Competitive Selection Process
Following the successful completion (a grade of “C” or better) of all designated courses and additional curriculum/other requirements, students will enter into a competitive process for determining eligibility to progress into occupational program courses. The formula used for the competitive process is:
Total score = (GPA/4.0 x 50%) + (TEAS/100 x 50%) + Bonus Points
The GPA is calculated using grades earned in the designated courses and additional curriculum. ALHS, biology, physiology, and chemistry courses must have been completed within the past five (5) calendar years (January - December) and if courses have been repeated, the last two grades within the previous five (5) calendar years will be used in the GPA calculation. If the student has been continuously enrolled at OFTC, the five-year period will not apply. The highest attempt of other designated classes will be used in the GPA calculation. The Registrar will calculate GPAs for all students. The GPA must be 3.0 or higher to be considered for the program.
The Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) is a requirement for competition into the Practical Nursing, Radiologic Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and Associate Degree of Nursing Bridge Programs. These tests may be taken only three times per academic year (the academic year begins each fall semester). Candidates for TEAS testing must show a valid photo ID (driver’s license or other government-issued ID) immediately prior to testing. The highest overall score will be used in the competitive process. The TEAS must be taken within the two-year period prior to the competitive application deadline for the scores to be considered for admission purposes. A minimum required score of 59.5 (for practical nursing) or 65 (for ADN Bridge, Radiologic Technology, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography) must be attained for a student to be eligible to compete.
Bonus Points - With the exception of the ADN Bridge competition, bonus points may be earned through documented, program-specific, paid work experience. One (1) bonus point for every year of experience will be awarded with a maximum of three (3) bonus points for consecutive work experience. Only work experience from the past five years will be considered for bonus points.
Three (3) bonus points will be awarded in Practical Nursing competition for applicants who completed the Health Care Assistant Technical Certificate of Credit at OFTC.
Three (3) bonus points will be awarded in ADN Bridge competition for applicants who completed the Practical Nursing or Paramedicine program at OFTC.
All students’ total scores will be ranked from the highest to the lowest. Students with the highest total scores, a GPA of at least 3.0 and the minimum required testing score on TEAS will be accepted. The total number of students accepted is based on the number of available openings. If all seats are not filled through competitive requirements, consideration may be given to students who did not make the required GPA or testing cut scores based on the number of available seats.
Re-entry or Transfer Students - Students who have been unsuccessful or have withdrawn from an allied health program at HGTC, STC or OFTC or another TCSG college and desire to re-enroll must compete for re-entry. Transfer students must submit all transcripts by the specified application deadline to compete for admission.
Re-entry to First Semester - Students who wish to re-enroll in the first semester of a program must follow the same guidelines listed above. TEAS exam scores already on file in the Admissions Office will be used in calculating the total score using the formula above as long as the former TEAS test was taken within the two-year period prior to the competitive application deadline. Students will have to resubmit work verification forms. Students in programs that previously did not require TEAS scores must take the exam to be considered for re-entry into a program.
Re-entry to Other Semesters - All students applying for re-entry into other semesters must first meet OFTC’s first-term entry requirements. If ALHS, biology, and chemistry courses have been repeated, the last two grades within the previous five (5) years will be used in the GPA calculation. The highest attempt of other designated classes will be used in the GPA calculation. Students’ GPAs will be ranked from the highest to the lowest based on the competitive process. Students with the highest ranking will be accepted, up to the maximum of available openings. This option is only available if vacant slots exist in the advanced program cohort for the semester student needs to re-enter.
Students transferring into the Practical Nursing program will be required to successfully complete the applicable ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute) exam(s) as well as a skills checkoff with OFTC faculty prior to being allowed to compete for an advanced slot. Only one attempt will be allowed for skills checkoff and ATI exam. The fee for the ATI exam must be paid with a credit card by the student at the time of testing. All skills validation testing must be successfully completed by the competitive application deadline for chosen term of entry.
Applicants who feel that they were unjustly denied admission have the right to appeal any decision regarding acceptance to the director of student affairs within three (3) business days of receiving notification of their admission status. The written document must include specific details supporting the appeal. A further appeal may be made to the vice president of student affairs. This appeal also must be made via the admissions appeal process.
If a student has been extended two offers of acceptance into a specific allied health program at the former HGTC, the former STC, or OFTC and did not complete the program, the student will be denied admittance into the program. Students who have extenuating circumstances may appeal the decision in writing via the admissions appeal process.
All newly accepted Practical Nursing students will be required to attend an orientation session and a pharmacology tutorial session (Math Boot Camp) prior to the beginning of the Practical Nursing classes. Attendance to both events is mandatory. Any student not attending both required events will forfeit his/her slot.
NOTE: If a student elects to take an exemption test and passes the test for one of the required core classes for an allied health competitive program, then the exempted course will not be used for calculating the GPA for a competitive allied health program acceptance. Students may only exempt two courses in competitive allied health programs.
TEAS Testing Procedures:
Assessment Center staff will establish sufficient TEAS administration dates and at varying times to be available and convenient to all candidates needing testing and/or retesting.
Communication of TEAS dates to allied health candidates will be accomplished through the OFTC website Admissions page, an email to all OFTC student accounts at the first of each semester, and an email to Student Affairs and affiliated instructional faculty/staff/administration.
Candidates for TEAS testing must register online to take the TEAS exam. Tests within a given semester will not be scheduled earlier than the first day of classes for that semester. Test appointments will be scheduled on a first-come, first-serve basis until capacity is reached.
Following TEAS testing, each first-time candidate is required to personally meet with Assessment Center staff for counseling and interpretation of his/her scores. Test scores for re-testers will be mailed.