Academy for Careers and Technology: Practical Nursing Programs, NCLEX-PN & Requirements (2026)
The Marion County School of Practical Nursing runs at ACT in Mullins: one ACEN-accredited LPN pathway (NCLEX-PN), a phased high-school and adult model, and published tuition in the student handbook. NCLEX-PN outcomes below cite the South Carolina Board of Nursing (LLR) pass-rate publication—confirm the newest table row for your cycle.
Contents
Quick Facts
Key Takeaway
ACT hosts a district practical nursing school with a clear Phase I / Phase II structure (18 months; 1,496 clock hours), Marion County admissions priority when space is tight, and county-based tuition for paying adults. It is an LPN ladder—not a substitute for an RN or BSN program.
Overview & Why Students Choose ACT Practical Nursing
The Academy for Careers and Technology in Mullins, South Carolina (Marion County) is a career-center campus in the Marion County School District. Nursing students enroll through the Marion County School of Practical Nursing, which delivers a single, ACEN-accredited practical nursing curriculum that blends theory, lab, and clinical practice and prepares graduates to sit for the NCLEX-PN.
The program is distinctive for who it serves: adult learners with a diploma or GED and eligible high school seniors who enter Phase I under dual-enrollment-style rules (priority is outlined for Marion County residents when seats are limited). If your goal is RN licensure, you will need a separate RN program after LPN practice and bridge options elsewhere.
Graduates take NCLEX-PN, not NCLEX-RN. The South Carolina Board of Nursing publishes multi-year NCLEX-PN pass data by institution. Confirm the latest row for Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion in the NCLEX-PN Passing Rate PDF and verify cohort counts with the school.
Reasons students choose the Marion County School of Practical Nursing
Published tuition bands
The 2025–2026 student handbook lists $1,500 per semester for Marion County residents, $1,800 for out-of-county students, and no tuition for admitted high school seniors—plus typical book and supply costs.
Long-running PN focus
A dedicated 1,496-hour curriculum (including 447 clinical/lab hours) organized in Phase I and Phase II over about 18 months, with clear progression rules spelled out in the handbook.
ACEN continuing accreditation
ACT’s basic information page states the practical nursing program holds Continuing Accreditation from ACEN—confirm status and public disclosure on the ACEN program search.
County priority & community access
When space is limited, the admissions policy states priority for Marion County residents, supporting local workforce pipelines in the Pee Dee region.
Nursing Programs Offered
NurseOnShift lists only programs confirmed on the Marion County School of Practical Nursing materials hosted by ACT. This catalog is not an ADN, BSN, MSN, or DNP institution for nursing.
Pre-licensure (LPN)
Marion County School of Practical Nursing (LPN)
1,496 clock hours (including 447 clinical and/or lab hours) delivered across Phase I and Phase II in an eighteen-month design (two nine-month segments), per the student handbook. Coursework includes anatomy & physiology, fundamentals, nutrition, medical-surgical nursing, pharmacology, maternal-newborn, pediatrics, and related theory and clinical experiences. Graduates qualify to apply for NCLEX-PN.
This page does not describe an RN or BSN track. If you need RN eligibility, explore South Carolina community colleges and universities that offer ADN or BSN pre-licensure programs after you clarify prerequisites.
NCLEX-PN Pass Rate
Because the Marion County School of Practical Nursing prepares Licensed Practical Nurses, graduates sit for the NCLEX-PN. The South Carolina Board of Nursing (Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation) maintains a public NCLEX-PN Passing Rate spreadsheet/PDF with multiple reporting years. The program is labeled Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion (also referenced as Marion TC) in that publication.
The downloadable table includes multiple reporting years for each school. NurseOnShift cites here the 2023 row that appears for Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion in the Board’s NCLEX-PN pass-rate file (first-time examinees). Always open the PDF to confirm the exact row—SC publishes updated files over time.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-PN first-time passers / first-time tested (2023 column, program as listed in SC table) | 15 / 15 (reported first-time pass rate about 100% for that cell) |
| Source | South Carolina Board of Nursing — NCLEX-PN Passing Rate (linked from NCLEX Statistics). Confirm the current file, program label, and any newer reporting year with LLR and ACT. |
Use the Board publication for audit-ready numbers. NurseOnShift does not substitute for the official spreadsheet if SCDLLR updates figures—always confirm the latest NCLEX-PN row for Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion with the Board and the school.
International Students & Internationally Educated Nurses
The Marion County School of Practical Nursing’s published handbook centers on domestic high school and adult applicants. If you are an international applicant or a foreign-educated nurse, treat the items below as a starting checklist only—many career-center programs have limited F-1 support compared with colleges or universities.
- English-language proficiency: Ask ACT whether TOEFL/IELTS or equivalent is required for your applicant type.
- Transcript / credential evaluation: Confirm whether prior non-U.S. coursework must be evaluated (WES, CGFNS, or other).
- South Carolina Board of Nursing: For NCLEX-PN eligibility after a U.S. practical nursing program, follow Board instructions; internationally educated candidates may have a different pathway than domestic graduates.
- Immigration & visa status: Clinical clearance and employer rules can depend on work authorization—verify with the district and clinical sites.
Policies change. Confirm details with ACT’s program office, the Marion County School District, and the South Carolina Board of Nursing. This section is guidance, not legal advice.
Admissions: A Realistic Look
Admissions are governed by the Marion County School of Practical Nursing committee. The handbook explicitly states that when space is limited, Marion County residents receive priority, and failure to meet any requirement before the school year begins results in non-admission.
Phase I requirements (summary)
Drawn from the 2025–2026 student handbook (Revised June 2025):
- Age: must be at least 17 prior to high school graduation (additional rules apply by pathway).
- High school seniors: entering grade 12 with a guidance counselor letter of recommendation; high school students are not eligible for federal financial aid.
- Adult students: high school diploma or GED (or adult-education high school completion) before admission.
- Application fee $20 (waived for high school students per handbook).
- Satisfactory pre-entrance tests within three years.
- Interview with the coordinator; drug screen and criminal background check acceptable to all clinical sites.
- Identification documents, health forms, immunizations, negative TB screening or follow-up if positive, health insurance, CPR (AHA Healthcare Provider, adult/child/infant), payment of fees.
Phase II progression
Phase II requires high school graduation (for the high school pathway), continued health and clearance requirements, successful completion of Phase I coursework, coordinator recommendation, and fee payment.
Application timeline
| Entry Term | Deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Next open cohort | Not publicly disclosed on the pages NurseOnShift reviewed | Call 843-423-1941 or email the program office for application windows and information sessions. |
Admissions snapshot
| Factor | Details |
|---|---|
| Acceptance rate | Not publicly disclosed |
| Minimum GPA | Handbook emphasizes 80+ theory averages and satisfactory clinical performance for progression; confirm admission GPA rules with the program. |
| Entrance exams | Pre-entrance testing required; specific exam names and cut scores are not spelled out in the handbook excerpt we reviewed—confirm with ACT. |
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
The figures below come directly from the Marion County School of Practical Nursing Student Handbook (2025–2026), with an expenses section reviewed June 2025. All fees are subject to change each July 1.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Tuition (Marion County residents) | $1,500.00 per semester |
| Tuition (out-of-county students) | $1,800.00 per semester |
| High school seniors admitted to the program | No tuition (per handbook) |
| Books | Typically about $400–$500 per year (handbook estimate) |
| Other costs | SLED/background costs, ATI fees, liability coverage, uniforms, equipment (stethoscope, BP cuff, etc.), immunizations—see handbook “Expenses.” |
| Source | Student Handbook PDF (ACT file manager) · Basic Information |
Multiply per-semester tuition by the number of billed semesters in your cohort (Phase I + Phase II spans 18 months) to approximate total tuition for paying adults.
Student Outcomes & Career Prospects
Practical nursing graduates in South Carolina typically pursue staffing roles in long-term care, clinics, hospital step-down units, and home health—often with shift differentials tied to employer demand in the Pee Dee region.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| NCLEX-PN (published SC BON table) | See the NCLEX-PN section above; the 2023 published row shows 15 of 15 first-time examinees passing for Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion. |
| Job placement / employment rate | Not publicly disclosed in the sources reviewed here—ask the program for graduate follow-up or partner employer data. |
| Source | SC Board of Nursing NCLEX-PN Passing Rate. Confirm current cohort outcomes with ACT. |
Is Academy for Careers and Technology the Right Fit for You?
Choose ACT if you want a public, district-based LPN program with transparent semester tuition in the handbook and a structured Phase I/Phase II calendar. Pass on it (for now) if you need an RN degree from the same campus.
✓ Good fit for students who—
- Live in or near Marion County and may benefit from resident tuition or admissions priority.
- Want an ACEN-accredited practical nursing credential eligible for NCLEX-PN.
- Are motivated by a career-center setting that blends high school seniors and adult learners.
✗ May not be ideal for students who—
- Need a BSN or ADN from the same institution—ACT does not offer RN pre-licensure degrees.
- Require a fully online nursing curriculum; practical nursing here is face-to-face with clinical attendance expectations.
- Want published nationwide job-placement percentages; those were not found in the district materials reviewed.
Local Healthcare Ecosystem
Mullins sits in the Pee Dee region of northeastern South Carolina. LPN students typically rotate through hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and community agencies that partner with the Marion County School of Practical Nursing. The handbook emphasizes that every student must meet each clinical site’s clearance standards—sites can differ from the school’s baseline requirements.
| Resource | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Regional acute & post-acute employers | Nearby population centers such as Florence, Myrtle Beach, and Wilmington, NC widen employers for clinical and work opportunities after licensure. |
| Rural care demand | Smaller towns across Marion and neighboring counties depend on LPN staffing in nursing homes and primary-care clinics—useful for graduation planning. |
Student Experience & Campus Life
ACT is a career center campus: expect industry-style classrooms, skills labs, and community clinical experiences rather than a traditional residential college quad. The nursing handbook references ATI assessments, nursing learning center work, and professional standards for appearance and attendance. Student leadership opportunities such as HOSA are mentioned in handbook appendices—confirm current chapter status with the school.
Resources & Next Steps
Contact & location
- Campus location
- Mullins, SC
- Address
- 2697 East Highway 76, Mullins, SC 29574, US
- Telephone
- 843-423-1941 (additional line listed: 843-423-1943)
- Contact email
- Not publicly disclosed on the basic information page—use the phone number for the nursing program office.
- Website
- act.marion.k12.sc.us
Official links
Your “Next 7 Days” checklist
- Download the current student handbook and read Phase I/II requirements, attendance, and grading policies.
- Call 843-423-1941 to confirm which pre-entrance exams apply, when the next application opens, and whether an information session is required.
- Gather immunization, CPR, and health-insurance documentation early—clinical sites cannot be assigned without them.
- Budget for books (~$400–$500/year per handbook), uniforms, equipment, ATI fees, and background checks.
- Review the SC Board NCLEX-PN publication for the newest Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion row.
- If you plan to bridge to RN later, map how LPN licensure fits with South Carolina RN programs’ admissions rules.
- Confirm whether you qualify for Marion County resident tuition or the high school senior pathway before signing enrollment paperwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Academy for Careers and Technology offer an RN or BSN program?
No. ACT hosts the Marion County School of Practical Nursing, an LPN pathway that leads to NCLEX-PN. For RN or BSN programs, research South Carolina colleges and universities separately.
How much is tuition for the practical nursing program at ACT?
Per the 2025–2026 handbook, tuition is $1,500 per semester for Marion County residents and $1,800 for out-of-county students; admitted high school seniors pay no tuition. Books and fees are extra and may change after July 1.
What is the NCLEX-PN pass rate for Academy for Careers/Tech — Marion?
The South Carolina Board of Nursing’s NCLEX-PN Passing Rate PDF lists multi-year outcomes. The table includes a 2023 row showing 15 of 15 first-time candidates passing for this program name. Download the current file from llr.sc.gov/nurse/stats.aspx to verify the latest year.
What are the admission requirements for the Marion County School of Practical Nursing?
Phase I requires, among other items, application/fee rules by pathway, satisfactory pre-entrance tests within three years, coordinator interview, background and drug screening acceptable to clinical sites, health and immunization documentation, AHA BLS CPR, and insurance. Phase II adds graduation (for high school entrants) and successful Phase I completion. See the handbook for the full checklist.
Is the practical nursing program accredited?
ACT reports ACEN Continuing Accreditation for the practical nursing program on its basic information page. Verify on the ACEN directory.
How long is the LPN program?
About 18 months in Phase I and Phase II with 1,496 clock hours total (447 clinical/lab hours), per the handbook mission/course of study statements.
Does ACT require the TEAS exam?
The handbook mandates pre-entrance testing but does not specify TEAS in the sections we excerpted—confirm the exact exam and minimum scores with the coordinator.
Where is ACT located?
2697 East Highway 76, Mullins, SC 29574.
Who receives admissions priority?
When seats are limited, Marion County residents receive priority per the admission policy.
References
- Academy for Careers and Technology — Homeact.marion.k12.sc.us
- Basic Information (ACEN disclosure)act.marion.k12.sc.us/general-information/basic-information
- Marion County School of Practical Nursing Student Handbook 2025–2026 (PDF)Handbook download
- South Carolina Board of Nursing — NCLEX Statisticsllr.sc.gov/nurse/stats.aspx
- South Carolina Board of Nursing — NCLEX-PN Passing Rate PDFNCLEXPNPassRate.pdf
- ACEN — Accredited Programs Searchacenursing.org
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursesbls.gov/ooh
Editorial Standards & Review
About the author: Francesco Di Siena, RN, writes evidence-based nursing education guides for NurseOnShift.
Review: This page was reviewed by Araceli Collado, RN, for practical-nursing scope, NCLEX-PN sourcing from South Carolina LLR materials, and tuition language aligned to the Marion County student handbook.
Disclaimer: This page is for general reference only. It does not constitute professional, admissions, or financial advice. Requirements, deadlines, tuition, and policies change; always verify with the institution and the South Carolina Board of Nursing.
Published: March 31, 2026 · Last reviewed: March 31, 2026 · Medical Review Process · Editorial Policy