About to start NS...but unhappy with my school

Published

At my school, the nursing program is a dual degree program between 2 schools: a 4 year LAC and a 2 year college of nursing, and this is the progression of the program:

Year 1: Full time at the LAC doing nursing prerequisites and gened courses

Year 2: Full time at the CON

Year 3: Full time at the CON, graduate with ASN, sit for NCLEX

Year 4: Full time at the LAC doing BSN courses and the rest of the gened, graduate with a BSN

Last year was my first year, so I was doing the preqs such as English, anatomy&physiology etc. In the fall semester, I withdrew from A&P 1 because my professor was awful and didn't teach us, and I didn't think that I would get a C which is what we needed to progress. I retook it in the spring semester, and I got a C+.

Because I withdrew originally, the college of nursing sent me a letter saying that I needed to get in contact with the dean of students to discuss proactive strategies for success in the program...and there's paperwork that I have to sign about the resources that are available to me, and extra work I need to do...and nobody who completed A&P the first time around has to do either of those things.

I find that to be complete BULL. I didn't fail A&P 1. I chose to withdraw from it. When I completed the course, I got a C+ which for A&P is a perfectly respectable grade, especially when you have a professor like mine where the tests are so hard that there HAS to be a massive curve so that most of the class isn't FAILING. I also just finished A&P 2 which I took online, in 6 weeks, while working 20+ hours/week and I got a B.

I'm perfectly capable of being successful in the nursing program without any extra help or any crap like that that they're trying to force on me. If I want/need help...I'll get it on my own.

We have orientation on Wednesday and Thursday which is when I'll get/sign the paperwork and the homework...and classes start a week from today, so everything is coming up really fast...but I can't wait to prove to them that I can and will be successful regardless of what they might think!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I guess I would be annoyed too. I would think its my decision to drop a course, I am capable of deciding what's in my own best interest. It can be very irritating when a college tries to take on the role of a parent, especially if you've been doing your own thing for years.

However, I will also say that it is nice that your school clearly cares about its students and their success. There are a lot of colleges out there that do not care if their students fail or withdraw from courses repeatedly.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

That's exactly how I feel. I mean yes, I'm young, and this is only my second year in college...but I know what's best for me, and what I need to to to succeed. Staying in that A&P class would have been a mistake, and I have since proven that I am capable of success.

I agree that it's nice that my school cares...but at the same time, them doing this makes me feel like they don't entirely have faith in me.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Well I just want to say first of all I completely understand your frustration, I would be too because really who has time for all that. But I think you could see this in a more positive light, right now it is super hard for anyone to get into nursing school, which shouldn't mean they can treat students poorly, but we all know they have the upper hand. If your school is ran that way and you are already accepted to the nursing program, then honestly what can hurt to jump throgh a few hoops and move on and prove them wrong by being successful. If you look at this board honestly you'll see the many of us just struggling to get to where you are, so just try to try to grin and bare it and it will probably get better. Just so you know-I'm very jealous :) jk

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I applied to NS straight from high school, and that's probably the biggest difference between my situation and most people on the boards. I'm sure getting into NS was much easier for me because I applied straight from high school, and applied almost exclusively to 4 year colleges. Much of the reason I chose the school I did is that it was direct entry so I didn't have to worry about acceptance into nursing later on.

I am definitely going to prove to them that I can be successful on my own. I figure doing well in this first semester should suffice to get them off my back.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Good for you and it defiantely will. You're probably right about that but at my school it doesn't matter, first year and transfer still have to compete for what is called upper division seats :( But I know soem schools around me do give direct entry to first years students, good luck!!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

At my school, you apply directly to the nursing program, so everyone who is accepted is accepted to both the school and the nursing program at the same time.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

OK, so why are you going on the defense? If you withdrew from A&P, and the instructor "was bad", well, then you have a reason. It sounds like the school is providing you with resources in order to be successful--no need to go on the warpath. If you're confident that you can do it, then good for you.

And using excuses that "your professor was bad" really doesn't make you look good. A&P is memorization--either you get it or you don't. It's not one of those "subjective" courses that instructors tailor to their own needs. And has anyone heard of an EASY anatomy professor? If you have, sign me up! A tibia is a tibia is a tibia. Doen't matter how bad your teacher is.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
OK, so why are you going on the defense? If you withdrew from A&P, and the instructor "was bad", well, then you have a reason. It sounds like the school is providing you with resources in order to be successful--no need to go on the warpath. If you're confident that you can do it, then good for you.

And using excuses that "your professor was bad" really doesn't make you look good. A&P is memorization--either you get it or you don't. It's not one of those "subjective" courses that instructors tailor to their own needs. And has anyone heard of an EASY anatomy professor? If you have, sign me up! A tibia is a tibia is a tibia. Doen't matter how bad your teacher is.

Excuse me for not liking feeling like I'm being looked down on.

I do have a reason for withdrawing...and I'm not the only one! Almost 1/3 of the class withdrew, most of them for the same reason as me.

I don't really care how the "excuse" that my professor was bad makes me seem. My first time around in A&P, the professor was bad. She was reprimanded by the administration because she was so bad and she completely changed her teaching style (ie. started teaching) because of that. When I had her, she lectured 5, maybe 6 times...and we had class 3 days a week.

With my other professor (with whom I successfully completed the course) -- as I said...she had to curve like crazy so she wouldn't have half the class FAIL. When it's something that absurd, I think that much of the blame has to be laid on the professor.

There's also a difference between easy, hard and BAD. I wasn't commenting on the difficulty of the course. Only on the professor.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Even a very straight forward and easy subject can be made very difficult by a bad teacher. Only the anatomy portion is strict memorization. I had a great instructor who made learning the physiology portion very simple. Granted, a lot of people still failed, but sometimes you just have to take the W and start over.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Last year was my first year, so I was doing the preqs such as English, anatomy&physiology etc. In the fall semester, I withdrew from A&P 1 because my professor was awful and didn't teach us, and I didn't think that I would get a C which is what we needed to progress. I retook it in the spring semester, and I got a C+.

Because I withdrew originally, the college of nursing sent me a letter saying that I needed to get in contact with the dean of students to discuss proactive strategies for success in the program...and there's paperwork that I have to sign about the resources that are available to me, and extra work I need to do...and nobody who completed A&P the first time around has to do either of those things.

I find that to be complete BULL. I didn't fail A&P 1. I chose to withdraw from it. When I completed the course, I got a C+ which for A&P is a perfectly respectable grade, especially when you have a professor like mine where the tests are so hard that there HAS to be a massive curve so that most of the class isn't FAILING. I also just finished A&P 2 which I took online, in 6 weeks, while working 20+ hours/week and I got a B.

I'm perfectly capable of being successful in the nursing program without any extra help or any crap like that that they're trying to force on me. If I want/need help...I'll get it on my own.

Try to look at it from the perspective of the school- you withdrew from the class because you felt (for whatever reason) that you were in danger of not doing well enough in the class to continue on. You are not guaranteed to never have a bad teacher again- how will you deal with it in the future? If the nursing coursework is harder, will you be able to manage that? Or will withdrawing from classes become a pattern? I think that is what the school is concerned about.

At one of the schools I applied to, they admitted on a point system. They looked at GPA, an entrance exam, and for a "proven history of academic success." They docked points for any Fs *or* withdrawals within the past 2 years or 60 credits from the academic success category. I think there are legitimate reasons to withdraw from classes (they made no exception for illnesses or emergencies), and it doesn't necessarily mean that someone who withdraws from a class can't be successful academically, but in a program where the progression of classes is rigid and the workload is often fixed and heavy, there is a certain logic to looking closely at withdrawals.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

But you know what? I'd feel so much better about it if they suggested or asked rather than required.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion