Frequently Asked Questions

A high school diploma or GED. Applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher. Most recent college GPA must be ≥ 2.0 (if completed at least 12 credit hours). High school graduates who earned less than a 2.0 GPA during high school will be considered for admission if they have generated a college GPA of 2.0 or above based on 12 or more credits. The GPA is determined at the end of the spring semester (2025) for the fall 25 admissions cycle. Please Note:  For spring 26, the GPA needs to be a 2.0 by end of summer 25 for spring 26 consideration. 

For Fall admission: The following high school courses with a grade of “C” or higher: Algebra I (or MDE 10) and Biology (or BIO 101/NAS 2). Appropriate developmental or college course equivalents can be substituted. Must be completed by the end of Summer 2025 to be eligible for the Fall 2025 program. Please note that the Algebra I (or MDE 10) and Biology must be completed within five years prior to fall 25. Older coursework will need to be repeated to be within the five year limit prior to beginning the program in fall 2025.

For Spring admission: The following high school courses with a grade of “C” or higher: Algebra I (or MDE 10) and Biology (or BIO 101/NAS 2). Appropriate developmental or college course equivalents can be substituted. Must be completed by the end of Fall 2024 to be eligible for the Spring 2025 program. Please note that the Algebra I (or MDE 10) and Biology must be completed within five years prior to spring 2025. The GPA will need to be 2.0 or higher by the end of summer for spring admission consideration.

Yes.

For Fall admission: You must submit a handwritten essay with your program application and official transcripts. Instructions are provided on the back of the program application form. This must be submitted prior to the April 1 deadline. Applicants being considered will be required to take an entrance examination (HESI) in the spring. The HESI exam is at student expense (approximately $60-80 payable just prior to the testing date).

For Spring admission: You must submit a handwritten essay with your program application and official transcripts. Instructions are provided on the back of the program application form. This must be submitted prior to the September 1 deadline. Applicants being considered will be required to take an entrance examination (HESI) in the fall. The HESI exam is at student expense (approximately $60-80 payable just prior to the testing date).

For both admission cycles: Interviews could be required with a writing prompt. If interviews are utilized in the admission process, applicants will be notified when they receive information regarding registering and paying for the HESI.

For Fall admission: Deadline for all materials is April 1. Early application is encouraged for advising purposes. If you apply now, this will allow us to help you plan and suggest proper courses to begin your studies. Current enrollment in missing prerequisites is not required to apply early, but must be successfully completed before entering the program. You may benefit from advising by the Pre-Practical Nursing advisor, Ms. Julie Ainsley, who will be able to discuss your transcript(s), placement testing, prerequisites, support classes, etc.

For Spring admission: Deadline for all materials is September 1. Early application is encouraged for advising purposes. If you apply now, this will allow us to help you plan and suggest proper courses to begin your studies. Current enrollment in missing prerequisites is not required to apply early, but must be successfully completed before entering the program. You may benefit from advising by the Pre-Practical Nursing advisor, Ms. Julie Ainsley, who will be able to discuss your transcript(s), placement testing, prerequisites, support classes, etc.

Approximately 30 students will be admitted to the Practical Nursing cohorts each fall and spring. Meeting the program admission standards does not guarantee program admission. For Spring 2024, we had approximately 40 qualified applicants. For Fall 2024, we had approximately 35 qualified applicants.

Admission decisions are made by the Practical Nursing Admissions Committee following completion of Admission Testing held in Fall or Spring. (If interviews with the Program Director and Faculty Members will be required, applicants are notified with the HESI testing information.) Admission decisions are emailed to the applicants as soon as possible, usually within the month. The program accepts cohorts in Fall and Spring yearly and is two years in length. If accepted for fall, the course sequence is Fall/Spring and Fall/Spring. If accepted for spring, the course sequence is Spring/Fall and Spring/Fall. We do not offer a part-time program at this time and do not have any plans in the near future to do so.

In addition, to receive the HESI testing information and the decisions made by the Admissions Committee, applicants need to turn on their notifications in Navigate and be aware of the email address associated with Navigate. Most information regarding the admission steps are disseminated using Navigate and the student emails in Navigate. Students should expect to receive Navigate notifications typically within two weeks of the program application deadline (September 1 and April 1).

Some applicants may need developmental courses for math or English (prior to prerequisites or support courses), which can be determined by reviewing your high school transcripts with a New Student Advisor, if graduated within the last five years. Outside of five years, direct enrollment upon your Virginia Western application will assist with math placement and also working with an Advisor. A review of your transcripts after application will assist in determining if you lack the required prerequisites (Algebra I and Biology) or if they have not been completed within the five year time-frame. If you need to establish a 2.0 GPA, please speak to the advisor to determine appropriate coursework. Applicants interested in taking additional curricular support courses prior to knowing if they are accepted are encouraged to work with the advisor to see if taking support classes is practical based on their individual circumstances (taking in consideration whether they are part-time, full-time, financial circumstances, holding a job, etc.). Some students elect to take some of the general education courses such as ENG 111, PSY 230, PHI 220, and SDV 101 before beginning the program, and points are awarded in the admission rubric for completion of support courses and consideration is given to those with previous healthcare experience. Note: The two-year curriculum will be very intense and taking the support courses prior to admission can lessen the academic burden during that time. However, please note that completion of the support classes may impact your ability, if accepted, to remain part-time in the program due to less than six credit hours in a semester.

Please complete this form and return to HPAAO. (PDF)

You can use https://www.testprepreview.com/ to help prepare for the HESI. The HESI will include information on reading, grammar, vocabulary, English composite, math, critical thinking, and learning/personality.

Khan Academy can also assist with math review.

Basic math is an integral part of the LPN program. You are strongly encouraged to review your basic math prior to entry and review math on your own or using the on-line Khan academy. This can also assist you in the math on the HESI exam. In addition, the faculty recommend that you review Medical Terminology on your own or through a free on-line course. HLT, a one credit Medical Terminology course is offered at VWCC and is in the Intro to Practical Nursing CSC plan of study. A review of the math skills can also assist with the pharmacology associated with the program, if accepted.

Virginia Western Community College faculty and students must comply with the policies required by clinical facilities with which we have legal agreements. If a student refuses to comply with a clinical facility immunization and vaccination requirement, Virginia Western Community College will attempt, but cannot guarantee, to assign a student to an alternative clinical facility. A student will be placed in an alternative location only if it meets the educational objectives of Virginia Western Community College and program requirements for clinical placement. Faculty also must be available to appropriately supervise students at the clinical facility. Refusal to comply with a clinical facility immunization and vaccination requirement by a student in our health programs may impede your progress in the program or your ability to remain in the program.

Based on the below Code of Virginia, the Virginia Western Community College Practical Nursing Program makes potential students aware that prior actions may prohibit testing for the NCLEX-PN post- graduation. Applicants that have prior acts that may impact testing should clarify these with the Virginia Board of Nursing before program entrance. Conviction of a felony, misdemeanor or any offense substantially related to the qualifications, functions, and duties of a practical nurse may constitute grounds for not allowing a candidate to take the licensing exam. The Board of Nursing, not the college, makes the determination of NCLEX-PN test approval. Application to the Board of Nursing that discloses prior disciplinary actions may delay or prevent NCLEX-PN testing.

The Practical Nursing Program requires a Criminal Background Check and Drug Screening prior to program admission and annually while in the program. The student will be required to undergo an annual Criminal Background Check and Drug Screen prior to admission to facilities for direct care clinical hours. This information must be submitted in CB Bridges prior to access to the facilities.  Participation of the student is dependent upon facility acceptance of the results of the testing.

Admission Disclosures:

Requirements for admission to a practical nursing education program shall not be less than the requirements of §54.1-3020 A 1 of the Code of Virginia that will permit the graduate to be admitted to the appropriate licensing examination. The equivalent of a four-year high school course of study as required pursuant to §54.1-3017 shall be considered to be:

1. General Educational Development (GED) certificate for high school equivalence; or
2. Satisfactory completion of the college courses required by the nursing education program

§ 54.1-3020. Qualifications of applicant for practical nurse’s license.

A. An applicant for a license to practice as a practical nurse shall furnish evidence satisfactory to the Board that the applicant:

1. Has completed two years of high school or its equivalent;
2. Has received a diploma from an approved practical nursing program;
3. Has passed a written examination as required by the Board; and
4. Has committed no acts which are grounds for disciplinary action as set forth in this chapter.

B. The Board shall consider and may accept relevant practical experience and didactic and clinical components of education and training completed by an applicant for licensure as a practical nurse during his service as a member of any branch of the armed forces of the United States as evidence of the satisfaction of the educational requirements for licensure.

Code 1950, § 54-348; 1970, c. 116; 1979, c. 5, § 54-367.19; 1982, c. 598; 1988, c. 765; 2011, c. 390.

It is the student’s responsibility to “clear” their urine drug screen. A drug screen that has “positive” findings will not allow a student to obtain clinical placement and will result in removal from the program. Marijuana may be legalized under state law for clinical partners associated with the nursing program. The presence of marijuana metabolites in urine will result in a “positive” drug screen finding that prevents a student from obtaining clinical placement and resulting in removal from the program.

We have a team of advisors for Health Professions. Ms. Pam Woody or Ms. Jasmine Terry will be one of the advisors that will process your academic file and evaluate previously completed coursework after a review of your official transcripts. Ms. Julie Ainsley is the pre-nursing advisor (RN, LPN, LPN to RN) who can be reached at jainsley@virginiawestern.edu. New students should begin with a New Student Advisor located in Chapman Hall. Submission of all academic materials including application and official transcripts from High School and all colleges attempted should be directed to: Attention: Pam Woody; VWCC; School of Health Professions; Health Professions Advising and Applications Office, 3091 Colonial Avenue; Roanoke VA 24015. The process letter verifying your GPA, prerequisites and evaluation of college course work to determine what can be utilized in the practical nursing program, will be completed by Pam Woody or Ms. Jasmine Terry. Julie Ainsley can assist with career planning and course selections and may be able to assist with preliminary information. For information on the application process, you may follow the (PDF) or contact Ms. Yolanda Brown at ybrown@virginiawestern.edu. You may also utilize the team of advisors at healthprofessions@virginiawestern.edu.

It allows applicants who may not be accepted into the Certificate Practical Nursing program, to academically prepare students to take the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians (NREMT) certification exam, if the EMS 111/120 course sequence is completed. Also, if you have a healthcare licensure/certification (such as CCMA, CNA, Phlebotomist, etc,) if you submit a copy of your current license to the Health Professions Advising and Applications Office, we can complete paperwork on your behalf to determine if Credit for Prior Learning can be awarded for one of the options under the job skill portion of the CSC: Introduction to Practical Nursing.

You must successfully complete an approved Practical Nursing education program and pass a licensure exam, which is administered by the National Council of the State Board of Nursing. You must apply to the regulatory board of the state in which you plan to practice. The general requirements include personal, character, and criminal background information. The Virginia Board of Nursing requires a current Background Check. Application information is found on the Virginia Board of Nursing website with directions for information for completion of the application process. Applicants will receive a letter from the Board after records indicate approval for testing. Applicants will then apply for the NCLEX-PN through the National Council State Board of Nursing site. Board application, NCLEX exam fees, and Background check fees are the applicant’s responsibility

Students must have a current LPN license (or anticipate LPN graduation and passing their board exam) and meet all prerequisite and GPA requirements to be considered for the transition curriculum. If you need more information, please view the transition website.

If you are interested in taking classes to prepare for future entry into the program, but you are unsure when you will be eligible, please submit the current application form with the appropriate transcripts. This will allow us to help you plan and suggest proper courses to begin your studies.

Applicants for admission to the practical nursing program are considered for class positions based on their ability to meet program admissions standards, without regard to race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, or other non-merit factors.