should I even try hard?

These courses are the backbone of nursing. In addition to what llg says, you should try as hard as you can because you want to be the best that you can be, and it will help you in nursing.

I went to a school that had a first-come-first-in waiting list that wasn't grade competetive too, but I still decided to study and keep high standards for myself rather than lower the bar of my self-expectations to just getting in. Also developing good study habits now will help you in school as well.

It's nice not having the headache where ever single grade matters, and you can relax a bit about being grade obsessed. So my advice is not to be grade obsessed, but to do your absolute very best.

Good luck!

My opinion in brief: Yes, give it your all as much as possible.

I'm changing careers from computer science to nursing and so I work a 30 hour work week, try to still spend some time with my wife and kids, and attend a 2 year ADN program. I've often thought of backing off a little and getting a little more sleep. I'm glad I didn't. I just had my first job interview with the head of an ICU and she wanted to know my grade point average through nursing school and in my biology prereqs. Now, I'm glad I didn't back off.

These courses are the backbone of nursing.

Good luck!

i agree 100%. it could be the difference between passing nursing school and failing. i know several class mates that have a harder time w/ a&p stuff because they took a&p at a different school (known to be easier) and now they have said that they "regret it."

best of luck to you,

jay

My opinion in brief: Yes, give it your all as much as possible.

I'm changing careers from computer science to nursing and so I work a 30 hour work week, try to still spend some time with my wife and kids, and attend a 2 year ADN program. I've often thought of backing off a little and getting a little more sleep. I'm glad I didn't. I just had my first job interview with the head of an ICU and she wanted to know my grade point average through nursing school and in my biology prereqs. Now, I'm glad I didn't back off.

Same here, I have bs in comp sci and ms in software eng. I wonder the reason you switch your career is similar to mine. So are you working in the ICU yet? Do you like it? How does being an ADN compare to your previous career? I'm not yet there, but should be there soon.

Guys, I don't post here much but I've been following the site for sometimes. I have an engineering background and still working full time. Cut the story short, I've been studying my butt off for ap1 and other classes (community college); I finally finished ap1 and got the grade that I wanted; specially for ap1, pretty tough class pheww. Howoever, the University that I'm going to in the fall doesn't count the grades, only the credits... so do I even try as hard w/ ap2 and microbio? All I need are C's; BUT here is the thing. I plan to apply for grad school one day; so would the admission look at the transcript from community college? Would they care if i got C's in those core classes? such as ap1, 2, microbio?

we had 2 RN's in our A&P class retaking courses to get better grades for Grad school admission.

oh, and as a first semester RN student, you will not have A&P review in nursing school. They expect you to remember, retain, and syntesize A LOT of the information from prerequisite coursework. Do the best you can so you won't feel completely lost later on.

i agree 100%. it could be the difference between passing nursing school and failing. i know several class mates that have a harder time w/ a&p stuff because they took a&p at a different school (known to be easier) and now they have said that they "regret it."

best of luck to you,

jay

I know what you mean and I totally understand some schools are easier than the others because it happened to me. When I took ap1 this spring, the professor was tough, even if you knew the material, the exam was tricky, ambigious, exams involve life situation, etc. Each exam was about 95 to 100 questions, total of 5 exams, one department final, 15 - 16 quizzes, 3 practicals, one essay, I studied my @ss off, read page by page, and read again. NOW, I'm taking ap2 @ a different place, it's only 2 exams and one final. The first exam in the second place just can't compare; but I didn't slack off, I still read page to page and studied the way I was, and I scored very well for my first exam.

yeah, you really need to understand A&P and micro to do well

Same here, I have bs in comp sci and ms in software eng. I wonder the reason you switch your career is similar to mine. So are you working in the ICU yet? Do you like it? How does being an ADN compare to your previous career? I'm not yet there, but should be there soon.

Wow, Me too! I have a BS in Comp Sci. Have put in 16 years and at the ripe old age of 40 have decided to change gears and get a BSN. I'm still putting in my 40 hours a week at work and persuing the pre-reqs. I'm currently enrolled in A&P I first 5 weeks and A&P II second 5 weeks for the summer. I've got about 12-15 hours to get after that and hope to get accepted into nursing school by next summer. After that, some experience in the ICU and on to get the CRNA.

The reason I'm changing careers? I feel trapped with Comp Sci in that you have to work in some big city somewhere. I want the freedom to live where I want (like the beach).

I'm very lucky in that my wife already holds a BSN and is very supportive of this change (especially since it gets her to the beach too!)

Yea, you're lucky that your wife already has a BSN, which should help you in some ways. I have 20 credits more to go, but plan to finish them all by the end of August while working, hopefully I can start in the Fall.

It seems that there a few members here hold comp sci degree as well, my main reasons are security, jobs outlook; also tire of finding the job that I want (long story).

Living the beach would be nice, hopefully it'll be me one day.

Wow, Me too! I have a BS in Comp Sci. Have put in 16 years and at the ripe old age of 40 have decided to change gears and get a BSN. I'm still putting in my 40 hours a week at work and persuing the pre-reqs. I'm currently enrolled in A&P I first 5 weeks and A&P II second 5 weeks for the summer. I've got about 12-15 hours to get after that and hope to get accepted into nursing school by next summer. After that, some experience in the ICU and on to get the CRNA.

The reason I'm changing careers? I feel trapped with Comp Sci in that you have to work in some big city somewhere. I want the freedom to live where I want (like the beach).

I'm very lucky in that my wife already holds a BSN and is very supportive of this change (especially since it gets her to the beach too!)

Hey fellaz,

I have a BA in psych and work as an HIV/AIDS case management (non-nursing) at a non-profit. I am currently at an ADN program entering my last year. I got very good grades on all my pre-reqs except ap2 in which I got a C+. Would that get me into any hardship considering the fact that I am not stopping at the ADN level?