LPN to ADN Nursing Program Frequently Asked Questions

Please read on for answers to often-asked questions concerning following nursing programs at Durham Technical Community College. ADN frequently asked questions are also available.
What are the Requirements for Admission to the LPN to ADN Tract of Associate Degree Nursing program?
In order to apply to the LPN to ADN Tract of the Associate Degree Nursing program, you must already be Licensed and a Practical Nurse in North Carolina or be in the process of obtaining that license (enrolled in or graduated from a Practical Nursing program). Admission to the LPN to ADN tract of Associate Degree Nursing program at Durham Technical Community College is non-competitive. The LPN to ADN tract of the Associate Degree Nursing program admits students in the fall semester of even numbered years (2010, 2012) The deadline date to be considered for the fall semester class is March 31 or one business day after. Students qualifying after this date will be added to "pre-nursing status" and may be offered a seat on a space-available basis. Students who have completed and submitted the enrollment application and submitted official transcripts (GED scores, documentation of high school or college graduation and college courses taken) will be accepted into the ADN program LPN to ADN tract pre-nursing status. Pre-nursing status does not indicate acceptance into the nursing clinical course sequence. While in pre-nursing status, students should complete remaining requirements for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence. Students qualify for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence once they have completed required general education and science courses with a GPA of 2.5 and have achieved a minimum of a 60 composite score on the Nurse Entrance Test (NET). When all of the above requirements are completed, the student must contact their nursing advisor and complete Part 2 of the ADN checklist to be placed on the ADN Qualified for Admission list. Students will be offered a seat in nursing clinical courses in the order they qualify for admission. Please note that there is a change in the plan of study for the ADN program for those students beginning the nursing clinical course sequence in 2010. Please review the 2010 admissions steps and checklist.
How do I get started in the admissions process?
The best way to get started in the admissions process is to attend a nursing information session. A nursing admissions counselor and a nursing faculty member will be available to explain the admissions process and to answer your questions. For admission information, call 919- 536-7202.
How do I find out who my nursing advisor is?
You will be notified by mail when you have been accepted to ADN LPN to ADN pre-nursing status. Information will be included as to who your nursing advisor is. Contact information for your advisor will be given to you at that time. Nursing advisors have times for advising appointments posted on their office doors. Since nursing advisors spend a considerable amount of time at the clinical agencies, they will not be available to meet with you unless you have scheduled an appointment in advance.
What do I do before meeting with my nursing advisor?
You need to complete the placement tests. Your advisor cannot help you plan a course schedule until you complete the placement tests.
Can I work while in college?
Managing a work and college schedule is extremely demanding. The LPN to ADN tract is designed for LPNs who work. It is possible work full-time; however, the demands of the curriculum may require some students to work less hours.
How long will it take to complete the course requirements for the ADN program at Durham Technical Community College?
Once space is available, students begin the nursing courses in the fall semester of even-numbered years. A total of three semesters (there are no nursing clinical courses scheduled in the summer semester) is required to complete the nursing courses. Program graduation is in December: graduates may apply to schedule the NCLEX-RN examination after all program requirements are met. Students must complete ENG 112 and HUM elective during the summer semester between the second and third semester of nursing courses if they have not already done so.
How many days per week should be designated for my classes, labs, and clinicals?
You should be prepared to participate in curriculum content three evenings per week. The schedule for class and clinicals will be similar from semester to semester. The first semester, you will have 6 contact hours in nursing courses each week; the remaining two semesters, you will have 15 contact hours. Nursing courses have classroom and clinical components. Each component requires preparation and completion of assignments. A good guide to follow is to plan at least one hour study time for each contact hour.
Are my courses in the ADN program transferable to a university if I want to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing?
Most definitely! General education and science courses taken at Durham tech can transfer to a university. University bachelor of science programs grant students credit for having earned their RN. Nursing courses taken at Durham Tech are not transferred on a one-to-one basis. Mobility/articulation plans are available for the Durham Tech's ADN graduates.
Is there a waiting list for Durham Tech's ADN program?
Yes, there is a possibility of a wait. This period should be used for completing requirements and non-nursing courses in the ADN plan of study. Most students who qualify for admission by March 31 will be offered seats in the fall class. Students qualifying after that date may not be offered seats until the following Fall.
Can I receive transfer credit at Durham Tech for college courses I have taken at other institutions and apply these credits to the ADN plan of study?
When you have been admitted to LPN to ADN prep status, the nursing admissions counselor will evaluate your prior course work and assign transfer credit, if equivalent, to non-nursing courses. You will be sent a letter notifying you which courses will transfer.
What is the salary range for newly registered nurses in this geographic region?
The beginning RN baseline salary range is $37,000-40,000 per year.
Do all classes, labs, and clinicals take place during the day?
The classroom portion of the program is taught during the evening with classes usually beginning at 5 PM (2 days a week). Clinical experiences are usually scheduled during the evening for an 8 hour shifts (one day a week). However, because of the availability of clinical units, it may be necessary for you to attend clinical experiences on weekends.
Is financial aid available for ADN students?
Yes, information about financial aid and scholarships may be requested to be sent with your admissions information packet or by calling 919-536-7209.
Must I be listed on the North Carolina Registry as a Nursing Assistant I?
No, your practical nursing license replaces this requirement.
How will I be notified that I have been accepted into the nursing clinical course sequence?
Students who qualify for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence will be notified by mail and offered a seat in fall nursing clinical course sequence. Letters will be sent out in the end of October and again by the end of April. If a student who has accepted a seat in the fall nursing course sequence decides to defer, students who are on the wait list will be offered seats in the order in which they qualified for admission. Admissions to the Fall class will not occur after June 30. Students may defer only once.

The ADN program is a candidate for accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Please read on for answers to often-asked questions concerning following nursing programs at Durham Technical Community College. ADN frequently asked questions are also available.

What are the Requirements for Admission to the LPN to ADN Tract of Associate Degree Nursing program?

In order to apply to the LPN to ADN Tract of the Associate Degree Nursing program, you must already be Licensed and a Practical Nurse in North Carolina or be in the process of obtaining that license (enrolled in or graduated from a Practical Nursing program). Admission to the LPN to ADN tract of Associate Degree Nursing program at Durham Technical Community College is non-competitive.

The LPN to ADN tract of the Associate Degree Nursing program admits students in the fall semester of even numbered years (2010, 2012)

The deadline date to be considered for the fall semester class is March 31 or one business day after. Students qualifying after this date will be added to "pre-nursing status" and may be offered a seat on a space-available basis.

Students who have completed and submitted the enrollment application and submitted official transcripts (GED scores, documentation of high school or college graduation and college courses taken) will be accepted into the ADN program LPN to ADN tract pre-nursing status. Pre-nursing status does not indicate acceptance into the nursing clinical course sequence.

While in pre-nursing status, students should complete remaining requirements for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence. Students qualify for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence once they have completed required general education and science courses with a GPA of 2.5 and have achieved a minimum of a 60 composite score on the Nurse Entrance Test (NET).

When all of the above requirements are completed, the student must contact their nursing advisor and complete Part 2 of the ADN checklist to be placed on the ADN Qualified for Admission list. Students will be offered a seat in nursing clinical courses in the order they qualify for admission.

Please note that there is a change in the plan of study for the ADN program for those students beginning the nursing clinical course sequence in 2010. Please review the 2010 admissions steps and checklist.

How do I get started in the admissions process?

The best way to get started in the admissions process is to attend a nursing information session. A nursing admissions counselor and a nursing faculty member will be available to explain the admissions process and to answer your questions.

For admission information, call 919- 536-7202.

How do I find out who my nursing advisor is?

You will be notified by mail when you have been accepted to ADN LPN to ADN pre-nursing status. Information will be included as to who your nursing advisor is. Contact information for your advisor will be given to you at that time.

Nursing advisors have times for advising appointments posted on their office doors. Since nursing advisors spend a considerable amount of time at the clinical agencies, they will not be available to meet with you unless you have scheduled an appointment in advance.

What do I do before meeting with my nursing advisor?

You need to complete the placement tests. Your advisor cannot help you plan a course schedule until you complete the placement tests.

Can I work while in college?

Managing a work and college schedule is extremely demanding. The LPN to ADN tract is designed for LPNs who work. It is possible work full-time; however, the demands of the curriculum may require some students to work less hours.

How long will it take to complete the course requirements for the ADN program at Durham Technical Community College?

Once space is available, students begin the nursing courses in the fall semester of even-numbered years. A total of three semesters (there are no nursing clinical courses scheduled in the summer semester) is required to complete the nursing courses. Program graduation is in December: graduates may apply to schedule the NCLEX-RN examination after all program requirements are met.

Students must complete ENG 112 and HUM elective during the summer semester between the second and third semester of nursing courses if they have not already done so.

How many days per week should be designated for my classes, labs, and clinicals?

You should be prepared to participate in curriculum content three evenings per week. The schedule for class and clinicals will be similar from semester to semester.

The first semester, you will have 6 contact hours in nursing courses each week; the remaining two semesters, you will have 15 contact hours. Nursing courses have classroom and clinical components. Each component requires preparation and completion of assignments. A good guide to follow is to plan at least one hour study time for each contact hour.

Are my courses in the ADN program transferable to a university if I want to pursue a bachelor of science in nursing?

Most definitely! General education and science courses taken at Durham tech can transfer to a university. University bachelor of science programs grant students credit for having earned their RN. Nursing courses taken at Durham Tech are not transferred on a one-to-one basis. Mobility/articulation plans are available for the Durham Tech's ADN graduates.

Is there a waiting list for Durham Tech's ADN program?

Yes, there is a possibility of a wait. This period should be used for completing requirements and non-nursing courses in the ADN plan of study. Most students who qualify for admission by March 31 will be offered seats in the fall class. Students qualifying after that date may not be offered seats until the following Fall.

Can I receive transfer credit at Durham Tech for college courses I have taken at other institutions and apply these credits to the ADN plan of study?

When you have been admitted to LPN to ADN prep status, the nursing admissions counselor will evaluate your prior course work and assign transfer credit, if equivalent, to non-nursing courses. You will be sent a letter notifying you which courses will transfer.

What is the salary range for newly registered nurses in this geographic region?

The beginning RN baseline salary range is $37,000-40,000 per year.

Do all classes, labs, and clinicals take place during the day?

The classroom portion of the program is taught during the evening with classes usually beginning at 5 PM (2 days a week). Clinical experiences are usually scheduled during the evening for an 8 hour shifts (one day a week). However, because of the availability of clinical units, it may be necessary for you to attend clinical experiences on weekends.

Is financial aid available for ADN students?

Yes, information about financial aid and scholarships may be requested to be sent with your admissions information packet or by calling 919-536-7209.

Must I be listed on the North Carolina Registry as a Nursing Assistant I?

No, your practical nursing license replaces this requirement.

How will I be notified that I have been accepted into the nursing clinical course sequence?

Students who qualify for admission to the nursing clinical course sequence will be notified by mail and offered a seat in fall nursing clinical course sequence. Letters will be sent out in the end of October and again by the end of April.

If a student who has accepted a seat in the fall nursing course sequence decides to defer, students who are on the wait list will be offered seats in the order in which they qualified for admission. Admissions to the Fall class will not occur after June 30.

Students may defer only once.

The ADN program is a candidate for accreditation by the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission.

Durham Technical Community College
1637 Lawson Street
Durham, NC 27703
919-536-7200

Pre-Nursing Seminars	Essential Requirements for Nursing	Qualifying for Admissions	Answers to Common Questions	NET Testing
ADN Student Handbook	Plan of Study	Course Descriptions	Course Offerings	Faculty/Staff