/Institutions/Oconee-Fall-Line-Technical-College/json/2024-2025/AY25-Academic-Catalog-Handbook-local.json

/Institutions/Oconee-Fall-Line-Technical-College/json/2024-2025/AY25-Academic-Catalog-Handbook.json

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, physics, 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, and Associate of Science in Nursing Programs. 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 57.8 (for practical nursing) or 65 (for ADN Bridge, ASN, Radiologic Technology, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography) must be attained for a student to be eligible to compete.  The TEAS test must be taken face-to-face at either OFTC's Testing Center or another PSI-approved testing center.  No virtual (online) testing scores will be accepted. 

Bonus Points
With the exception of the ADN Bridge, bonus points may be earned through documented, program specific, paid work experience.  One (1) bonus point for every year of work experience will be awarded with a maximum of thee (3) bonus points for consecutive work experience.  Only word experience from the past five years will be considered for bonus points. 

Three (3) bonus points will be awarded in ADN Bridge competition for applicants who graduated from the Practical Nursing or Paramedicine program at OFTC.

Associate Degree of Nursing Bridge:

• Three (3) bonus points will be awarded in ADN Bridge competition for applicants who graduated the Practical Nursing or Paramedicine program at OFTC.

Practical Nursing Technical Certificate of Credit:

• Four (4) points - Verified current license or certification (Georgia CNA license, Georgia EMT license, or AAMA CMA certification in good standing) or verified completion of the NAST 1100 Nurse Aide Fundamentals course within three (3) years of the competitive deadline.  Copies of current license or official transcript for the NAST 1100 Nurse Aide Fundamentals course must be received by OFTC by the application deadline.
• Three (3) points - One bonus point for every year of work experience will be awarded with a maximum of three (3) bonus points for consecutive, program-specific work experience.  Only work experience from the last five (5) years will considered for bonus points.
• Two (2) points - Possession of an associates degree or higher documented by official transcript.  Maximum of two (2) points awarded.  

Competitive Scoring Process - 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, 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.

Nursing Programs - Students wishing to transfer into a nursing program must compete and, if selected, will be placed in the first semester courses.  There are no advanced placement slots.   

Diagnostic Medical Sonography –Students wishing to transfer or re-enter the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program are only allowed to re-admit into first or second semester courses.

Students returning or transferring into the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program must attend scanning labs the semester before re-entry.  Specific requirements and deadlines for lab and clinical competencies as well as clinical onboarding must be met before the re-entry term begins.  See the program advisor three weeks into the term prior to your re-entry term to receive the detailed Advanced Placement Re-entry Requirements for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.

Any student unsuccessful in meeting all re-entry requirements by the prescribed deadline will not be allowed to attend clinical rotations and, therefore, will be withdrawn from the program.

Practical Nursing – To complete the 50% residency requirements for graduation, PNSG 2010 (Introduction to Pharmacology and Clinical Calculations) and PNSG 2030 (Nursing Fundamentals) are the only Practical Nursing courses eligible for transfer credit.

There is no validation testing for PNSG 2010 transfer credit.

To receive transfer credit for PNSG 2030, students must successfully complete validation testing administered by OFTC faculty.  Validation testing includes the applicable ATI (Assessment Technologies Institute) exam(s) and a skills-based performance test.  The ATI exam(s) must be completed with a minimum score of a level 2; the skills-based test must be completed with a score of 100%.  Both requirements must be fulfilled prior to the student being allowed to compete for a program slot.  Therefore, all skills validation testing must be completed before the competitive application deadline for the chosen term of entry.  Tests should be scheduled well in advance, and availability is based on OFTC instructor schedules.  Students will be allowed one attempt on the ATI exam(s) and one attempt on the skills-based exam.  Successful completion of the ATI exam(s) is required prior to the skills-based test being administered.  The fee for the ATI exam must be paid with a credit card by the student during the testing process. 

Radiologic Technology - A student seeking readmission into the Radiologic Technology program must complete validation testing administered by OFTC Radiologic Technology faculty.  Validation testing will consist of a combination of a skills-based test and a written examination.  Both requirements must be fulfilled prior to the student being allowed to compete for a program slot.  Therefore, all skills validation testing must be completed before the competitive application deadline for the chosen term of entry.  Validation testing should be scheduled well in advance, and availability is based upon OFTC instructor schedules.  The written examination will cover materials taught in previously taken coursework.  The student must make a grade of 75 or better on the written exam.  The skills test will cover competencies from the procedures learned in previously taken coursework.  The student must make an 80 or better on the skills test. 

Respiratory Care – Students wishing to re-enter or transfer in to the Respiratory Care program must successfully complete validation testing administered by OFTC Respiratory Care faculty.  Validation testing will consist of a combination of hands-on program-related activities and written evaluation, which will require a score of 70% or greater.  Both requirements must be fulfilled prior to the student being allowed to compete for a program slot.  Therefore, all skills validation testing must be completed before the competitive application deadline for the chosen term of entry.  Validation testing should be scheduled well in advance, and availability is based on OFTC instructor schedules. 

Admissions Appeals

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.

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.