DCVS Application

How to Apply

DCVS Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) Program

 

Steps to Apply

1. If you are new to ACC, apply to the college by completing the Steps-to-Getting-Started and submit all official transcripts to Admissions​.

2. Complete the required prerequisite courses. All official transcript grades are due by June 1st​.

3. Attend an Information Session by April 1st​. 

4. Schedule Professional Observations by April 20th​. One hour for each modality the student plans to apply for is required (adult echo, pediatric echo, and/or vascular) in the DCVS lab.

5.Take the Pegasus Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) exam. Ultrasound Student Assessment scores do not expire. If a student is not accepted to the program as a first-time applicant, they may choose to retake the assessment for the following year as a re-applicant. The USA may only be taken twice by any Sonography program applicant and only once per application cycle. 
 (The DCVS department does not accept USA score reports from students. USA score reports are automatically available to the DCVS department if the student indicates Alvin Community College when registering for the exam. If the USA results are sent to another institution, the applicant must pay a fee to Pegasus to have the official score report sent to the DCVS department.)

USA Program - Pegasus Lectures Information

Pegasus Lectures Scheduling

6. Complete the online DCVS application by April 20th. If you do not receive an email confirmation that your application was submitted, please contact the DCVS department to confirm before April 20th.

7. Submit any updated spring transcripts to ACC Admissions by June 1st​.

8. Wait to be contacted by the department. Please be patient; it can take several weeks for admission applications to be processed.

Prerequisite Course Requirements 

Admission requirements for the DCVS A.A.S. Degree include the following pre-requisite courses with a final grade of C or better by June 1st, 2026 (the application deadline is April 20th, 2026. Any spring courses in progress should have official updated transcripts with final grades submitted to ACC Admissions no later than June 1st, 2026):

• Anatomy and Physiology I (4 course credits which include a lecture and a lab)
• Anatomy and Physiology II (4 course credits which include a lecture and a lab)
• Select 3 course credits from Mathematics Core Curriculum (MATH 1314 or MATH 1332 Recommended)
• PHYS 1410 Elementary Physics OR PHYS 1401 College Physics I (4 course credits which include a lecture and a lab)

Admission Requirements

A new class begins each fall semester. Applications are available at www.alvincollege.edu/dcvs during the application period. The application period typically opens in February and closes in April. Refer to the website for the specific dates of each application period. To be considered for admission to the Diagnostic Cardiovascular Sonography (DCVS) Program, the applicant must:

1. Have a high school diploma or GED certificate.
2. Be fully admitted to Alvin Community College.
3. TSI (Texas Success Initiative) requirement satisfied as determined by ACC’s testing and placement policies. Transfer students must meet the transfer institution’s TSI requirements if not enrolled at ACC.
4. Submit to the ACC registrar’s office official transcripts from all colleges/universities attended. Applicant cannot be on suspension or academic probation from ACC or any other college. Students are ineligible for admission if at the time of application transcripts reflect more than one (1) D or F in a sonography course or sonography curriculum science course (BIOL 2401, 2402) taken within five years of the application deadline. This includes DMSO, DSAE, DSPE, and DSVT courses regardless if the course is in the ACC DCVS curriculum. The student is ineligible even if the course is repeated and the student earns an A, B, or C in the subsequent attempt.
5. A student is ineligible for admission to the ACC DCVS program if he/she has been dismissed for unprofessional or unethical conduct while previously enrolled in a health occupation program
6. Complete all pre-requisites with a grade of C or better including: BIOL 2401, BIOL 2402, MATH 1314 or MATH 1332, PHYS 1401 or PHYS 1410.
7. BIOL 2402 must be taken within five years of application deadline. BIOL 2402 courses completed more than five years prior to the application deadline must be repeated or the student may take and complete Cardiovascular Concepts (DSAE 2403) with no lower than a “C”.
8. Take the Pegasus Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) exam. Ultrasound Student Assessment scores do not expire. If a student is not accepted to the program as a first-time applicant, they may choose to retake the assessment for the following year as a re-applicant. The USA may only be taken twice by any Sonography program applicant and only once per application cycle. 
    (The DCVS department does not accept USA score reports from students. USA score reports are automatically available to the DCVS department if the student indicates Alvin Community College when registering for the exam. If the USA results are sent to another institution, the applicant must pay a fee to Pegasus to have the official score report sent to the DCVS department.)
9. Complete a minimum of 1 hour of observation in each modality for which the student plans to apply prior to application deadline in Adult Echocardiography, Pediatric Echocardiography, and Vascular Sonography. Observation appointments can be made online. Please visit www.alvincollege.edu/dcvs/application for scheduling.
10. Attend one of the mandatory DCVS information sessions discussing specific program policies and requirements for the application period. Please visit www.alvincollege.edu/dcvs/application for DCVS information session scheduling.
11. Submit the online DCVS application to the DCVS department during the application period.
12. Students who are in progress with prerequisites during the application period may still apply: however, prerequisites must be complete with grade C or better prior to application deadline. 
13. Completed Hepatitis B series with positive titer.

A person who has been convicted of or received deferred adjudication for anything other than a minor traffic violation should contact the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) for compliance pre-determination eligibility, www.ardms.org/compliance-predetermination-application.
Individuals with felonies are ineligible for admission to the DCVS Program.

Selection for Admission

Admission to the DCVS program is competitive. After the application deadline, applicants are ranked primarily according to the DCVS prerequisite courses and USA exam scores. 

Priority admission is given to applicants who: 

1. Achieved high USA exam scores and 
2. Earned a high GPA in the DCVS prerequisite coursework. 

Additional consideration is given to applicants who: 

1. 1. Complete DCVS curriculum courses without repeating or withdrawing from courses in the last five years from the application deadline; 
   2. Complete DCVS curriculum courses at ACC; 
   3. Completed ENGL 1301, DMSO 1210, DSAE 2403; 
   4. Hold a current certificate in a health profession (for example, but not limited to: CNA, CMA, EMT, dental assistant, etc.) 
   5. Hold a Bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited college or university; and, 
   6. Reside in the ACC tax district.

Deductions will be given for:

• D's/F's and withdrawals in pre-requisite classes in the last five years immediately preceding the application deadline.
• No-show to a scheduled observation.