Tarrant County College Fall 2012

hope122 · May 17, 2012

I am scared too! I won't get any info about my class until it gets closer to summer 2. You'll have to let me know how it goes! Did you look at that website with the tutorials? If so, do you think it may help??

maamcdonald · May 17, 2012

klp--my advice is to bone up on the study guide, look over basic medical terminology and go into test day well-rested. you get a break between each section (math, reading, vocab, grammar) and you get to choose what order you take them in. i was most nervous about math so i took that first, then did reading since i was still fresh and knew it would be the most time consuming. don't worry about running out of time either. they allot you for the whole test and since you don't have to do the science section, you end up having more than enough time. if you need to take the entire test, then time may be a factor but for tcc purposes, you should be just fine.

kate--i just finished stats, it was the hardest a i've ever worked for by far! i'd do a few things differently, for starters i wouldn't have taken it online. i ended up having to teach myself while also trying to learn how to use the graphing calculator and excel. it was a bit overwhelming! throw a shortened schedule into the mix and i cringe to think about it. if you can take it during the semester, i'd recommend that over summer. but then, i don't know what first semester nursing school will look like so that may be bad advice. if you set your mind to it, just know that you can do it. start familiarizing yourself with the calculator and excel. it doesn’t hurt that your son just took the class, a free tutor is always nice to have in your back pocket!

i ended up having to drop my maymester. i need to take three classes sometime between fall and the summer after we graduate so i can bridge right over. i'm really curious to find out what we'll need for the new tarleton program.

vc1478 · May 17, 2012

Do any of you know if clinicals count towards are total hours per semester?

maamcdonald · May 17, 2012

I think the breakdown is:

foundations...4 hours

skills...1 hour

clinical...4 hours

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

christin82 · May 17, 2012

@maam I'm pretty sure that's right. Thats how its listed on webadvisor

theantichick · May 17, 2012

Yeah, that's it.

Skills is only during your foundation semester. After that they sometimes have a "special topics" course for 1 credit to bring you up to 9 (They did in Adult, and I've HEARD they do in Complex, but I'm not seeing one on WA) and sometimes they don't (didn't have one for Peds/OB so only 8 credit hours).

Incidentally, you're a ways off from it, but a lot of us weren't aware that when you register for your OB/Peds classes, you're registering for 2 8-wk sessions. You don't get your FA for the 2nd 8-wk session until after it starts. So during that semester, be aware you're going to only get 1/2 of your FA to start with.

vc1478 · May 17, 2012

Thanks y'all! That's what I needed to know! :) I wish b/c it's a "program" FA would consider it full time. So, theantichick, have you heard many of your classmates say they take extra classes to be considered full time? Or is that just crazy to do lol...

theantichick · May 17, 2012

You know, a huge lot of us are having to work and do nursing school. And because of the massive amounts of reading and the extra prep for clinicals you do the night before, most of us are doing our best to just maintain the required classes. If you have to work, I would say definitely start off with just the required classes.

If you're fortunate enough for one reason or another and don't have to work (and that includes full time care of small children), and school is your focus, you'd probably be OK taking another class. I personally wouldn't try to take a science class as my "add-on" if I were you, but something like an english class or foreign language is different enough material that it would probably work out. And, not to be nonchalant about dropping classes, but if you find yourself bogged down, you can always drop the class before the drop date. Don't know how that affects FA, but I'm sure there are resources that can fill you in.

guest590593 · May 18, 2012

how long did it take for yall to complete ALL your pre reqs? i was wanting to know out ALL of mine before i apply. so far its 3 semesters of 4 classes each (2 hard on campus, 2 easier online)

vc1478 · May 18, 2012

Thanks theantichick! Futurenurse- I've been taking nursing prereqs since 2009. I also went 2 summers and one wintermester. But I was only taking a few classes each semester and I didn't test out of my math classes, so I had to start at the very bottom. I've also taken most of the classesI'll need for my BSN except for a few. I've been taking classes since 2006 but I didn't decide I wanted to do nursing until 3 yrs ago. If you can take that many in one semester then I'd go for it! I took quite a few online, most of my math classes, speech, p.e., & chemistry, and did really well! I also really liked the summer and wintermester classes. It was a lot of work, but they were over with so fast so it's worth it!

Elizabeth319 · May 18, 2012

Just ordered my stethoscope!! Soo excited!! Has anyone done the background check yet? I am going to get that done today. Was wondering how long it takes to hear back from it and if the school sends you anything when they receive it? Any info would be greatly appreciated!!:)

kate0226 · May 18, 2012

@ Elizabeth, I did mine yesterday. It was pretty basic and easy, didn't take long. I read on the form they gave us that we would only hear something back if there was a problem...so I am thinking for once, no news is good news! I can't wait to buy my steth, what did you get??

Are any of y'all going to do the CPR through TNSA in August? I am planning on signing up for the Aug 23rd one.. I hate waiting til the last one, but it works best or our schedule.

@ FutureRN - I had most of my core prereqs done previously when I was in school. I started Chem in 2008 and took a 2 year hiatus b/c I got preggo with my 3rd during that class. Returned in 2010 for ap's and micro this past fall. I took my time cause I did not want to start actual nursing school til my middle child was beginning kindergarten.