help! should I retake BIO 121/BIO 100 (general biology)?

[jeanttb]

Hi everyone! I'm new at this forum. I've signed up a few days ago and I've learned so much about nursing already. It's comforting to know that there's a whole cult of pre-nursing students out here who are struggling to make it just as I am!

Here's my situation:

When I was at UIC, I took BIO 100 (General biology) in my sophomore year and passed with a 'C'. Unbeknownst me was that it was intended for junior/senior level students. I was also undecided about my major at that time. It's been about two years since I've taken that class and now that I have a better sense of what I want to do with my life (nursing), I've started my prereqs at a local community college and was advised by a counselor to retake BIO 121 (General biology) to prepare for Human Anatomy & Physiology I.

I need advice on whether I should follow through with the counselor and retake the class OR make most of my time by jumping directly into Human Anatomy & Physiology I. I have about four weeks to audit my schedule before it's final so I need your help! How much of general biology is needed in Human Anatomy & Physiology I? I can recall most of the concepts but it's sketchy because there was a lot of different material involved and it seemed like we just scratched the surface of it and then moved on. Does nursing schools look into whether you passed your prereqs well enough? Or do they just look into the classes that they require for entrance into their nursing programs?

I'm considering Chicago nursing programs at Rush, Loyola, UIC, DePaul.. and am still open to options!

Thanks in advance!!

[work&play]

I took biology 101 in 1996 and got a 'C' as well. I don't know if I too should retake the class since I've been a long-term sub. teacher in a high school biology class for the last 3 years. ???

[AccelCNL, MSN, RN]

Truth be told I took AP and Gen Bio are two different things. I took General Bio II along with APII and they were as different as Mars and Venus. Success in Gen Bio does not equate success in Anatomy and Physiology.

If you are looking at attending program that looks at all sciences completed or would consider General Bio as part of its prereqs then you should take the course over.

However, you could also take API this semester, ace it, and some admissions counselors would see it as growth as a student.

However, getting into nursing school is very competitive in certain areas. The generic BSN program I am planning on applying to requires applicants to have a minimum of a 2.75 cum GPA for all colleges and a 2.75 science GPA. I am taking over a chemistry I got a C in and I am taking over API and II (and I got a B and C in the courses) so taking over courses can be real helpful in the admissions process. If I get A's in my chem course and API I will have a 3.3 science GPA and would mean I could get in as early as Spring 2010. Call the admissions departments of the schools you are interested in and ask them what would be the best thing to do concerning that. If they advise you to repeat the course then you should.

Since you are applying to competitive ABSN programs it might give you an edge which in this nursing school market is sometimes necessary.

Everyone and their mama is trying to get into nursing and at the same time the recession is making it harder to new grads to find positions. In this day and age everything is about connections and the school you go to because sometimes well known programs can help in the job hunt.

If I were you I would take over gen bio.

However, if you don't take API this semester will that mean you cannot take the course until next fall? Because if that is the case then maybe you might want to go ahead with taking AP if doing bio first would put you back one year.

Good luck:D

[rholman]

Hi everyone! I'm new at this forum. I've signed up a few days ago and I've learned so much about nursing already. It's comforting to know that there's a whole cult of pre-nursing students out here who are struggling to make it just as I am!

Here's my situation:

When I was at UIC, I took BIO 100 (General biology) in my sophomore year and passed with a 'C'. Unbeknownst me was that it was intended for junior/senior level students. I was also undecided about my major at that time. It's been about two years since I've taken that class and now that I have a better sense of what I want to do with my life (nursing), I've started my prereqs at a local community college and was advised by a counselor to retake BIO 121 (General biology) to prepare for Human Anatomy & Physiology I.

I need advice on whether I should follow through with the counselor and retake the class OR make most of my time by jumping directly into Human Anatomy & Physiology I. I have about four weeks to audit my schedule before it's final so I need your help! How much of general biology is needed in Human Anatomy & Physiology I? I can recall most of the concepts but it's sketchy because there was a lot of different material involved and it seemed like we just scratched the surface of it and then moved on. Does nursing schools look into whether you passed your prereqs well enough? Or do they just look into the classes that they require for entrance into their nursing programs?

I'm considering Chicago nursing programs at Rush, Loyola, UIC, DePaul.. and am still open to options!

Thanks in advance!!

I say no... don't retake the course. I would move on to A & P, why waste money and time. I just finished BIO with a C. My school does not consider this class as a pre-req for the nursing program, You need to ask the advisor which science course they consider for entrance into the Nursing program

[jeanttb]

I will be making some calls once business hours are in operation. Thank you so much to you both!! :) :)