Advice on prerequisite courses

LMT2BSN · Aug 25, 2011

You'll have to find one that is accredited. Also, if you want to end up at a different school (university) for your nursing program, I found that it's best to figure out which classes that they require. Then make sure they offer those classes at the community college. BE CAREFUL: a few pre req courses at my community college are intended to transfer to a nursing program at a university; however, they do not. I think it's best to work from the end goal then down. So I would first talk to a nursing advisor at wherever you plan on taking your nursing program, before you pick a cc for your pre req's.

sherri12 · Aug 25, 2011

I also started from the end goal and worked down. That way you don't waste time and money taking classes you can't use.

KateObel · Aug 25, 2011

Thank you for your replies!!!!

Can you also recommend a program that accepts students with a situation similar to mine: Bsc degree from good university, (willingness to study/pass prerequisite courses) but low GPA?

I have checked NYU, Rutgers, Columbia, UMDNJ o far..However they all require GPA of 3.0 and up..which I don't have..

Any suggestions on a school that is more or less realistically to be accepted to?

Summers_Off · Aug 25, 2011

Don't know if you are willing or able to move, but my school allows you to earn admission through your grades in the four prerequisites that are required. Caveat is that the classes must be taken at their school and nothing is offered online. Great school with excellent pass rate. Pm me if you want the name. G/L

LMT2BSN · Aug 25, 2011

Sorry, I'm not familiar with schools in that area. But I have heard of people taking additional courses at a cc, just to bring their gpa up, before they apply to a Nursing Program at a university. Nursing Programs like to see a lot of natural sciences, chemistry, and higher level math, so I would take something along those lines in addition to any pre reqs

KateObel · Aug 25, 2011

Thanks for your reply!

It would be great if you can give me the name of your school!

Thanks for your help!

sunbaby0811 · Aug 26, 2011

I agree with the advice on figuring out where you want to end up and then working backwards. I am not near you, but where I live, I have 2 schools that are options for me. They have similar pre-requisites but 1 or 2 different, but I will be taking them all. I'm taking quite a few classes totally online (took one last semester and will be taking biology this semester). I have kids and work full time, so for me, this will work great. Farther into it, I'll have to go at night, but will want to take A&P in person anyway....

One thing I have discovered is that it's COMPETITIVE to get into nursing school. Like crazy. I have a bachelors in business and had a decent GPA (not awe-inspiring, but decent) but because they factor that into things, I am going to have to bust my butt on pre-reqs. Im aiming for all As and I think that will bring my GPA way up. 1 school Im looking at assigns points to the applicants. Their admission is purely a math game. The other school I'm looking at has a minimum required GPA (it's 2.9 or 3.0 depending on which program you do) and then beyond that, they have a bunch of other factors, including an interview!

You might want to call the schools you end up focusing on and talk to the program adviser. Ask their honest opinion of your situation and find out what you can do to meet their requirements. You might also search this board. There seems to be a thread for pretty much every nursing program out there, if you search on the school name!

Good luck :)

ICU-RN<3 · Aug 26, 2011

I took some prereqs at Hunter College, the tuition is reasonable since it's a city college. I also used University of Phoenix online, but make sure the program you want to apply to will accept these credits.

sherri12 · Aug 26, 2011

I also finished all my pre-req's at a community college ( NHTI in Concord, NH. ) I spent 1 1/2 years (including summers) finishing them. NHTI has an ADN program which I applied for after I finished my pre-req's. They also use a points system like Sunbaby's school did. You would get 3 points for every A, 2 points for every B and so on. I applied for thier nursing program after my pre-req's were finished and I got in. At the same time I was taking NHTI's pre-req's, I looked ahead at BSN programs to see what they wanted for pre-req's and I was also doing some of those since I always planned on going immediately on to a BSN. Some of them included literature classes, more english, a music and a history class. I had so many of them done that I also applied for a BSN program at Plymouth State University in Plymouth NH and I got in there too. They are admitting me as a 3rd year student in thier BSN program so I now have one more semester of pre-req's (statistics, genetics, nutrition and one more elective) then in January I will have 16 months left of just nursing classes and clinicals. They run thier classes consecutively, so Spring, Summer, Fall and spring 2013 I will be finished. This is the same amount of time it would have taken me to finish my ADN, so why not do the BSN?

If you do your homework in your area, you can really get a plan in place and finish pretty quickly. I will have my BSN in 3 1/2 years total time including taking a few classes during the summer months. This also includes the 4 classes I had to take that didn't even count towards my degree! These included algebra 1 and 2, intro to Chem and intro to Biology. I didn't have any of those in high school.

I also work 2 part time jobs and I have a family, so it can be done without it being to painful. I have a 3.7 gpa also.

I'm a little worried about January getting here and starting the "real" nursing classes. I've read (and I'm sure it's true) that they are much more intesnse than pre-req's. I'm looking forward to it though.

I wanted to add that I took many of my pre-req's online. Probably close to half of them.

You have to look in your area though unless you are looking to move.

Good luck!

Summers_Off · Aug 26, 2011

I sent you a message with the school name. Maybe I'll see you there next semester!

Alliedhealth · Aug 29, 2011

Hello,

I am not sure how far in NY your willing to travel. Laguardia community college AAS in Long Island City (Queens) they prereqs are english 1, psych 1, A&P1, Chem, and health. Must get all A's. In Medgar Evers which is in brooklyn, you must have cumulative from their school 2.7, all A's in the same pre reqs, and past the pre entrance NLN.