NCLEX Pass Rates

2019 – 92.31 %
2020 – 78.79 %
2021 – 95.24 %
2022 – 90.91 %
2023 – 70.37 %

The Texas Southmost College Associate Degree Nursing Program received Full Approval from the Texas Board of Nursing on April 21, 2022.
Texas Board of Nursing
1801 Congress Avenue, Suite 10-200
Austin, TX 75701
Phone: (512) 305-7400
Fax: (512) 305-7401

The Vocational Nursing Program has established its admissions policies in accordance with institutional policy, the Texas Board of Nursing Minimum Standard, and program-based policies. Admission into the VN Program is selective and screened through a selection process. Applications will only be considered if the application and all required materials are received by the application deadline. Students should consult the TSC webpage or the Nursing Department for application deadlines for each semester.

Application deadlines will be strictly adhered to:

Fall Admission – May 31st

Spring Admission – September 30th

Candidates for admission are required to:

1. Apply to TSC and meet the general TSC admission requirements (available in the TSC Office of the registrar). TSC Enrollment Checklist

2. Demonstrate TSI college readiness

3. Complete TEAS 7 entrance exam. The TEAS 7 entrance exam is a standardized exam to assess skill level in Reading, Math, Science, and Language.

4. Testing is conducted on set dates. TEAS 7 exams may be taken twice per calendar year. If repeating the TEAS entrance exams, a 30-day window is required between exams

5. Students are admitted to the TSC VN program on provisional status, pending completion of a physical exam, immunizations, and Texas BON fingerprinting/Background check.

Admission requirements include:

1. On the TEAS entrance exam, students must achieve a minimum of 56 on the overall Composite score, and a minimum of 60 on the following individual sections: Reading and Math. Students much achieve a minimum of 50 on the English & Language Use section. The Science section does not have a minimum score to achieve, but scoring on the entrance rubric will begin at 60.

2. TEAS entrance requirement must have been completed within 12 months of the application deadline

3. Two letters of recommendation from a physician, professor, or employer/supervisor

4. Completed application to the Vocational Nursing Program in its entirety. An application must be submitted for each application cycle. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be on file in the Admission and Records Office and the nursing office.

5. There are no required prerequisites

Applicants are notified of program acceptance decisions by email. Requirements after acceptance into the TSC VN program are:

1. Submit a document received from the Texas Board of Nursing indicating clearance following their background check (i.e., blue card or outcome letter)
2. Mandatory attendance to the Nursing Department Bootcamp orientation at the scheduled day and time (this information is provided in the acceptance letter)
3. Submit proof of required immunizations, PPD (TB) test or chest x-ray (if the history of positive TB skin test), Pre-entrance Medical Form, current CPR for Health Care Providers (American Red Cross or American Heart Association). See the Immunization Record in the application. If immunizations cannot be completed by the enrollment date, students will need to re-apply for the following admission cycle (Hepatitis B takes six months to complete the series)
4. Consent to both the Castle Branch background check and the Texas Board of Nursing criminal background check, which must be completed prior to admission
5. Consent to a drug test at a time determined by the Program Director
6. Provide a copy of health insurance prior to clinical rotations (these documents will be uploaded in Castle Branch following the mandatory orientation)

*All documents submitted become the property of the College upon receipt. All information contained in the application is to be true and correct. Any misrepresentation of the facts will make the applicant ineligible for admission.

Effective September 1, 2017, HB 1508, 85th Leg., R.S. (2017), amended Chapter 53 of the Texas Occupations Code to add Subchapter E relating to notice to applicants to and enrollees in certain educational programs regarding the consequences of a criminal conviction on eligibility for an occupational license.

Pursuant to Chapter 53, Subchapter E, of the Texas Occupations Code, please be advised that Texas Southmost College offers programs that lead to an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001. Licensing authorities may have guidelines concerning prior criminal convictions that would make an individual ineligible for the issuance of a given license. If you are enrolled in a program that may prepare an individual for an occupational license and/or if you later decide to change to a program that prepares you for an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001, in accordance with state law, please be advised of the following:

1. An individual who has been convicted of an offense may be ineligible for issuance of an occupational license upon completion of the educational program;
2. Each licensing authority that may issue an occupational license to an individual who completes an educational program must establish guidelines that state the reasons a particular crime is considered to relate to a particular license and any other criterion that affects the decisions of the licensing authority.
3. Local or county licensing authorities may issue additional guidelines related to criminal history. Applicants should contact their respective local or county licensing authority for more details.
4. A person may request a criminal history evaluation letter regarding personal eligibility for a license issued by a licensing authority under Texas Occupations Code 53.102.

Note that the provisions of Chapter 53 of the Texas Occupations Code relating to the consequences of criminal conviction do not apply to licenses granted by the Supreme Court of Texas, law enforcement officers (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 1701), emergency medical services personnel (Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 773), or persons licensed by the Texas Medical Board, the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, the State Board of Dental Examiners, or the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners that have been convicted of a felony under Chapter 481 or 483 or Section 485.003 of the Texas Health and Safety Code. If you are seeking one of these licenses, please be aware that other law provisions may apply to the consequences of a criminal conviction.

All applicants to and enrollees of Texas Southmost College are encouraged to review all applicable eligibility requirements for the respective occupational license. Questions related to eligibility requirements should be directed to the applicable licensing authority.

All students applying for the Associate Degree Nursing or Vocational Nursing Program must take and meet the minimum requirements of the ATI TEAS 7 entrance exam. If applying for the ADN program, students should not take the entrance exam packet until the prerequisites are complete and you are ready to apply to the program. Vocational Nursing Applicants may schedule their entrance exam at any time.

To register for the ATI TEAS exam, students must call the Testing Center at 956-295-3660 to get information. Seating is limited on scheduled ATI TEAS exam days. The cost for both the ATI TEAS is $75. The Admission Assessment Exams may be taken twice during the calendar year; however, there is a 30-day waiting period between exams.

Results from the Admission Assessment Exams can be obtained in your student ATI account.

Examinees must report to the computer lab assigned on their scheduled test date. There are no refunds for a missed appointment.

Students MUST bring their TSC student ID card and one other form of ID to be admitted to the testing area for the Admission Assessment Exams.

The most recent TEAS scores will be recorded in the entrance grid. If a student repeats the TEAS exam, the entire TEAS admission exam must be repeated.

The ATI TEAS entrance exam is designed to assess prospective nursing students’ academic and personal readiness. Entrance into the Nursing program will rank students based on their Reading, Math, Science, and English & Language use, as well as the overall exam score.

The ATI TEAS 7 exam consists of 170 multiple-choice questions (20 items are unscored) and is to be completed in 209 minutes or 3.5 hours. The Reading section contains 45 questions in 55 minutes, Mathematics contains 38 questions in 57 minutes, Science contains 50 questions in 60 minutes, and the English & Language Usage contains 37 questions in 37 minutes. Students must complete each section of the ATI TEAS exam and reach the program’s entrance benchmarks to be considered for entrance. Please see the Admission Requirements tab to review the program’s required benchmark scoring
 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What are the prerequisites for the VN Program?

A. No prerequisite courses are required.

Q. Where can I take the VN Pre-Entrance Exam?

A. The VN Pre–Entrance Exam is administered by the Testing Center in the Oliveira Student Center.

Q. How can I prepare for the VN Pre–Entrance Exam?

A. You may purchase a HESI Admission Assessment Exam study guide called, HESI Admission Assessment Exam Review.

Q. When does the VN Program start?

A. There are two sessions each year, one in the spring, which starts in January, and one in the fall, which starts in August.

Q. How long is the VN program?

A. 12 months

Q. How many students do you accept?

A. The number varies by semester.

Q. When is the deadline to apply?

A. The deadline for the fall class is June 1, and for the spring class, it is November 1.

Q. What happens after I turn in my application?

A. All students who meet the minimum requirements are admitted into the program unless the number of applicants exceeds the spaces available. A competitive process is instituted when the number of applicants exceeds the number of places available. Each student will be given a date and time to be interviewed. When all interviews have been completed, all interview and application information will be compiled and reviewed by the Admissions Committee, who will decide which students are to be admitted into the VN Program.

Q. What is the estimated cost for the VN Program?

A. Estimated cost for tuition, books, and uniforms for the year is $11,000-$13,000.

Q. Is the VN Program a full-time program?

A. Students attend class five days per week, depending on the semester and class. Classes may start as early as 6:00 am or end as late as 7:00 pm. Weekly hours in classroom and/or clinicals average between 34-40 hours per week.

Acceptance into the nursing program is provisional based on the Texas Board of Nursing FBI criminal background check. Upon acceptance into the VN program, students will be instructed to complete the FAST pass process to obtain fingerprints, Texas DPS, and the FBI background check process. Students must follow the eligibility guidelines set by the Board of Nursing.

Texas Board of Nursing – Licensure Eligibility
https://www.bon.texas.gov/licensure_eligibility.asp

If a student answers “yes” to any of the above questions, the student will need to complete a formal disclosure, a Declaratory Order, to the Board of Nursing. The Declaratory Order process permits the Board to decide on a petitioner’s eligibility for licensure before entering or completing a nursing program.

https://www.bon.texas.gov/forms_declaratory_order.asp