You will be conditionally accepted pending your background check and 10-panel drug screen.

Consistent with Education Code 66055.9, students are required to comply with background check authorizations as required by clinical agencies. The school does not seek the specific results of any student’s background check. And background checks are not requested until after an applicant is conditionally accepted. However, the clinical facility retains the prerogative to deny any student access to their facility based on the result.   Students pay a fee to a designated vendor for the purpose of conducting the background check after they are notified of their conditional acceptance.  Human Resource personnel at designated clinical sites are given access to the results. In the event that MCCSN is notified that a student has been denied access to a facility that is required to meet the course objectives, the student would not be able to progress in the nursing program.

Applicants for nursing licensure are required to be fingerprinted separately for purposes of conducting a criminal history record check by the California Department of Justice (consistent with Section 144, Business and Professions Code). Be aware that licensure as a registered nurse may be denied for crimes or acts substantially related to the qualifications, functions or duties of a nurse, or for falsifying statements on the application for licensure. The application requires disclosure of prior convictions. Detailed information is available on the California Board of Registered Nursing website:

                    https://www.rn.ca.gov/enforcement/index.shtml

Students are advised to consider the impact of these regulations on their potential or licensure before applying or pursuing a nursing career.

 All applicants who have received a conditional offer of admission to nursing programs must submit a 10-panel pre-admission drug test collected and processed by a designated vendor lab with Medical Review Officer oversight. The cost of this testing is the responsibility of the student. Any applicant who refuses to test will have their conditional offer of admission rescinded. The offer of admission will be withdrawn for students with positive results. A dilute urine specimen will yield inconclusive results, and will require re-testing at the student’s expense. Any applicant who does not comply with the pre-admission drug test will not be admitted to the program. Acceptance will be rescinded for positive results, and students who test positive after suspicion of impairment while in the program will be dismissed.

The 10-panel drug screen consists of: 

• Amphetamines
• Barbiturate
• Benzodiazepines
• Cannabinoids
• Cocaine
• Methadone
• Methaqualone
• Opiates
• Phencyclidine
• Propoxyphene

Yes! 

Students may choose to cross-enroll in the ADN-to-BSN program at the California State University Monterey Bay form the very first semester of the ADN program, or beginning the summer after completing the second semester of the nursing program. This collaborative enrollment enables the student to earn a BSN degree in as little as one summer between year 1 and 2 of the ADN program, plus one additional summer and fall semester after graduating from the community college. Options also exist for BSN completion over a longer period of time. Info sessions are provided every fall and spring semester while enrolled in the nursing program at MPC. For more information, visit https://csumb.edu/nursing/adn-bsn-collaborative-pathways

Higher TEAS results award more points in the selection process.  You may re-take the TEAS at your own expense for a higher score, but you must wait a minimum of one year from the previous attempt, unless the version has changed. Any selected applicant who does not achieve a minimum composite score of 62 or greater on the first TEAS attempt (looking back for two years) must complete the remediation process as approved by the Director, School of Nursing. The remediation process does include a re-take funded by the college.

Refer to the scoring tool available on the MCCSN webpage. More detailed information about TEAS is available on the MCCSN webpage.  Contact the Director, School of Nursing for more information about TEAS remediation.

Social Security or ITIN number is needed by the designated vendor for the purpose of background checks as required by the clinical facilities.

Also, you are required to provide your social security or Tax ID number in order to sit for the licensure exam. According to Section 30(c) of the Business and Professions code, the Board of Registered Nursing may not process any application for licensure unless the applicant provides a U.S. social security or Tax ID number. Any licensee failing to provide the federal identification number or social security number will be reported by the licensing board to the Franchise Tax Board and, if failing to provide it after notification, will be subject to a penalty (pursuant to Section 19528 of the Revenue and Taxation Code).

At this time, there is no recency requirement. However, fresh skills in math, science and language usage will result in better TEAS exam scores, a pre-entrance diagnostic and intervention tool used by the school of nursing to screen applicants. And of course, students who have a strong foundation in the prerequisite sciences (anatomy, physiology and microbiology) will also do better in applying nursing content in the program. Potential applicants are advised to refresh their knowledge of algebra, foundational sciences, and English usage if it has been more than 2 years since these courses were taken. Also, you should plan to study for the TEAS exam by obtaining prep materials from the ATI website www.atitesting.com, or by enrolling in NURS 150 (Nursing Program Readiness).

MPC participates in Title IV Student Aid and Cal Grant programs, and adheres to all applicable requirements and restrictions. Financial Aid is money that is given, paid, or loaned on your behalf to assist you in paying for college.  Be aware that financial aid will not cover all of your educational expenses and it is the student's responsibility to budget properly for the academic year, with or without financial aid. You can find much more information on the Financial Aid menu on the MPC website. Approximate costs of the program are linked on the MCCSN webpage.

No.

This question arises occasionally when a foreign-educated nurse is applying for California licensure and has been directed by the BRN to take specific courses in the U.S. The 5 pre-licensure specialties (med-surg, obstetrics, pediatrics, geriatrics, and psych/mental health) are offered within combined courses at MCCSN. That is, none of them are stand-alone courses that would fulfill this unique need for an isolated component.

Foreign-educated nurses who seek admission to the program as a first semester student are subject to all of the published prerequisite coursework and selection processes, including transcript evaluation by an appropriate foreign transcript evaluation service.

Foreign-educated nurses who are seeking specific courses in BRN-required specialties may contact the Director, School of Nursing (831-646-4258) for suggestions about programs that may offer them.

Applicants are selected using a multi-criterion selection process whereby points are awarded for various criteria, heavily weighted by science and non-science GPA, as well TEAS result. Student applications are scored, and then selected from the top 40% of the applicant pool.  The criteria include academic degrees or certificates, grade point average in relevant coursework, relevant work or volunteer experience, life experiences and special circumstances specifically listed, advanced coursework or proficiency in a language other than English.  A second phase of scoring is based on the current version of the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The detailed screening criteria are available on the MCCSN webpage. The selection process is discussed in detail at all public info sessions held at the school of nursing; dates are posted on the MCCSN webpage.

The nursing coursework itself consists of 4 semesters (starting fall semester), with optional courses available in the summer for additional supervised clinical experiences, basic EKG and other offerings as available. The pre-requisite course work encompasses 26 units of Science, Math, English, Lifespan Development, and Pharmacology. A full time student can complete the prerequisite courses in 2-3 semesters (including a summer session), but the time frame depends on previously completed transferrable courses as well as individual needs. It’s important to plan a manageable course load in the prerequisites so that you can achieve high grades, yet balance the minimum course load requirements for financial aid if needed. Once the nursing coursework begins, there is no part-time option. For this reason, most students try to complete all additional degree requirements (9 degree-required units that are not prerequisites) before entering the nursing program.

Students who choose to cross-enroll at CSUMB can also complete their BSN in one additional summer and fall semester, plus the summer between year 1 and year 2 of the ADN program. The units per semester will reflect an increased academic workload for this pathway (up to 16 units), so students should be prepared to adjust their personal lives to prioritize this full-time (+) commitment.   

The nursing program admits generic (first semester) students once per year in the fall semester. Applications are accepted every fall semester for the class entering the following year. The dates when applications are accepted are continuously posted on the MCCSN webpage. At this time, program funding is enhanced by a Chancellor’s Office Nursing Support grant which accommodates a total of 32-40 new students in the fall semester. Future enrollment may change depending on available funding.

Qualified LVNs and others with previous education in the field of nursing may seek advanced placement into the second or third semester of the program if space is available, after individual counseling. Submit an application during the usual fall application cycle and indicate that you are an LVN or that you are seeking advanced placement. For placement details, please refer to policies for "Advanced Placement for LVNs" and for "Previous Education in the Field of Nursing" including military education and experience (CCRs 1423.1 &1430) found on the MCCSN webpage.  

Anyone who is interested in studying nursing should begin by visiting an academic counselor to map out an education plan and to thoroughly understand admission and graduation requirements. To schedule an appointment, call 831-646-4020. In order to see a counselor, you must be a current MPC student, or have submitted an Application for Admission to the Admissions and Records Office. You can apply online at www.mpc.edu/admissions/apply-to-mpc/   This application is free.

International students should contact International Student Programs for guidance:  831-645-1357 or email internationalcenter@mpc.edu

* Check the MCCSN webpage frequently for updates and attend an info session! Consider taking NURS 150, Nursing Program Readiness, to get introduced to nursing as a career choice and to learn what makes a nursing student successful.

Read more about Nursing as a career pursuit at ONET and at Bureau of Labor Statistics 

No. Under the current multi-criterion selection process at MPC, there is no scoring penalty for repeated coursework. The highest grade as verified by official transcripts will be applied to the score. Contact the academic counseling office for the best advice about repeating courses for higher grades, as there are college restrictions and financial aid implications.

No. A sufficient number of alternates are selected every year to ensure a full class for the fall semester. There is no “waitlist”, only alternate numbers which are assigned when the class is selected in order to fill every available seat for the subsequent fall class ONLY. Alternates who are not admitted by the time the fall semester begins must re-apply the following year.  Alternates who again score in the top 40% after Phase 2 will be admitted ahead of those in the same score group who were not alternates the previous year. (i.e. alternates from the previous are given preference as tied scoring allows). The alternate "number" applies ONLY to the respective fall class and is not retained for subsequent application cycles.

The multi-criterion selection process is explained in more detail in the screening criteria tool available on the MCCSN webpage. The selection is based on the top 40% of scores in the applicant pool for the given year.  Accepted applicants may not “defer” admission to a later year. Accepted applicants who choose not to enroll into the cohort for which they are accepted must re-apply.  

Applicants are expected to accept a seat in the nursing program in good faith, prepared to be a full-time student for the entire duration of the nursing program. Reapplications of students who withdraw from their first semester within the first six weeks will not be considered for two years. At the time of reapplication for a student who withdraws within 6 weeks of the first enrolled semester, the applicant must submit a letter of petition explaining how circumstances have changed to support the student’s full-time enrollment in the nursing program, and this explanation will be evaluated before a Phase 1 decision is made.

Nursing school, like the nursing profession, is a commitment to professionalism, life-long learning, and ultimately to advocating for patients and families. It involves a measure of selflessness while caring for patients in an environment that can be tense, technical and therapeutic all at the same time. Quality and Safety in Nursing Education competencies are integral to the MCCSN program, and require a high level of cognitive skill and integrity. The practice of nursing at the entry level also involves physical demands, hands-on care, and varied shift work. Getting to know what nurses really do is the best way to have your eyes open before embarking on this wonderfully difficult and rewarding journey called nursing school. And of course, a solid academic foundation is essential! The following are encouraged “while you wait”, or while you are thinking about nursing:

•  Any health care work or volunteer experience is helpful, but patient contact is key. Much of nursing care depends on the ability to communicate effectively with patients, who are often not feeling much like communicating.  Obtaining your CNA certification and working in a health care facility is one way to gain valuable patient contact experience.

• Do a self-assessment. Do you like working with people? Do you accept conflict as an aspect of teamwork to be managed? Can you adjust to varied shift work at 8-hour (or longer) intervals with long periods on your feet and using computers? (e.g. students may report for duty at 6:15 am, or at 2 pm). Do you like changing situations where you need to critically think and to locate and apply new information quickly? Do you value advocating for the needs of others even when it is uncomfortable? (YES answers are a good fit for nursing as a career choice…)

            You can assess your match with the essential "technical skills" by consulting this list on the MCCSN webpage.

• Get good grades!  Really…! Check out the many services MPC has to offer for College Success at  MPC Student Services--College Success
• Don’t leave the academic counselor out of your plans! Make an appointment to discuss your goal, make an education plan…and stick to it!  Nursing students usually accumulate “excessive units” for financial aid purposes. Don’t burden yourself with unnecessary course work or repetitions because you lacked the appropriate counseling.  Check in often (once per semester if possible) and be sure to get your education plan in writing to avoid misunderstandings.
• Check the MCCSN webpage often for changes. And review the Public Info Session video once per semester if possible.
• Make a financial plan to be a full-time student. Students who are successful have planned to work very little while enrolled in the nursing program. Nursing  classes total 9-10 units each semester (and more if you cross-enroll at CSUMB), and there may be graduation requirements you still need to meet, and enrichment courses as well. Class time, readings and homework, studying, clinical shifts (2 per week on average) when added together make for a very full week. You will need time to rest and spend with family too, so the time available to work is very little if you want to be successful (we recommend no more than 16 hours per week). So start saving your money, make a plan for help with family responsibilities, and plan to be fully immersed in your education for 2 more years AFTER you are accepted to the program.  It may seem obvious, but life does happen…nursing school is not the best time to make major life changes if you can avoid them.

• Speaking of money, complete your FAFSA every year and follow the steps of the financial aid process. There are also numerous private scholarships available if you don’t qualify for financial aid, and even if you do. But know that any scholarship may affect your financial aid award.
• NURS 150 (Nursing Program Readiness), or a comparable course from another institution, is a great primer for the nursing program. It offers learning styles assessment, TEAS prep, study techniques, “practice” exams at the application level of thinking, tips for non-native English speakers and more. It will help you to assess your aptitude for the nursing program and for the nursing profession.

Applications are available online at www.mpc.edu/nurs during the month of September for the cohort entering the following August. Official transcripts and other documentation must be submitted directly to the nursing office before the published deadline in order for the application to be considered complete. All required internal forms are available on the website:  www.mpc.edu/nurs  Transcripts and inquiries may also be sent to nursingapp@mpc.edu