Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

When does the nursing program begin?

After a competitive application process that takes place from February through June, a new cohort of 40 students begin their classes in September, at the start of Fall term. To view this year¡¯s specific admissions timeline, please review the ¡°Application Timeline and Details¡± section of the Admissions Guide.

What do I need to complete to apply to the program?

The application requirements that must be met prior to applying to the PCC Nursing program are:

• To be an active, credit seeking students at PCC at the time of the application
• To have 30 of the 45 designated prerequisite credits completed with a C grade or higher by the end of fall term prior to the application deadline in February. At minimum, the 30 credits must include,
  • Anatomy and Physiology I, BI 231
  • Math course or competency by approved PCC ALEKS placement test
  • The remaining prerequisites must be complete by the end of spring term in the year applying
• To have a cumulative prerequisite GPA which must be at least a 3.0

To learn more about the application requirements and process, please refer to the Admissions Guide.

How competitive is PCC’s Nursing program?

PCC¡¯s Nursing program is highly competitive. We typically receive 300-400 applications each year for up to 40 spaces.

The 2024 application cycle had:

• 276 complete nursing applications
  ¡ñ 89 applicants invited to sit for the HSRT
  ¡ñ 40 seat offers extended

Students invited to take part in phase II had the following:

• 3.75 was the average prerequisite GPA
  ¡ñ 94% had some documented healthcare experience
  ¡ñ 90% had a healthcare certification
  ¡ñ 98% had the full A&P sequence completed prior to applying
  ¡ñ 82% had all their prerequisite courses completed prior to applying

Please note: These numbers change on a yearly basis along with admissions requirements and the yearly variations of the applicant pool. Point totals or average scores are not released.

Are there any time limits on the prerequisite courses for the nursing program?

The following courses must be current within seven years of application to the program: Anatomy & Physiology I, II & III (BI 231, 232 & 233), Microbiology (BI 234), Food and Nutrition (FN 225), Human Å·ÖÞ±­¾öÈü¾º²Âapp_Å·ÖÞ±­×ãÇòÍø-Ͷע|¹ÙÍøment (PSY 215), AND Math (MTH 95 or higher). There are no time limitations for writing, social sciences, support courses and general education elective courses.

Can I send official transcripts with my nursing application, or does the college I attended have to send them?

PCC uses a third party, independent organization for online application processing called the Nursing Centralized Application Service (NCAS). Transcripts from all institutions, including PCC must be mailed or electronically sent directly to NCAS. Applications and all supporting materials (such as transcripts) must be received by the 8:59pm (PST) application deadline. Applications and transcripts must be verified by NCAS within one week of the application deadline to be considered.

Can I use my placement results to substitute for taking a course in the nursing program?

For admissions purposes, placement results may only be used to update or substitute the nursing program¡¯s Math 95 requirement. If you are planning on using a math placement test score for your application, please make sure your PCC ALEKs raw test score report is uploaded to your NCAS application under the documents section under the ¡°other¡± category. Please visit the admissions page for a list of accepted tests and more detailed information. For all other program requirements, placement results are only used to determine which course you should take. We will not use placement results in place of the required course.

How can I earn health care experience points for my military medical training?

Military medical experience will be considered as a licensed certification with supporting documentation. Please submit all documentation regarding military title, job duties, and length of service in that role, honorable discharge papers (if applicable). Documentation may come from formal discharge papers or a commanding officer on letterhead from the respective military branch. For more information, please email admissions@pcc.edu.

Can I get a bachelor’s degree with a major in nursing after I get my associate in nursing?

Yes. PCC¡¯s Nursing program joined the Oregon Consortium for Nursing Education (OCNE), a partnership with Oregon Health Sciences University that allows students who have completed their associates of applied science degree at PCC can transition to OHSU to complete a Bachelors of Science degree with a major in nursing in one additional year. Please visit the admissions page to find out more details regarding the OCNE partnership.

There are also several programs in the Portland area that are designed for students who have earned an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) and want to complete their bachelor’s degree. You may view Oregon nursing schools that have bachelor’s degree programs on the University Transfer site. If you click on Sort by Major and scroll down to nursing, you can view a side-by-side comparison of the nursing schools. Please note: requirements listed at PCC¡¯s transfer website may vary from the RN to BSN completion requirements. Please contact the university of interest for advising and counseling.

If you would like to enter a bachelor¡¯s program without completing PCC¡¯s ADN program, please contact an academic advisor in the Healthcare + Emergency Professions (HEP) pathway.

How do I contact an academic advisor at PCC?

To meet with an academic advisor at PCC, you must do the following:

• ?Apply to PCC as a credit-seeking student
• Complete the New Student Orientation
• Complete the placement process
• Login to your MyPCC email (located in the upper-right corner of your MyPCC) to find out who your assigned advisor will be at PCC

If you have any questions about academic advising please either visit the Academic Advising at PCC page or fill out the New Student Question form.

Is a Nursing Assistant Certification (CNA) required to get into the PCC Nursing program?

No. A CNA license is not required to apply or be admitted to PCC’s Nursing program. However, additional points may be earned on your application for experience as a CNA, EMT, Paramedic, or LPN. To see a list of approved credentials, please review the approved list of accepted healthcare credentials for the PCC Nursing Program. Although it is not a program requirement, students are encouraged to gain direct patient care skills and experience that may apply to any nursing program.

Can I take some non-nursing courses before I am admitted to the nursing program?

Yes. Some courses may be completed before beginning the nursing program, including Technical Writing. Please meet with an academic advisor in the Healthcare + Emergency Professions (HEP) pathway for detailed academic planning.

Do I need to take a computer literacy test or course before applying to the nursing program?

PCC does not require students to complete a computer literacy course or test to apply to the nursing program. However, to be successful in the nursing program students must possess computer skills including use of word processing, spreadsheets, internet, and email. Students who need to improve their computer literacy should meet with an academic advisor in the Healthcare + Emergency Professions (HEP) pathway to discuss ways to increase computer skills.

Can I repeat courses for higher grades? Is there a limit to the number of times I can repeat them?

We will use the most recent grade for prerequisite GPA calculation. Students looking to retake classes should be aware that repeated courses may not be eligible for financial aid.

Do you have an LPN-RN program?

PCC does not currently have an LPN to RN bridge program. Students with an LPN do earn additional points on their application to the RN nursing program but they will not be eligible for advanced placement. Please refer to the nursing admissions page for more information.

Does PCC assist in job placement once students graduate from the nursing program?

No, PCC has a student and graduate employment office which can assist students in sharpening their job-hunting skills. For more information about accessing services through the student and graduate employment office please visit the Student and Graduate Employment Services page.

Another helpful resource is CampusRN. For job search assistance please visit the CampusRN Registered Nurse Jobs page.

Does PCC have nursing-specific scholarships and grants?

Yes. PCC offers a variety of scholarships and grants to students interested in our healthcare programs. Please visit the PCC Financial Aid homepage to see a comprehensive list and directions which will assist in your search.

Other scholarship resources for nursing students are CampusRN Nursing Grants and travel nursing.