How old were you when starting prereqs and did it discourage you?

[princesax11]

I just turned 22 and a lot of people I went to high school with are graduating with a bachelor's degree this spring. So I am feeling a little discouraged and sad.

I started community college right out of high school. I was a little lazy and didn't want hard classes so I went with elementary education even though I wasn't too sure about it. Well a year and a half into it I discovered nursing was where I really wanted to be so I changed majors and took classes for the local ADN program at my community college. I went to a information session and got misleading information that I could apply then with just a few prereqs done so I applied. I got a letter telling me I needed to finish all my prereqs before I could apply and the admissions advisor changed.

So feeling defeated I took a semester off which turned into two when my part time job's company declared bankruptcy and I had to work full time to help. This summer I moved from NJ to FL and have to wait until Fall 2013 to get instate tuition to finish my last 4 prereqs here. I wanted to take maybe a class or two until I was instate then I saw the price was almost 400 per credit! Yikes, I can't afford 1,200-1,600$ a class!

I have 5 prereqs done that apply to the program down here and my gpa is a 3.6. If I get in when I plan to I will be 26 when I graduate with a ADN. I can't get into a BSN program because my overall gpa in the classes I don't need anymore is still calculated into a lot of admissions which is only a 3.1.

I guess I am just looking for words of encouragement and your stories to help. I look forward to hearing some uplifting answers! :)

[Devin6xx]

How is the EMT stuff bigsick_littlesick? I love the idea of having a back up in case i cant make it into Nursing :)

[MommaTy]

I didn't start College until 2007 for pre-reqs. I was 21. Took me 5 years to do my pre-reqs, I am 27 and I just got accepted into the ADN program near me. I have 5 kids, so I went really slow. I graduated high school in 2004. People always used to tell me I would never go to college blah blah. Look at me now. If I can do it, so can you :)

[16mm]

I have the same sentiment as some in this thread. I will be (hopefully) 25 when I start nursing school. I dabbled in the CC's a bit after high school but would rather have enjoyed my new found freedom, so I only took a couple of college courses (fluff courses at that). Now all my classmates have gotten their Bachelors moving onto their Masters and it makes me feel bad about myself. This thread has helped a lot

[~Melissa~]

I'm finishing my pre-reqs this week... And am 35 You can do it!!!

[Kris10Noel]

I'm 27. I have an A.S. in criminal justice, a B.S. in biology and I just got accepted into an associates RN program for this coming fall semester (still waiting to hear about acceptance into a BSN program I also applied to). It takes people time to figure out what they want to do in life. How we're expected to pick a career choice at 17 or 18 is ridiculous! Don't be discouraged and go after what you love! One of the new nurses I work with is 63! She got her RN at 61. Age is not a factor, passion is. Enjoy!

[SmYle4PeDs, BSN]

I was 32 when I started my pre reqs. I will be done this year. I had a hard time getting classes, so it took me awhile to finish my prereqs. I will be applying for fall 2014 semester. I am 35 :)

[determined_30]

I am 33 I have been taking pre requisites for about three to four years. I am a mother of four school aged children so it is taking me a while. My youngest will be in school full time after the summer so I will be able to concentrate more on classes. I only have sciences sociology, and health left. I want to take my sciences slow, as I have not had a science course in forever. I want to get A'S in my sciences.

[StayHumble11]

I'm 24 yrs old! I'm almost done with my pre-requirements!

Same here

[LifeIsGood76]

determined_30, we are in a similar situation! I have 4 children also, and my youngest will be starting school this coming year. I only have my sciences left too. I'm 36, and if everything goes as planned, I will be 40 when I finally get my RN. :)

[MrsStudentNurse]

I've been doing pre reqs since high school but had no intentions of nursing. Took some more college, took a few years off, got a diff degree, got married and here I am finally finishing up my last semester of pre reqs at 24. I wouldn't have been ready a minute sooner. It's all perfect timing.

[203bravo, MSN, APRN]

Never get discouraged... I'm 44 and finishing pre reqs this semester... Got accepted first try to the BSN program that I had as my first choice.. I'm actually enjoying being back at school.

[meg2014]

I am 24 and started college when I was 21 and pregnant with my second daughter. I done one semester and then moved to another state in the middle of the second semester so I had to drop all my classes. I took a short break-procrastinated about going back and then I started back at the community college in my area a little over a year ago (3 semesters ago). I am finally finished with my pre reqs and start the RN program in the fall! So another two years and I will finally be done with school and hopefully have a good job! It seems like it is taking forever and yeah I should've went straight out of high school and before I had my girls. But I am thankful to have the opportunity to go to college and I know it will be worth it in the end!!