Need some advice

elizabethhRN · Feb 17, 2015

Hi! I graduated from a BSN program but I had to take:

Anatomy

Computer class

English 101

College algebra

Elective

English 102

Chemistry

History

Humanities

Psychology 101

Physiology

Humanities

Sociology

Public speaking

Elective

Microbiology

Elementary statistics

Developmental psych

Language credit

Nutrition

Then I started my actual nursing classes. So yes, it seems like a lot but it also seems right. Best of luck to you!

203bravo, MSN, APRN · Feb 17, 2015

Did a nursing adviser set up this plan or a general adviser? Did they understand that you would be attending their ADN program?

I'm sorry, but if you follow this plan you should just apply directly to a BSN program and skip the ADN program. Normally ADN program have about 1 year of basic reqes, and the remainder of the general education classes are taken along with nursing classes.. this is why they finish in about 2 - 2.5 years with their nursing education..

Added:

according to your other posts you are either attending Pierce College or LAVC.. the prereqs to applying to these ADN programs are not nearly what you are taking:

Pierce College

[TABLE]

[TR]

[TD]Course

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228] Minimum Requirements

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]LACCD Course

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Anatomy**

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]4 semester units with lab

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Anatomy 1

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Physiology**

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]4 semester units with lab

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Physiology 1

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Microbiology

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]4 semester units

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Microbiology 1 or 20

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]General Psychology

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]3 semester units

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Psychology 1

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Life-Span Psychology

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]3 semester units

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Psychology 41

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]College Reading/Comp

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]3 semester units

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]English 101

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Chemistry*

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]4 semester units with lab

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Chemistry 51

[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=width: 241]Elementary Algebra or higher***

[/TD]

[TD=width: 228]3 semester units

[/TD]

[TD=width: 169]Math 115

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

LAVC:

R.N. Program Prerequisites

Biology 3 or college Biology w/lab

Anatomy 1 (min 4sem/6qtr units)

Chemistry 51 or college Chemestry w/lab

Physiology 1 (min 4sem/6qtr units)

Microbiology 20 (min 4sem/6qtr units)

English 101 (min 3sem/4.5qtr units)

Psychology 1 (min 3sem/4.5qtr units)

Psychology 41 (min 3sem/4.5qtr units)

Math 115 (Algebra I) or higher

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Feb 17, 2015

Is it normal now to only take 3 classes (9 hours) at a time? My normal undergrad course load was 15-18 hours per semester..... not trying to cast aspersions, just wondering if this what students are being advised to do these days.

203bravo, MSN, APRN · Feb 17, 2015

Is it normal now to only take 3 classes (9 hours) at a time? My normal undergrad course load was 15-18 hours per semester..... not trying to cast aspersions, just wondering if this what students are being advised to do these days.

Excellent point --- and for sure my nursing course load is about 15 hours a semester :)

estoque · Feb 17, 2015

203 bravo yes I am going to LAVC. I made this plan with a general counselor. I'm taking this path because there are no universities with a BSN program starting at undergrad that are close enough to where I can commute. I'm not living on campus at one of those schools for two reasons: I'm trying to minimize debt accumulated throughout college (I'm getting financial aid and living with my parents) and they won't let me live on campus if the first reason was not even an issue.

The counselor said that I should finish all of these general education classes needed to transfer to a CSU (CSUN for example) before applying to the nursing program. I'm not sure what to do because counseling appointments do not open until next month and I don't know if I should drop the non nursing prerequisites now, doing it later would result in a W on my transcript if I'm not mistaken.

On the topic of hours, each semester I layed out in the OP is at least 12 hours if not more (well units, I think they mean the same thing) besides the summer, winter, and fall 2014 semesters.

ndhartrr · Feb 20, 2015

So you plan to get your ADN at LAVC and then transfer to a CSU and do an RN-BSN program? If that is the case you will need those non-nursing courses to fulfill your GE requirements as part of your BSN program. Best bet is to get them done at the CC level and then they are out of the way. To get a job in LA you really need that BSN anyways, so you might as well tackle that now while you have a roof over your head and parents who are willing to help you. I am in the LA area also and the market is intense for new grad nurses, especially without the BSN level education. My advice-stay in the courses.

estoque · Feb 20, 2015

Okay thank you for your thoughts :)

JMCP · Feb 27, 2015

Get into the LAVC program. I graduated from there and our pass rate is always above 95% for the nuclei. Most of us don't even use Kaplan since the school has a tutor at the end of every seamiest come. Also the school was tough! I graduated from UCLA with Neuroscience and still found it to be difficult. Oh, and unlike other ADN programs, you will go to school 5 days a week. There is no getting around that... 2 12 hour clinical, theory on 2 different days for at least 4-5 hours and skills lab ever week on a different day for at least 4 hours.

Its all worth it because they raise so much money! I didn't pay for my books, uniform... I didn't spend one dime on the program or the classes!

Now I'm in a BSN program and its partly paid by the hospital I work for! ADN is the way to go!

estoque · Mar 4, 2015

That all sounds great and all but it will take so much more longer like this instead of just transferring straight to a BSN program like CSULA for example. I'm weighing my pros and cons at the moment and I'm going to go speak with a counselor soon to review my student educational plan and see what they think about my situation.

BreakRebuild · Mar 6, 2015

At this point you're looking at three years of prereqs, and a two year program. Five years for an Associates is long time. Personally I've been to a community college and a university and to my experience if 3 classes add up to 12 or so credits the school is on a quarter system, and in schools that do semesters about 5 classes add up to a full load. So is this school running on a semester or a quarter system? If its semesters your credit values are way too low, and if its quarters why are you not taking classes in the winter quarter?

Either way at most schools at a full credit load you should be completing about 9-10 classes a year not including summer classes or the added credits for lab sciences.

estoque · Mar 6, 2015

Unless I am mistaken it's a semester system at my school, there's spring, summer, fall, and winter semesters. I am taking 3 classes right now (spring) and they are Math 125 (which is 5 units), English 102 which is 3 units, and Anatomy 01 which is 4 units. Some people have told me to look into going to private schools and just deal with the huge loans/debt but I really don't want to be stuck with all of those loans. It seems that you are pretty much correct with how long it will take me if I continue with this plan. After 2 years I just be done with my prerequisites to apply for the ADN program and the transfer requirement classes so I can go to an ADN to BSN program after I graduate. According to my calculations it would take me basically 4 years for the ADN then 2 years for an ADN to BSN program is resulting in a total of 6 years for a BSN (and this is assuming that I would be able to get every class I need every semester and get accepted to the nursing program at my CC the first time I apply).