Admission Requirements/Process

In order to be considered for admission into Standard College’s Practical Nursing program, applicants must meet the following requirements by the program deadline:

1. Must be at least 18 years of age by the start of the program.
2. Complete the Practical Nursing Program Online Application and submit the non-refundable $75 application fee.
3. Submit three (3) references on Standard College’s online application, consisting of one (1) work reference, which could be a supervisor or co-worker and two (2) character references. None of the references submitted may be related to the applicant.
4. Provide evidence of high school completion by submitting a valid, official high school transcript, a GED Certificate, an associate’s degree, an Evaluation Report, or a College transcript.
5. Demonstrate a passing score on the Entrance Test. A passing score consists of obtaining a score of 70% correct on the math section and 70% correct on the reading section. Applicants have one chance per admission cycle to pass the exam. In the event the applicant does not pass the exam, the applicant may re-apply to a Practical Nursing Program with a different start date.
6. Attend an admission interview.
7. Complete the Interview Form
8. Provide a government issued photo ID.
9. Sign the Consumer Information Acknowledgement Form.
10. Timely complete and return the Enrollment Form by the appropriate deadline.
11. Attend the mandatory orientation.

1. Students must provide evidence of a physical examination completed by a licensed physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner within 30 DAYS FROM THE
   START OF THE PROGRAM, including but not limited to:
   1. A negative TB skin test or chest x-ray.
   2. An annual TB symptom screening questionnaire.
   3. A current Mumps, Measles, Rubella, & Varicella (Chicken Pox) schedule with completed Hepatitis B vaccine series[1]. Blood titers showing immunity; if no immunity shown, immunization is required.
   4. Tetanus, Diphtheria-Pertussis Toxoid immunizations within the last 10 years.
   5. Influenza vaccine is required yearly by clinical agencies.
   6. COVID 19 vaccine is required for Clinical placement.
   7. A statement by the healthcare provider that the applicant has the physical and emotional health to complete the requirements of the program.
2. Demonstrate a satisfactory Criminal Background Check and Drug Test through the approved School’s vendor within 30-days of the start of the program.
3. Demonstrate that no finding has been entered into a state nurse aide registry or by any other professional licensing body concerning abuse, neglect, exploitation, mistreatment of residents or misappropriation of property.
4. Maintain a current American Heart Association CPR BLS Certification for Health Care Provider for entire duration of the program.
5. The school recommends that students obtain the pneumonia and meningitis vaccines. These immunizations are not required, but they are recommended for your safety and the safety of patients at the clinical facility.
6. The approved Standard College student uniform is required to be worn in all clinical facilities where working as a student.
7. Students must timely finalize the registration process by submitting the required financial documents and/or making the appropriate tuition payments.

Students will not be eligible to proceed to the second term in the Practical Nursing Program without timely providing the above Health and Physical Examination, proof of immunizations, and satisfactory Criminal Background and Drug Check Test, on the approved School Forms.

If a student makes false or misleading statements in connection with his/her admission’s application, and/or the financial aid application, the application may be rejected. If the misrepresentation is discovered after the student has enrolled in the program, the offer of admission will ordinarily be rescinded, the course credits and grades may be revoked, and the student may be required to leave the school.

 Standard College reserves the right to deny a student admission into the program if information has been found from the Criminal Background Check, Drug Test or a professional licensing body that would bar the student from completing the Clinical Placement.

Certain criminal convictions may prevent licensure as a nurse or certification as a nurse aide in Virginia. Criminal convictions may also prohibit employment in certain health care settings.

The Clinical site placement is a mandatory component of the program. Students shall comply with the reasonable and lawful requirements of the Clinical site’s policies and procedures. Non-compliance or partial compliance with any such requirement may result in an immediate denial of access to the Clinical site. Standard College may dismiss the student from the program, if the College determines that further participation by the student at a Clinical site is no longer appropriate on the basis of Standard College’s policies and procedures and/or the Clinical site’s policies and procedures.

The basis for admission into the Practical Nursing program does not include advanced standing, experiential learning requirements, or the transfer of credits.

1. Complete the Practical Nursing Program Online Application and submit it along with the non-refundable $75 application fee.
2. Take and pass the Entrance Exam.
3. Submit three (3) references on Standard College’s online application including:
   1. One (1) supervisory work reference
   2. Two (2) character references from persons not related to the applicant.
4. Attend an admission interview with the admissions coordinator.
5. Complete the Interview Form.
6. Complete and return the Enrollment Form by the appropriate deadline.
7. Provide a government issued photo ID.
8. Sign the Consumer Information Acknowledgement Form.
9. Attend the mandatory orientation.

1. Timely provide the required health documents, including the physical examination, current immunization schedule, and health care provider statement.
2. Timely complete the Criminal Background Check and Drug Test for purposes of participating in the Clinical placement.
3. Demonstrate that no finding has been entered into a state nurse aide registry or by any other professional licensing body concerning abuse, neglect, exploitation, mistreatment of residents or misappropriation of property.
4. Maintain a current AHA CPR Certification for Health Care Provider for entire duration of the program.
5. Timely finalize the registration process by submitting the required financial documents and/or tuition payments.

Standard College uses a holistic approach to make admission decisions, evaluating each applicant in a comprehensive and inclusive manner. The holistic approach takes into account the various aspects of an individual’s application. The Admission Team begins to make admission decisions after the program due date, ensuring that all applicants who meet the program due date are equally considered for a spot in the program.

Provisionally admitted into the program

Applicants will be notified of their provisional acceptance to the program by receipt of a formal email detailing their provisional acceptance status to the program. The notification will include conditions to be met, consisting of timely signing the Enrollment Agreement, finalizing the financial aid process and/or making the appropriate tuition payment, signing the Payment Plan, attending the mandatory orientation, and other requirements deemed necessary. In order to be considered provisionally admitted, the applicant must timely submit the application, pay the $75.00 non-refundable fee, pass the Entrance Exam, provide 3 references (1 work reference, 2-character reference), attend the admission interview, and submit all required documents by the program deadline.

Due to the high number of applicants timely completing the admission process, the school cannot provisionally admit all applicants into the program which they applied to. See Wait List Policy.

Formally admitted into the program

Students are formally admitted into the program after they have been provisionally admitted, timely signed the Enrollment Agreement, attended the mandatory Orientation, and finalized the registration process by submitting the required financial documents and/or tuition payments.

On the basis of extenuating circumstances, the school reserves the right to allow students who were provisionally admitted into the program but did not attend the mandatory orientation and/or sign the Enrollment Agreement to (1) enroll in the program for which they initially applied or (2) enroll in another Practical Nursing program within the year.

Students may request to defer to another Practical Nursing program once within one year of submitting an application. Students must request a deferral prior to the program start date for the session to which they applied. The program term they may join will be determined on the basis of space availability.

Standard College has a large applicant pool. Due to space availability, Standard College cannot accommodate all applicants who timely complete the admission process. Once a designated number of applicants have been provisionally accepted into a program, some applicants who have successfully completed the admission process by the program deadline may be placed on a Wait list. These applicants will be given priority to join the program, in the event a spot becomes available.

Standard College is dedicated to upholding a learning environment that is rigorous, collaborative, and respectful. The offer of admission is based on a careful review of the standard application materials and also on a comprehensive assessment of the applicant’s prior academic performance and ability to succeed in the program. The admission decision may also consider any documented conduct concerns from the applicant’s engagement with the College, regardless of whether such conduct concerns resulted in a formal inquiry, violation, or sanction through the Code of Conduct process. Standard College reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant and is not required to provide specific reasons for denial of admission to the College.

Standard College reserves the right to evaluate and document special cases and to refuse or revoke admission if the college determines that the applicant or student poses a threat, is a potential danger, is significantly disruptive to the college community, or if such refusal or revocation is considered to be in the best interest of a college. The colleges also reserve the right to refuse admission for applicants that have been expelled or suspended from, or determined to be a threat, potential danger, or significantly disruptive by another college. Students whose admission is revoked after enrollment must be given due process.

Behaviors that present a threat or a potential danger to the College community or other behaviors where it is considered to be in the best interest of the College to refuse admission or revoke enrollment are defined as, but not limited to:

Threatening Behavior (including but not limited to):

1. Physical actions short of actual contact/injury (e.g., moving closer aggressively, waving arms or fists, raising tone of voice or yelling in an aggressive or threatening manner)
2. Oral or written threats to harm people or their property (e.g., “you’d better watch your back” or “I’ll get you”), including the use of any electronic means of communication
3. Implicit threats (e.g., “you’ll be sorry” or “this isn’t over yet”)

Violent Behavior (including but not limited to):

1. Intentionally acting in a manner that in any way endangers the safety of others
2. Any physical assault, with or without weapons
3. Behavior that a reasonable person would interpret as being physically aggressive (e.g., destruction of property, pounding on a desk or door, or throwing objects in a threatening manner)
4. Specific threats to inflict harm (e.g., a threat to shoot a named individual)
5. Use of any object to attack or intimidate another person
6. Interfering with an individual’s legal rights of movement or expression

Intimidating Behavior (including but not limited to):

1. Intimidation of any kind that results in an individual’s fear for his/her personal safety
2. Engaging in stalking behavior
3. Behavior that is reasonably perceived to be frightening, coercing, or inducing distress to any member of the College community

Disruptive Behavior (including but not limited to):

1. Verbally intimidating, threatening, or abusing any person or persons in the College environment
2. Physically intimidating, threatening, abusing or assaulting others
3. Disorderly or abusive behavior that interferes with the rights of others or obstructs the teaching or learning environment or business of the College
4. Making inappropriate and incessant demands for time and attention from College employees or students
5. Inappropriate use of the College facilities or resources
6. Theft or damage to the College property

The $75.00 application fee for the Practical Nursing program is non-refundable. The application fee is submitted online at the time a student completes an application, allowing students to be considered for one of Standard Colleges’ nursing programs. In order for the applicant to submit the $75.00 payment, the applicant will be required to acknowledge that the fee is nonrefundable.

Applicants are required to pass an Entrance Exam administered by Standard College on campus in order to be considered to the program. The Exam consists of two sections: a math section and a reading section. Applicants have one chance to pass the exam each admission cycle. To pass the exam, an applicant must receive a score of at least 70% on the math section and a score of at least 70% on reading section. In the event an applicant does not pass each section of the entrance exam with a score of 70% or higher, the applicant will no longer be considered for admission to the program. The applicant may reapply to a Practical Nursing Program with a different start date.

The Entrance Exam is held on campus at Standard College, located at 7600 Leesburg Pike, 200 East, Falls Church, VA 22043. Cell phones, smart watches, or other electronic devices are not allowed in the exam room. Applicants must comply with the school’s Test-Taking and Academic Integrity policies during the exam.

Applicants are provided with practice exam questions upon submitting the application.

When an applicant identifies a prior criminal or disciplinary incident on the Practical Nursing application, a meeting may be scheduled to discuss the incident with the applicant. The applicant must provide the court documents or other documents related to the matter, as well as a document demonstrating the resolution of the matter, in order to proceed in the admission process. Once the issue has been resolved, and the applicant continues in the admission process, the applicant is advised to review the Virginia Barrier Crimes prior to starting the Program. The applicant is also encouraged to contact his/her state Board of Nursing for further clarification on receiving a license to practice, as it is the Board of Nursing that issues a license, granting the right to practice.

The essential functions delineated below are necessary for nursing program admission, progression, and graduation and for the provision of safe and effective nursing care.

The essential functions include but are not limited to:

• Critical Thinking – Critical thinking ability sufficient for clinical judgment. (Identify cause-effect relationships in clinical situations, develop nursing care plans.)
• Interpersonal Skills – Interpersonal abilities sufficient to interact with individuals, families, and groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and intellectual backgrounds. (Establish rapport with patients/clients and colleagues.)
• Communication – Communication abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. (Explain treatment procedures, initiate health teaching, document and interpret nursing actions and patient/client responses.)
• Mobility – Physical abilities sufficient to move from room to room and maneuver in small spaces. (Moves around in patient’s room, workspaces, and treatment areas, administer cardio-pulmonary procedures.)
• Motor Skills – Gross and fine motor abilities sufficient to provide safe and effective nursing care. (Calibrate and use equipment; position patients/clients.)
• Hearing – Auditory ability sufficient to monitor and assess health needs. (Hears monitor alarm, emergency signals, auscultory sounds, cries for help, )
• Visual – Visual ability sufficient for observation and assessment necessary in nursing care. (Observes patient’s/client’s responses).
• Tactile – Tactile ability sufficient for physical assessment. (Perform palpation, functions of physical examination and/or those related to therapeutic intervention, e.g. insertions of a catheter).