The community college where I will take A&P is accepting a Bio class I took about a million years ago as the required prereq. I remember nothing from the class, so would it be better for me to take Bio before A&P? I'd rather not pay the extra money, but I also don't want to struggle in A&P because I'm expected to have knowledge that I don't really have (although I am willing to put in extra hours studying A&P if necessary). Also, will taking Bio be helpful for the TEAS exam, or will study guides be enough?

Thanks for your wisdom!!

College is already expensive enough; add in retaking classes and the cost becomes outrageous!

I honestly think, since you already took the course in the past, that you would do better by picking up some type of review book like "Biology for Dummies." You will not have to know any advanced biology to get through A&P, and I think you will surprise yourself at how much information you really do remember after you start reviewing.

Thanks, that's a great idea! I can't take A&P until the fall (the summer is full already), so I can read up on Biology over the summer.

Some nursing schools have a expiration date on sciences with labs, so make sure to check that your biology isn't expiered with the school you are applying to.

I wouldn't retake a class that I didn't have to either, unless it was for free!

Blessings in your decission! :)

Read up on bio this summer. Anything you need for the A&P class will be reviewed in the first two or three chapters anyway and you can pick it up at that time. Would not waste money repeating an unnecessary class.

I agree with the above posters. Just read up on it and you should be fine, I know people who took a bio class to prepare for A&P and they say it wasn't worth the extra money

I didn't remember anything from Bio or Chemistry. In high school, I didn't care about class, so I barely made a C. They accepted my credits(which were like 8 years old, but the expiration was 7, they didn't care). I did great in A&P 1 and am now in A&P2. I also have a fabulous teacher. I wouldn't spend the extra money on the books and classes. Pretty much everything you will need to know will be taught in A&P.

I agree with the above posts as well. I graduated from college in 2002 so it has been a long time since I was in biology as well. I am about to start A&P in a couple of weeks at a local community college and I am not going to take bio again.

I would say no.

In some cases, such as having taken the classes so long ago you don't remember anything, or of course, if you have never taken them...but generally, I don't think it's required.

At my school, starting next semester, A&P will be separated into two different types of sections: one for bio/premed majors and one for nursing majors. The one for bio/premed majors will have the prerequisites of gen bio and gen chem, and will start right in on real A&P rather than doing all the stuff about cells and chemistry and whatnot that most A&P classes start with, and the one for nursing majors will have no prerequisites (and will only be open to nursing majors) but will cover the very basics.

I'll just add my 2 cents and agree with everyone else. My textbook packet came with a book called "Get Ready for A&P" that had a chapter containing a biology refresher (mostly cellular level) and I looked that over before class. I can understand wanting to be prepared for A&P, but having to take a full semester of biology is not necessary, in my opinion. I made an A and I hadn't taken a biology course since high school (21 years ago).

The A&P class will have material that gives you the knowledge you need to understand what you are studying, and if you find yourself not understanding a concept, there are many websites out there that are great sources of information and you can find anything you need to help you understand the material in A&P. Good luck!

Just take A&P. I hadn't had Bio since 10th grade (and my ten year reunion has come, gone and the 15 year is right around the corner) and I got an A in A&P I.

Thanks everyone, I was leaning toward not taking Bio, so now I'm confident with that decision. I'll see if I can get some sort of Biology review book from the library to prepare. It's been so long since I've taken a science class, this should be interesting!

Hi there misswillow,

I think you are fine without taking Bio again. I would recommend brushing up on Chemistry if that is a weak area for you (I was beyond weak in that!) I picked up a great book (amazon.com); An Introduction to Chemistry for Biology Students (George Sackheim) which I "read" before A&PI and it did help. Good luck.

Sart45:)