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FAQ's New Performance-Based
Health Science Process

Frequently Asked Questions - Health Sciences Programs

In recent years, the waitlists for many of CCRI's most in-demand health sciences programs have become lengthy, sometimes with as many as two and three times as many students as can be accepted each year. To address this backup, which had become frustrating for many students waiting months or years for acceptance to their chosen programs, CCRI is instituting a new merit-based acceptance policy for these and selected other health sciences programs. These programs will have limited application windows, as described below. The new acceptance policy will be phased in gradually as the traditional first-come, first-served way of accepting students is phased out.

Currently, this new "Performance-Based Health Science Application Process" is a competitive process that recognizes exceptional academic achievement by expediting the admissions process into the Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Radiography programs. Other programs listed below are part of this new admissions process and do have admission requirements, but are generally able to accept all applicants meeting these requirements.

Emergency/Disaster Management and Fire Science/EMT programs are exempt from the limited application windows and will continue accepting applications year-round.

Programs using the performance-based admissions policy are:

Associate Degree Programs
Clinical Laboratory Technology
Dental Hygiene
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Histotechnician
Nursing
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Physical Therapist Assistant
Radiography
Respiratory Therapy
Therapeutic Massage

Certificate Programs
Dental Assisting
Health Care Interpreter
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Phlebotomy
Practical Nursing
Renal Dialysis Technician

Students wishing to submit their names for consideration in the performance-based selection are required to have already completed the admission requirements.

Performance-based acceptances will make up no more than 10 percent of total new acceptances for programs beginning in Fall 2007, depending upon how many applicants meet the criteria. Beginning Fall 2008 class forward, it will include no more than 10 percent performance-based admissions. Our goal is to accept all students currently on the waitlist, and to phase out the waitlist process entirely. Students currently on the waitlist may choose to apply under the performance-based considerations without risking their current place on the list if the performance-based acceptance is not granted.

The following provides answers to students for some commonly asked questions about the new process.

FAQs

Q: What is the new application time period and who can apply?

Q: I applied to one of the health science programs after March 31, 2006. What process do I follow?

Q: I applied to one of the high-demand programs prior to April 1, 2006. I am following the guidelines that were in effect prior to April 1st. When must I complete the pre-requisites and be placed on the Waiting List?

Q: I am currently on a waitlist. Can I be accepted more quickly if I qualify for this performance-based acceptance?

Q: I wish to apply to the Dental Hygiene Program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I wish to apply to the Radiography Program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I wish to apply to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I wish to apply to the Nursing program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I wish to apply to the Physical Therapist Assistant program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I wish to apply to the Respiratory Therapy program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?

Q: I am currently fulfilling prerequisites for one of the other health science programs (other than Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography or Radiography). Will I also need to apply during the application timeframe February 1 - February 29, 2008?

Q: Can I be considered for more than one program?

Q: What is the new application time period and who can apply?
A: All health sciences programs will be accepting applications from February 1 through February 29, 2008. New applicants must have completed all current admission requirements (effective April 1, 2006) to be eligible for consideration.

Any student who has met the admission requirements is welcome to apply to the Performance-Based Health Science Process.

This is the only 2008 application period for Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Radiography and Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Two additional application periods will be available for the following Health Sciences Programs:  Clinical Laboratory Technology, Dental Assisting, Histotechnician, Health Care Interpreter, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Phlebotomy, Physical Therapist Assistant, Renal Dialysis Technology, Respiratory Therapy and Therapeutic Massage. These application periods will be May 27 to June 4, 2008 and August 12 to 20, 2008.

Please Note: An additional application period will be available for Phlebotomy and Respiratory Therapy starting October 1, 2008 through October 31, 2008.

Q: I applied to one of the health sciences programs after March 31, 2006. What process do I follow?
A: Students who submitted an application for any one of the health sciences programs from April 1, 2006 through January 31, 2007 have been accepted into the General Studies program in order to begin working on admissions requirements. No new applicants from April 1, 2006 forward will be added to a waiting list. Students are required to have completed all admission requirements before submitting an application for a health sciences program under the Performance-Based Health Science Application Process.

A: To be placed on the existing waitlists, all students who submitted applications before April 1, 2006 must have  completed their admissions requirements by September 1, 2007 for Nursing, and by December 31, 2007 for Clinical Laboratory Technology, Histotechnician, Dental Hygiene, Radiography, Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Physical Therapist Assistant. Students who do not complete requirements by these dates will be required to fulfill the new admission requirements and must reapply during the next open application period under the new Performance-Based Health Sciences Application Process.

The new program Admission Guidelines are in effect for Applicants for Fall 2009-2011.

Q: I am currently on a waitlist. Can I be accepted more quickly if I qualify for this performance-based acceptance?
A: Yes. Students who are on the current waitlist, and who have completed all of the admission requirements, may apply for consideration through the new "Performance-Based Health Sciences Process" from February 1 through February 29, 2008. You can apply for consideration without any impact on your waitlist status. In other words, if your performance-based application is not accepted, your name will remain in the same position on the list.

Q: I wish to apply to the Dental Hygiene Program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process and includes the following criteria:

• Preference given to students with a Grade of "A" in DHYG 1000 or DENT 1000
• Exceptional GPA for all Science Courses
• Exceptional cumulative GPA
• Completion of established core admission requirements, including the Accuplacer tests.

Q: I wish to apply to the Radiography Program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process and includes the following criteria ranked in order of importance:

• GPA for the three (3) admission requirements of XRAY 1000, ENGL 1010 and MATH 1700 (or other approved MATH courses)
• Cumulative GPA
• Grade of "A" for MATH 1700 preferred
• Earliest completion date of admission requirements
  

Q: I wish to apply to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process and includes the following criteria ranked in order of importance:

• GPA for the three (3) admission requirements of BIOL 1010 or 1070, ENGL 1010, and MATH 1700 (or other approved MATH courses)
• Cumulative GPA
• Grade of "A" for MATH 1700 preferred
• Earliest completion date of admission requirements
  

Q: I wish to apply to the Nursing program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process and includes the following criteria:

• Cumulative GPA (2.7 or better)
• Exceptional (B or above) grades in BIOL 1010, BIOL 1020, and HEAL 1060
• Accuplacer Reading Score of 90 or above
• TEAS test scores of 50th percentile or above

Q: I wish to apply to the Physical Therapist Assistant program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process. Preference will be given to students with the following criteria:

• Exceptional GPA
• Grade of "A" in BIOL 1010 preferred
• Grade of "A" in PHTA 1000 preferred
• Exceptional Accuplacer Reading Test score
• Completion of the greatest number of required general education courses: (BIOL 1010, BIOL 1020, ENGL 1010, SPCH 1100, MATH 1420, PSYC 2010, PSYC 2030)
• Earliest completion of admission requirements

Q: I wish to apply to the Respiratory Therapy program in the application period that starts February 1. What criteria will be considered for potential admission to the program?
A: In addition to the admission requirements, applications will be considered through a competitive process and includes the following criteria in descending order by grade:

• BIOL 1010 Human Anatomy
• ENGL 1010 English Composition I
• Cumulative GPA

Q: I am currently fulfilling prerequisites for one of the health sciences programs (other than Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Diagnostic Medical Sonography or Radiography). Will I also need to apply during the application timeframe February 1- February 29, 2008?
A: Yes. If you have fulfilled your admission requirements, you should apply during this timeframe. There will be two additional application timeframes for the following Health Sciences Programs:

Clinical Laboratory Technology, Dental Assisting, Histotechnician, Health Care Interpreter, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Phlebotomy, Physical Therapist Assistant, Renal Dialysis Technology, Respiratory Therapy and Therapeutic Massage. Those dates are May 27 through June 4, 2008 and August 12 through 20, 2008.

An additional application period will be available for Phlebotomy and Respiratory Therapy starting October 1 through October 31, 2008.

Q: Can I be considered for more than one program?
A: Yes. Students can apply to more than one program for admissions consideration.