Have a done too much damage?

Sarah812 · Jan 10, 2012

I'm in my second semester and there are plenty of older students! I'm almost 27 and just started my prereqs. I've also never had a problem getting into my classes. In fact, I've had classes canceled because of low enrollment. I know all schools are different and my school is pretty small. I think the only fail is not trying it out when you know where you want to go and what you want to do. I was not a class genius in high school. I almost didn't graduate on time. It's much different when you are going to school when you want to and not because you have to. I went from a 2.3 ish GPA in high school to a now 4.0 GPA. I wish you luck!

allforthekidds · Jan 10, 2012

I agree with Sarah, I am 34, just finished my prereq's at a community college and am applying to nursing schools for 2012. I was no genious in high school or college when I was younger, but now I have a 3.96 gpa. You are only 22, just a baby, I wouldn't be surprised if you were the youngest at a community college and as long as you sign up for your classes right away you should have no problem.

Ev1987 · Jan 10, 2012

22...old... :confused: I attend community college courses with people twice that age, and some even older. If you register for classes early, then you should be able to find a spot somewhere. Let your determination overcome your fears. You may actually enjoy school and it's environment.

aeonic · Jan 10, 2012

this is what i am dealing with now. i'm not a bad student, never been in trouble, nor have i ever been a class genius. i was unfortunate enough to have a life altering accident when i was 14 years old, still affecting me to this day. i had a bad broken arm with nerve damage and plenty of hardware to make a wicked cool story. lol! my jobs from 17-22 are scattered and not wanted by employers. i had a few jobs here and there, but for the last 2-3 years i was unable to hold a job because of my injury (currently have an open disability case, the state is slow as ever trying to figure my case out)

markie, i'm not trying to be rude, or unsympathetic, but from your description of your original injury and its long-term physical effects, i question your ability to handle the physical demands of nursing. you even go so far as to mention your open disability case, which implies a physical condition that keeps you from working at full capacity.

patient care requires a lot of carrying, lifting, pushing, and pulling, with each and every shift. for instance, are you capable of repeatedly lifting 200- to 300-lb patients, or of dealing with an out-of-control patient during a psychotic episode? yes, there are some jobs in nursing that do not involve direct patient care, but they may not be available in your area and, typically, they are not open to new nursing grads.

i'm not trying to discourage you, but you need to give this some thought.

during this time i made a few bad school decisions as well. i made the stupid mistake of trying to go to private schools. i went to devry, heald, and south. i thought i was making a good choice, but in the end it only landed me with student debt and no classes to show for it....i am now coming up on my limit for how much money i can borrow for a dependent student. this has opened my mind to a few things. i am now at the point where i can't finish school even if i wanted to. (lack of funds, and realizing it just might not be worth it) i have been thinking about going back to community college (mjc) and start my pre-requisites for nursing. since this would keep me in school and freeze my loans and allow me to go to school for free, and that sounds mighty awesome at this point.

i do recognize that you feel like you are backed up against a brick wall right about now. but you do not choose to enter a career because you want to freeze your existing school debt. from your description, your loans are already at unmanageable repayment levels. have you actually sat down and figured out what salary you would have to earn to pay back existing loan obligations? you need to do this before accumulating any more student debt. i'm sure that you know that, unlike credit card or mortgage debt, student loan debt cannot be discharged, even by filing bankruptcy.

........now some of my concerns are; my age, i'm 22 am i going to be in class with a bunch of 18-19 year olds? second is my confidence. i signed up for mjc last year, but never went through with it because i heard community colleges were so full i would never get the classes i wanted. i am afraid to go to this school and completely fail or look stupid in a class. i know i am not dumb, but like i said, i am no class genius.

markie, i can remember being 22, and feeling desperate about where i wasn't in my life. i'm glad that you are concerned, because so many people your age aren't these days, but you are definitely not too old at age 22. you'll benefit from your experiences and your maturity. if you go to your local community college, you'll be astounded by the variety of students: ages, backgrounds, academic achievement, experience, goals. be open to meeting and conversing with your fellow students - of all ages. it enhances your educational experience, and you can make valuable contacts for your future.

successful people make learning a lifelong goal. and note that i am saying "learning", not "formal education". just because you don't have money, doesn't mean you should use it as an excuse to stop learning.

you need to go to the community college and speak with the counselors. you should see a general ed counselor about your educational and career goals. write up a short description of what and where you have studied since high school), and get copies of all your transcripts and take them with you. you should also see someone in the health professions/nursing dept. about what is involved in being a nurse, and the required courses.

as for being "dumb", i don't know you and cannot assess your intellectual capacity or academic abilities. but i will say that most of the students i have met in my life who claim to be "dumb" because of a record of ds and fs on report cards have, in reality, simply not studied to the level required by the class material.

and, yes, nursing requires extensive education in the biological and physical sciences, and in mathematics. the material is difficult. you need to approach your pre-nursing studies with this mindset so that you are mentally prepared, and you need to consciously set aside the full amount of time the instructor recommends for study, and use it for that purpose.

don't be afraid to reveal that you do not know or understand something. if you insist on "faking" competence in a class, how will you ever learn anything? (it's not like the teacher can read your mind). believe me when i tell you that most times you'll be the class hero because half of the class has the same question. ignore the blowhards who brag about how easy a&p was, or that they breezed through microbiology; they can only deter you from your goal.

and don't try to shortcut. i know you feel pressured by time, but you need to get very good grades in your prerequisite courses to be accepted in nursing school, and you'll need to know the material taught in those courses to stay in nursing school. take only as many courses as you can realistically handle each term (earning as in two courses is better than taking 5 classes and getting 2 ds and 3 cs), and take prerequisite courses for your prereqs if you lack the proper background, or have difficulty with a particular subject.

good luck, markie. i admire the way that you've faced up to your errors, and your desire to get things right this time. just take your time, plan carefully, and, above all, don't waste time and energy looking for the "easy way". if you go into nursing, it will be many years of hard work and complete dedication to your studies. only you know if you the capacity to accomplish this.

MarkieMark · Jan 11, 2012

Sarah812 : Thanks. I was under the impression that Community College was full for 18-19 year olds. I didn't realize that class was full of 20 year olds and 40 year olds.

allforthekidds : Thanks for the reply!

Ev1987 : Thanks! I'm not worried about being 22 at CC anymore. I don't know why I made a big deal about it.

aeonic : Thank you for the very informative post!

I will elaborate more on my injury and disability. It happened when I was 14 which left a 90/90 plate in my arm (elbow) with a few screws and pins (13). I always had pain when it was cold, but nothing I couldn't fight through. A few years ago I had a nerve (ulnar) move out of the canal, and doing certain movements/exercises. It is unbelievably painful and sharp. I was able to see the original surgeon and he said he wants to find the nerve put it deep inside of a muscle so it can't do this again. The problem is I haven't insurance for the last few years because I was never able to hold a job and my family was all laid off at the same time. I recently got insurance this year and I am looking to take care of this surgery as soon as possible. I think I will be very able and capable once this surgery is taken care of.

I understand what you are saying and I realize what I am doing. I was in no way going to pick career for money or to stop loans. I have come to realize that my loans are out of control and it is my fault and I need to do something about it. Ever since I had this injury I always wanted to work in the medical field (RN specifically). It was always between computers and nursing since I was 16 years old, and after getting some computer classes done, I'm almost positive that I don't want to work with computers anymore. Not my cup of tea anymore.

You gave fantastic advice and I will take everything to heart. I still need to get my arm taken care of and speak with counselors, but I think this is the best option for me and will lead me to be the happiest. I really do. I know classes and school are going to be extremely difficult and I'm going to struggle. I am afraid of failing and or not being able to finish. I think the feeling of me being able to face my fears head on and complete them I will get a huge confidence boost, which is what I really need right now.

♑ Capricorn ♑ · Jan 11, 2012

good luck markiemark. :) i think everyone above has mentioned what i would have to say. whatever you decide to do make sure you them for the right reasons. know your limits and what you are capable of, plus your strengths and weaknesses. i know before one enters a nursing program one has a physical exam done and is signed off by a physician for school. best wishes in your endeavors.

Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 11, 2012

now some of my concerns are; my age, i’m 22 am i going to be in class with a bunch of 18-19 year olds? does it matter? older people become nurses later right? not saying i’m old, but a lot of people start doing this a long time ago.

i started when i was 34. the ages of my classmates ranged from 20 to 50+. average age was in the mid-30s. if you go to your local cc for nursing school, more than likely you'll be with a wide mix of ages like i was.

so don't let being 22 stop you--you're not too old. far from it. the 50-year olds in my class weren't too old either. imo, you're too old when you're dead.