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!
I've taken several classes from "bad" professors who "didn't teach" us and where the common expectation was "take your C and be glad" and still managed to pull an A. I personally view that attitude as a cop-out... you have a textbook, after all.
Frankly, I think going from a W to a C+ warrants some intervention and support; be glad that they're giving it to you and not just letting you flounder.
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.
I agree. Honestly, I don't think you have anything to be upset about. My school also looks at Ws in their decision process, so consider yourself lucky that with a W and C and you are still able to start nursing classes.
I actually think its a good strategy by the school and its meant to help, not hurt you.
But you know what? I'd feel so much better about it if they suggested or asked rather than required.
I think whether you find the requirement cumbersome or not does not factor in to their policy. It's their program, not yours, and you will deal with much more frustrating things in your life and in nursing school. Shake it off and be grateful you picked a program that doesn't look more unkindly on withdrawals.
There are Associate's programs here in NY that will not allow you to progress if you withdraw from a pre-req. You are in a good program. Good Luck to you!!!
I agree. Honestly, I don't think you have anything to be upset about. My school also looks at Ws in their decision process, so consider yourself lucky that with a W and C and you are still able to start nursing classes.
I actually think its a good strategy by the school and its meant to help, not hurt you.
My school is direct entry. The requirements state that you need a C or higher to progress. I don't see why I should consider myself lucky.
But you know what? I'd feel so much better about it if they suggested or asked rather than required.
The point is though that nursing schools do not have to ask. It is common at nursing schools to be put on academic probation if a student falls below passing grade. Competition for nursing school spots is high. Nursing schools currently have the luxury of being more demanding of their students than you might agree with, because if you cannot handle the academic demand or the academic probation policies of your school, there is a score of prospective nursing students who will.
When I earned my BA the first time around, you could withdraw as much as you want, fail and retake a class once, etc. No one batted an eye, and you just had to earn your 120 hours, and they handed you your sheepskin.
Nursing school is a whole different animal, it seems. They accept a limited number of students per year, and they watch you closely academically and clinically. While I agree that it can seem demoralizing when you haven't done anything against the student handbook, not all methods of addressing academic progress and competence are written down.
Good luck to you, and just don't forget this incident. Learn from it so you know how to navigate the next three years with the instructors and administration. Maybe ask upperclassmen about other professor's teaching methods before choosing a section of a class. Just don't withdraw again; do what you need to do to get through.
Nursing school is tough, and we just have to learn as we go along, even if it seems we're being blindsided when the policies aren't spelled out for us.
We don't get to choose when our classes are, or who our professors are.
I misinterpreted your first post when you said you took it in a different semester with a different instructor. It seemed that you had more leeway with regard to order of classes and instructors.
ETA: Regardless, there's a lot more I said in that post than just being careful on who you choose as a professor. Good luck to you.
All the more reason for them to be concerned about you dropping a class because you thought you got a bad teacher.
They don't know why I dropped. They just know that I did. And as I said...the prof was bad. She didn't teach, and got reprimanded by the school administration. That doesn't happen to good profs.
Music in My Heart
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I've taken several classes from "bad" professors who "didn't teach" us and where the common expectation was "take your C and be glad" and still managed to pull an A. I personally view that attitude as a cop-out... you have a textbook, after all.
Frankly, I think going from a W to a C+ warrants some intervention and support; be glad that they're giving it to you and not just letting you flounder.
Your program sounds excellent.