I need some information to assist me along my nursing path. I am 22 years old and I have a 6 year old and a 9 month old baby. I am currently attending a 4 year institution business school and I am transferring over to a community college in a few weeks to finish up my pre-reqs to be a nurse. I need ap 1, 2 and microbio to apply to the LPN program but I cant take all three classes at once. I receive financial aid and they wont pay for me to take one or two classes per semester I need at least 3-4 classes. I desparetely need to work so I was considering just taking the LPN program instead of trying to complete my RN since I am so close. Any advice? I really would like to be a RN.

Hi

Are you married? I was thinking if you were maybe your husband could pick up a few extra "baby duties" to allow you more time to study. Maybe an LPN program would be a good place for you to start. There is a program called "WIA" stands for workforce investment act; it is federal funding and you wouldn't pay back the money and I'm pretty sure that they would pay for LPN training. And in TN, not sure where you live, I don't believe you have to have A&P I&II or micro before beginning an LPN program.......not sure if this helps you but good luck to you!!

Heather

I also need to keep a certain number of credits to get my student loans (I don't qualify for financial aid, but still can't afford to pay tuition without help). What I'm doing for my last two semesters is picking up odds and ends classes that aren't required, but will boost my # of credits to the required level. This semester, I added a CNA class so that I can get some work experience before I enter the nursing program. In the spring, I'm taking pharmacology and probably phlebotomy and EKG. Pharmacology is my last required prereq for the program, but the others can only help and boost my income in between, right?

What other classes do you need?

You haven't given much information for me to answer you well but I can offer some advice. I've received pell grants & stafford loans before so I versed in their language. You should be good with 6 credit hours for part time, but its worth it to take the 12 hours (full time). My mom went back for her RN (from corporate america) when I was in high school, so I can DEFINITELY relate to the family stress you will and are undergoing.

But trust me, this is a good decision. Becoming a nurse be it an lpn or rn, bsn, msn, whatever is an amazing career.

Here is my suggestions:

Semester 1:

General Biology (if its a preR to ap1) or AP 1 lab+lect (or just lect?)

English Composition 1

2 or all 3:

Social Ethics or

Gen Psych (good/easy electives) or

Pre college algebra or college algebra (depending on you)

Semester 2:

AP 1 (if bio was needed) or AP 2

Eng Comp 2

Another math class (advanced algebra or precalc alg)

Child psych, abnormal psych, human growth & dev

Nutrition or something like medical ethics

Semester 3:

AP 2 or Microbio (depending on how far you've come)

Literature

Another math? (it's good to get these!! they help with pharm) or Chemistry 1 (my mom & nursing friends said this helps a lot)

Another psych class (can always help with nursing)

whatever you want!!!

I don't know how many credits you already have from college. But financial aid will only cover so many hours, and even less at community colleges. The most hours I could have at my 4 year was like 160 and at my 2 year is 99 to be eligible for title iv funds (fin aid).

I HIGHLY suggest you meet with not 1 but like 2 or 3 counselors at your school. Everyone has a different take or opinion on this.

I hope I helped you a little.

Other tidbits:

ratemyprofessor.com can be slightly helpful.

Email teachers ahead of time and ask to meet with them.. get a feel for how they teach. Everyone learns differently, everyone teaches differently. Having a good professor FOR YOU can make or break your full course load to be easy or hard.

Talk to others around campus to get used books or get that syllabus ahead of time (email & ask for it, they usually give it) and check ebay.com and half.com.'

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

Oh, one more thing!

Sometimes online classes can be your friend (and others, your enemy)

I took gen psych, intro to soc, am gov, software, child psych, online and loved it!

Usually its easier to score an A b/c most of the grade is based on discussion board responses, and that only takes 10-15 minutes to do!

I forgot something else. Sorry! LOL

Since you mentioned the desire for RN, you can achieve that too. LPN-RN bridge programs are available. Look at some RN programs and see what additional classes you will need on top of the LPN...those classes are usually the ones I listed for you.

Kill 2 birds with 1 stone so to speak. =]