• Nursing Admission Details


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    The information below is based on the application requirements for Fall term 2023/Winter term 2024 admission. It is provided as an example to guide potential applicants on the admission process and application requirements which may be subject to change as program criteria can change for each new application year.

    The Nursing program is restricted entry and applicants to the program must meet admission criteria before their application will be considered. Applicants are selected through a point-based system. Currently, the program admits up to 72 students every year starting in either Fall or Winter term. If accepted into the program, students will be randomly assigned to their start term and will not be allowed to choose their preferred start term.

    Applicants should plan to attend an information session and talk with an adviser for assistance with prerequisite course planning. If you have still have further questions, email LRadmissions@mhcc.edu.

    Admission Requirements

    The information below is based on application requirements for Fall term 2023/Winter term 2024 admission. To be eligible to apply, applicants must meet the requirements described below by the application deadline date of February 15, 2023.

    1) Minimum Application Requirements

    Course requirements:

    • At least 30 of the 45 required prerequisite credits from the Prerequisite Coursework below must be completed by the end of Fall term 2022 and must include BI231 and MTH095/MTH098 or higher (or placement into MTH105/MTH111). If the math admission requirement is met by placement into MTH105 or higher, students must select from any other prerequisite courses to attain the minimum 30 credits.
      • By the end of Summer term 2023 any remaining prerequisites must be completed.
      • Completing all 45 prerequisite credits by the end of fall term before applying will make an applicant more competitive. If you would like to map out a term-by-term education plan with an academic adviser, please visit www.mhcc.edu/advising.
    • All official regionally accredited college transcripts must be on file at MHCC by the application deadline.

    Grade requirements:

    • GPA must be at least a 3.0 ("B" average) for prerequisite coursework.
    • Each prerequisite course must be completed with a "C" grade or higher.
    • "Pass" or "Satisfactory" grades will count as a "C" grade when calculating prerequisite GPA.

    2) Prerequisite Coursework

    Prerequisite courses with a 7-year expiration

    (Courses cannot be taken before Winter 2016)
    • BI231, BI232 & BI233 Human Anatomy and Physiology I, II & III (12 credits): The full sequence of Human Anatomy & Physiology with laboratory, inclusive of all body systems. BI231 must be completed by the end of Fall term 2022.
    • BI234 Microbiology (4 credits): Basic microbiology covering living microorganisms, particularly bacteria and viruses, with laboratory.
    • MTH095 Intermediate Algebra or MTH098 Quantitative Reasoning II or higher (4-5 credits) or placement into MTH105/MTH111 or higher since 2/15/18: applicants can meet the math admission requirement by taking the math portion of the MHCC College Placement Test (CPT). If you took a placement test at another school, or if you took a COMPASS test since 2/15/18, please have that school email a copy of your score report to Testing Services at testing@mhcc.edu to be evaluated. Placement scores do not appear on transcripts. High school GPA, Smarter Balance or GED scores cannot be used to meet the math prerequisite. Learn more about acceptable math placement test scores. If accepted to the program, students must have taken a qualifying math course by completion of the program to meet graduation requirements.

    Prerequisite courses with NO expiration date

    • FN225/HE225 Nutrition (4 credits): The class should cover biological functions, dietary sources of essential nutrients and the relationship of diet to health.
    • BI112 or BI102 or BI212 Biology with Genetics (4-5 credits): Any college-level Biology course that lists genetics or heredity within the course description should fulfill this requirement (Human Anatomy & Physiology or Microbiology coursework cannot be used).
    • WR121 English Composition and WR122 English Composition or WR227 Technical Writing (8 credits): The writing requirement is waived for students who completed a Bachelor's degree or higher from a U.S. regionally accredited institution. These students must select from any remaining prerequisite courses to meet the minimum 30 credits to apply and also select from the Art and Letters or additional Social Science courses from the AAOT degree to fulfill the 45 credits required for admission to the program.
    • PSY237 Human Development (4 credits): The class should cover the developmental process of human life covering the full life span. Human development courses that cover only part of the life span will not be accepted.
    • Social Science (1 course, 3-5 credits): Any college-level Social Science course listed under the AAOT degree will fulfill this requirement. PSY201 is the prerequisite to PSY237 at MHCC and will count as the Social Science prerequisite. If you have taken multiple Social Science classes, pick the one with the highest grade to use on your Nursing application.

    3) Phase 1 Point System

    Applicants who meet all the requirements to apply by the application deadline will be awarded points in Phase 1 according to the point system below for the 2023-2024 admission cycle. All information, deadlines and requirements are subject to change each year. MHCC will not consider courses, degrees or pending certifications for points which are not completed by the application deadline.

    Academic Points: 32 points maximum

    1. Prerequisite GPA (max 25 points) Only the prerequisite courses filled in on your application will be calculated for awarding GPA points. Pluses and minuses will not be considered.
      GPA Points
      3.67 - 4.00 25
      3.33 - 3.66 23
      3.20 - 3.32 20
      3.15 - 3.19 17
      3.00 - 3.14 15
    2. Human Anatomy & Physiology sequence (max 3 points) If you complete more than just the first A&P course (minimum needed to apply) you will gain extra points.
      • Completion of A&P I and II by the deadline date with a "C" grade or higher = 2 points
      • Completion of A&P I, II & III by the deadline date with a "C" grade or higher = 3 points
    3. College degree (1 point) If your transcript shows you earned a 2-year college degree or higher, you will gain 1 point
    4. Prerequisite completion (max 3 points) If you complete more than the minimum credits required to apply, you will gain extra points.
      • Completion of 36 out of the 45 required prerequisite credits by the end of Fall term 2022 = 2 points
      • Completion of all prerequisites (45 credits) by the end of Fall term 2022 = 3 points

    Discretionary Points: 20 points maximum

    1. Prerequisite science courses taken at MHCC (up to 2 points) One point will be awarded for any of the following nursing prerequisite science courses completed at MHCC by the end of Fall term 2022 not to exceed 2 points max: Human Anatomy & Physiology (BI231 or BI232 or BI233), Biology with Genetics (BI102 or BI112 or BI212), Nutrition (FN225 or HE225) and Microbiology (BI234).
    2. Prior year alternate (2 points) If you were on the alternate list from the 2022/2023 application cycle and not offered a seat in the program, you will be awarded 2 points.
    3. Not repeating A&P (max 3 points) If you have not repeated the prerequisite A&P courses within the past 7 years, you will be awarded up to 3 points.
    4. MHCC district resident (1 point) If the address Admissions has on your student record when you apply to the Nursing program is within the MHCC district, you will be awarded 1 point (see https://mhcc.edu/District for zip code list).
    5. Prerequisites taken at MHCC (1 point) If 30 prerequisite credits or more were completed at MHCC, you will be awarded 1 point.
    6. Military service (1 point) If you have two years or more of military service and upload a copy of your DD214 with your application, you will be awarded 1 point.
    7. Early Application (2 points) If you successfully submit your online application by January 11, 2023 by 5:00 pm and all required official transcripts are on file with MHCC, you will be awarded 2 points.
    8. Certification and work experience (max 8 points) If you have current certification and work experience in the following health care fields, you will be awarded extra points: LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse), CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant), CRT/RRT (Certified/Registered Respiratory Therapist), CST (Certified Surgical Technician), Paramedic/EMT (Emergency Medical Technician), Military Medic/Corpsman (DD214 or military transcripts verifying medical training will need to be submitted), CMA (Certified Medical Assistant), CHT (Certified Hemodialysis Technician) or CVT (Certified Veterinary Technician). To earn discretionary points for work experience, you must upload a copy of your current credentials with your application. You will also provide your employer’s email address on your online application and a direct link will be sent to them to verify your work experience. They must fill out the work experience form by the application deadline in order for you to gain additional points.
      Hours of work experience Points
      0 - 400 4
      401 - 1,000 5
      1,001 - 1,500 6
      1,501 - 2,000 7
      2,001+ 8
    When filling out the online application, you will need to self-disclose for some of the discretionary points or they will not be awarded to you.

    Tiebreaker: In the event that two or more applicants have the same score for Phase 1, the office of Admissions will use tiebreakers in the following order: the date the application is complete (if all required documents are not on file with MHCC and/or all grades are not posted at the time the online application was submitted, the date used is when all missing items are received); prerequisite GPA (specific GPA, not range); and not repeating A & P.

    4) Apply to the Nursing Program

    Step 1: Apply for General Admission if you are new to MHCC or returning after four (4) terms or more. Select AGS in Health Professions as your major.

    Step 2: Pay online for the $35 non-refundable application fee.

    Step 3: Submit official transcripts from all regionally accredited colleges attended. See Additional Transcript Considerations at the end of this page for more information.

    Step 4: Apply to the Nursing program (online application will be open from November 1, 2022 through February 15, 2023).

    5) Phase 2 Selection Process

    Up to the top 150 applicants from Phase 1 will be invited to participate in Phase 2. Phase 2 will be an essay based on OCNE shared attribute/experience criteria. The essay questions will address general attributes such as integrity, diversity, communication, transferable skills (e.g., leadership, critical thinking, teamwork), motivational fitness, and resilience.

    From this selection process, the top 66-72 applicants are admitted to the Nursing program. In the event that two or more applicants have the same scores for Phase 2, the office of Admissions will use tiebreakers in the following order: date application was complete, not repeating A&P, in district, and number of remaining non-nursing credits. The Nursing program reserves the right to establish an alternate list of up to 50 students for consideration in the event accepted students decline admission.

    6) Acceptance to the Program

    Those offered a seat in the program after Phase 2 will be required to complete the following to secure their position in the program:

    • Complete all 45 prerequisite classes by the end of the Summer term before beginning the program (if not completed at the time of application).
    • Attend the required orientation.
    • At orientation information and due dates will be given for the required immunizations, BLS certification, criminal background check and drug screen. These must be completed and turned in by the assigned due dates.

    Additional Transcript Considerations

    Transcripts must be official and issued directly by the institution from which the course(s) were taken. Coursework showing as transferred from one institution to another is not accepted. Official electronic transcripts (e-transcripts such as Parchment or EDI) via secure electronic delivery service may be submitted to ar@mhcc.edu. E-transcripts cannot be sent from the student to MHCC as they are not considered official. If submitting transcripts by mail, send to:

    Mt. Hood Community College - Nursing Application
    Admissions, Registration and Records
    26000 SE Stark St.
    Gresham OR 97030
    • Regionally Accredited Institutions: Required from all institutions attended.
    • Non-Regionally Accredited Institutions: Not required.
    • AP, CLEP or IB Transcripts/Scores: Required only if using for admission requirements and must be issued directly from College Board or International Baccalaureate (see https://mhcc.edu/CreditAlternatives).
    • Foreign/Non-US Based Educational Transcript: Required only if using to meet admission requirements and must first be evaluated by an outside credential service. The evaluated transcript must be submitted by the application deadline for the program. For more information, visit: https://www.mhcc.edu/internationaltranscript. Evaluation processing for foreign transcripts is time consuming, and the process could take up to six weeks. It is best to start this process early. A foreign bachelor's degree does not fulfill the prerequisite requirements.
    • MHCC transcript: Not required, already on file.