All 23 graduates from the 2023 nursing class from Glen Oaks Community College have passed the NCLEX (National Council Licensure Examination).

The 100% pass rate was achieved on the graduates’ first attempt with the NCLEX exam and is higher than the passing rates for both the state (78.97%), and the nation (79.91%) based on 2022 data. An 80 percent pass rate is required for the program to maintain accreditation.

“This is an outstanding accomplishment and I’m extremely proud of our graduates,” said Sara Birch, dean of health sciences. “It is evident that they put a lot of work into the program and clinicals over the past two years, not to mention the preparation for the exam.

“It’s a team effort. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to the success of these students and have worked hard on planning the right curriculum to prepare them for their careers.”

Birch added, “NCLEX pass rates dropped significantly following the COVID-19 pandemic. Most likely, this is the result of nursing programs shifting instruction from fully face-to- face classes to a virtual learning platform including virtual simulation. These learning activities met the requirements for nursing education; but interacting with a virtual patient versus a human being just isn’t the same.”

Katelynn Weldy, a 2023 graduate of the program, said, “The 100% pass rate goes to show what an incredible job Glen Oaks did in preparing us for the exam. The combination of amazing professors who were both knowledgeable and supportive and the resources provided throughout nursing school set our class up for success.”

This fall marks the largest Glen Oaks nursing program to date with 38 first-year and 46 second-year students. 

Although Glen Oaks provides the curriculum and partners with area clinical sites, for hands-on training, the state boards of nursing throughout the country utilize the NCLEX exam to grant licensure. Glen Oaks tracks the annual pass rates of its nursing graduates. Over the past four years, nursing pass rates were as follows: 85.19% (2022); 83.33% (2021); 86.67% (2020); and 94.44 (2019).

Prospective students wanting to learn more about the Glen Oaks Nursing and Allied Health programs should visit: https://www.glenoaks.edu/programs-of-study/health-human-services/nursing/.