered complete must be received by January 31st of the year seeking admission.  Applications that are incomplete will not be considered.  For further information about the school click here or contact us at 724-656-4052.

Applications are kept on file for one (1) calendar year.   

     The Admission Point Scale contains objective criteria upon which the student will receive a point ranking.  After December 31st, all completed files will be ranked according to the point scale.  Based on the number of students that will fill the freshman class, candidates will be ranked,  with the top candidates receiving acceptance into the Freshman Class.  The remaining candidates will be ranked and placed on a wait list.

     Three (3) college courses must be completed; one (1) course must be a science, (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology), in order to be considered for admission at the time of the point tally.  Students with less than a QPA 2.0 will not be considered for admission.  College courses required for admission into the School of Nursing must be completed with a grade of "C" or better by the end of the spring semester prior to the start of the nursing program.  Candidates for admission can only repeat a course one (1) time and must receive a "C" or better to be considered for admission.

     Conditional Admission:  The Admission Point Scale is a calculation of the candidate's status based on all work done by December 31st.  An applicant will have one (1) additional semester to complete the required college course work only.  The applicant's total points will be tallied based on the work completed and the candidate will receive admission on a conditional basis.  The remainder of any college course work must be completed with a grade of "C" or better in one (1) semester for the admission to be converted to full admission.  If the candidate does not meet the criteria, the candidate's admission status will be withdrawn.

For the candidate that was admitted and requested deferment to another year, but has some college course work to complete,  all 6 college courses must be completed by December 31st.  This candidate cannot be granted a “conditional” admission to complete courses in the spring.

      Wait List:  If a candidate has been placed on the wait list and is not given an appointment to the designated class, the candidate’s file will be deactivated and need to reapply if still interested in attending the program.  A new application, application fee of $50.00, and three (3) new references are required to be submitted.  New transcripts will not need to be submitted unless additional classes have been taken.

     Applications that have been deactivated have a one (1) year time frame, from the date they were received at the school, in which they may be reactivated by written request.  After one (1) year, an applicant must submit a new application and pay the required application fee.  

     Admission to the School is open to all qualified applicants regardless of sex, marital status, age, race, color, national origin, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. 

     Applicants must be citizens of the United States or have Permanent Resident Status with the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service.  Applicants with visas do not qualify as a permanent resident with a green card.

     The Admission Committee gives careful consideration to all available information about each candidate and accepts those who seem to possess the motivation, academic potential, and personal qualities required to attain professional standards.

     The State Board of Nursing will not issue a license to an applicant who has been convicted of a felony unless at least ten (10) years have elapsed from the date of  conviction.  (Other signs of rehabilitation also must be met according to the law.)  Applicants who have been convicted of a misdemeanor --includes judgment, admission of guilt, plea of nolo contendere, probation without verdict, and incomplete ARD should seek advice from the State Board of Nursing before applying to the School.
www.dos.state.pa.us/bpoa

Admission Criteria
1.   Academic Records
      A.      High School transcript - QPA of  2.5 or above is preferred.  The
                following high school units are required:
                -English 4 units
                -Mathematics 2 units (1 of which must be Algebra)
               - Social Studies 3 units
               - Science 2 units (General Biology with a lab and Chemistry with
                  a lab are required).
               -Electives 5 units (recommended additional science, mathematics,
                foreign language, typing/keyboarding)
                Grade of  "C" or above in required academic subjects is preferred.
                Rank in the upper 2/5's of the graduating class is preferred.
             

         B.     All College and Post-Secondary Transcripts

         C.    General Equivalency Diploma (GED) - May be used to meet the high
                 school graduation requirement.  In addition, Algebra I and General Biology
                 with a lab and Chemistry with a lab are required.  If a candidate attended high
                 school but did not complete, an official transcript is still required.  The official
                 transcript must be sent directly to Jameson.  (Refer to above
                 statement regarding science units)

         D.    Home Study or Correspondence School - Diplomas issued by the
                 Pennsylvania Homeschoolers Accreditation Agency, The Buxmont
                 Christian Educational Institute, Erie County Homeschoolers, Alethia
                 Learning Center, The Home School Academy/Northeast Christian
                 Academy and Mason-Dixon Homeschoolers may be used as
                 fulfillment of the high school graduation requirement.
  
              An applicant can also be considered a graduate of an approved high
              school if they submit certification completed by the local
              superintendent that the home educated applicant has complied with
              P.S.  24 1327.1 related to home education programs.
          
              All other applicants receiving correspondence or home study diplomas
              are, therefore, required to obtain a Commonwealth Secondary School
              Diploma (GED) to comply.

2.         Testing
           A.   Pre-Admission Examination - ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic
                 Skills)  All applicants must take the ATI TEAS Test. An applicant may
                 take the ATI TEAS Test only one time.  If an applicant cannot attend 
                 the scheduled appointment, the School of Nursing must be notified within
                 twenty-four (24) hours prior to the scheduled appointment.  If an applicant     
                 does not show to take the test or does not give the appropriate notice, their
                 application for admission will be deactivated.           

            B.   A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).  Applicants for
                  whom English  is a  second language are required to take the TOEFL.
                  "The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) measures the
                  ability of nonnative speakers of English to use and understand North
                  American English as it is used in college and university settings."
 

TOEFL EXAM	REQUIRED SCORE
Paper/Pencil	550 or higher
Computer-Based	213 or higher
Web-Based	80 or higher

                             Note:  Only one (1) exam is required.         
                  You may visit the TOEFL homepage, www.TOEFL.com to receive    
                  information about taking the test or contact them at 1-609-771- 7100 or
                  1-888-863-3546
 

3.    References -Three references are required from current teachers, school
      counselors, employers, etc.  No family member or close friends. Submitting
      inappropriate references will delay the admissions process. Submit the three (3)
      reference forms with your application or have your references mail the forms to the
      school address, which is listed on the form.  Your application is not considered
      complete until the application, the $50.00 application fee, and the three (3) reference
      forms have been received.

4.  Criminal Record Check - A criminal record check is required for acceptance.   
      Applicants who are admitted to the School of Nursing will have a Criminal
      Background Check completed during the mandatory pre-entrance day held
      in June.  The cost is $10.00 and must be paid at the time the background check is
     done.  All applicants must also submit an FBI Criminal Background Check. The
     applicant is responsible for submitting the form (s) to the appropriate agency/agencies
     with the required processing fee (s).

       A Child Abuse History Clearance is required of all students prior to the beginning
       of the second level.

5.   College Courses-All college courses must be successfully completed with a grade
       of "C" or better prior to beginning the nursing program.  Should an applicant be
       accepted conditionally and receives a grade below a "C", their appointment will
       automatically be withdrawn.  If the candidate does not complete all college courses
       at the end of the spring semester prior to the August start of nursing school, their
       appointment will be withdrawn.

6.   Nursing Conference:  All applicants must attend an Informational Nursing
       Conference, which will be held in the afternoon following the ATI TEAS 
       Pre-admission Examination. The purpose of the conference is to explain the program 
       requirements and have questions answered.   

7.    Licensed Practical Nurse Applicants - Challenge of the first nursing course 
      (N-I) is available to licensed practical nurses who have been admitted to the
      program. Once an applicant has successfully completed the entire challenge
      process, the individual will then be granted advanced placement as appropriate.
      For further information please call 724-656-4052.

8.   Applicants who are not citizens of the U.S. must provide documentation of
      immigration or citizenship status.  The Test of English as a Foreign Language
     (TOEFL) is required for all applicants for whom English is a second language. 
      Refer to 2b.

9.   An applicant who has been accepted into the Jameson Memorial Hospital School
     of Nursing and who has paid the matriculation fee, may request in writing that their
     appointment be delayed for a period of one (1) year. An applicant who cannot enter
     the School of Nursing within the one (1) year limit must reapply to the school and, if 
      accepted, pay another matriculation fee.  For the candidate that was admitted 
      and requested deferment to another year, but has some college course work 
      to complete,  all 6 college courses must be completed by 12/31.  This 
      candidate cannot be granted a “conditional” admission to complete courses 
      in the spring.

      The written request to delay the appointment must be made before May 1
      of the year the applicant was to start.  An applicant who fails to notify the School
      within the designated time period, will have their appointment withdrawn, must
      reapply and, if accepted, pay another matriculation fee.

THE FACULTY AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL OF NURSING RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE CHANGES IN EDUCATIONAL POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS AND CURRICULUM.

Application Process
     One Class of students shall be admitted in August of each year.  The application, application fee, essay, and three (3) references must be received by December 15th of the current school year to be considered for admission into the next scheduled class.   All pre-admission requirements (testing, nursing conference, high school pre-requisites, and three (3) college courses, one (1) must be a science) must be completed by December 31st of the current school year.  Remaining materials necessary for the student file to be considered complete must be received by January 31st of the year seeking admission.  Applications that are incomplete will not be considered.     

     The Admission Point Scale contains objective criteria upon which the student will receive a point ranking.  After December 31st, all completed files will be ranked according to the point scale.  Based on the number of students that will fill the freshman class, candidates will be ranked,  with the top candidates receiving acceptance into the Freshman Class.  The remaining candidates will be ranked and placed on a wait list.

     Three (3) college courses must be completed; one (1) course must be a science, (Anatomy, Physiology, Microbiology), in order to be considered for admission at the time of the point tally.  Students with less than a QPA 2.0 will not be considered for admission.   College courses required for admission into the School of Nursing must be completed with a grade of "C" or better by the end of the spring semester prior to the start of the nursing program.  Candidates for admission can only repeat a course one (1) time and must receive a "C" or better to be considered for admission.

     Conditional Admission:  The Admission Point Scale is a calculation of the candidate's status based on all work done by December 31st.  An applicant will have one (1) additional semester to complete the required college course work only.  The applicant's total points will be tallied based on the work completed and the candidate will receive admission on a conditional basis.  The remainder of any college course work must be completed with a grade of "C" or better in one (1) semester for the admission to be converted to full admission.  If the candidate does not meet the criteria, the candidate's admission status will be withdrawn.
     Wait List:  If a candidate has been placed on the wait list and is not given an appointment to the designated class, the candidate's file will be deactivated and need to reapply if still interested in attending the program.  A new application, application fee of $50.00, and three (3) new references are required to be submitted.  New transcripts will not need to be submitted unless additional classes have been taken.

The following sequence is suggested to facilitate prompt action.

1)    Request for Application Form
        May be made in person, by a telephone call to (724)656-4052, or by downloading
        from the website: application 
 
        Mail application to:
        Jameson Memorial Hospital School of Nursing
        1211 Wilmington Avenue
        New Castle, PA  16105-2595

2)    Transcripts
        Applicants must request official transcripts from high school and all other
        schools and colleges attended.  An official transcript must have a signature,
        bear the seal of the school, and be mailed directly to the School of Nursing.
        If the applicant is still attending high school or taking college courses, another
        transcript must be sent after graduation or completion of the course(s)
        and be received no later than three weeks after graduation or completion of
        the course(s).

3.     Informational Session-Nursing Conference (Click on link for dates)
        All applicants must attend one (1) Informational Conference as part of the admission
        process.  The conferences are scheduled on the same day as the pre-admission
        ATI TEAS Test. 

 Acceptance
1)    Admission
        Meeting the admission criteria does not guarantee admission to the School
        of Nursing.  The credentials of each applicant are reviewed by the Admission
        Committee.  The decisions and recommendations made concerning admission
        are based upon consideration of each individual's past experience and educational
        background.  The applicant will be notified in writing of the decision.

       Applicants whose credentials do not meet nursing admission requirements are
       notified promptly so they may pursue other opportunities.  Candidates are advised
       of their status by letter.

       Conditional admission status may be granted at the discretion of the Admission
       Committee.  Applicants whose credentials do not meet nursing admission
       requirements are notified promptly, so that they may pursue other opportunities.
       Candidates are advised of their status by letter.

2)     Health Status
         A complete physical and dental examination, including a drug screen, is required of
         each applicant two (2) to three (3) months prior to the date of admission.  The
         student is responsible for the cost. All appointments to the School are tentative until
         the results of the physical examination are known.  In the event of failure to qualify 
         on the basis of physical findings, the student will be notified as to the reason for 
         disqualification. All corrective action that is recommended by the Work Health 
         physician and/or dentist must be completed prior to admission.  This includes dental 
         work, glasses, hearing aids, and other prosthetic devices that are deemed necessary 
         by the representative doctors.

        All applicants will have a drug screen by the Health System Health Nurse.

        Required immunizations include: DTap (Adacel) [previously known as
        Tetanus] (if no booster within past 2 years); Varicella (if no history of disease
        and/or no documentation of vaccine); Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (if no
       documentation of 2MMR vaccines); Hepatitis B surface antibody titer
       (if previously immunized against Hepatitis B) and Hepatitis C titer.

        Latex Allergy:  Any student indicating having a latex allergy must provide written 
        documentation from their physician.  The school of Nursing cannot assure that all 
        learning sites utilized can be latex free.  Any student who has a latex allergy may 
        require accommodations that the school cannot provide.
     
       The applicant must be physically and mentally capable of meeting all requirements
       of the program.

3)    Criminal History Record Information   (CHRI)
        A CHRI is required for final acceptance.  Applicants who are 
        admitted to the School of Nursing will have a Criminal Record Background
        Check completed during the mandatory pre-entrance day held in June of each
        year.  All applicants must also submit an FBI Criminal Background Check. The
        applicant is  responsible for submitting the form(s) to the appropriate
        agency/agencies along with the required fee(s).
        An unfavorable CHRI and/or FBI Criminal Background Check may prohibit
        acceptance.  

        A Child Abuse History Clearance is required of all students prior to the
        beginning of the Second Level.

       Final acceptance is contingent upon a satisfactory health status and Criminal
       Background/FBI Check.  

   
Admission with Advanced Placement

Admission with Advanced Placement (Licensed Practical Nurse) 
     The applicant seeking advanced placement must meet Jameson's admission   
     requirements, submit all required documents, and be granted admission by the 
     Admission Committee prior to requesting Advanced Placement.  The Admission Point 
     Scale will be utilized to determine the total points accrued by the applicant.  The 
     candidate’s points must be within the range of points for the class in which they are 
     requesting admission.  If the Admission Points are not in the class range, the candidate 
     will not be considered for admission. 
                 · The LPN candidate must provide the school proof of current licensure as an 
                    LPN.
                 · The LPN can begin with the first nursing course, but if advanced placement 
                    into the second nursing course is desired, the candidate must follow the 
                    Guidelines for the LPN Challenge Process. 

The Transfer Student (The Student with previous RN Nursing Education)

                  · The candidate with previous nursing education must apply for admission
within one (1) year of leaving the previous nursing program.  A student who has been dismissed for unprofessional conduct, unsafe clinical performance, or who has received an unsatisfactory clinical grade, will not be considered for admission.

       ·  Individuals who wish to transfer from another nursing program must   
 complete a minimum of one full-time academic year at Jameson Memorial 
 Hospital School of Nursing in order to meet State Board of Nursing 
 requirements. 

        ·  In addition to the three (3) application references, applicants must request   
  the following letters from their former nursing program: 
   (1) A letter from the Director of the School of Nursing stating the reason 
         for leaving the program and giving a recommendation.
   (2) A letter of recommendation from a recent clinical Faculty member.

THE FACULTY RESERVE THE RIGHT TO DETERMINE PLACEMENT AND SEQUENCE OF COURSES IN ORDER TO MEET REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION.

 Required College Courses
     Transfer credit may be granted for required college courses, which have been successfully completed at an accredited college or university with a grade of "C" or better.  Science courses (Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology) must have been taken within the past five (5) years and successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better.  The five (5) year time limit ends with the year in which the applicant is seeking to begin the program. 
(Example:  Anatomy was taken in 2006 and the applicant is seeking admission to start in August 2011, the course will be accepted.  However, if the course was taken in 2005, it would be over the five (5) year time limit and would need to be retaken).  Individual consideration may be given for courses taken beyond the five (5) year time limit if within a reasonable time frame.

Candidates for admission can only repeat a course one (1) time and must receive a "C" or better to be considered for admission.

College courses are not calculated into the Quality Point Average.

The School of Nursing does not accept CLEP scores for any required college courses or accept courses from trade,  business, or technical schools.  Transferability of college courses to other colleges cannot be guaranteed.