Anyone else feel like they are doing too much?

[thenameismac]

i know i am like one in a million who feel like i am taking on more than i should but i don't see any other option. okay, here is the situation.

i really screwed up last year. so bad that i was put on academic dismissal for a semester. i was not upset because i could use the break. i was able to find new ways of relaxing when things got too stressful (yoga). i was also able to reevaluate what i wanted in my future and how i wanted to get there. i set some short term goals in order to reach my long term goal (to be a nurse). anyway, i figured the best thing for me to get started in the career of nursing was to take a course and become a pct. all is well so far, i got accepted to a community college program and that is what i will do spring 2011. it's 6 credits by the way so this works for my 40 hr work week.

here is where it gets tricky. i would like to retake 5 classes (mostly easy) from one community college fall 2011 and retake another 5 easy classes at another community college spring 2012 so i can apply for nursing school fall 2012. i'm doing this to boost my gpa so i can actually get in to ns. so the first school is where i was dismissed from. i have to take between 3-9 credits (and pass with a c or better) in order to get back in good standing. i was thinking "ok. i'll take one easy class this coming semester. no problem". come to find out i need at least 6 credits this semester in order to go fulltime in the fall. now i'm a bit scared because i have to take a total of 12 credits (full time) between two schools. my two classes are online and i know i can do it but i'm still scared that i took on too much. i really don't want to drop out of the pct program and i need the other two classes. i just hope i do well. i mean, i am pretty determined at this point so i'm sure i'll be fine. i also hope that i am making sense.

am i taking on too much? it wouldn't change anything as far as what i have to do but i just want to know opinions. anyone else in a similar situation?

[Hopkinster]

so you work full time and is planning to also be a full time student? that's tough

if all this is for your future, it's well worth it

but I am you, I would maybe try to find some way to allow a less intense scheduling

cause sometimes we just can't do it physiologically even if we want to

[chicagoing, ADN, RN]

If I were in your situation, I would opt to take the PCT course at a later time when I have gotten back in the groove of taking classes and getting good grades. Even if you were able to pass the course and obtain your certificate, it wouldn't mean anything if you were to remain "academically dismissed".

Nursing programs differ in their requirements for admission. I would also be mindful of the number of retakes that will potentially show on your transcript.

And I am curious...if the classes that you have to retake are "mostly easy", why do you have to retake them? I was under the impression that if a student was academically dismissed or put on probation, he/she would need to obtain a certain GPA in the next semester to be placed back in good standing.

Good luck to you!

[nurse2B_TXstyle]

Ok, first things first. Kudos that you have figured out what you want and that you are on the right track. Sorry that you had to experience it the way you did.

Couple of questions ... so I can better understand.

1) Have you spoken to the NS that you plan on applying at; to find out what you need to do to be considered as a viable candidate? They can let you know what the right course of action would be for you - you may not need to retake all of your courses. Save yourself some time and money and find out first. Retaking courses are double time and double money.

2) Once you find out which ones would benefit you the most to retake, consider this. Do you have to retake the courses from two separate colleges??

Can you spread them out differently. . . maybe some really easy ones in a shortened session(s) and the harder ones in the longer ones? Try to stay as flexible as possible.

And yes, I think every student - no matter what they are studying feels at some point or another that they have taken on too much! Put your head down, charge forward and keep focused! You'll make it! Good luck!

Blessings

[thenameismac]

Thank you all for the responses. Here are my answers to some of the questions asked:

1. Working full time doesn't really affect me much now as a student because I can somehow separate work from school from social stuff. As far as when I get to NS that may change. If that makes sense. When it's time for school it's time for school. Work is work. Also seeing how I have bills and I live on my own for at least the next year or so I have to work fulltime. I really wish I could cut back.

2. Given the plan that I have I would like to start working as a CNA this summer so I can have the flexible schedule of working in the evenings or overnight. I am most academically productive during the day when I first wake up but I've been managing for a while with the opposite.

3. The reason I was dismissed wasn't due to my GPA. It's lower than the 2.5 I want but not low enough to be dismissed. I dropped more credits than attempted in a semester 2 semesters in a row. At this school I have taken AP I and II, other sciences and math. I would like to retake them for a better grade. The first school has all of my basic classes but I have a super low GPA. I've talked to the NS ppl and they said to retake classes to get a better overall GPA. My low GPA brings my better GPA waaayyy down below what's required.

3. I have to retake easy classes because I took them a few years ago when I wasn't really serious about my education and another semester I had an anxiety from the stress I put on myself. Money was an issue then and it's hard to concentrate when you're worried the school will drop your classes when you haven't paid them (and they have done that to me for an online class even when I started turning in work and getting grades).

I hope that answers all of the questions and I hope that others can learn from my situation. I will surely keep posted how I do this semester. I start in a week for one school and 2 weeks in another. I'm sure it won't be too bad.

[thenameismac]

I just want to update my situation now that it's the end of the semester. I got an A in the PCT program and will certified within a few days (to a few weeks). I got accepted to the PCT II program (Summer 2011). I got C's in both my Psych and Philosophy class. I still have the same fulltime job and haven't cut any hours. Getting C's was hard in itself seeing how I was failing by the last week of school. The last few grades made all the difference. I should have managed my time better. I chilled a lot because I was exhausted not tired. So I watched TV because I coudn't sleep and was too exhausted to study. This summer I am drinking more coffee and tea. Lol.