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Traditional student Info and FAQ for NAS 2 requirement

All colleges in the Virginia Community College System have instituted a new requirement for enrollment BIO 141 (Anatomy and Physiology I). The new requirement is completion of a developmental course called NAS 2 (Foundations of Life Sciences), or placing out of it, or taking an equivalent course, like BIO 101.

  1. What is required to enroll in BIO 141 (Anatomy and Physiology I)?
    • ENG 111 readiness (no co-enrollment in EDE 11)
    • MTH 111/130 readiness (if you place in MTH 154 or higher, you have met this requirement)
    • Demonstration of NAS 2 concepts of Chemical Concepts, Cytology, and Inheritance through NAS 2 completion; or assessment; or D or better in BIO 101; or equivalent.
       
  2. How do I meet the requirement to “demonstrate NAS 2 concepts?”
    • Take the NAS 2 course and pass the course with 70% or better
    • Take an exam testing you on the material covered in the NAS 2 course to place out of the course (this is called a “challenge exam”) and pass with 70% or better
    • Take BIO 101 and pass with D or better


See the below table for a comparison to see which option best fits your needs:

 NAS 2 courseNAS 2 challenge examBIO 101
Is there a fee?Yes, 1 credit of tuitionNoneYes, 4 credits of tuition
Covered by financial aid?Yes, unless you’ve taken more than 30 credits of developmental courseworkN/A because no feeYes, if the course is required for your program
Is there an instructor?YesNo, but there is a free, online prep course you can follow by yourself to learn the materialYes
Visible on transcript if I fail?Yes, as a “U” for unsuccessfulNoYes
Transferable?NoNoPossibly, depending on program
Length of course?Variable, but shortest offered is 2 weeksExam itself is maximum 90 minutes, free, online prep course may take 10-20 hoursVariable, but shortest offered is 5 weeks
Content?Covers background material for A&P ICovers background material for A&P ICovers background material for A&P I, plus extra topics and details
When is it offered?Likely each term, possibly more than once per termAnytime the Student Success Center is openEach term, usually more than once per term
What format is it offered?Mostly in-person, occasionally online, depending on demandIn-person onlyMostly in-person, occasionally online, depending on demand
Can I re-take it if I fail?YesYes, but only two attempts are allowedYes, but the third attempt requires signature from the Arts and Sciences AVP
What grade do I need to enroll in BIO 141?S (Successful = 70% or better on final exam)70% or betterD or better
Count as credit towards program completion/graduation?NoNoPossibly, depending on the program
Count towards GPA?NoNoYes

 

NAS 2 course Info/FAQ:
  1. Details about fee/credits:
    • This is a 1-credit, developmental course. This means that you do pay tuition, but the 1 credit doesn't count toward your degree. Note that financial aid covers up to 30 credits of developmental coursework. Students not receiving financial aid will have to pay the 1 credit tuition even if BIO 141 is in their program pathway.
  2. When/how is the course offered?
    • This course will likely be offered every term, and may be offered at a variety of times, and may not be taught by the same instructor each time. It may be offered in-person and/or online.
  3. How will I be graded?
    • The final exam for NAS 2 is how you are assessed. Like the challenge exam, a 70% or higher is required on the final exam for NAS 2 to allow enrollment in BIO 141. The questions on the NAS 2 final exam come from the same test banks as the challenge exam - so one is not any harder/easier than the other.
  4. How do I enroll?
    • You can enroll yourself in any NAS 2 course that fits your schedule, or you can ask your counselor to enroll you.
  5. What happens if I pass?
    • An “S” for “successful” will appear on your transcript, but it will not count towards your GPA or credits earned or attempted.
  6. What happens if I fail?
    • A “U” for “unsuccessful” will appear on your transcript, but it will not count towards your GPA or credits attempted. You can either re-take the course or take BIO 101 instead. Once you’ve taken (and failed) the actual NAS 2 course, a pass on the challenge exam will NOT provide entry into BIO 141. This is because of a rule that says you cannot place out of a course you’ve already attempted.
NAS 2 challenge exam Info/FAQ
  1. How do I sign up for the challenge exam?
    • First, you'll need to make an appointment at the Student Success Center. 
      • Call the Student Success Center: 434-832-7827. 
      • Tell the staff that you wish to take the NAS 2 challenge exam. They will let you know when they have appointments available. Note that the challenge exam is timed - you will have 90 minutes to complete the exam. Make sure that you select an appointment slot that you can attend for the full 90 minutes. Also note that if you arrive late, you may be asked to leave at the end of your appointment time, whether you have used the full 90 minutes or not. Make sure you arrive on time to maximize your chance of success.
  2. Is there a fee for taking the challenge exam?
    • No – the exam is free.
  3. How do I prepare for the challenge exam?
    • You can sign up for a free, online preparation course through Canvas. Click here: https://learn.vccs.edu/enroll/4P3MKM to enroll using your myCVCC log-in information. This course provides the learning objectives that are tested on the challenge exam and links to a free, online textbook to “answer” the learning objectives. If you do not learn well online by yourself, taking the challenge exam may not be the best option for you. 
  4. What should I bring to the challenge exam appointment?
    • Some kind of photo identification <-- this is required for you to take the exam
    • You may need your phone to complete multi-factor authentication. You should bring your phone just in case, but note that it cannot be in the testing room with you once you start the exam. You will need to leave it with the SSC staff during the exam.
    • The exam is online and closed-note, so you will not need to bring anything else. All belongings will need to be kept outside the testing room (they have cubbies that you can use to store items) OR if you're not comfortable with that, you can leave them in your car/with someone you trust. Just make sure you have the photo ID and your phone! You will not be able to leave the testing area until you’ve submitted the challenge exam, so go to the bathroom beforehand!
  5. What if I need testing accommodations (extra time, large font, question reader, etc.?). 
    • Please contact CVCC’s Student Accessibility Services Coordinator, Ms. Meredith McLaughlin at mclaughlinm@centralvirginia.edu, (434) 832-7299.
    • Be aware that getting accommodations can take time.
  6. How/when is the challenge exam graded?
    • Since the questions are all multiple choice or true/false, the exam can be graded automatically by Canvas, so you will learn your score immediately upon submitting the exam. You will not be able to see the questions/answers after completing the exam.
  7. What if I fail the challenge exam?
    • You can re-take the challenge exam (two attempts only); however, you’ll need to schedule a new appointment with the Student Success Center. After two failed attempts, you must either enroll in NAS 2 or BIO 101 if you still wish to eventually enroll.
BIO 101 Info/FAQ:
  1. Details about fee/credits:
    • This is a 4-credit transferable course (General Biology I). Financial aid will only cover this course if it's in your program pathway.
  2. When/how is the course offered?
    • CVCC offers BIO 101 online and in-person, by a variety of instructors, and usually every term
  3. How will I be graded?
    • That depends on the instructor. A grade of D or better (60%) in BIO 101 is required to allow enrollment in BIO 141. However, a D may not transfer to a four-year institution.
  4. How do I enroll?
    • You can enroll yourself in any BIO 101 course that fits your schedule, provided you meet certain English and Math requirements, or you can ask your counselor to enroll you.
  5. What happens if I fail?
    • An F will show on your transcript and count towards your GPA. You can either re-take the course or take NAS 2 instead. Note that if you need to re-take the course for a third time, a signature will be required from the Arts and Sciences AVP, currently Dr. Kris Ogden, ogdenk@centralvirginia.edu, 434-832-7618.
  6. How is this course content different from NAS 2?
    • This course covers all the material covered in the NAS 2 challenge exam and more.