Working full time and getting pre-reqs done...

NurseBettyICU, ADN, BSN · Apr 18, 2008

Its definatly do-able. I work 40 hours a week and go to school 2 nights a week and take an online class. Plus I've got 2 kids and a husband who doesnt clean, to take care of.

Its hard to find the time to study - so I bring my lunch to work and study for an hour while I eat. Then after the kids are in bed, I study until I cant keep my eyes open (about an hour to 1 1/2 hours).

its hard - but you can do it!

mntgrl · Apr 19, 2008

Yes you can do it! I had not been in school for over 25 years. I work full time and carried between 13 and 15 credits a semester. Because of the way the classes progress, you can only take A&P after Chem, and Micro after A&P it took me 2 years. During that time I decided to fill in with classes that I would need for my BSN, so now once I have completed my RN I only have to take the Nursing 3 & 4 classes. I will be starting nursing school in Aug this year and I will continue to work full time. The school I am going to attend only accepts students who have completed the pre-reqs before starting on the nursing courses. It is also considered a full time school, classes are Tues and Thurs night 5 to 10 and clinicals on the weekends. I was able to show them that I could handle school full time and work full time and still do well in both. Anyway, I am sure you can do it, while taking classes it really helped me to start up study groups for the AP and Micro classes. A professor told me a couple of years ago to learn something you first need to read about it, listen to it, then teach it to someone else. That has always worked by helping me to understand and retain the info. Sometimes it will be a little crazy, but you will get through it. Good Luck

AmericanRN · Apr 19, 2008

Is this unheard of?
I am hoping to apply for fall 2009 nursing school, for which I will have to take six pre-reqs, two classes each quarter for the next three quarters. My school only accepts students once a year and I don't want to miss my chance. I have no children and no other obligations, and school has always been fairly easy for me, but all the talk I have heard about how cut throat and hard pre-reqs are for nursing school is making me nervous.
Anyone have any advice? Did you work full time and complete your prereqs?

You can do it. I worked f/t and took 2 or 3 classes each semester. I was dumb once though and took 5 classes (I burnt out that time) Anyways it paid off and a few years later here I am in nursing school in an accelerated BSN program. I have also noticed that many of us who worked and went to school during the pre reqs are having an easier time with managing our time and prioritizing than those who did not. Many are still working incredible hours. One in my class is going to pull 8 hours tonight and 16 hours Saturday and Sunday and we go to school M-F. As another poster pointed out just watch your time management and stay very organized.