It’s Time for an Academic Check-up! Are you on the right track to achieve your goals? What can you do now to improve your chance of success? Do you need to consider a new pathway to an exciting career? Take this quick and easy check-up to assess your goals and re-evaluate the plan to get you there! Click here if you would like to become a Nurse. Click here if you are interested in another health or science career. Click here if you are not yet sure of your career goal.

Is Nursing a Good Career Fit? Nursing is a wonderful career, but it is certainly not a good fit for everyone. It is a demanding profession, which requires a unique set of skills and characteristics. For a quick check of your fit for a nursing career, review the skills and characteristics below: Solid foundation in Science, English and Math Leadership and organizational skills People skills Patience Flexibility Compassion Problem-solving skills A sense of humor The ability to stay calm in a crisis Physical stamina Emotional stability The ability to follow others The ability to relate to people of all backgrounds and cultures. Does it sound like a good fit? Click here to learn about the current standards for acceptance to a Nursing School. Are you wondering whether this career is right for you? Click here to explore other equally exciting and well paid professions in health care and science.

Will I Be Accepted to Nursing School? Prerequisite Courses: Each Nursing School has specific prerequisite courses which must be completed before application. Contact the Nursing School for specific requirements. These courses include: College level English College level Mathematics College level Biology College level Chemistry Entrance Exam: Some schools also require that applicants take an entrance exam. Academic Record: Competition for entrance to Nursing School is intense. Program Directors are looking for students who have demonstrated that they can succeed in a rigorous academic environment. Most Nursing Schools require that applicants have a minimum GPA of 2.75 but in actuality, the average GPA of the students they accept is above 3.0. They typically want to see a GPA in Lab Sciences of at least 3.0. In evaluating transcripts, Nursing Schools do not want to see W’s, D’s and F’s, even if these courses are retaken with a better end result. If your GPA is below 2.75, your Science GPA is below 3.0 or you have a history of W’s, D’s and F’s, it is not likely that you will gain entrance to Nursing School at this time. Does it sound like you’re on the right track? Click here to learn how to increase your chance of success. Would you like to investigate programs with different acceptance standards? Click here to explore other equally exciting health career programs.

Increase My Chance of Success? What Can I Do Now to Increase My Chance of Success? Since you know that admission to Nursing School is selective, you need to plan ahead so that your application presents a top caliber student. Your transcript should reflect academic success and an especially strong science foundation. Since many programs require an entrance examination, it would be wise to improve test-taking skills. Follow these tips for success: Plan a schedule which allows you to succeed. Tips can be found by clicking here. Use an academic advisor (BG-12, 215-751-8777). Use academic resources designed to help you succeed. Tutors, study groups and workshops are available free of charge in the Learning Lab. Click here for more information. Stay informed of CST workshops and events by joining the Culture, Science, and Technology Program in My Colonial Community, found on MyCCP in MyGPS. Apply to more than one Nursing Program. Even the best students receive denial letters. Increase your chance of acceptance by applying to several programs. Keep transfer to a four-year school as an option-apply early for Dual Admissions Programs in Room W1-1. Thank you for participating in this Academic Check-up. Academic plans should be evaluated regularly in order to continue on the pathway to success. Please contact Laura Davidson, CST Curriculum Coordinator at 215-751-8534 or Ldavidson@ccp.edu if you have any questions about your academic plan.

Explore Your Options! As a Culture, Science and Technology student, you have many excellent career options to explore. All of these careers offer the chance to become a professional with a good salary, benefits and a chance for advancement. Careers in health and science show steady growth which translates to abundant job opportunities! Start by exploring your best career fit based on your personality, skills and interests: Register for Counseling 101, Life Planning and Career Decision-Making. In this three credit course, you will explore career choices in depth. It is offered on-line as well as on campus. Register for Allied Health 101-Introduction to Health Care Professions. In this three credit course, you will explore careers in health care, learn some entry-level skills and practice strategies for success in achieving your goals. Make an appointment with a Counselor for one to one assistance with career exploration. Visit BG-07 or call 215-751-8169. Complete a one hour career inventory called “Choices.” There is no reservation required for this activity which can be found in the Counseling Center, BG-07, or the Career Services Center, C1-34, or online at Go to www.pacareerzone.org . Choose “Assess Yourself.” Click on “Begin Assessment.” Choose “Interest Profiler.” Choose “Start a new Interest Profiler” and “Go.” Visit CCP’s College Central Network to stay informed about career resources and career exploration events. Then take a look at your choices here at Community College! Consider one of our fine programs in health and science. Plan for transfer to a four-year institution to earn the degree required for your career. Enrich your CST degree with a Proficiency Certificate which shows that you have job-ready knowledge and skills. Click here to explore these options!

Other Programs in Health and Science Beyond Nursing… Other Programs in Health and Science The following programs differ in their admission requirements and processes. Most require prerequisite courses before entering that program. Some are Select Programs which means they require application to that program after meeting minimum criteria for consideration. However, each of these programs offers students a pathway to an exciting and challenging career. Clinical Laboratory Technology (Select, Application GPA- 2.25 minimum, prereqs) Dental Hygiene (Select, Application GPA-2.5 minimum, prereqs) Diagnostic Medical Imaging (Select, Application GPA-2.5 minimum, prereqs) Health Services Management Respiratory Care Technology (Select, Application GPA-3.0 Biomedical Technology (prereqs, selection process) Computer Science (Select, prereqs) Engineering Science (Select, prereqs) Biology (Select, prereqs) Science (Select, prereqs) Click here to continue to more opportunities in health and science!

Continuing on…Science and Health Programs at 4-year Institutions Many health and science careers require 4 years or more of education. Your CST degree is the first step on the pathway to these careers: Audiologist Biologist Chemist Computer Scientist Dentist Dietitian Engineer Health Care Administrator Health Educator Health Information Manager Medical Technologist Occupational Therapist Pharmacist Physician Physician Assistant Physicist Physical Therapist Public Health Practitioner Therapeutic Recreation Specialist Science Educator Speech Pathologist Does one of the above careers sound interesting? Research these careers and more at the CareerInfoNet by clicking here. It is important to plan early for a smooth transfer. Community College of Philadelphia has many transfer agreements in place with excellent universities. You can learn more about your transfer opportunities by clicking here. It is also recommended that you consult with a transfer counselor. You can make an appointment with a transfer counselor by visiting BG-07 or calling 215-751-8169. Are you interested in gaining employment after you earn your CST degree? Click here to learn how to enrich your CST degree with a Proficiency Certificate.

Make Your CST Degree Work for You! Many CST students want to use their associate degree to gain employment, some in order to finance their continued studies and others because a two year degree is their goal at this time. Careful use of elective courses allows the attainment of marketable skills. Upon completion of a specified cluster of courses with a C or better, you will receive a certificate to demonstrate earned competencies. Plan early to enrich your CST degree with one of the following Proficiency Certificates. Health Care Related Clinical Assistant-Perform clinical procedures such as obtaining patient medical histories, taking vital signs, administering medications, performing ECGs, and assisting the physician with exams. Medical Insurance Billing-Prepare, submit and/or process medical insurance claims. Patient Service Representative-Perform administrative skills in a medical setting.   Science/Technology Related Biomedical Technician-Become a biomedical research laboratory assistant and contribute to medical advances and discoveries. Biotechnology-Work in biotechnology areas such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, research, medical and testing laboratories, biotechnology companies and agricultural industries. Computer Programming and Software Development-Learn to work with users and businesses to develop and test computer software. Geographic Information Systems-Gain entry level skills for capture, storage, retrieval, analysis and display of geographic information. Network and Systems Administration-Develop technical skills needed to support and maintain computer networks, and apply analytical skills needed to manage computer networks. Process Technology -Become a process technician, monitoring and controlling the operation, steps, or tasks that convert raw material into a product. Learn more about the course requirements of the above Proficiency Certificates at http://www.ccp.edu/academic-offerings/all-offerings . Thank you for participating in this Academic Check-up. Academic plans should be evaluated regularly in order to continue on the pathway to success. Please contact Laura Davidson, CST Curriculum Coordinator at 215-751-8534 or Ldavidson@ccp.edu if you have any questions about your academic plan.