Anyone took pre-reqs at Diablo Valley College

Testa Rosa, RN · Mar 28, 2008

I had awesome teachers at DVC. Highly recommend all of them. You can get more info on ratemyprofesso.com too. Good luck on your journey. The teachers are not easy--but they are good. A's are definitely doable if you work. Plus, getting discounted pastries from the DVC culinary students on Thursdays makes it all good.

tgal-RN-to-be · Mar 28, 2008

I also took all my pre-reqs at DVC. They are all difficult classes and time consuming. You will do well if you take time to review and study the materials before hand before the test. Good Luck! They are all excellent teachers! I'm glad that I took my pre-reqs at DVC.

shelley627 · Mar 28, 2008

Thank you so much for your recommendations. I will look for those professors when I begin to take my pre-reqs this fall. Can you please tell me what nursing programs did you apply to that took the courses offered at DVC?

Thank you again.

Jul2bRN · Mar 28, 2008

I took Micro a year and a half ago and the instructor was great. All the other pre-reqs I took where-ever I can get in. CCC, LMC & DVC. Like someone else said, they are all difficult classes but if you study and do the work, you'll be fine. Only tip is do not ever get behind because that is when the trouble starts. Good luck to you.

Testa Rosa, RN · Mar 29, 2008

I am at CSU East Bay; but was also accepted at UCSF and Samuel Merritt. Have friends that I studied with at DVC that are in class with me now, which makes it nice.

Also have DVC study partners all over--SDSU, Sac State, USF, UCSF, SF State, Los Medanos, Samuel Merritt, Dominican, Marin and Contra Costa CC. Most everyone I studied with at DVC found a seat in nursing school eventually, and those that didn't get in their first try did get in the next time around. So, I know from experience that it's very doable in the Bay Area despite what you may be hearing. Keep your core pre-reqs grades good, and, apply everywhere.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Good luck!

MarathonGirl · Mar 30, 2008

I took Nutrition and Sociology at DVC.

I tried to take my sciences there, but I could never get in. If you have trouble getting itno the classes as well, you should try Merritt Community College in Oakland. I never had any trouble and I had excellent profs there.

Testa Rosa, RN · Mar 30, 2008

It's true that it can be hard to get into the science classes at DVC. I found that the T-Th night classes if the semester started on a Monday, or the Mon-Wed night classes if the semester started on a Tuesday were better odds for crashing. I crashed three different anatomy classes, eventually I got into them via lottery. I was lucky that semester as they had added an extra anatomy class. Also, after a couple semesters, I established enough priority to get on a wait list for micro. Had my baby enrolled in the DVC day care--which was the best place and I highly recommend it if you have little ones--so was taking a lot of child development classes too and that helped build up my priority.

Was fighting breast cancer my last couple semesters which classified me as DSS. Disabled students get first dibs on classes, so that's how I got into Physio. But, I didn't figure that out until a day before my normal reg date anyway, so I probably would have gotten wait listed at least. My advice is be persistent, and go talk to the teachers after you hang in for a couple classes. Usually they are less hard about chasing you out after you've hung out in the back for a couple classes. Some chase you out as there are only 30 lab seats available, some let you hang on for a lottery on the second class meeting. Some chase you out the first meeting. Good LUCK.

DontDoThat · Mar 30, 2008

I would highly recommend taking both Anatomy and Physiology at Contra Costa in San Pablo. Campus isn't as nice as DVC, area a little rough, but Barnes is worth the effort. Science classes are in a section of the school that is separate from the main campus and away from the goof offs that comprise much of the student body.

As far as the other prereqs, take them at DVC.

bluemoon06 · May 9, 2008

My instructor in Inorganic or Organic Chem went through the material pretty well and I was able to get an A in inorg. and a B in o-chem. I first took O-chem at Solano CC (but then I dropped because of my grades) and it was harder..

FutureNurse925 · May 20, 2008

I've been wondering the same thing on who to take my pre-reqs with and at what school. I've got the science classes left at this point: Micro; anatomy; physio; & chem to take....I think I might try CCC ( for anatomy)

bluechick112, BSN, MSN, RN · Oct 15, 2009

I know this is an old thread, but I went through the whole shebang at DVC and every one of my teachers were EXCELLENT.

Anatomy -- I took it from the BEST TEACHER for Anatomy, hands down--the short term summer class

Physiology -- --------

Micro -- ---- (hard but knows his stuff -- spelling counts!) and ---- (medium difficulty but great teacher w/ extra credit available)

Chem & OChem -- ---- (teaches you as if you were in Kindergarten which REALLY helps. this class was a breeze with her as the teacher!)

Nutrition -- ------- (absolutely hilarious with LOTS of extra credit available)

Lifespan -- --------- (gives great stories to help with memorization of material AND gives extra credit AND gives study guides for tests)

Stats -- -------- (online class, very simple)

English 122 & 126 (critical thinking) -- ------- (online---VERY EASY and fun!)

General Psychology -- ------- (EXCELLENT)

Socio -- ------ (sweet little British man -- very fun!) or ----- (easier class...just copy the notes he writes on the board down on your tests and you'll get As)