How long should I expect prereqs to take?

midwifetobe85 · Mar 6, 2013

I need to take the following prereqs:
A&P I
A&P II
Microbiology
Chemistry
Pathophysiology
Nutrition
Sociology
Statistics
How long should I give it?
Can I count on doing 3 classes a semester and being finished in a year's time?
Thanks for any light you can shed on this.

Hi biggolp,

I did all those too before I applied to an accelerated BSN. I think it depends on whether it not you'll be working. I was working part time and so averaged two classes a semester and it took me two years. If you're not working then I would say yes, one year is doable if you can make the schedule fit. The most important classes content-wise are the A&Ps. If possible, I would advise you to at least not do those two online (like I did) because it will never be as good and you need to know that material really well. What ABSNs are you looking at? I did the Binghamton BAT program.

biggolp · Mar 6, 2013

I am not working. However, I have 7 kids! So, I will need to see if I can manage 3 courses a semester...

I would love to finish prereqs sooner rather than later.

Did you do ALL your prereqs online? If so, where?

I understand why A&P would be better in a classroom setting, but I am not sure it will work for me.

I am looking at doing all my prereqs online.

I am not applying to ABSN. I will go straight to midwifery and get my CM. These are the prereqs non-nurses require before going for their MS in Midwifery (either SUNY Downstate or Philadelphia University)

Thanks for your help!

midwifetobe85 · Mar 6, 2013

I am not working. However, I have 7 kids! So, I will need to see if I can manage 3 courses a semester...
I would love to finish prereqs sooner rather than later.
Did you do ALL your prereqs online? If so, where?
I understand why A&P would be better in a classroom setting, but I am not sure it will work for me.
I am looking at doing all my prereqs online.
I am not applying to ABSN. I will go straight to midwifery and get my CM. These are the prereqs non-nurses require before going for their MS in Midwifery (either SUNY Downstate or Philadelphia University)
Thanks for your help!

Oh right, of course! You're going for the CM. I don't think it's a big deal to do all online, just preferable w A&P. But I could see how you might be too busy! I highly recommend Cayuga County Community college - in NY. I took A&P online w them and although I would have preferred in person I felt it was still very well done. There is also a lab component (mostly computer animation) and so it counts as 4 credits. The neat thing is it just shows up as a 4 credit course w lab but has no mention of being online on the transcript. They also have a lot of other online offerings.

biggolp · Mar 7, 2013

Thanks for the info about the Cayuga County Community College.

I will check them out!

Simplybliss · Apr 16, 2013

Hi,

Your experience and information about Cayuga Community college courses caught my attention. I will be registering to take A&P 1 and 2, and Microbiology online.

Can you share what other schools you applied to with the online courses you took? The reason why I ask is I worry that many schools may question the courses even though the transcript will not have the courses shown as "online".. Please please share your experience! I would truly appreciate your help and insight!!

BTW How is Binghampton's program? I will be applying there as well! :)

Oh right, of course! You're going for the CM. I don't think it's a big deal to do all online, just preferable w A&P. But I could see how you might be too busy! I highly recommend Cayuga County Community college - in NY. I took A&P online w them and although I would have preferred in person I felt it was still very well done. There is also a lab component (mostly computer animation) and so it counts as 4 credits. The neat thing is it just shows up as a 4 credit course w lab but has no mention of being online on the transcript. They also have a lot of other online offerings.

queenanneslace, ADN, MSN, APRN, CNM · Apr 16, 2013

I think this is doable in one year's time. Are you thinking 3 semesters - Fall, Spring, Summer?

One note-with my small children, I found the classroom-based courses to be better for me. Online was convenient, to a point, but hard to keep the kiddos from interrupting. That was my experience with doing coursework in person or online. I mixed it up. Some online, some in person.

midwifetobe85 · Apr 18, 2013

Hi,
Your experience and information about Cayuga Community college courses caught my attention. I will be registering to take A&P 1 and 2, and Microbiology online.
Can you share what other schools you applied to with the online courses you took? The reason why I ask is I worry that many schools may question the courses even though the transcript will not have the courses shown as "online".. Please please share your experience! I would truly appreciate your help and insight!!
BTW How is Binghampton's program? I will be applying there as well! :)

Hi SimplyBliss,

The only online courses I took for my prereqs were the A&P I and II at Cayuga. It was pretty good as online courses go, but I wished I had done A&P in person bc it is by the far the most important prereq for nursing school and I really think its easier to learn that stuff in person, especially the lab part. As far as stuff being online goes, I must've asked the admissions people at Bing that question a dozen times bc I was also concerned about them being accepted. They assured me that it wasn't an issue. If I were you I would call and speak to each program that you're applying to (including Bing in case they changed anything) and ask about each class you want to take online as well as if they're valued the same as a classroom course.

Its difficult to comment on the Bing BAT program because obviously it's the only nursing program I have experience with and I've heard that a lot of the complaints I had about the program are universal because of faculty shortages. The program also made it, by far, the hardest year of my life. So that certainly makes my answer biased. In short, there were good elements and good teachers equally mixed with issues and injustice. It was both a very meaningful experience and an incredibly harrowing one. I wrote about it in detail on this thread (pages 2&3): https://allnurses.com/new-york-state/binghamton-applicants-bat-797963-page2.html

Let me know if I can answer anymore questions!

midwifetobe85 · Apr 18, 2013

Also, I only applied to Binghamton. It was a last minute decision and technically the deadline had passed. I probably would've applied to others had it not been so last minute. So i cant comment on what other schools accept online courses which is why I think you should speak w an admissions counselor from each school. Hope that helps!

Simplybliss · Apr 18, 2013

Hi Midwifetobe85,

First of all, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE!

I have been following so many threads and posts and I must say by far, you have been the most helpful and courteous in responding. :)

I will definitely get in touch with the counselors at the other schools.

Can I ask you to share some more about work experience and whether health related volunteering experiences are crucial to admission counselors?

I honestly fear that my two years of full time paralegal work may raise a flag for them and although I used to volunteer at hospitals in my undergrad, I don't know how relevant it would be as of now.

If you also know some background on other BAT students, please share!

Again, thank you!!!

:)

Hi SimplyBliss,
The only online courses I took for my prereqs were the A&P I and II at Cayuga. It was pretty good as online courses go, but I wished I had done A&P in person bc it is by the far the most important prereq for nursing school and I really think its easier to learn that stuff in person, especially the lab part. As far as stuff being online goes, I must've asked the admissions people at Bing that question a dozen times bc I was also concerned about them being accepted. They assured me that it wasn't an issue. If I were you I would call and speak to each program that you're applying to (including Bing in case they changed anything) and ask about each class you want to take online as well as if they're valued the same as a classroom course.
Its difficult to comment on the Bing BAT program because obviously it's the only nursing program I have experience with and I've heard that a lot of the complaints I had about the program are universal because of faculty shortages. The program also made it, by far, the hardest year of my life. So that certainly makes my answer biased. In short, there were good elements and good teachers equally mixed with issues and injustice. It was both a very meaningful experience and an incredibly harrowing one. I wrote about it in detail on this thread (pages 2&3): https://allnurses.com/new-york-state/binghamton-applicants-bat-797963-page2.html
Let me know if I can answer anymore questions!

midwifetobe85 · Apr 20, 2013

Hi Midwifetobe85 First of all, THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCE! I have been following so many threads and posts and I must say by far, you have been the most helpful and courteous in responding. :) I will definitely get in touch with the counselors at the other schools. Can I ask you to share some more about work experience and whether health related volunteering experiences are crucial to admission counselors? I honestly fear that my two years of full time paralegal work may raise a flag for them and although I used to volunteer at hospitals in my undergrad, I don't know how relevant it would be as of now. If you also know some background on other BAT students, please share! Again, thank you!!! :) [/quote']
You're very welcome! I've also found some incredibly useful advice on this site and enjoy giving back. Plus, I feel it's important to support fellow aspiring midwives. Prior to my ABSN at Bing, I had worked for half a year as a middle school teacher (didn't like it!) and spent nearly a decade (my adolescence through mid 20s) as a nanny. I had received my BA in French and originally intended to teach but after discovering it was not for me, I returned to nannying to figure out my next step. I did mention both of those in my nursing school essay but only briefly and only to highlight the elements in those jobs that seemed relevant to nursing. When I realized that I wanted to be a midwife I did a doula training and started working/volunteering as a doula. I had only attended a handful of births at the point of my nursing school app, but it was enough to talk about birth in a way that made me sound certain that I was headed into the right field. I also volunteered at a local hospital as a newborn 'cuddler'. I was open to doing any volunteer job at the hospital but since it was available, naturally I was drawn to holding babies all day. I highly recommend it : ).
I have heard over and over again that volunteering in a hospital is a huge element for your nursing school application. Most of my classmates had done it too. I only did it about 4 hours a week for three months and it was an effortless, enjoyable way to spend my time. I would bet anything that it added points to my app. Besides that, I had no healthcare background. I would definitely recommend that you volunteer, even short term. I think it shows your dedication and indicates that you e at least spent some time in the hospital and have a better idea of what you're getting into. I think the older experience is certainly better than nothing but if you can fit it in I would do more and include both on your résumé.
Why would you think your paralegal work would raise a red flag? There were 90+ students in my BAT class and we could not have been more diverse. It's second degree program so it assumes you did something else first. Yes, there were a few students who had majored in biological sciences or other health related degree, and went directly into our program after their undergrad but most of us hadn't. There were teachers, nannies, photographers, waiters, a former minister, accountants, business types, scientific researchers, you name it. All ages, all backgrounds. I had heard from some people before nursing school that it was necessary to be a nurse's aid to be competitive. This is def not true in the BAT program. There were maybe 10 who had worked as CNAs and wanted to take the next step and some who had known all alone that nursing was for them and decided to make themselves more competitive by being an aid. But the vast majority did not have this background. I do think its very helpful in preventing culture shock. The whole first half of the program you're basically doing aids work. Also, if you actually want to be a nurse (not def go on to be a midwife) I recommend it to people to get an idea of what it's about. It's VERY hard to understand emotionally what nursing is until you're in it. All of my classmates said the same things- we want to do something meaningful, we want to help people, we want job security with good pay....when people tell me they're thinking of nursing for these reasons but have no healthcare existence I say, go work as an aid. If you're ok with it and you see what the nurses are doing and you want to be in their shoes, than go for it. But if you're miserable than nursing is not for you. Sadly, a LOT of my classmates discovered this too. Now they're miserable as nurses and trying to not to admit that it was all a big mistake. For me, I'm grateful that it was all a stepping stone to become a midwife because I too did not enjoy nursing school. I'm guessing you're an aspiring midwife since you're on this thread..is that right?
Hope this helps!