Nursing & Health Professions Selective Admission Requirements

How to Apply for a Selective Health Program

Thinking about a future in healthcare? You’re in the right place—Owens is here to help you get started.  

Many of our health programs are “selective,” meaning we can only admit a limited number of students each year. Prospective students should apply to Owens first, then to the selective health program. Selection is based on a points system that includes your grade point average (GPA) and other factors, depending on which program(s) you’re interested in. 

Program Selection Criteria

Important Dates and Deadlines

Selective Health Programs Checklist

Step 1: Apply to Owens

Step 2: Meet With Your Advisor

Step 3: Gather the Required Files

Step 4: Request an Evaluation

Step 5: Accept Your Seat

Step 1: Apply to Owens Community College

When you select your major, you’ll choose the “pre-major” for the program you’re interested in.

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Explore Nursing and Health Professions Programs

Step 2: Meet With Your Advisor

Speak with your Academic Advisor before you register each semester and before applying for a selective health program. They’ll help you choose the right courses to keep you on track and make sure all your files are ready for the evaluation process.

Connect With Your Advisor

Step 3: Gather the Required Files

Here’s what you’ll need:

• High school transcript(s)
• College transcripts, if you’ve earned any college credit from another institution
• Your high school guidance counselor can help you send your high school transcript to Owens. If you’ve completed college courses, your Admissions Advisor or Academic Advisor can help you request your records from your previous school(s).

If you’re applying for the LPN to RN program, you’ll need to provide your current, valid LPN license.

All documentation must be sent directly to the Owens Community College Records Office via postal mail or you can email us.

Step 4: Request an Evaluation

Request Your Health Program Evaluation

Step 5: Accept Your Seat

If you meet the minimum requirements, submit your request by the deadline and rank high in the points system, then you may be offered a program seat.

Selective Health Advising will send a notification to your Ozone account indicating whether you:

• received a seat
• received an alternate seat
• were not accepted into the program

If you receive a seat or an alternate seat, then you must accept the offer in Ozone within seven days of the email being sent.

Offer guidelines:

• You may hold only one accepted seat in a program at a time
• You may hold multiple alternate seats in different programs
• If you are offered a seat and are no longer interested, then you should decline the offer so the seat can be offered to an alternate candidate
• If you decline a program seat, then it will no longer be available to you
• If you do not respond to the offer within seven days, then you will lose your spot

If you are not accepted into any programs, then you may work with your Academic Advisor to earn more points before the next evaluation deadline.

 

Program Selection Criteria: Group 1 

You may earn points based on the program selection criteria. The points earned in each section will be totaled. Those with the higher point total will be contacted first to accept their seat until all program seats are filled.

Programs include:

• Cardiac Sonography
• Dental Hygiene
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Physical Therapist Assistant
• Radiologic Technology
• Registered Nursing, including LPN to RN
• Vascular Sonography

A minimum of 15 points must be earned to be considered for these programs. Meeting the minimum standards does not ensure admission to a selective health program.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A maximum of 19 points may be earned in this section. Points are earned for a cumulative high school or college program GPA of 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 system. Program GPA will be calculated using grades from all completed General Education courses within the program of study. An applicant’s most recent grade will be used if a course has been taken more than once.

To be considered a college applicant, you must have completed 11 college credits from the General Education courses listed in the college catalog as program courses, with one of them being BIO 211 or either MTH 133 or 213. If you do not meet the requirements to be evaluated as a college applicant, your high school GPA on file at Owens will be used.

Bonus Points

A maximum of 18 points may be earned in this section. If you earned a grade of “C” or better in the most recent attempt in these courses, you will earn points in this section. You may earn bonus points for only one math course contained within the program.

• MTH 133 or MTH 213: Cardiac Sonography, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Radiologic Technology, Vascular Sonography  
• MTH 213: Dental Hygiene, Physical Therapist Assistant, Registered Nursing

Criteria for a Tied Score

The following criteria, in the order listed, will be used to break a tie: 

• Highest GPA 
• Highest number of in-program courses completed 
• Highest bonus points 
• Points for grade in BIO 211 
• Date of program application

Program Selection Criteria: Group 2

Programs include:

• Health Information Technology
• Occupational Therapy Assisting
• Surgical Technology

A minimum of 10 points must be earned to be considered for these programs. Meeting the minimum standards does not ensure admission to a selective health program.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A maximum of 19 points may be earned in this section.  Points are earned for a cumulative high school or college program GPA of 2.0 or higher on a 4.0 system. Program GPA will be calculated using grades from all completed General Education courses within the program of study.  An applicant’s most recent grade will be used if a course has been taken more than once. 

To be considered a college applicant, you must have completed 11 college credits from the General Education courses listed in the college catalog as program courses, with one of them being BIO 211 or either MTH 133 or 213. If you do not meet the requirements to be evaluated as a college applicant, your high school GPA on file at Owens will be used. 

Bonus Points

A maximum of 18 points may be earned in this section. Applicants who earn a grade of “C” or better in the most recent attempt in these courses will earn points in this section. Applicants may earn bonus points only for one math course contained within the program.

*MTH 133: Occupational Therapy Assistant, Surgical Technology 

**MTH 213: Occupational Therapy Assistant, Health Information Technology 

Criteria for a Tied Score

The following criteria, in the order listed, will be used to break a tie: 

• Highest GPA 
• Highest number of in-program courses completed 
• Highest bonus points 
• Points for grade in BIO 211 
• Date of program application 

If two applicants remain tied after the above determinations, a lottery will be used to select the candidate.

Important Dates and Deadlines

If the review date falls on a weekend or holiday, the deadline will be moved to the following business day.

Deadline Dates for Selective Admissions

**Deadline for a second review to offer students any remaining seats.

Deadline Dates for Open Enrollment

Admission will continue beyond the listed deadline if seats are still available.