A&P 2 and Microbio in same semester?

aliaysonfire · Mar 30, 2012

If that is your only hope to apply on time, then I would go for it. Yes you will have a hard time, with the course load and all, especially with a toddler! You seem like you already know what you are getting into though. I took a/p 2 for a saturday only class. It wasn't easy! and I'm in med micro now. that certainly isn't easy!

The key to med micro is organization. If i was you, I'd do my first two labs in your notebook, and then see about how many pages it will take you to add a lab, and then go and start writing all of them up in advance. I wished someone would have told me that in the beginning. In your a/p classes your labs complement the lecture. this is not the case in med micro- it is completely different material and you have to know "why" you are doing the labs in pretty good detail, among other things, such as what the lab tests for and rules out..it is not easy. i find it to be much harder than both a/p classes.. NUtrition is not easy either from what i hear.

your best friends will be study groups. they will help you out a lot! my grade are always much better when i have a study group to be accountable for. create facebook pages for your classes if nobody wants to meet in person.

MissCicelyC, LPN · Mar 30, 2012

sounds good. organization and time mngmnt seem to be key (as with most of life) lol. I truly appreciate the advice and we'll see what I decide in another week :)

NellieOlsen · Mar 30, 2012

Do you work or have kids? I have a friend doing AP I and microbiology this semester. She said it's difficult but she only has school to worry about. No job, kids, etc. And she got 2 GREAT professors also, which makes a world of difference. She's maintaining A's in both so it's doable! Good luck with your choice.

Mdonna · Mar 30, 2012

It really depends upon the time that you have to put into studying. It can be done if you have plenty of time, don't have a family, and have good memorization skills. However, it will be tough.

This semester, I was taking just A&PII and Microbiology. I had a hard time balancing the two; A&P and Micro are very different topics, and there was just too much to memorize between the two. However, there were other students who didn't have kids and were able to spend more time studying. These students have lower grades than I do in A&PII (since I now only have one class), but they are still passing both. It also depends upon the difficulty level of your instructor. My Micro teacher was incredible hard, and we had to memorize how to spell each microorganism. She's a good teacher, and I will take her again next semester, but it was too much with A&P.

You can always register for both, give it a try, and drop before the last day to withdraw if you are not doing well. One more thing to consider: If your nursing program accepts students based upon a points system, you might want to see if you are penalized if you score below a certain grade.

In retrospect, I would not take both classes at the same time. However, I do know people who are doing it now. I know that's not really helpful, but I hope it might give you a little bit of inside information.

Good luck!

MissCicelyC, LPN · Mar 31, 2012

Yes! 2 pt jobs and 1 ft toddler lol. :) That's my biggest concern

MissCicelyC, LPN · Mar 31, 2012

appreciate all the responses. gives me a lot to think about!! 8-)

charli_appleRN · Mar 31, 2012

I took AP2, micro, and funds in the same semester. I couldnt get a grade better than a C in micro to save my life. That is until I failed the funds class. All of a sudden AP and micro werent so bad after all...lol This semester, I took funds, math, and life span and it was a breeze.

Jennifer425RN2B · Apr 2, 2012

At my school you have to take A&P 1 and 2 before you can take microbiology; I never heard of taking them together. I imagine that it wouldn't be fun. Good luck!!!!!

SopranoKris, MSN, RN, NP · Apr 2, 2012

No experience taking both at the same time. However, just want to let you know that you're not alone! I'll be taking Micro, Physiology, Pharmacology and PSYCH 205 in the fall.

We're in the same boat until December!

RN_Student14 · Apr 9, 2012

I have a one year old daughter and took AP2 and Micro this past fall. Now this may sound weird, but I did not find the courses that hard. Was it challenging? Yes. Did it require nonstop studying? Yes. But I did it and came out with A's in both classes. Now this is the thing. I studied for hours everyday. To break it down a little further, I studied for at least 4 hrs daily. My life was based around those classes. I would tend to my daughter( feed her, bathe her, read to her etc) then leave her to play so I could study. I made sure safety locks were in place so if she did venture out of sight, I would not have to worry. Will you get frustrated? Yes. But trust me, it is worth it. You can do it. It is very much possible.

caellen · Apr 9, 2012

It kind of depends on how much you're working- I'm taking A&P 1, Micro, Nutrition, and Psychology this semester and work part time also with a 2 year old. When I'm working it's really hard, and I'm trying to work less and less so I can study more. I wish that I weren't taking 2 hard classes together, but it's okay. If youve already taken Ap1 I think micro will be easier in some ways because there are some similarities. If you can, wait and take micro later, and add an easier class instead. My online classes have been easier than the in class classes, so ask around at your school what's best. You don't want to mess around with AP in nursing though, take the class that will teach you the most.