St. Clair County Community College

High-quality, affordable education

Practical nursing

Practical Nursing

Program Information

The practical nursing program prepares graduates to take the state exam to become a Licensed Practical Nurse. This program prepares students to work in a variety of settings such as long-term care facilities, rehabilitation facilities, doctor’s offices, hospitals, and home health care. Practical nurses assist physicians and registered nurses in the modifications of patient care plans, perform basic tests, and assist with medications and other treatments.

The Nursing Schools Almanac currently ranks SC4 as the 10th best nursing school in the Detroit metropolitan area among both two- and four-year institutions. It’s ranked No. 4 among community colleges in Michigan.

This link will take you to the current working catalog. On that page, you may also select other available catalog years from the drop-down menu located in the upper right.

Program Cost: Tuition and fees can be found on the Tuition page. Please note there are additional cost for books, uniforms, graduation pins, and the NCLEX exam/license application to consider.

This program may be eligible for funding assistance through MichiganWorks! Call (810) 966-3300 for details.

Fall 2024 Admission Criteria

Complete the Nursing Program Application (Health Sciences application).

The application deadline for the Practical Nursing Program has been changed to Sept. 1.

The LPN program at St. Clair County Community College has a competitive pre-admission score. The score is based on a point calculation of the following:

TypeWeightCriteriaDetailMaximum potential
Merit25%GPA (minimum 2.5)GPA truncated to the tenth place
Multiple college GPAs are averaged
High School GPA is used if no college classes have been taken
Minimum 2.5
4.0
Merit25%Number of credits toward degreeCourses counted are HE 101, HE 102, ENG 101 (or ENG 100), BIO 160 (or BIO 271/272 – average of both grades is used)
10
Merit50%HESI score averageMinimum score in all areas tested- 70 average score of tested areas: grammar, reading comprehension, vocabulary, and math.

Anatomy and physiology are tested, not part of admission score.
100
Experiencen/aHealthcare experienceCertified Nurse Aide (CNA), Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), and Patient Care Technician (PCT). Other certifications may apply with approval from the program director. Email certificate to nursing@sc4.edu.3

Steps to apply for SC4 Nursing programs

  1. Apply to SC4
  2. Apply to a specific health sciences program
  3. Attend a mandatory group advising session (View upcoming dates and times below.)

Practical Nursing Group Advising Sessions

Attending a mandatory Group Advising Session is an important step toward attaining a nursing degree. Please choose the session(s) applicable to your goal and click on the applicable link below at the time listed. Please give yourself time to download and set up the Microsoft Teams app on your computer or device.

DateTimeLocation
August 7, 202410 to 11 a.m.Join Microsoft Teams
November 21, 202410 to 11 a.m.Join Microsoft Teams

For academic programs leading to professional licensure

SC4 Health Sciences Programs prepare students for State and National exams leading to professional licensure. Please be aware that additional steps (background checks, applications, fees, etc.) may be required to apply for licensing in the state of Michigan or other states. It is recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing agency in your state if you are considering an academic program leading to a professional license. To easily find professional nursing licensure requirements (RN and APRN programs), please visit the website of the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, Inc. and select the states/jurisdictions where you want to know their professional licensure requirements. It is your responsibility to understand the requirements in your state of residence.

Technology requirements

Following are the technology requirements for taking an online course at SC4:

  • A Microsoft Office 365-compatible laptop or PC with a webcam and microphone.
  • Minimum iOS to support the learning management system (LMS) Canvas and the lockdown browser for testing.
  • Reliable Broadband Internet access
  • Updated anti-virus software

Please refer to the Online Classes page to review supported browsers and a more detailed list of hardware and software applicable to different systems.

Frequently asked questions:

You can use the ADN HESI score only if taken at SC4 during the same calendar year. Requests to transfer HESI score must be made in writing to the Health and Human Services office. SC4 does not accept the transfer of HESI scores from other colleges.

Contact your academic advisor at (810) 989-5571.

Program start dateFive-year time limit
Winter 2024Spring 2019 or later
Winter 2025Spring 2020 or later
Winter 2026Spring 2021 or later
Winter 2027Spring 2022 or later

Questions about HESI Testing?