CSN Spring 2012 question

U.S.A. Nevada

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I'll be a new student to CSN this upcoming semester (Spring 2011) and hoping to complete all the prereqs for the RN program before the deadline (Sept. 1, 2011). The prerequisite courses are:

BIOL 189* Fundamentals of Life Science 4 Science (4 credits)

BIOL 223 Anatomy & Physiology I (4 credits)

ENG 101** Composition I (3 credits)

MATH 100B or Math 120 (or higher) except Math 122 &123 (3 credits)

PSY 101 General Psychology (3 credits)

I am really worried about being able to complete the prereq's in the amount of time I have before the deadline. I was thinking of taking two or three in the Spring 2011 semester and the remaining prereqs in the Summer 2011 semester. My only concern with that is if the courses will be available in the Summer. If there is no way around doing all five prereq courses in the Spring, is this a reachable goal?I'm calling the office tomorrow but I am interested in hearing some answers from here, and perhaps any advice as well.

Thanks in advance!

If the classes you need to take are available in the summer I suppose it is possible, but not likely. Your grade for Bio 189 must be posted before you can register for Bio 223, if it's even offered during the summer. All of the available seats may be gone by the time you are ready to register. Additionally, summer sections are usually limited to 1 or 2 so you have to have a flexible schedule to begin with. A lot of people take Bio 223 and/or Bio 224 at NSC or UNLV over the summer. I took an 8 week summer session of Bio 224 at NSC and I did better than I did in a full semester of 223 at CSN. I also liked NSC much better than CSN in that regard, but I digress...I took all of my pre-reqs online except for the science courses and I believe they are offered year-round.

Please keep in mind that unless you have at least some of the "extra points classes" completed (i.e. Bio 224, 251, Com 101, Psc 101, Soc 101), it is highly unlikely you will get into the program, even with the highest GPA and TEAS score. The lowest points for full-time they accepted this semester was 27. It can be a very competitive program. Good luck!

What if I did Biol 189, Eng 101, Math 100B, and Psy 101 in the Spring 2011 and come Summer 2011 I took the Biol 223 and a few of those extra points classes at UNLV? Is that possible? I don't care about any sort of workload I'll have with these classes, I just really want in this program and I'm really regretting having not gone to CSN in Fall. :( I got a hold of the office a few minutes ago and they told me it would take three semesters, but ugh, I just want this so bad. If I couldn't do the program at CSN, what other schools would be good?

Specializes in IMC.

It will take 3 semesters to have a chance of being accepted. Although Biol 224, 251 Com 101, Soc 101, and Psc 101(NV/U.S. Constitution) are not "required," you will need the points to have any chance of being accepted, I believe that the cut off for Spring 2011 was 26 points, and the number usually increases. Also remember, you don't get points for classes that the grades haven't been posted for, so if you are currently in biol 224 you won't get the 10 points for it.

For points break down: http://sites.csn.edu/health/nursing/adnspringselection.pdf

I would also recommend applying to UNLV and NSC as a pre-nursing student as it will let you have a broader schedule of prerequisite classes to choose from, although you will probably end up doing quite a bit of driving.

I would recommend the following schedule for attempting to get good grades and get into the CSN program. This would likely result in a Fall 2012 acceptance, although you would be able to apply for Spring 2012, I doubt you would get in due to low points.

Spring 2011:

Biol 189

Eng 101*

Math 100B

Psy 101*

Soc 101*

Summer 2011:

Session 1: Com 101

Session 2: Biol 223

Session 3: Biol 224

Fall 2011:

Biol 251

Psc 101*

Classes with * next to them can be taken online. Biol 223, 224, and 251 have a prerequisite of Biol 189

I would not recommend taking more than one science class at a time as they are usually very intensive and contain a very demanding 3 hour lab(especially Biol 223 and 224). The UNLV and NSC summer sessions are great for this as they are condensed and each session is at a separate time, so you can concentrate on one class at a time, finish, and move onto the next.

Online classes are generally easier and take less time demanding, however some, such as the Psc 101 online class I took at CSN this summer, can be even more demanding and time consumings, so I suggest you review the professors ratings on http://ratemyprofessors.com/

As for other programs in the Las Vegas Valley, there is University of Nevada Las Vegas, Nevada State College, Touro University, and University of Southern Nevada.

Touro and USN are both private schools and are approximatively $40,000 for a 16 month program, they also have about 60 credits worth of prerequisites you must complete elsewhere before applying.

Touro Prereqs and info: BSN Admission | Touro University

USN Prereqs can be found on page 8: http://www.usn.edu/files/118/College%20of%20Nursing%20Student%20Handbook%202010-2011.pdf

UNLV and NSC are both public schools and are significantly cheaper, although the price varies semester to semester. Both require about 60 credits of prerequisites before applying. Both are 4 semester of upper division work after being accepted, UNLV is a 16 month program, NSC is a 24 month program as they have summers off.

UNLV pre-nursing info: The School Nursing

NSC Nursing info: Nevada State College: School of Nursing

Also, not an exact judge of how good a school is but First time NCLEX pass rates are useful, also contained is information about how many students graduating per year. This is information from 08-09 as the 09-10 has not been released yet. The important information is on page 11: http://www.nursingboard.state.nv.us/annual%20reports/annual%20report%2008-09.pdf

Specializes in future OB/L&D nurse(I hope) or hospice.

In your opinion, is Biol 223&224 harder at CSN or NSC? I am just finishing my Biol 224 and I don't think I am going to make the "C" I need. It is soooo hard.

I took 223 @ CSN and 224 @ NSC during an 8 week (or was it 6 week?) summer semester. I found 223 to be way more difficult than 224. There could be a lot of reasons for that though -- I was taking other classes at the same time I was taking 223 but I took 224 alone. My instructor for 224 at NSC could have been really good...class size at NSC was smaller...I found the material more interesting in 224, etc.

i think 223 is harder ingeneral, a lot more memorization IMO in 223

Here's how I did it.

Summer 2009

PSY 101 (4 week pre-summer session) (online)

ENG 101 (online)

BIOL 189 w/lab

Fall 2009

MATH 100B (online)

BIOL 223 w/lab

BIOL 251 w/lab

NURS 130 w/lab & clinical

Spring 2010

COM 215 (4 week winter-break session) (online)

SOC 101 (4 week winter-break session) (online)

BIOL 224 w/lab

PSC 101 (online)

Fall 2010

MATH 120 (for transfer later for BSN) (online)

NURS 285 (1 week class preparing you for NURS 101)

Biology 223, 224, and 251 aren't offered during the summer at CSN unfortunately. I applied for the Fall 2010 program with 19 points and was rejected, but I was accepted for Spring 2011 with 30 points. This Spring had the highest point total in history for the ADN program with 27 points being the minimum. Just work hard, stay focused, and try and get everything done as quickly as you can handle. 223 was harder for me only because I knew what to expect when I got to 224. I did 223 and 251 at the same time, and pretty much everyone called me crazy for doing that, let alone throwing the CNA program on top of it. I have a 3.0 (thanks to two 4-credit D's from back in 2002 when I first attended CSN) and I had to work pretty hard to keep it a 3.0, but it's possible. I have a small child, I worked full time throughout all of the school, and I'm living proof that it can be done.

A little tip for registering for classes that are full: Wait until the purge date and log-on first thing in the morning. When people don't pay for a class, it kicks them out when the system closes each day. I did this to get into a ton of my classes. Jump into the first class & lab you can get, and pay for it IMMEDIATELY. Before the semester starts people drop or switch often. I literally had to sit here and hit refresh every 10 minutes to get the schedule that I needed, but persistence pays off. I got the exact schedule I've needed every single semester. Just keep at it. The classes will open up, even if only for a few seconds. Be like a sniper. Wait in the bushes (or behind your keyboard) and when the opportunity arrives, take the shot (or grab the class). And remember, you have to register for the lab before you can register for the lecture. You'll see a ton of Lecture classes open, but no labs. People grab labs and wait for the lab or lecture they want to become available, and they sit on them for long times (usually until the semester starts). This is annoying, but a fact of life. Just be vigilant, be patient, and be persistent when hitting refresh or checking for openings.

I hope this helps you out in your educational adventure. Best of luck to you :-)

-J

I'm thinking about doing the 223 and 251 at nsc and cna at csn all during the summer. I just dont want to be overloaded to the point where i drop a class. :sstrs:I only work one day a week. How hard was it, and how many days a week did you have class. im pretty focused but after 2 hours of studying i have to take a two hour break, lol.

I got into a bio 223 and a lab at csn but I cannot attend the lab due to my work. I don't know what to do. I've been checking registration but simply there r no opening I need to trade to a morning lab it doesn't matter what day, or campus I have an evening at 7:30 pm on Wed . Does anyone know if they allow students to trade lab? Or the possibility of a teacher letting u trade ? My teachers name is ----., anyone had him?

---- is awesome for lab. Him,------, and ------- are probably the top 3 in my opinion.

Specializes in future OB/L&D nurse(I hope) or hospice.
I got into a bio 223 and a lab at csn but I cannot attend the lab due to my work. I don't know what to do. I've been checking registration but simply there r no opening I need to trade to a morning lab it doesn't matter what day, or campus I have an evening at 7:30 pm on Wed . Does anyone know if they allow students to trade lab? Or the possibility of a teacher letting u trade ? My teachers name is ----., anyone had him?

I have already completed Biol223 and just wanted to let you know that I don't believe you will have a problem getting into a different lab. I would email the instructors whom have lab at the times work for you and ask them if they have a seat you could take. Especially since you are open to either campus. I am enrolled in Biol224 this semster and also need to switch labs. So don't give up. I really do think you will be able to switch. Good luck

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