(( How long do Pre-q classes take usually?? ))

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 11, 2008

How long do prerequisite classes take before you can start a nursing program? Well, it all depends on how many classes you must take, and how well you do in them.

Some schools require only 1 or 2 prerequisites, while other schools require a bunch of them. In addition, some schools are so fiercely competitive that they will not admit you into their nursing programs if you have earned too many 'B' and 'C' grades in the science prerequisite classes.

kalley · Nov 11, 2008

I can only say for my school. The only academic requirement to apply for my program, community college ADN, is to have a lab biology and lab chemistry within 5 yrs of your application. If you need to take these at the school, you can take A&P I as your bio and it counts toward your nursing credits. You also have to have at least a GPA of 2.7 at the school of most recent full time attendance to apply. That being said, the program is GPA based and usually the minimum GPA that gets in is 3.4-3.6.

Every program is different and the best thing for you to do is to go to the websites of the colleges that you would like to persue and see what they are looking for and then work towards that goal.

matilda123 · Nov 11, 2008

Most schools have at least 4 pre req's. English,Math, psych, and A & P.

So, however long it takes you to get 4 classes done. Also, many take the co req's for RN before applying to a program, or while waiting to get accepted to a program, to reduce the class load while in a program. Those co req's are usually another english, advanced physiology, intermediate algebra, and microbiology or chemistry.

good luck! :nurse:

healthnut29 · Nov 11, 2008

My school requires that you have Anatomy, Microbiology, Writing, Math, and 14 credits of social sciences/humanities mixed, before you can apply. It took me overall 6 terms full time to complete these. It might take less time to comlete just the bare minimum, but being that nursing is so competetive, it only betters you chance of getting into a program if you have more done. There are always pre-requisites to each class. For instance, Anatomy at my school requires you have completed Biology and Chemistry before taking the class. And then each of those two classes have their own requirements that must be completed before getting in. It also depends on how well you place on the college entrance exam. My college actually has it mapped out that it will take a year, but that is taking 17-18 credits a term which is crazy since you basically need A's to be competetive. Hope this helps!

atlgirl000 · Nov 11, 2008

It took me two semesters.

sunray12 · Nov 11, 2008

It took me two semesters.

It will take me 2 semesters for my first choice program but this is because I have an undergraduate degree which covers the writing and social science requirements. I have to take a&p and chemistry and I can either take math or pass a placement test - its been a while so I am opting to just take the math.

To the OP - five years past high school is young! Many of us here took a lot longer to figure out that nursing is where we want to be.

9livesRN, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2008

it took me 2 semesters and a crazy summer to get all of them done!

try your best, so for you could get really good grades in them! i just feel like they were my "begining nursing" classes, not pre reqs, so i just went all the way in order to get good grades, so i am now used to fast paced stuff, which i hope will help me when January comes!

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2008

3 semesters and a summer session for me- I was looking at accelerated BSN programs and they all had a lot of science prerequisites. This was going to take me much longer but then I stopped working so was able to go full time.

Only way to know for sure is to start looking around at the prerequisites for the schools you are interested in.

~RN67~ · Nov 12, 2008

Our prerequisites include Math, Chemistry/lab, Biology/lab, Anatomy/lab, Physiology/lab...support classes, English, Nutrition, Psychology. Each school is different... I'm going part-time, so it will take me 4 semesters to complete my prerequisites (I'm on my second semester...) Don't think you've waited too long... I've wanted to be a Nurse since high school... I'm 41 years old now :) It's never too late to start. Best wishes to you!

Adams_Mommy_07 · Nov 12, 2008

Look into the school's you are interested and see what their pre-reqs are. Without knowing what you need and how much of a courseload you can take on it is difficult for us to guestimate how long it will take you.

I already have my B.A. and am taking the nursing pre-reqs for my program now. It will take me three semesters because I work full-time-otherwise I could've knocked it out in two. The pre-reqs I need that I did NOT take in college are: A&P I, II; Micro; College Algebra; Statistics; Organic and Biochemistry; Developmental Psychology; Professional Ethics; Computer Literacy; PE.

I already had Chem I, English I & II, Nutrition, Intro to Psych, and Intro to Sociology.

So with a full-time status and say the afforemented pre-reqs it could take ~4 semesters. If you apply for an ADN it may only take 1 or 2 or NONE if the program doesn't require it.

As I said before, the best place to start is by researching the schools you're interested in.

smellyacres, BSN, RN · Nov 12, 2008

Its is taking me 4 semesters plus 1 summer to get everything done. I could have probably been smarter my first semester of prereqs and taken science from the start, but oh well. This includes some GE classes too. I probably could have done it in 3 and a summer if I were smart but too late now!

Good Luck

**(( How long do Pre-q classes take usually?? ))**

(( How long do Pre-q classes take usually?? ))