Can I get my BSN without chemistry or statistics?

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Dear Nervous,

Many of us are nervous about returning to school once we've been away for a while, and that's normal. Just keep your eye on the goal of becoming an NP 🙂

Chemistry and statistics are standard prerequisites for nursing programs. Many consider Chemistry and statistics to be painful stumbling blocks to entry, but you can't get around them.

Prerequisite nursing courses are offered online. Before investing money and time, ensure the nursing program you plan to attend accepts the Chemistry/statistics credits. There are multiple versions of both courses, and it's possible to complete a statistics course, for example, that does not meet your nursing program's requirements.

Stay in close contact with the admissions office and get the most recent copy of the nursing program's requirements dated by year.

Is there any way you can take the courses at a local college?

Here's what you need to know about college accreditation and how to identify whether a college is accredited. There are so many shady nursing schools out there.

I would take Chemistry and then statistics, or vice-versa, but not simultaneously, as they are both study-intensive. Good luck!

Best wishes,

Nurse Beth

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

My first inclination is to say no, that won't be possible.  But then almost nothing is truly impossible, maybe there's a program or two out there that don't require these pretty standard requirements but if there are I have no idea where those might be. 

You'll have to do some research to find one. If you can't or if the programs you find that don't require this are not up to standards, as in not accredited do please make sure to either take those dreaded classes through the school you will be attending or at least make sure the program you decide on will accept your credit for those classes if you take them elsewhere.

[scrub_bug, ADN, RN]

Hello,

I did obtain my BSN without those classes. The problem that I am running into is that a statistics course is required for most post BSN degrees, at least in my experience. 

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

WGU and University of Phoenix online BSN programs do not list Chemistry or Statistics as required courses for BSN nor Psych NP degrees, restricted in some states. Best wishes in advancing your career.

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

NRSKarenRN said:

WGU and University of Phoenix online BSN programs do not list Chemistry or Statistics as required courses for BSN nor Psych NP degrees, restricted in some states. Best wishes in advancing your career.

Thanks so much, @NRSKarenRN 🙂 You rock!

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I took those courses 40 yrs ago, was thinking about completing MSN so was looking around for programs so wouldn't need to retake. 🙂   Decided to renovate home instead  completing degree since semi-retired better investment these days.

[JohnHood, BSN]

I would advise that if you do find a nursing school that does not require chemistry or statistics, check with your state to see if they accept these schools for NCLEX. State Boards of Nursing are going to be scrutinizing schools after the Florida fiasco.

[londonflo]

How was your ACT score in chemistry? sometimes that will boost your score needing college chemistry

[londonflo]

NRSKarenRN said:

  Decided to renovate home instead  completing degree since semi-retired better investment these days.

You can do both!! We did too! Show us pictures! My husband sanded floors while I worked on post graduate lectures to increase my pay. My husband  (outside of tax time...he is a CPA)  worked on floors, painted the whole house, With the 2 of us, many doing jobs ..we got her done.