I am a second career soon to be nursing student currently finishing my prerequisites. I have only 4 classes left to complete and pass to be eligible for the nursing program. I am 39 years old so would like to finish things sooner than later. My delimma is when I should try and begin the actual nursing program. Our school offers the nursing portion in the fall of every year only, we have to have a minimum number of credits and gpa in January of that same year to apply to the fall program.

I have only 4 classes left to complete and pass to be eligible for the nursing program. The classes I have left from what I have heard are the most difficult, A&P II, Chemistry, Micor and Statistics. If I started the nursing program in the fall of 2010 I would have to take 2 of the above classes each in the spring 2010 and summer 2010 semesters.

If I wait until 2011 then I could spread out the classes taking one at a time and devote more time to studying for that particular class.

I don't know what to do. I assume worst case scenario if I didn't do well and pass the classes taking 2 at a time I would have to retake them anyway but would also have to pay for the class again. I attend a weekend/evening program through a private university and it is very expensive.

What would you do? Wait the extra year and take the classes individually with a better chance of passing or taking the 2 at a time? Is it doable to combine these classes together? I was thinking A&PII with Statistics and Micor and Chem together? I work full time and am a single parent (dad has kids part time) but so far have done well in school. I am meeting with my advisor tomorrow and need to tell her which list I want to be included on. I am about 99% sure that if I take and pass all 4 classes I would be accepted into the program for 2010 due to my number of credits and gpa. They consider your gpa but also look at the number of credits you have with them so I am well over the minimum required.

Is it doable? I would rather go slow than take on too much and fail.

Do them one at a time to help ensure you make the grades you need to get in. It won't do you any good if you do it faster but don't have as much time to devote to studying and get lower grades as a result.

That was kind of my thought. I would rather focus on one and do really well then try to do too much and fail. It is only another year and the time will pass anyway!!

Nursing will be a second career for me and I am 39 also! I have a bunch of pre-reqs to take, but I think I would take them separately also. A year is not really all that long in the scheme of things, and since you are working full-time and have kids too, I would think it would be good not to be overly stressed

I have three kids, work part-time, and I think it will be difficult to take two difficult classes simultaneously. Sounds like you are already doing great, though! Best of luck! :)

It looks like the decision has been made for me. I met with my advisor last night and in order to be eligible for financial aid I have to take a minimum of 6 credits so it looks like I will have to take them 2 at a time. I will just think positive and do my best. Hopefully I will get into the program for 2010. Although she wouldn't tell me the number on the list she indicated there were several hundred applying for 56 spots!!

I took A&P II and Micro (both with labs) at the same time. I got A's in both. It is very doable. Sometimes the subject content overlaps so that is helpful because what you learn in one class directly applies to the next. My micro lab partner had 5 kids under 11 and worked full time. It was not easy for her but she kept her eye on the long term goal and I really admire you moms that can do that. Good luck!

I agree with bgood- it is doable, but it'd definitely get stressful at times. I had Micro and A&P together and they do have a lot of overlapping information that makes it a little easier. Statistics and Chemistry might go well together, or not.

Taking two classes with labs over the summer could be especially rough. Depending on how they schedule things, it might not even be possible to take two classes with labs during that time if you can only go during the evening. Summer class selection is often pretty slim too.. so I'd double check to make sure what you need was going to be offered and available for you to take over the summer.

I personally despise chemistry, so I know if it were me it'd definitely be a struggle to take it with another difficult class. It's totally up to you though. I know you probably want to get into nursing school ASAP, but another year isn't THAT much of a setback. I was actually in a similar situation, where I had only 3 classes to take in the spring & summer standing in the way. I ended up dropping one class, not because the courseload was too hard, but because the instructor was awful and I wasn't learning anything. Instead of looking at starting nursing school this fall, I'm now looking at fall '10..and ya know what? I don't regret my decision at all. I'll get there eventually. At least I know that I'll definitely be prepared by the time that I do make it.

Good luck with whatever you decide though!

ps- I have the same problem with financial aid requiring me to take at least 2 classes a semester. They don't have to be classes that you need for nursing to qualify for aid.. I'm just taking a psychology class for fun. Of course, you do rack up a little extra expense taking classes you don't necessarily need...but it is an option for you if you're not confident about taking your prereqs at the same time. Just sayin' :)