Admission Policy
Berkshire Community College
Practical Nursing Program
Admission Policy
Admission into BCC’s Practical Nursing (PN) Program is open to applicants who meet the requirements and space availability in the program. Students applying to this program must complete and submit the same college application form as other students applying to the college plus a PN matriculation form.
Applications and matriculation forms must be received by the BCC Admissions Office by July 1 of the year to be considered for entry in the fall semester. Only students who have met all PN admission requirements by July 15th will be considered for admission. Admission decisions are made on an ongoing basis as qualified students complete the application and matriculation process. Students are notified of their acceptance by postal mail. Applicants must ensure that their contact information is accurate and up-to-date at all times. Students will have up to three business days to respond to BCC.
Accepted students may defer one time for a one-year period if communicated to the admissions office in writing by August 1st. Students offered readmission to the PN program are not eligible to defer.
Students with two PN nursing program failures (taken at another institution, at BCC, or in combination) or two withdrawals or a combination of will not be admitted or readmitted to the PN program. The student must have been in good standing - rectifying any documentation of unprofessional behavior or clinical safety concerns before leaving the program for any reason or in any manner - failure versus withdrawal, in order to be considered for readmission.
After a period of 10 years, qualified students with two PN nursing program failures/withdrawals will be considered for admission one time as long as they were in good standing - rectifying any documentation of unprofessional behavior or clinical safety concerns before leaving the program for any reason or in any manner - failure versus withdrawal.
Students who are dismissed from any of the BCC nursing programs for unprofessionalism or unsafe clinical behavior will be denied admission and/or readmission into any BCC nursing program as per the nursing dismissal policy.
Students will not be admitted concurrently into any two of the following degree or certificate programs: Physical Therapist Assistant, Respiratory Care, Associate Degree Nursing, and Practical Nursing Program.
Admissions Requirements:
Students are admitted to the program based on completion of the following requirements:
- Submit official transcript(s) from high school or high school equivalency, or its equivalent for candidates with evidence of college graduation with a degree, and official transcripts of previous colleges or post-secondary schools attended.College transcripts indicating a completed degree are satisfactory evidence of secondary school graduation.
- International transcripts will only be accepted for consideration if they have been translated and evaluated by a foreign credential evaluation service provider. BCC recommends World Education Services - www.wes.org.
- Math: ACCUPLACER Next Generation QAS score of 250 or greater OR successful completion of Elementary Algebra III MAT-028 or 028C or higher
- BIO-150 or BIO-201 and 202 with C (73) or better within 7 years of application deadline; **
- Completion of ENG-101 with a C (73) or better
- Completion of PSY-107 with a C (73) or better;
- Attend a Mandatory Nursing Information Session. Register online at www.berkshirecc.edu/nursinginfo
- Students must submit proof of compliance with MADPH immunization requirements by the August 1 deadline for admission into the program in the fall
** For students anticipating on bridging (PN to Associate Degree of Nursing) at BCC, BIO 201 and BIO 202 require a grade of 77(C+) or better if taken after January 2018.
Space Available List
Once capacity is reached, an alternate list (Space Available List) of qualified applicants is developed. Individuals on the Space Available List will be identified only by their BCC ID. To remain eligible, individuals on the Space Available List must continue to meet all admission requirements. If not admitted, those students on the Space Available List must reapply to the program. Students are notified of their acceptance by postal mail. Applicants must ensure that their contact information is accurate and up-to-date at all times. Students will have up to three business days to respond to BCC.
Revised: PN Faculty Committee, 5/30/19, 8/6/19; Reviewed: 11/20/19; Revised: 1/26/20, 2/20/20, 6/3/20, 7/15/20, 11/5/20, 3/22/21, 6/28/21, 11/1/2021, 11/15/21, 5/18/22, Reviewed 10/31/22, 5/16/23, 10/2/23, 5/15/24