This is part of the reason why Ahhhnold is in office in California!

[FutureArmyNurse]

Hi all, if any of you wonder why Californians are so wacky and replaced our governer GRAY DAVIS with AHHHHNOLD well this is one of the reasons...Mr. Davis slashed funding to community colleges and now I am suffering for it!

I work full time and so I take my pre-reqs at night. I only need microbiology and then I can apply for the nursing program. Well, they cut down our night Micro classes from two to one, and without any explanation my registration time for the spring was moved from day four to day 9! On day 2 this fall the class filled up...and in the actual class there were about 100 people vying for the "lottery" in case someone dropped the class after it started.

The problem is, the exact thing happened the spring before even when there were 2 classes - about an hour before I registered the class filled up.

So in the meantime my ambition is atrophying because it appears I will have to wait until next fall to get into Micro, IF I can even get in, then the waiting time is 3 semesters (maybe two) for the Nursing Program so at this point I may graduate with my ADN in the middle of 2008! So my friends at that point it will have taken me 7 years to get my two-year degree. I am now running out of classes to take while I file my nails and wait to get into the program.

I knew it would take longer because of my work and I can deal with that, but holy god I didn't think it would take 7 years!! And even if I got into Micro in the spring it only makes it 6 1/2 years, or if I'm lucky and get in early maybe I can cut it down to 6. If I quit my job and take it in the winter I can maybe cut it down to 5 1/2 years if I want to go bankrupt and live in a box. I'm really disenchanted with this. I would love to go to UCLA for my BSN but I simply cannot afford it, and all the other schools in my area or in the same sorry situation thanks to Gray Devil...I mean, Gray Davis.

Thanks for listening, guys. Is there anyone else out there going to Santa Monica College or anywhere else that is in this situation??

[opalmRN]

Originally posted by FutureArmyNurse

For $18 a unit though I guess I can live with it. As I always tell myself...things could be worse.

YES that is unheard of hear on the east coast, but I have a sister who is living near Palo Alto and she too has told me how reasonable school is out there. It almost makes me want to move!

Have you considered taking micro somewhere else? Is this an option? There are quite a few schools that offer micro online and yes they do include a lab component because without one, my school would not accept them.

If this is a possiblity, I know for fact Colorado Community Colleges (http://www.ccconline.org) offers a 4 credit micro. It is not cheap as no online courses are but if your school will accept the credits, it might be an alterantive to waiting. Classes will start in January and then again in May but I have also heard they run a second class which is shorter/intensive that you may like.

I hope something works out for you, I will be thinking of you.

C

[TeenyBabyRN]

$18 a unit??? If that is the same as a credit hour, WOW!

Out here on the other end of the country, our local cc is $120/credit hour. State University is $160/credit hour. And local private schools (are you ready for this?) are $300-$800/credit hour. (These are undergrad rates - for grad schools I have seen up to $1200/credit hour at the private schools, with State University being the lowest at $250/credit hour)

[FutureArmyNurse]

These are all great suggestions to do it online, but unfortunately my micro class must be 5 units/credit hours or it doesn't count. The ones offered online are 3 or 4. Arghhhhh...

On a much happier note, today I managed to get into the winter class which is 6 weeks, 5 hours a day. I mustered up the courage to go to my boss and ask if I could go part time for six weeks. But because I would lose my coveted benefits we came up with a possible solution:

Mon-Fri

School 8am=1pm

Work 1:30pm-6pm

&

Work Saturdays and Sundays 7am-3pm

So I would be working 7 days a week for 6 weeks, however it is a sitdown job and not terribly demanding on the weekends- so not so bad. She basically ordered me to take at least two vacation days during this time, three if possible.

I was so shocked by her total support and complete understanding that I burst into tears from relief!!

Now I'm wondering if I can physically go through with this...it would be total, complete, overwhelming godsend if so...

[mitchsmom]

Yay! You can do it... 6 weeks will be done pretty fast and then you can collapse