i'm new here and just found this site. i will be starting biology 110 in the fall. i already have a bs in education and will be going back to the community college i started at 25 years ago! this is something i should have done way back then, but , i was young and stupid and had no confidence in myself. but i'm doing it now!
i'm so excited i have already gotten my biology book and started reading and taking notes. fortunately, my instructor has a website as well and i've been following along and getting a head start.
anyone feel like the oldest in class? i have this image of being stuck in a classroom with a bunch of 18 year olds...lol. i am taking night classes though so hopefull that means the average age goes up.
people keep telling me how old i'll be when i'm finally an rn, but heck, i'll be that old in a few years whether or not i'm a nurse, so i might as well go for it.
I am also an older student and continually receive either the highest grade in the class or very close to it. When I was in college the first time around, I would never have dreamed I would be this dedicated to school.
One thing I have noticed that has been rather surprising is how rude the students can be, mainly with all the talking during lecture. I know this will make me sound old, but I don't remember that being a problem 20 years ago. It drives me bonkers!!!!
If all goes according to plan, I'll graduate when I'm 40. Still feel 25 though!
Can you tell me about the fast track at Gateway? I haven't heard about it. I am doing my prereqs online at Clovis CC in New Mexico and doing my remedial math through CNM.edu - same price and I believe you can get in at any point. These were about half the cost of talking them at Gateway; and I checked to be sure that Gateway would accept them.
Oh wait - you do mean Gateway in Connecticut, don't you??
37 yo here. Just starting A&PI and Chem. Since I am going at night, most of the people aren't too young, and most of the A&P class are pre-nursing, so everyone is pretty serious so far.
I'm 39 and starting NS in January. Just gave up an ever-changing elementary school teaching career after my 4th school suddenly closed its doors. That was the final straw! I've been saying for years that I "almost went to nursing school instead of getting my teaching credential." Guess who always offerred to take care of the sick and injured students??? At this age, you can't wait for second chances! I have never been more motivated in my life. Thank you for contributing to this thread, everyone, because now I don't feel like such a crazy old lady.:loveya:
I'm 33 and in my second semester of pre-nursing. I have never been to college until know - went to work right after graduating high school with the intention of just taking a couple years off from school. Those couple years turned into 15!
Anyway, I am still working full time and am taking my classes online. I will be applying for a Evening/Weekend ADN program at my local community college that will begin Jan 2010. So far I have taken A&P I (with lab) and English Comp I (passed both with A's) and currently I am taking A&P II (with lab) and Gen Psych. By the time I start nursing school, I should have all my academic courses completed by then, and will only have nursing courses to focus on. Because of this, I am hoping I will still be able to work full time while attending nursing school. Am I crazy for thinking I can work full-time and go to school?
I am 35 and am starting my second year of pre-req's. I have six kids, so I'm taking it slowly. Last year I went to just one night class a quarter (I'm taking my pre-req's at the community college.) This coming Monday I am starting my CNA course at one of the nursing colleges in my area. I will go Monday - Thursday 9:30 - 4:30 until Oct. 3rd. Clinical is Oct. 6, 7, 8 and I take the exams on the 9th. (My husband has 58 days of paid vacation built up so he is taking the month off to stay home with the kids.) I plan on working part-time...hopefully in a hospital...to gain some experience to help me with school and to earn some money to help with tuition. I would LOVE to go to the nursing college (that I'm getting my CNA at) when I'm done with my pre-req's. This year the tuition at that school is $468 a credit hour...the community college I'm at now is only $43 a credit hour. I'll have to see if I can afford it when the time comes.
I plan on having all of my pre-req's done in the next two years. My youngest child is 3 1/2 right now. I need to wait until he goes to all-day kindergarten in 2010 before I can even think about starting the RN program. I know that there is no way I will have the time, energy or resources until then.
I know what you mean. I don't have any children, but my husband and I are in the process of adopting - which is alot of paperwork, meetings with social workers, and a ton of forms to fill out - on top of my classes - on top of my full time work. I am taking things slowly too. I have no choice. Sometimes I wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew, but somehow I just keep going. I am taking my pre-req's at a community college too, but concider yourself lucky at what your paying. Mine is $85 per semester hour. Because I work full time, I can't take any more classes than I am already, but for just $200 more per semester, I could be full-time and add on 3-4 more classes. It's just not feasible for my life, though. It's expensive, especially going the route that I am - but luckily the 2 major hospitals in my area offer a tuition reimbursement program for nurses. If I sign a 2-year contract with either of them after graduation, they will pay me back what I spent on tuition.
The one thing that worries me most, is that I have forgotten things that I thought I learned last semester. For instance, I am taking A&P II now, but I find myself flipping back to the beginning of the book to look up things that I had in A&P I. At this rate, I wonder, If I will have forgotten almost everything from A&P by the time I get to the nursing courses.
A friend of mine who was accepted to nursing school and is taking Nursing I, told me the other day that no matter what I do - I need to make sure I know my A&P. She also told me that she didn't see how I was going to work and go to nursing school at the same time, that there's no way she would be able to do that. It really scared me. I know there are people who have dealt with much more than I am dealing with, and they were able to make it, so I just keep telling myself that nothing is stopping me from being one of those people. I just wish I would have done this 15 years ago, before life got too complicated!!
Chuff...we do have similar circumstances. Does the comm. college that you are attending do classes by the semester? The one I attend is by the quarter, which I like, but if you figure the cost on the semester I'm paying $86 a credit hour. It's still way cheaper than other schools! :) They do have an RN program there, but I just don't know if I want to get my RN from there. I know that the education at the nursing college I'm getting my CNA from is better. The hospital connected to the college is awesome...it's where I had all six of my kids. They are in the process of building a new all-women's hospital just a mile from my house (it will be open in 2010). I soooo want to work there!
I haven't taken A&P yet. I've tried to plan a strategy with my class load. I'm doing all of my math, phsyc, English now and saving all of the sciences (A&P, biologys, chem) for the last. I hope that I don't forget too much! That is my fear, too.
I have quite a few friends who are RN's and my best friend is a LPN. All of them said that they don't remember quite a bit of A&P after they graduated. They said that they only focus on the A&P that is involved in their speciality. One of my friends has her BSN and is an OB/GYN nurse in an OB clinic...and even she doesn't rememeber some A&P. But, they all also say that A&P was their favorite class(es) in school.
I do get nervous about remembering the stuff I learn. It's hard to get back into the swing of things after being out of school for so long. And, it's hard to remember things when you have a real adult life to live on top of school. I, too, wish that I would have done this 17 years ago...but at least I'm doing it now! :)
I'm sure that you are going to be fine! Everyone is different. Even though your friend can't see herself working full-time and going to school at the same time, it doesn't mean that you can't do it!! If you think you can...you can!:)
One thing I have noticed that has been rather surprising is how rude the students can be, mainly with all the talking during lecture. I know this will make me sound old, but I don't remember that being a problem 20 years ago. It drives me bonkers!!!!
I feel the same way! If the professor doesn't say something, I turn to the students yakking and say, "SHHHH!". I'm sure my fellow students think, "Oh, there goes the Old Coot again." :chuckle But I don't care! I need to hear the lecture!
I'm 37 and will be be over 40 by the time I graduate. There are days I wonder if I made the right decision, or wonder if I will ever get the priviledge of seeing RN behind my name. Whenever I feel that way I just look at my 2 beautiful daughters and think of the wonderful example I'm setting for them. When I feel discouraged, which is often, I tell myself that it will all be worth it in the end, and that I'm sending a message to my girls that they can be and do anything they put their minds to no matter what the age. It's hard sometimes not to focus on the fact that most of the girls in my classes are just that.....GIRLS! But as older students we have the advantage of maturity and life experience. Not only that but I find that I actually APPRECIATE my education now far more than I did when I was in my 20's. WE ROCK, and we'll make awesome nurses!!!!
polka-dot, RN
1 Article; 375 Posts
I am also an older student and continually receive either the highest grade in the class or very close to it. When I was in college the first time around, I would never have dreamed I would be this dedicated to school.
One thing I have noticed that has been rather surprising is how rude the students can be, mainly with all the talking during lecture. I know this will make me sound old, but I don't remember that being a problem 20 years ago. It drives me bonkers!!!!
If all goes according to plan, I'll graduate when I'm 40. Still feel 25 though!