Am I crazy?

fleur-di-lis-RN2b · Apr 27, 2010

No you aren't crazy, just determined! I am as determined as you also, taking AP2 and Micro this summer as well (my deadline is this fall for the spring program 2011). I have one week left in AP1 (online) so I know how much studying this is going to be. My strategy is to read the chapters before the lecture, study for the rest of the day when I'm out of class, and weekends as well. My kids are older though, so I don't have to deal with little ones like you do. When they were younger and I was in massage school, I would get home from school, deal with dinner, baths, mommytime and bedtime, and then study from 9 or 10pm until midnight or so. It worked for me.

I think with the shortened schedule, time management is crucial.

greatpyr_mom · Apr 27, 2010

I took A&P 2 over last summer, a 7 week course. It is doable, but be prepared to spend all your time and then some on this class. I worked 20 hours a week at my job, but have no kids and still it was the hardest thing that I ever did, and I'm a 4.0 student.

Between the time I spent in class and then study time, I put in about 70 hours per week. I was studying about 8 hours each day on the weeknights and then 10-12 hours per day on Saturdays and Sundays. I was only getting about 4-5 hours sleep and by the end of the 7 weeks, I was pretty much feeling terrible. But that is what had to be done in order to memorize volumes of the most minute detail that you can imagine.

But I did it and so did 25 other students in the class (hardly anyone dropped it), so you can do it too! Just have a good plan for someone to help you with your kids, you probably won't have time to cook, and probably won't have much time for anything, but it depends on how intense the class is.

Good luck!

Tara:) · Apr 27, 2010

Nope, you don't sound crazy to me! I'm takign Chem and Bio both in 6 weeks, together. I think it's possible especially sense you sound dedicated. Are you good at time manegement? I love to schedule things, so my days work wonderfully. (Well following the scheduale is the hardest for me!

coleVT10 · Apr 27, 2010

It is completely doable. I took one and two last summer in consecutive 5 week sessions. I was in class Monday through Thursday 8-1:15 then went straight to work from 2-6:30. Home to study and gym at 9:00. And I Aced the class. It just takes a lot of determination and time management and I pretty much gave up my weekends. But I actually really liked the 5 week sessions cause everything was very fresh in my head when it came to test time.

rdztx · Apr 28, 2010

Wow you guys definitely motivate me to do this!

I was just concerned because I'm taking three classes now two (eng and math) I have an A and one a B, which is Art. I studied every night and still got a B. It was an online class which I never have done an online class. I think I'm better hands on like in the class. My art teacher said a B is good but I'm a perfectionist and was determined to get an A. Than I was thinking if I had to study a lot for this class and made a B what will I make in A & P I in the summer? I haven't been in school for a long time so I felt like I had to find my way of studying (if that makes sense). So in a way I'm glad I took art first to get my brain in studying mode. But I was sooo disappointed I got a B in art. I am good with time management. A first I thought I would be ok this summer but my art professor gave me advice that I should maybe rethink about taking it this summer if I'm concern. He told me to go talk to the nursing dept, but the secretary was out to lunch. I'm a planner and decided what classes to take in what semester so if I don't take a & p 1 this summer than I would have to wait till the 2012 application period.

Thanks for all the feedback!!

Saysfaa · Apr 28, 2010

What the art learning names/terms (of people, works, styles, etc)? Or was it interpereting what you saw (recognizing moods, attaching meaning, comparing one artist or style to another, etc)?

A/P doesn't have much interpretation. It is memorizing facts, not much else. You'll be naming structures, learning the order of steps in biological processes, even the comparisons are very facty (that really should be a word, don'cha think?).... heart muscles are involuntary, skeletal muscles are voluntary; sqamous cells are flat, columnar cells are tall; .....

I think it is doable over the summer if I didn't expect much of a life too.

rdztx · Apr 28, 2010

Art was both learning names/techniques and interpreting what I saw. Thanks for the advice! I think I will do it this summer than :)

allnurses Guide · Apr 28, 2010

Lots of people do it and all the ones I personally know of who did say it seemed easier than they expected - no time to forget what they were studying. I think you will be glad you did it.

BSNMomOf6 · Apr 29, 2010

If you think it will work for you, go for it! Me, personally I would never do it, but I have 5 children (all young) and the class is a tough one for me, I took it years ago and it killed me. I'm taking it this fall. But everyone is different, you might do well in a short time frame. Good luck!!!

lucylu 777 · Apr 29, 2010

You can do it and get an A, I did that with 2 kids - the baby was six months old,so I was up 3 times at night and went to school in the morning. I don't know how but I did it and it was A&P II with the cadaver, and 5 week flew by fast, it's the best way to do it , just get it over with. Good luck, you'll be fine.

Jillian Gabbs · Apr 29, 2010

A & P is pretty easy. I actually took both I and II online. No lab was required and I only had to go to a facility with a testing center to take the midterms and final. You should do this instead of going to an actual class. You study on your own time at home and deadlines for online homework is very reasonable. Good Luck!