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Competitive Admissions

Posted on Oct 13, 2020 at 20:05 PM

Competitive Admission Programs:

  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree
  • Echocardiography degree
  • Practical Nursing diploma
  • Radiologic Technology degree

Acceptance into the college does not guarantee selection into a desired competitive admissions program. For more information on the college admission requirements, click here. All competitive admissions requirements must be met by posted deadlines.

Competitive Admissions Minimum Requirements (all programs listed above):

  • Applicant must complete and have a grade point average (GPA) of a 2.5 or higher in all required prerequisite courses (listed below) and be in good standing with the college. All courses must be completed with a “C” or better.

  • Applicants for Practical Nursing and Radiologic Technology must attend a Competitive Admissions Workshop. The required workshop session dates are listed below. Students will select the link on the day and time of the event for virtual sessions. No registration is required.
  • Applicants for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Echocardiography must attend a Sonography Information Session within one year prior to the term of interest. The required information session dates are listed below. Students will select the link on the day and time of the event for virtual sessions. No registration is required.
    • January 24, 12:00 p.m. - Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • February 7, 12:00 p.m. - Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • February 28, 4:00 p.m. - Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • March 21, 12:00 p.m. - Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • April 4, 12:00 p.m. - Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • April 18, 4:00 p.m.: Health Science North, Rm. 943
    • April 25, 12:00 p.m.: Health Science North, Rm. 943

  • Applicants must complete the following program-specific aptitude exam and achieve the required minimum scores. More information on the required aptitude exams and helpful study information can be found on the Assessment Center webpage.
    • Applicants for the Practical Nursing program must complete the ATI TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam and achieve a composite score of 59% or higher.  Applicants must have taken the TEAS exam within the last 5 years.

  • Applicants for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Echocardiography, and Radiologic Technology must complete the PSB exam at Ogeechee Technical College and achieve the following minimum scores:
    • cumulative score of 150 or higher
    • 35 or higher on the Academic Aptitude, Reading Comprehension, and Vocational Adjustment sections

Selection Process:

Ogeechee Tech sets a specific number of admission slots for each competitive admissions program. All students who meet the minimum requirements for competitive admissions programs by the posted deadlines are entered into the selection process. Students are selected for available slots using the following criteria:

For the Radiologic Technology, Echocardiography, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs:

  • A total score is calculated based on PSB scores and GPA for required prerequisite coursework only. Students are selected based on total score ranking. 
  • The GPA for prerequisite courses only will be weighted at 40% of the total score.
  • The percentile scores on the Academic Aptitude, Reading Comprehension, and Vocational Adjustment sections of the PSB will be weighted at 60% of the total score.
  • If a tie exists, the highest percentile cumulative score on the PSB exam will determine ranking.
  • If a tie continues to exist, the highest percentile GPA on prerequisite coursework will determine ranking.

Note: Students who are interested in applying for both Echocardiography and Diagnostic Medical Sonography must select a first-choice program and second-choice program. Students will be given priority in the selection process for their first-choice program.

For the Practical Nursing program:

  • A total score is calculated based on TEAS scores and GPA for required prerequisite coursework only. Students are selected based on total score ranking. 
  • The GPA for prerequisite courses only will be weighted at 40% of the total score.
  • The TEAS exam score will be weighted at 60% of the total score.
  • If a tie exists, the highest score on the TEAS exam will determine ranking.
  • If a tie continues to exist, the highest GPA on prerequisite coursework will determine ranking.

Required Prerequisite Coursework:

For ranking purposes, a GPA is calculated based only on required prerequisite courses listed below taken within the last 5 years. A student may sign the waiver section included on the online letter of interest to have all coursework older than 5 years to be included in the calculations for the competitive admissions selection process. A student will not be able to choose specific coursework to include and exclude if a waiver is submitted. Coursework may be obtained by enrolling in the Health Care Assistant Certificate for Practical Nursing program or in the Interdisciplinary Degree for the Radiologic Technology, Echocardiography, and Diagnostic Medical Sonography Degree programs. The program specific required coursework includes:

Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Echocardiography

  • ENGL 1101
  • PSYC 1101
  • Humanities/Fine Arts elective (only the highest grade achieved will be calculated into the cumulative GPA)
  • MATH 1111
  • MATH 1127
  • PHYS 1110
  • PHYS 1110L
  • BIOL 2113
  • BIOL 2113L
  • BIOL 2114
  • BIOL 2114L

Practical Nursing

  • ALHS 1011
  • ALHS 1040
  • ALHS 1090
  • COLL 1010
  • ENGL 1010
  • MATH 1012
  • PSYC 1010 or PSYC 1101
  • NAST 1100
  • ALHS 1060

Radiologic Technology

  • ENGL 1101
  • PSYC 1101
  • Humanities/Fine Arts elective (only the highest grade achieved will be calculated into the cumulative GPA)
  • General Education elective (only the highest grade achieved will be calculated into the cumulative GPA)
  • MATH 1111, MATH 1101 or MATH 1103
  • ALHS 1090
  • RADT 1010 (must be completed within 5 years of term of interest)
  • BIOL 2113
  • BIOL 2113L
  • BIOL 2114
  • BIOL 2114L

NOTE: Grades from prerequisite course transfer credits will be included in the calculation of the GPA for competitive admissions. A student will not be able to choose specific coursework to include and exclude if credits are transferred from a previous college.

Aptitude Examinations:

The TEAS (Test of Essential Academic Skills) exam is a standardized test used by Ogeechee Tech to evaluate nursing candidates for potential admission into the nursing program. The TEAS exam is intended to gauge a student's achievement in nursing school. The TEAS test covers reading, math, science and English and language usage skills. Applicants for the Practical Nursing program must have taken the TEAS aptitude exam within the last 5 years and achieved a composite score of 59% or higher.

The PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Examination is a standardized test used to evaluate Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Echocardiography, and Radiologic Technology candidates. The PSB is selectively normed on applicants for admission to all of the various health care career choices and can predict an individual’s readiness and capability for successful completion of the educational program designed to prepare qualified health care personnel. The examination addresses required pre-requisite and acquired educational achievements commensurate with the objectives of the preparation program. It comprises five separate tests that measure abilities, skills, knowledge, and attitudes important for success in the program and career choice. Applicants for the Radiologic Technology, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and Echocardiography programs must take the PSB Health Occupations Aptitude Examination and achieve a cumulative score of 150 or higher and a score of 35 or higher on the Academic Aptitude, Reading Comprehension, and Vocational Adjustment sections.

The exams are given several times each semester. A student will be allowed 4 testing attempts on the TEAS and the PSB. Re-norming a PSB attempt does not count towards the allotted administrations. TEAS exam scores will expire 5 years after the exam date. PSB exam scores will expire 2 years after the exam date. A student is required to wait a minimum of 30 calendar days between the first and second attempts. If a student chooses to take the exam more than two times, he/she will be required to wait a minimum of six months between each additional attempt. PSB scores from other schools will not be accepted.


A student’s first attempt is $40, and a $65 re-test fee is required for each subsequent attempt. Students will be administered the entire exam during each exam attempt. A $25 re-norming/scoring fee is applied for the PSB tests if a student takes the wrong exam. PSB scores can only be renormed within two years of the exam date. All testing fees are non-refundable.

A student may schedule, find out when the test is administered, and find helpful study resources by visiting the Assessment Center online. Study guides are also available in the Assessment Center and the Library.

Deadlines:

The required steps above must be completed before the competitive admission selection deadlines:

  • Practical Nursing
    • Fall 2022: August 1, 2022
    • Spring 2023: December 13, 2022
    • Fall 2023: August 1, 2023
  • Echocardiography
    • Fall 2023: May 2, 2023

  • Diagnostic Medical Sonography
    • Fall 2023: May 2, 2023

  • Radiologic Technology
    • Spring 2024: August 1, 2023

 

Selections will be made within seven days from the deadline. All applicants will be notified by text and email of their acceptance or denial for admission into a competitive program.

Students applying to the Practical Nursing program who are currently employed as a Certified Nursing Assistant should speak to their advisor regarding the NAST course exemption process.

For information about the competitive selection process, please contact Molly Bickerton, Director for Admissions, at mbickerton@ogeecheetech.edu. If you have specific questions about courses and/or advisement, please contact Rose Williams, Academic Advisor, at rlwilliams@ogeecheetech.edu. 

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