Practical Nurse, V.C.

Application Process:

Students are accepted into the Practical Nursing Program twice a year, starting each Fall and Spring semester. The deadlines to apply are June 30th for Fall admission and October 31st for Spring admission. Applications for the Practical Nursing Program can be submitted anytime throughout the year for the next available start date.

The following must be completed prior to the deadline date in order to be eligible for acceptance into the next program admission:

• Apply to Gulf Coast State College
• Submit official High School or GED and any college transcripts to the Office of Admission and Records on the Panama City Campus
• Submit active scores (within 2 years) on the TABE examination or equivalent PERT scores to the Testing Center on the Panama City Campus. TABE tests are given at the Gulf/Franklin Campus  in Port St. Joe, FL only for Practical Nursing applicants. A TABE score of "11" in Math, Reading and Language is required to obtain a certificate of completion (at the end of the program), however, there is no required minimum score in order to be accepted into the Practical Nursing Program. Contact Ryan Walding to schedule your TABE test.

 If you have already obtained an AS degree or higher, you are exempt from the TABE/PERT score requirement once your official degree transcripts have been received by       GCSC.

• Submit an application to the Practical Nursing program at the Gulf/Franklin Campus. Be sure to read the entire application packet thoroughly before submitting your application.

After meeting the above criteria, the applicant should contact the Coordinator for advising and review of the application folder for completion.

Applications must be completed by June 30th for Fall admission or October 31st for Spring admission. Due to the selection process, meeting minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee admission. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain communication with the program advisor to ensure that the application folder is complete and up-to-date with current admission requirements.

NOTE TO ALL STUDENTS: Admission to the program is competitive in nature and is not guaranteed. During the first week after the application deadline, a selection committee will rank all completed applications and admission is granted to the most qualified applicants. Applicants can improve their chances of admission by completing one or more of the recommended supplemental courses listed in the application packet. It should be understood that satisfactorily meeting minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee admission. 

Requirements after conditional Acceptance

Applicants will be notified by mail of selection status and receive either a conditional acceptance packet or denial letter. Eligible applicants will be accepted until all 36 slots in the program are filled. Instructions will be provided in the conditional acceptance packet for applicants to accept their slot and begin the steps necessary for final acceptance into the program. Final acceptance and permission to enroll will be granted upon successful completion of the following:

• Satisfactory Fingerprinting/Criminal Background Check: Must be completed through GCSC provider. No other results will be accepted. Information will be provided in the conditional acceptance packet.
• Satisfactory 10-Panel Drug Screen: Must be completed through GCSC provider. No other results will be accepted. Information will be provided in the conditional acceptance packet.
• Copy of current Certification in CPR for Healthcare Providers: Must be certified by the American Heart Association (BCLS-C) for Healthcare Provider (Basic Cardiac Life Support). 
• Completion of Physical Examination (with satisfactory results), including copy of Immunization Form: Students must submit a complete physical exam report signed by a Physician(MD), Physician Assistant(PA), or Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner(ARNP). A physical form will be provided in the conditional acceptance packet. Students must also submit a complete and current immunization record including: Polio (3 doses), Hepatitis B Series, Tetanus (within 10 years), Measles, Mumps, Rubella (2 doses), Chicken Pox Vaccination or year of outbreak, and a current PDD or TB test (within 1 year). An immunization form will be provided in the conditional acceptance packet.

Failure to complete the above requirements by the designated deadline provided in the conditional acceptance packet will result in the forfeiture of your slot in the Practical Nursing program.