austin community college - what is the course load going to be like?

U.S.A. Texas

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So, after my 3rd attempt to get into ACC's ADN program, I've gotten in. Like many of my peers I currently work a full time job (in the service industry, more flexible than most), have a mortgage to get paid, and all the other responsibilities that require some sort of incoming cash flow.

I have yet to sit down with a professor and really discuss what to expect in my first semester. Just looking at the schedule online at EVC it looks something like 8-12 M/Th and about 8-4 T/Th (lab/clinicals). This seems like something I can work with. But a student whom my fiance works with who just started going to her clinical says she is getting up at 4a.m. to do them. She got 6 hours of sleep last week and said it was the most she's gotten in a long time. Oh, and this girl only works two days a week.

How many of us are borrowing money to pay our living expenses? What do the hours really look like?

Dave

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Specializes in Radiation Oncology.

I just got in also for Spring 2011 and I chose hybrid. I did that because I work full-time. With hybrid I can still work 3 days a week since we only have to be on campus 2 days a week.

When you go to your orientation for EVC you will get an opportunity to talk about schedules and stuff like that. If you can't wait that long, you can always get an appointment with a nursing student advisor.

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Level one course load is manageable. I too work in the service industry and had no problems working 4 to 5 days a week and maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Level 2 is a whole other matter. I would recommend working as much as you can in level one, take loans or whatever financial aid you can and save it. Come level 2 you are going to be blow away in the difference in work load and difficulty. I can only work 2 days a week right now, and some weeks only one.

Having a financial cushion will make your life much easier, school is stressful enough without the added stress of money problems.

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Echo, that makes me feel a lot better. I am still very unclear as to what the load will be like though. Last night, per my request, our professor tried to clarify what to expect in first semester. Tell me if this sounds about right.

M/W - Lecture from 8-4

T - Although the schedule says T/Th from 8-4 we're actually in lab just T from 8-12

Th/F or F/S mornings we're doing clinicals.

Does this look right?

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Yeah, that is pretty much what I had last semester. I want to say ours was Lecture Mon/Tues, lab on Wed. Then My clinicals were Fri evening, Sat morning.

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