I'm ready to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse but where do I start?

**CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN** · Aug 28, 2019

Some 4 year nursing schools pack all of the "pre-requisites" in the first two years. Many schools want previous grades, especially in pre-reqs to determine entry eligibility.

The best nursing school varies by location and needs. Want cheap? Community college. Already have a degree, may want accelerated. Public schools are probably less expensive than private ones. Some people want to do online courses (often the RN-BSN types).

I'd focus on getting some pre-reqs done. Get admitted to community college, make sure you have your basic english and math. Some pre-reqs I've seen: anatomy & physiology (I and II), microbiology, pathophysiology, nutrition, statistics, and ethics. Could be others. All 2 and 4 year degrees will require other stuff like English and history, etc.

Some schools may accept you without grades, but most want some idea of how you're doing in school. And many nursing schools want a TEAS test for admission, so you could pick up a study guide for that.

Neo Soldier, BSN, RN · Aug 28, 2019

I can relate to your fear of math but worry not, there's very little math involved in nursing. The most you will need in nursing school is dosage calculations especially if you want to work in pediatrics.

To begin, I recommend going to an academic advisor/counselor to determine what classes are needed to get into the nursing program. Some classes could be taken online so you may be able to take advantage of that.