Frequently Asked Questions

Some questions frequently asked of AMH Dixon SON representatives by prospective students.

General	Admission/Application	Financial
NLN Test	Alumni

General Questions

Is the school accredited?
Yes. Click here to view accreditation information.

Where is the school located?
Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing
2500 Maryland Road
Suite 200
Willow Grove, PA 19090

Click here for directions.

What is the program length?
Three years.
The first year is all academic college course work completed at the college or university of your choice. Download the college course reference sheet (PDF).
The second and third years are spent at the Dixon School of Nursing completing the nursing curriculum. Download the curriculum plan (PDF).

How many students attend the school?
We have 66 students enrolled in the day option and 66 students in the evening/weekend option (beginning fall 2007). Our diverse student population includes multicultural students, diverse age groups (ranging from high school to mature adults), non-traditional students, and post-secondary degree students.

How large are the classes?
Class sizes vary based on the curriculum.

What is the student to faculty ratio?
For clinical rotations, the ratio is one Instructor to 8-10 students.

When do classes begin each year?
August

Does the school grant a degree?
All students graduate with a diploma in nursing. The college course work completed in combination with the nursing curriculum can be applied towards a college degree for completion of a BSN.

How many college credits are earned at the school?
Since the AMH Dixon SON is not a college, we are not able to grant college credit for the nursing courses. Based on the college chosen to complete a nursing degree, most schools will give college credit for our nursing curriculum. Our experience has been that the AMH Dixon SON course work does not need to be repeated or tested, but is granted college credits at the discretion of the college.

Are there residence or dormitory facilities offered?
AMH Dixon SON is a commuter school currently. Public transportation is available, but is limited. All students need to remember that transportation to and from clinical experiences remains the student’s responsibility.

What is the school’s success rate on boards?
In the Class of 2006, 100% of our students were successful. Currently the AMH Dixon SON has maintained their pass rate of first time test takers on the state licensure exam in the top 99th percentile. We are very proud of our students and the faculty.

How do I learn more about the school, meet students from the program, and find out more about a career in nursing?
You can attend and information session. Click here to see a schedule and to register to attend. If you are interested in meeting our students and learning more about our program and a career in nursing, sign up for our Meet A Student Nurse Program. To find out more information about this worthwhile experience, please click on the upcoming events section of our Web site.

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Admission/Application Questions

What are the requirements for entrance into this program? Grades? Rank? SAT’s?
All applicants are encouraged to have a minimum of 16 college course credits completed (exception is the High School senior). Of those 16 credits, two courses must be science courses. All course work must be a "C" or higher grade. Applicants with all course work complete, all official high school/GED and college transcripts received, and references completed as per application instructions is a plus. Standardized testing either SAT or NLN Pre-Assessment Nursing exam will need to accompany the application to be considered complete.

Specific requirements for admission are discussed in the Web site based on the pathway from which you are approaching nursing at AMH Dixon SON. Which type of student best describes you?
High School Student
Post-Secondary Degree Student
LPN bridge to RN Student
Nursing School Transfer Student
Non-USA Citizen

I have not taken any college courses. What do I need to take to be admitted?
Please review our course reference guide carefully. It lists several of the local colleges and universities and gives course numbers that directly apply to our prerequisites. Click here to access the course reference guide. A helpful hint : DO NOT let your sciences wait to the end. If the school that you are attending does not offer a required science, you might need to explore other colleges to meet application deadlines.
PLEASE READ THE COURSE REFERENCE GUIDE - THIS IS THE FIRST STEP IN BEING ADMITTED TO THE SCHOOL.

What is the closing date for admission?
The application deadline each year is as follows:
Early Decision – November 15th
Regular Decision – January 15th

If a high school student is taking advanced placement college level courses while enrolled in high school, are they accepted?
In order to be accepted, any advanced placement course work must be placed on a college transcript and submitted to the Admission office as part of a transcript.

Is the Evening/Weekend Option Part time? What’s the difference between the Day and Evening Options?
The nursing curriculum is considered a full time commitment regardless of which program attended.

Regarding the Evening/Weekend option, the students meet two evenings (Tuesday and Thursday) and assigned weekends for clinical. The combination of clinical and classroom work involved is extensive. Students are required to prepare for clinical. For example, on the Friday evening prior to the weekend clinical assignment, there will be patient assignment reviews required. To balance the curriculum, the Evening/weekend student attends the program from August–August each year and graduates in 2 years from the start of the nursing course work.

The day option is considered full time as well. The day option is Monday–Friday and is scheduled from August–May. The combination of clinical and classroom work involved is extensive. Students are required to prepare for clinical. The student is required to pick up their assignment prior to their scheduled clinical day. The student completes the program of study in 2 years.

Can I meet with the Admission’s Officer to discuss my application?
The AMH Dixon SON offers frequent Information Sessions throughout the year to discuss applications with prospective students. We are happy to answer questions via email or phone if a student still has questions regarding the status of their application. Individual appointments are reserved for the informational interview conducted during early and regular decision time frames respectively.

How many pre-requisites must I complete prior to making application?
Students may submit an application at any time. It is important that all official transcripts, whether high school or GED, and all colleges attended, be received timely. We recommend that a student have a minimum of 16 credits completed and 2 of those courses should be pre-requisite science courses.

Do I still need to send my high school transcript if I have a college degree?
Yes. In the state of PA, it is a requirement.

What math course is needed to satisfy the math over 5 years requirement?
One Math (college and/or high school level) must be taken within five years of enrollment start date. Your choice may be to take a college level math course or a drug calculation course. For those students who never took Algebra in high school, an algebra course is required.

If I had a high school chemistry class do I still need to take college Chemistry?
Yes. College Chemistry with a lab is required for the AMH Dixon SON. A grade of C or better is required for both the coursework and lab. If you had Chemistry in college, and did not have a lab, you may be required to re-take. Transcripts are reviewed on an individual basis. For example, if a student holds a degree in the course work in question.

Who needs to take the NLN Pre-Assessment Nursing test?
Those students who have never taken any standardized testing.
Those students who took SAT’s longer than 5 years ago and their combined scores were under 900.
Other standardized tests submitted will be reviewed on an individual basis.
For more questions specifically about the NLN test, click here.

When do I take and how do I register for the N-100 Perspectives in Nursing self study class?
Upon acceptance, all students will receive a letter of notification of acceptance to the AMH Dixon SON and the process for participating in the N-100 Perspectives in Nursing self study class prior to beginning the nursing curriculum at the AMH Dixon SON.

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Financial Questions

What does it cost to attend the School?
The current tuition is $6,000 each academic year at the Dixon School of Nursing.The estimated total for additional educational expenses, such as uniforms, books, supplies, malpractice insurance, etc. is $1,000 per academic year at the Dixon School of Nursing.

Is financial aid available?
Full tuition packages, including scholarships and/or loan forgiveness, are available to all students accepted for admission to the Dixon School of Nursing through the Nursing Initiative Scholarship Program. These packages are awarded to students after they make application for need-based financial aid. After the accepted student remits his/her acceptance fee to the Registrar, the student will be contacted by the Coordinator of Student Financial Services to begin the financial aid application/delivery process.

The School of Nursing does not meet tuition costs for the required 31 pre-requisite college credits, nor for the additional educational expenses, such as uniforms, books, supplies, malpractice insurance, etc. charged per academic year when the student enters the Dixon School of Nursing.

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National League for Nursing Test Questions

What is the purpose of the test?
The NLN Pre-Admission Examination assesses what you have learned to date. Most of the questions deal with subjects that you have studied in school; others are concerned with the application of knowledge of everyday living. Items are carefully reviewed to ensure that there is no discrimination with respect to race, ethnicity, linguistic background, or gender.

What is the format of the test?
There are three sections consisting of all multiple-choice questions. Each section includes trial items for the purpose of future test development. Answers to these questions are not counted in the scoring.

• Verbal skills and reading comprehension - assesses word knowledge through sentence completion and reading comprehension.
• Mathematics - assesses arithmetic (integers, fractions, decimals, and percentages and basic algebraic and geometric skills.
• Science - assesses knowledge of general science, biology, human anatomy and physiology, chemistry, and physics.

Who receives the test results and how are the results used?
The NLN sends examination results directly to you. Results are sent to schools only upon receipt of your authorization. Test scores are kept on file for three years following the examination date.

Be sure to select a test date at least six weeks ahead of your AMH Dixon SON application deadline. The school will receive your score report approximately two weeks after the NLN receives your answer sheet from the test site. Please take the following information with you to the NLN test:
Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing Site Code: 23101

Where can I take the test?
The Dixon School of Nursing is pleased to announce the opening of their school as a testing site for the National League for Nursing Pre-Admission examination (NLN PAX-RN). The test will be offered as a paper test only.

If you have already registered for a future test and wish to change your test site location, please call the NLN directly at 1-800-732-8656 to handle this process.

The location of the testing site at the Dixon School of Nursing is 2500 Maryland Road, Willow Grove, PA 19090. The exam room will be in the West Conference Room, 2nd Floor.

Two forms of identification must be shown at your scheduled test session. One of these must be a government issues photo identification (example, driver's license). No one is permitted to test without proper identification.

All testing will begin promptly as scheduled. Arrive 30 minutes in advance of your test start time.

NLN Scheduled Test Dates
2008 Schedule

To register on-line to take the test on campus at AMH Dixon Son visit the NLN site. Click on "register now" on the left side.

Do not call the school directly for registration confirmation. All processing of the registration and result reporting is handled through the NLN exclusively. If there is a weather emergency and examination test date is to be cancelled at the test site, please call 215-481-5500 and listen to the recording for information regarding cancellation.

Bucks County Community College also offers the NLN several times a year. Please visit http://www.bucks.edu/testing/nln.html for more information.

How can I review for the test?
The following review books are available at bookstores or directly from the publisher, Jones & Barlett.
McDonald, Mary (Ed) The NLN Review Guide for RN Pre-Entrance Exam
to order: 800-832-0034 or www.jbpub.com/catalog/0763724866

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Alumni Questions

How do I request a transcript to be sent to a potential employer, a BSN completion program, or MSN completion program?
If you are an alumni of the Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing and would like to request a transcript, please complete the following request form. A staff member of the school of nursing will complete your request as soon as possible.
Please note: You MUST have a signed consent form on file at the school in order for your request to be processed. If you do not have a signed consent form on file, download it here and fax it to the school at 215-481-5499.

I am graduating from or a graduate of the Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing. Where can I learn more about advancing my nursing career by becoming a BSN?
At the Abington Memorial Hospital Dixon School of Nursing, we strive to advance our students careers in nursing. Because of this, we host a RN to BSN College Fair.To find out more information...watch our Upcoming Events section.

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