Target Selection Date
Selection for this program is once a year. If placement tests indicate a need for developmental math, students may need one or two additional semesters to meet requirements for selection.
For pre-dental hygiene students, the target selection date is the point at which you will have completed all sufficient pre-dental hygiene coursework while meeting the minimum math/science grade calculation and cumulative enrollment grade-point average requirements. Other factors that may impact the timeline to eligibility for selection is part-time enrollment or the need to repeat coursework to improve grades/GPA.
Students bringing in completed general education coursework, either through transfer or through college courses taken in high school, may have limited pre-program courses left to take. Depending on the number of completed courses, this could result in part-time enrollment or delaying enrollment until closer to the date of selection.
Dental Hygiene Selection Criteria
| Selection Date | Cohort Start Date |
|---|---|
|
June 2024 |
August 2024 |
Pre-program Requirements
To be considered for selection into the major, all applicants must have gained admission to the College, met placement requirements, have the ability to perform the essential functions established by the Dental Hygiene Program, and meet the following criteria:
- Complete the following courses, or their equivalents, with a “C” (2.0) or higher:
- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I (or higher)
- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
- Have a minimum graduation GPA and math-science grade average (see Section A below) of 2.0.
Ranking Process
This major has a limited capacity of 40 students. Selections are finalized in June for an August start. Eligible students are ranked via the point system as detailed below. Students may earn a maximum of 100 points. In the case of a tie, students will be further ranked first by math-science grade average (see section A) and, if needed, by graduation GPA (cumulative GPA for transfer students) and then date of application to the program.
For the purposes of awarding points in Section A and B, a repeat course taken four or more years after the initial attempt will be treated as a first attempt. If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).
- Math/Science Coursework (70%)
In this section, up to 70 points are awarded for the highest grade in one math and in BIO115, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section (and used in the math-science grade average calculation) are:- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I, or higher MTH100A, MTH100B, MTH100C, MTH100D, MTH100E*
*Transfer Math is external college credit not specifically equivalent to a Penn College math course but determined to be an acceptable level for pre-program requirements.
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 35 27 22 B 30 25 18 C 25 20 15 - Additional Coursework (16%)
In this section, up to 16 points will be awarded for each course completed with a grade of “C” or higher, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section include:- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 7 5 4 B 6 4 3 C 4 3 2 Students will earn up to two additional points if BIO125–Human Anatomy and Physiology II was completed, based on the first-attempt grade as outlined in the chart below (please note that BIO125 is not a requirement for selection eligibility; the course may be completed as an in-program student).
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 2 0 0 B 1 0 0 - Graduation GPA (10%)
In this section, points are awarded for the student’s graduation GPA at the time of selection. Students who have taken fewer than 10 credits at Penn College will automatically be assigned 2 points in this category.
GPA Points 4.0 10 3.70 – 3.99 8 3.50 – 3.69 6 3.00 – 3.49 4 2.75 – 2.99 2 2.50 – 2.74 1 2.00 – 2.49 0 - Prior Degree/Coursework (4%)
Students may only earn points from one category in this section. A student with a prior bachelor’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits, for example, will receive a maximum of 4 points from this section. A student with a prior associate’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits will receive 3 points in this section.
Earned bachelor’s degree or higher 4 Completed 10 or more credits at PCT 3 Earned an associate’s degree (or 59+ credits) from another institution 2 Completed 10-58 credits at another institution 1
Selection Date & Application Deadline
Students are selected annually in June for an August start. Transfer students must have transcripts submitted to the College Admissions Office by June 1 to be considered for selection into the program.
Credit Limits
As good stewards of students’ time and financial resources, Nursing & Health Sciences prevents students from accumulating excessive credits as they seek enrollment in a competitive admission program. Therefore, pre-program students are limited to 24 attempted Penn College credits. Those who reach this credit limit without being selected into their desired program will be required to meet with their program director to discuss viable educational options..
The provisions within this admission ranking system are not considered an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. Typically, any changes to these admission requirements are made prior to the student’s enrollment at Penn College; however, in special circumstances, such as an observed change in program outcomes, the College President may approve more immediate changes to ensure student success. In such cases, students will receive timely written notice of the change.
Dental Hygiene Selection Criteria
| Selection Date | Cohort Start Date |
|---|---|
June 2025 | August 2025 |
Pre-program Requirements
To be considered for selection into the major, all applicants must have gained admission to the College, met placement requirements, have the ability to perform the essential functions established by the Dental Hygiene Program, and meet the following criteria:
- Complete the following courses, or their equivalents, with a “C” (2.0) or higher:
- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I (or higher)
- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
- Have a minimum cumulative enrollment grade-point average and math-science grade average (see Section A below) of 2.0.
Ranking Process
This major has a limited capacity of 40 students. Selections are finalized in June for an August start. Eligible students are ranked via the point system as detailed below. Students may earn a maximum of 100 points. In the case of a tie, students will be further ranked first by math-science grade average (see section A) and, if needed, by cumulative enrollment grade-point average (cumulative GPA for transfer students) and then date of application to the program.
For the purposes of awarding points in Section A and B, a repeat course taken four or more years after the initial attempt will be treated as a first attempt. If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).
Math/Science Coursework (70%)
In this section, up to 70 points are awarded for the highest grade in one math and in BIO115, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section (and used in the math-science grade average calculation) are:- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I, or higher MTH100A, MTH100B, MTH100C, MTH100D, MTH100E*
*Transfer Math is external college credit not specifically equivalent to a Penn College math course but determined to be an acceptable level for pre-program requirements.
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 35 27 22 B 30 25 18 C 25 20 15 Additional Coursework (16%)
In this section, up to 16 points will be awarded for each course completed with a grade of “C” or higher, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section include:- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 7 5 4 B 6 4 3 C 4 3 2 Students will earn up to two additional points if BIO125–Human Anatomy and Physiology II was completed, based on the first-attempt grade as outlined in the chart below (please note that BIO125 is not a requirement for selection eligibility; the course may be completed as an in-program student).
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 2 0 0 B 1 0 0 Cumulative enrollment grade-point average (10%)
In this section, points are awarded for the student’s cumulative enrollment grade-point average at the time of selection. Students who have taken fewer than 10 credits at Penn College will automatically be assigned 2 points in this category.
GPA Points 4.0 10 3.70 – 3.99 8 3.50 – 3.69 6 3.00 – 3.49 4 2.75 – 2.99 2 2.50 – 2.74 1 2.00 – 2.49 0 Prior Degree/Coursework (4%)
Students may only earn points from one category in this section. A student with a prior bachelor’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits, for example, will receive a maximum of 4 points from this section. A student with a prior associate’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits will receive 3 points in this section.
Earned bachelor’s degree or higher 4 Completed 10 or more credits at PCT 3 Earned an associate’s degree (or 59+ credits) from another institution 2 Completed 10-58 credits at another institution 1
Selection Date & Application Deadline
Students are selected annually in June for an August start. Transfer students must have transcripts submitted to the College Admissions Office by June 1 to be considered for selection into the program. Students who have met all selection criteria and submitted all required documentation by June 1 will be considered for selection. Eligible candidates whose materials are received after June 1 will only be considered on a space-available basis after any waitlist has been exhausted.
Credit Limits
As good stewards of students’ time and financial resources, Nursing & Health Sciences prevents students from accumulating excessive credits as they seek enrollment in a competitive admission program. Therefore, pre-program students are limited to 24 attempted Penn College credits. Those who reach this credit limit without being selected into their desired program will be required to meet with their program director to discuss viable educational options..
The provisions within this admission ranking system are not considered an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. Typically, any changes to these admission requirements are made prior to the student’s enrollment at Penn College; however, in special circumstances, such as an observed change in program outcomes, the College President may approve more immediate changes to ensure student success. In such cases, students will receive timely written notice of the change.
Dental Hygiene Selection Criteria
| Selection Date | Cohort Start Date |
|---|---|
June 2026 | August 2026 |
Pre-program Requirements
To be considered for selection into the major, all applicants must have gained admission to the College, met placement requirements, have the ability to perform the essential functions established by the Dental Hygiene Program, and meet the following criteria:
- Complete the following courses, or their equivalents, with a “C” (2.0) or higher:
- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
- MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I (or higher)
- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
- Have a minimum cumulative enrollment grade-point average and math-science grade average (see Section A below) of 2.0.
Ranking Process
This major has a limited capacity of 40 students. Selections are finalized in June for an August start. Eligible students are ranked via the point system as detailed below. Students may earn a maximum of 100 points. In the case of a tie, students will be further ranked first by math-science grade average (see section A) and, if needed, by cumulative enrollment grade-point average (cumulative GPA for transfer students) and then date of application to the program.
For the purposes of awarding points in Section A and B, a repeat course taken four or more years after the initial attempt will be treated as a first attempt. If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).If a point course in either of these sections is satisfied via credit-by-exam versus attempting the course, the score on the exam will be converted to a letter grade and used to determine points earned (90% or higher = A; 80-89%=B; 70-79%=C).
Math/Science Coursework (70%)
In this section, up to 70 points are awarded for the highest grade in one math and in BIO115, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section (and used in the math-science grade average calculation) are:- BIO115: Human Anatomy and Physiology I
MTH123 or higher: Technical Algebra and Trigonometry I, or higher MTH100A, MTH100B, MTH100C, MTH100D, MTH100E*
*Transfer Math is external college credit not specifically equivalent to a Penn College math course but determined to be an acceptable level for pre-program requirements.
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 35 27 22 B 30 25 18 C 25 20 15 Additional Coursework (16%)
In this section, up to 16 points will be awarded for each course completed with a grade of “C” or higher, as well as the number of attempts it took the student to earn the associated grade. Courses considered in this section include:- ENL111: English Composition I
- PSY111: General Psychology
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 7 5 4 B 6 4 3 C 4 3 2 Students will earn up to two additional points if BIO125–Human Anatomy and Physiology II was completed, based on the first-attempt grade as outlined in the chart below (please note that BIO125 is not a requirement for selection eligibility; the course may be completed as an in-program student).
Grade 1st Attempt 2nd Attempt 3rd Attempt A 2 0 0 B 1 0 0 Cumulative enrollment grade-point average (10%)
In this section, points are awarded for the student’s cumulative enrollment grade-point average at the time of selection. Students who have taken fewer than 10 credits at Penn College will automatically be assigned 2 points in this category.
GPA Points 4.0 10 3.70 – 3.99 8 3.50 – 3.69 6 3.00 – 3.49 4 2.75 – 2.99 2 2.50 – 2.74 1 2.00 – 2.49 0 Prior Degree/Coursework (4%)
Students may only earn points from one category in this section. A student with a prior bachelor’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits, for example, will receive a maximum of 4 points from this section. A student with a prior associate’s degree and 10 or more Penn College credits will receive 3 points in this section.
Earned bachelor’s degree or higher 4 Completed 10 or more credits at PCT 3 Earned an associate’s degree (or 59+ credits) from another institution 2 Completed 10-58 credits at another institution 1
Selection Date & Application Deadline
Students are selected annually in June for an August start. Transfer students must have transcripts submitted to the College Admissions Office by June 1 to be considered for selection into the program. Students who have met all selection criteria and submitted all required documentation by June 1 will be considered for selection. Eligible candidates whose materials are received after June 1 will only be considered on a space-available basis after any waitlist has been exhausted.
Credit Limits
As good stewards of students’ time and financial resources, Nursing & Health Sciences prevents students from accumulating excessive credits as they seek enrollment in a competitive admission program. Therefore, pre-program students are limited to 24 attempted Penn College credits. Those who reach this credit limit without being selected into their desired program will be required to meet with their program director to discuss viable educational options..
The provisions within this admission ranking system are not considered an irrevocable contract between the student and the College. Typically, any changes to these admission requirements are made prior to the student’s enrollment at Penn College; however, in special circumstances, such as an observed change in program outcomes, the College President may approve more immediate changes to ensure student success. In such cases, students will receive timely written notice of the change.
Criteria Lock Date
Because we understand students’ need to plan and to work toward a specific set of criteria, we make every attempt to avoid changing selection criteria within a year of a selection date. However, in rare cases (i.e., an observed change in program outcomes or a change in Commission on Dental Accreditation standards), changes may be made up to six months prior to a selection date. If a change to selection criteria is required less than a year from a selection date, we will provide notice of the change to all students known to be working toward eligibility for that date.
Pre-Program Credit Limits
As good stewards of students’ time and financial resources, Nursing & Health Sciences prevents students from accumulating excessive credits as they seek enrollment in a competitive admission program. Therefore, pre-program students are limited to 24 attempted Penn College credits. (Effective Fall 2023, this 24-credit maximum will include FYE101 and developmental courses.) Those who reach this credit limit without being selected into their desired program will be required to meet with their program director to discuss viable educational options.
Transfer Guidelines for Pass/Fail Grading Schemes
As of result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many institutions across the country have implemented some version of Pass/Fail (P/F) or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grades. In response to this change, Penn College will accept “pass" equivalent grades, assigned as a result of COVID-19, when the College determines a course may be accepted for transfer.
Penn College students enrolled in a pre-program, awaiting selections, are NOT eligible to opt in for Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grades. Therefore, when a Pass/Fail or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading scheme has been implemented by a transferring institution, those students seeking to be ranked in one of the selective admission majors within the School of Nursing & Health Sciences will be asked to provide a letter grade for all coursework.
In a case where a student is unable to secure a letter grade from their transferring institution, those course(s) will not be included in Math/Science GPA calculations, or other grade-related criteria, associated with selection. It is important to note that a lack of math and science course grades will likely impact a student’s competitiveness/and or eligibility for selection. A student who is unable to provide letter grades should meet with the designated program director to discuss how an inability to obtain letter grades may impact their eligibility or ranking.