hi there! i'm marggie, i am 18, and i juuust found this site. i am so excited. i am beginning my first term of college at miami-dade college on may 11. i graduated hs by a nose hair so i want to get the highest grades i possibly can. i wanted to take my science classes first but i enrolled late.
well on to my question... i wanted to know if i could take ap1 and chemistry1 + lab, and critical thinking/ethics in one semester. i heard it was recommended to take chem before ap, but that is so slow and i don't think i would be able to start the nursing program as soon as i would like, since it took so long for me to start college, etc.
i don't work and i don't have any responsibilities(well i have a dog:jester:) but thats really it.
so, i would like to know your own experiences. i have time to think about this, since i wanted to do this for fall 09. but i figure this is too important to leave alone and wanted to settle this early. i want to do the best i can. i don't want to thin about my chemistry class in high school, because i never cared about school. but now i want to do the best i can!
also, what are your experiences with taking science classes online? i like online classes(i am going to take 2 this term), but i know science is much harder that a little english class.
well thank you for reading my boring essay. hope to get to know some of you. :) i am really looking forward to learning more about this lovely career!
Thank you a whole lot for your input. Yes I remember flunking Chem real good too. I didn't care about school then... I really regret it now for sure. It def. seems like taking chem before anatomy would be the wisest thing to do.
Specializes in Cardio-Pulmonary; Med-Surg; Private Duty.
Thank you a whole lot for your input. Yes I remember flunking Chem real good too. I didn't care about school then... I really regret it now for sure. It def. seems like taking chem before anatomy would be the wisest thing to do.
Also, be sure to check out what kind of tutoring programs your school offers. Our local community college has FREE tutors in every department. They have open office hours plus they'll set up alternate times if you can't make it during their posted times. If you start getting at all confused in any of your classes, please seek help sooner rather than later. They are there to help you succeed... and once you start falling behind, it just makes each subsequent chapter in the textbook harder and harder to follow.
It totally depends on what you can handle. The first year of a nursing program I was in you took A&P1 with lab and Microbiology with lab in the same semester (along w/ english and sociology) and then A&P2 with lab and Chemistry with lab the next semester (along with english and psych).. so it's totally doable.. But if you passed high school by a nose hair it might not be that easy for you. You'd have to really get yourself motivated to succeed. But I think you can do it (:
Honestly, I wouldn't recommend taking a Chem class, an AP class, and a critical thinking class in the same semester. If you yourself can admit that "you weren't the best student in HS," then you shouldn't overwhelm yourself right off the bat in college. You should ease yourself in first.
This isn't to say or imply that you cannot be a good student...you can. Just apply yourself 100% and you're golden. You were probably like me in HS...I excelled in college. But it took me a semester or two before I got to that point.
Yes, thanks. I think MDC has free tutoring. I would have to see if they have it in my campus, and if not, I can get cheap private tutoring. I really look forward to tutoring. I always really liked that and do better. I had totally forgotten about free tutors, so thank you for that. I am good at math(no remedial classes at least) but I got a bit scared when I got a few books on chemistry and skimmed through it. It looks so hard!
Wow Bananimal that is so much work!!!! I would have died. I don't know if I could handle all that, haha.
Since I am only going to take 3 theoretical classes for my first term in college, I will be able to know how much I can handle and how I can discipline myself. I know that is going to do alot with how I would succeed in college altogether and would help me decide if I really think I will handle ap and chem together. From skimming through the chem book I do think I would have to dedicate muuuch study... that stuff is like chinese to me!
Thanks Angelsfan... yeah I guess it wasn't smart of me to think I could do all three, huh? haha! If I do end up taking AP and chem in one term, I would definitely have to do it alone. Yea, I was thinking of just using this time to really find out how disciplined I really am to see if I could handle such a work load. I'm not stupid(lol...), but I was an ABSOLUTE brat and lazy bum in HS... totally regret it. My perspective totally changed but it doesn't mean I can throw myself into a heavy work load right away. So I guess the way you did, I am going to give it a term or something before I explode. :) I guess I just want to throw myself because I haven't done anything since like, September(I was recovering from a little surgery) so I am SOOOO BORED with life I just want to do something NOW. lol but I don't want to get a C. My advisor told me "Only get As... maybe one B is ok, but NO Cs!" So that was scary. I have never even gotten straight Cs!
I have to agree with the idea of starting out slow and just getting your feet wet. You can think about it this way ok......If you start slow, get a feel for what you can handle and what is really required in these classes.....that is a good thing! What is the worst thing that can come from that? >>>>>You're a little longer the finish...and it is just a "little"....NOW....if you take on a full load and find yourself struggling....what is the worst thing that can happen there? ALOT.....not only will your GPA fall, but you will likely end up having so much pressure on you, that you really wont get the benefit and education these classes are designed for....and it is all forever building. You are so very smart for considering all of this before making your decisions.......way to go! Good luck to you.
I agree with the majority of the posters. I did Chem and A&P in the same semester, but I am an (old coot) nerd and I've got a Ph.D. already. And did I mention I don't have a life? Just kidding! Too many of my fellow students were dying trying to do the same thing. They would literally burst into tears from the pressure sometimes.
You are young (good!) and you have time to take your time and do the best possible job you can on your science prereqs, which are EXTREMELY important for getting into nursing school. Get your feet wet. Develop good study skills and time management habits. Maybe don't take ANY science your first semester, even though you're dying to get started. Don't look backwards at that crummy high school record; that was then and this was now. Look forwards only! You sound like you are motivated and determined. So just be good to yourself, don't hurry if you don't need to, and give the courses you take everything you've got. And pet the dog often. LOL!
Thank you Dana :) I definitely do feel very welcome. There are so many kind and helpful people. I have to say this is a Godsend.
Thanks for the advice. Yea, at first I thought maybe I was getting carried away by thinking about this now, but I am glad I am starting to plan this early. I was just thinking the same thing you said. It's a "do things quicker with perhaps a lower GPA" vs "Do things slower with a higher GPA". It's kind of tough but at the same time it isn't when you really weigh the outcomes. Haha. :)
Thanks AtomicWoman. Hehe I know what you mean. I would probably be one of those crying. I cry for everything. Yes, I wanted to take sciences for the first term but none were open, which was definitely the Hand of God! I probably would have started off so bad, and I keep hearing the worst thing is falling behind in Chem! Thank you for your advice!
It def. seems like taking chem before anatomy would be the wisest thing to do.
haha! If I do end up taking AP and chem in one term, I would definitely have to do it alone. Yea, I was thinking of just using this time to really find out how disciplined I really am to see if I could handle such a work load. I'm not stupid(lol...), but I was an ABSOLUTE brat and lazy bum in HS... totally regret it. My perspective totally changed but it doesn't mean I can throw myself into a heavy work load right away. So I guess the way you did, I am going to give it a term or something before I explode. :) I guess I just want to throw myself because I haven't done anything since like, September(I was recovering from a little surgery) so I am SOOOO BORED with life I just want to do something NOW. lol but I don't want to get a C. My advisor told me "Only get As... maybe one B is ok, but NO Cs!" So that was scary. I have never even gotten straight Cs!
And did I mention I don't have a life? Just kidding! Too many of my fellow students were dying trying to do the same thing. They would literally burst into tears from the pressure sometimes.
on eagles wings, ASN, RN
1 Article; 1,035 Posts
Thank you a whole lot for your input. Yes I remember flunking Chem real good too. I didn't care about school then... I really regret it now for sure.
It def. seems like taking chem before anatomy would be the wisest thing to do.