Respiratory Care Technology Intake Process

Minimum GPA Requirement

Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 or higher to be considered for the Respiratory Care Technology program.

Course Sequence Options

The Respiratory Care Technology program has ONE course sequence option. Respiratory Care Technology courses are only offered once per year. Each accepted cohort follows the same course sequence for the duration of the program.

Respiratory Care Technology Course Sequence Summary

• Students are admitted once a year by July (Late Summer Term) or until class is at full capacity
• The course sequence includes 10 courses in Respiratory Care Technology covered over 22 months
• The 22-month program includes 7 semesters/terms (fall, spring, early summer, late summer, fall, spring, early summer)
• Students may be first-time college students or have had previous college experience

Sample Course Schedule for Respiratory Care Technology

Schedules are provided to give an example of class dates/times; actual class dates/times are subject to change at the discretion of the program director.

Fall Semester (Year 1) September – December

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Spring Semester (Year 1) January – April

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Summer Session I (Year 1) May – June

Summer Session II (Year 1) July – August

**Clinical: 6-7 weeks within the hospital setting, day shift only, no weekends

Fall Semester (Year 2) September – December

***Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Spring Semester (Year 2) January – April

**Mandatory competency checkoffs scheduled at non-class times. All checkoffs must be completed and passed by the end of the semester.

Summer Session I (Year 2) May – June

***Clinical: 6 -8 weeks within the hospital setting, day shift only, no weekends

Prerequisite Courses

Students must submit an official transcript with their application. Before applying to the Respiratory Care Technology program, students must:

1. Successful completion of BIOL 109* Anatomy and Physiology I with an earned grade of "C" or better
2. Be placed in English 101 and FNMT 118 (intermediate algebra) or higher

Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete all required biology and chemistry courses, BIOL 110, CHEM 110 or CHEM 101, and BIOL 241, before entering the program, however it is not required.

*BIO 109, BIO 110, BIO 241, CHEM 101 or CHEM 110 or an equivalent course must have been completed within the past 10 years with a grade of "C" or better.

Students must also complete 70 credit hours to qualify for the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in Respiratory Care Technology. These courses may be completed before entering the Respiratory Care Technology program or along with RCT courses. Students should follow the suggested sequence on the Respiratory Care Technology College Catalog page for completion of all general education courses as many are prerequisites for RCT program courses.

Transcript Evaluation | Transfer of Credits

If you plan to use your previous College experience toward your application, you must submit an official transcript to the Transcript Evaluation Office. A transcript for previous Community College of Philadelphia experience is not required. Transcripts are only official if they are unopened. For additional information, refer to the policy on transfer of credits.

Prospective Students: You must request official transcripts from all previously attended colleges/universities for evaluation for transfer credit, and have them emailed DIRECTLY from your college(s) to traneval [at] ccp.edu (traneval[at]ccp[dot]edu). Placement testing, a requirement to enroll at the College, will be waived if you have successfully completed college English and/or college math. For more information about the admission process, follow the steps to enrollment for “Transfer Students.” To view a current list of Colleges and Universities with transfer course equivalencies go to the Records and Registration Transfer Credits into the College guide.

Current Students: Login to MyCCP and under “Electric Forms,” click on the “Transcript Evaluation Request” link to submit your transcripts. Please be sure to request ALL OFFICIAL transcripts from previous institution(s) requiring evaluation.

This procedure may take several weeks. If you are attempting to transfer a course that is a pre- or co-requisite course to a required element of the program, you may be required to register for that course until the transcript evaluation and transfer process is complete.

Kaplan Pre-Admission Test

The Kaplan Pre-Admission exam is a timed exam which takes 1.5-3 hours to complete. The Respiratory Care Technology program requires a composite score of 60. Reading, Writing and Math sections make up the composite score, however, science can be a deciding factor when applications go to the program directors. You must complete all portions of the Kaplan exam, including the tutorial questions. All sections should be taken seriously.

Applicants are not scheduled for the Kaplan pre-admission test until an application is received. Admissions will contact applicants within 2-weeks of applying. Applicants must check their MyCCP email for testing dates.

Kaplan scores can be obtained through the MYCCP portal by Close of Business on a specific student testing date. Locate your Kaplan Score by

• Logging into your account at MYCCP
• Click the tab STUDENT SERVICES
• Click ENROLLMENT SERVICES
• Click the tab STUDENT PROFILE
• Click PRIOR EDUCATION & TESTING

Students who do not meet the minimum score needed or want to discuss options for raising their score in a future application cycle are encouraged to schedule a meeting with the CTE Career Coach, Ms. Katrina Banks. She can advise you on all the healthcare career options available for you to pursue at the College. Katrina can be reached at Kbanks [at] ccp.edu (Kbanks[at]ccp[dot]edu).

Preparing for Kaplan: Buy a Kaplan study book called, "Kaplan Nursing School Entrance Exams Prep 2021-2022" ISBN 9781506255422. This is sold in the College’s bookstore, or you can buy it online. There are FREE online study options you can find by typing in “Kaplan pre-admission Nursing exam” into any search engine. YouTube also has videos about preparing for the Kaplan exam.

Kaplan Entrance Exam Exemption

Applicants to the Respiratory Care Technology program for the Fall 2026 semester who meet the following criteria are exempt from the Kaplan entrance exam:

• A cumulative college GPA of 2.80 or higher
• Successful completion of ENG 101 or a higher-level English course with a grade of "C" or better
• Successful completion of FNMT 118 or a higher-level math course with a grade of "C" or better
• Successful completion of BIOL 109 with a grade of "C" or better (Note: Only two attempts are allowed to successfully complete BIOL 109 for eligibility)

Applicants who meet these requirements will not be required to take the Kaplan entrance exam as part of the application process.

Note: If you do not meet the above criteria, you will need to take the Kaplan entrance exam and achieve a minimum composite score of 60 for eligibility.

For any questions or further clarification, please contact Select Program in the MSHC divisions  at selectprogram [at] ccp.edu (selectprogram[at]ccp[dot]edu).

How to Apply

Respiratory Care Technology is one of four select degree programs in the College’s Allied Health department. The programs in this department can accept only a limited number of students each year. Students can apply for admission into the Respiratory Care Technology program upon completion of prerequisites for program.

As part of the application, students must (1) meet a minimum GPA requirement of 2.8, (2) successfully complete prerequisite courses (3) take pre-admission test, if needed.

Application Submission

Current Community College of Philadelphia students who plan on applying to the Respiratory Care Technology program and meet the eligibility requirements should complete the program application by following these steps:

• Step one: Login to MyCCP
• Step two: Click on the "Student" tab
• Step three: Click on the "Allied Health/Nursing Application Forms" under "Electronic Forms" on the top, right-hand side of the page
• Step four: Select your program of interest
• Step five: Complete and submit the form

Not a Community College of Philadelphia student? You must apply to Community College of Philadelphia before you can apply to the Respiratory Care Technology program. Please follow our Steps to Enrollment to get started.

Admission Interview

Applicants who complete and meet the aforementioned requirements will be eligible to continue in the admissions process and will be contacted, in writing, concerning the scheduling of an admissions interview with the program director (or designee). An admission interview is not guaranteed and will only be granted to highly qualified applicants. A scheduled interview also does not guarantee admission. Applicants will be asked to submit the following if they are called for an interview:

• Resume with letter of intent
• Two recommendation forms

Upon completion of the admissions interview, the Program Director (or designee) will review and score all applicants with particular attention to:

1. Cumulative grade point average
2. Strength of secondary/post-secondary academic curriculum
3. Kaplan pre-entrance examination score, if needed
4. Extracurricular activities, community service, and work experience
5. Personal interview

Although a minimum college grade point average (GPA) of 2.8 is required, admission to the Respiratory Care Technology Program is highly competitive and most successful applicants have a GPA that is higher than 2.8 and a Kaplan Test score higher than 60.

Post Acceptance-Screenings

• Completion of criminal background check – PA State Police and FBI
• Completion of child abuse clearance
• Completion of drug screening
• Documentation of a complete physical examination, including required laboratory tests.Documentation of up-to-date immunizations prior to clinical assignment. Note that the program does not grant religious or medical exemptions for required vaccinations or screenings.
  • Rubella, Rubeola, and Mumps (MMR)
  • Varicella
  • TDAP within 10 years
  • Hepatitis B
  • Annual Flu vaccination
  • COVID-19
  • Annual QuantiFERON Gold testing
  • Documentation of up-to-date immunizations prior to clinical assignment
• Documentation of current health insurance coverage, which must be maintained throughout the program
• Social Security Number verification
• Being age 18 or older before clinical start
• Attendance at scheduled Program orientation prior to entry
• American Heart Association Adult, child and infant CPR certification (BLS for Health Care Providers with AED)

ACCEPTANCE INTO THE PROGRAM WILL BE CONSIDERED CONDITIONAL UNTIL THESE ITEMS ARE COMPLETED. Students should not complete any of the above until requested by the program director.

Performance Standards for Allied Health Programs

The Community College of Philadelphia’s Department of Allied Health has adopted the following Core Performance Standards for all applicants to the Allied Health degree and certificate programs. These standards are based upon required abilities that are compatible with effective performance in allied health programs. If an applicant is not able to meet the Core Performance Standards, he/she is responsible to identify his/her inability to perform the required tasks, with or without accommodation. If while in the program, a student fails to meet the Core Performance Standards, with or without accommodation, the student will be removed from the program as the Performance Standards are considered Essential Functions for health care professionals. 

All students are required to meet these performance standards. Allowing for individual differences and encouraging program completion for students with a documented disability, the allied health programs will work with the student and the Center on Disability to provide any reasonable accommodation to meet these performance standards when appropriate.

Progression in the Program

To remain in the Respiratory Care program students must maintain a grade of "C" or better in all Respiratory Care and required pre- and co-requisite courses. During all clinical laboratory experiences, the student must maintain client safety and receive a passing grade for any clinical component of a course. Failure to do so will result in either a failure in the course or administrative or student-initiated withdrawal.

Students whose attitudes and behaviors appear inconsistent with professional standards may not be admitted or may be dropped from the program at any time, pending the results of a departmental hearing.

Reconsideration:

An applicant who believes that an error of fact has been made in terms of the information provided to the decision-making committee can request reconsideration by the committee. This request must be made in writing within 10 days from the date of the letter notifying the applicant of the decision. The reconsideration should address what the applicant considers to be errors of fact.

Following reconsideration by the decision-making committee, the applicant can appeal the committee's decision to the Vice President for Academic and Student Success whose decision is final.

Tuition, Fees and Program Expenses

Continuation in the RESP Program requires all College financial obligations to be met. Tuition for the RESP Program varies based on student residency. Tuition and fees for college courses can be found online. Additional Program expenses include textbooks, uniforms, Criminal Background and Child Abuse Check, Health examination and laboratory fees, Review seminar for RRT examination preparation Kettering) and self-assessment examination application fee.

Table I Examples of Program Fees in addition to CCP tuition and Student fees

*Text can be rented or brought online, some may be downloaded for free.

Additional Course Fees for the Respiratory Care Technology Program:

RESP 100 - $105.00 RESP 101 - $105.00

RESP 102 - $175.00 RESP 103 - $105.00 RESP 104 - $175.00

RESP 210 - $175.00 RESP 220 - $105.00 RESP 220 - $105.00

RESP 221 - $345.00 RESP 299 - $175.00

Graduation Requirements

Students enrolled in the Respiratory Care Technology program at Community College of Philadelphia must successfully complete all required respiratory care coursework along with designated general education and science co-requisites in order to qualify for graduation. A minimum of 70 total credits and a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 are required to earn the Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree. Upon successful completion of all program requirements, graduates are eligible to sit for the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) credentialing examinations. Additional details regarding program requirements can be found in the College Catalog: Respiratory Care Technology Program Catalog

Transfer Opportunities

Attending Community College of Philadelphia saves you tuition dollars and provides pathways to earn a bachelor's degree at other colleges. Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree programs are designed to prepare you for a career after graduation, but in many cases they also prepare you for transfer. Program-to-program transfer agreements for degree completion after successfully completing the Respiratory Care Technology Program and earning the AAS degree can be found on the Transfer Opportunities page.

Student Code of Conduct and Student’s Rights

Embedded in the mission, vision, and core values of Community College of Philadelphia is the desire to create a caring environment that is intellectually and culturally dynamic and values integrity, academic excellence, diversity, commitment to teaching and learning, communication, and respect. Such an environment encourages all students to achieve greater insight, increased awareness, critical thinking skills, and self-fulfillment in preparation of becoming global citizens. Accomplishing these ideals requires a commitment from faculty, staff, and students to adhere to standards of behavior that assure a safe, healthy, and caring atmosphere. It is essential that each member of the College community participate freely in the pursuit of the ideals of the College's mission statement.

As responsible citizens, students are expected to demonstrate an awareness of the responsibilities of informed citizenship in a diverse and pluralistic society; self-management in the requirements that come with one's role as a student in the classroom and at the College; integrity in one's role as a student relative to other students, faculty, staff and administrators; and an effort to understand the perspective of others and to respond to others with well-founded thoughts.

The Student Code of Conduct supports the College's mission by outlining students' rights and responsibilities in addition to defining acceptable behaviors: Student Code of Conduct

Additional Resources

• Respiratory Care Technology Student Handbook
• Respiratory Care Technology College Catalog
• Department of Allied Health
• Division of Math, Science, and Health Careers - Respiratory Care Technology
• Follow us on Instagram @ccprespiratory