Long time after High School

CuriousMe · Dec 9, 2009

Going back to school is a great idea. You are not alone doing this move. I am too. How about checking with your community college first, I understand their tuition is reasonable compared with the online and some provide assistance specially when you been out of school for years.

I agree with checking with your local Community College, but don't rule out online classes, all my first classes were online through my Community College.

betty67 · Dec 9, 2009

I agree with the other posts. I am 42 and just got accepted into the nursing program at my community college, I start in January it is a 2yr program & I will have my associates degree in nursing. It has taken me a while to get to this point. I started slowly in 2006 & had to take time off when I was pregnant with my son. (he is 18mo old now) I have 2 daughters aged 11 & 8 and I am a single mother. It is definitely doable, You have to manage your time well so that you can study. I am thoroughly committed and so excited to become a nurse. You can do anything if you put your mind to it and if you really want it. I got almost all of my non nursing courses completed before I applied to the program. The nursing classes will be strenuous enough without having to take other courses right along with them. I did some of my classes on campus and some online.

The best thing to do is check with your local community college to see what they offer see if they have a nursing program. If they do they will be able to tell you what classes you need to complete before you apply to the nursing program. If you are looking at a 4yr degree, see if the school will accept transfer credits from your community college. Then take the classes that will transfer usually sciences, maths & Englishes transfer, it will save you money if you can take some classes at community college.

The community college here only requires a placement test to see if you need developmental classes in math & reading. Most colleges expect that you have had chemistry in high school if not you will need to take a chemistry class and possibly a biology class too. 4yr colleges may expect you to take an ACT exam but I am not sure.

You can also check out allnursing.com it is a web site that lists nursing schools and don't forget if you think that you would be interested to check out any hospital nursing programs in your area they offer a diploma or sometimes an associates if the nursing school works directly with a college for your college courses.

Good luck on your journey! keep us posted!

Up2nogood RN, RN · Dec 10, 2009

I'm in a nursing program now, but also went back after....well we'll just say a good long while :)
The only thing I'd disagree with is not taking online classes right away. I needed a math class before the math class required for my program and I did both of them online before quitting my full time job to go back to school. It was a great way to get back into the school mode. The classes had a flexible schedule, so while there was a recommendation for when you should be a specific chapters....you could go faster or slower as long as you finished by the end of the term. This really worked for me, as I could move on through the stuff I understood and spend lots of time on the stuff I didn't.

I could have never taken an online math! Those who are more gifted in math may do well with an online but for me I studied my butt off like crazy just to get C's in those classes! Now the boring stuff like psych, writing and speech I took online (after the first few terms) and loved it. After my LPN program I vowed to never step foot in a classroom sitting around wasting time and got my ADN thru Excelsior without any problems.

CuriousMe · Dec 10, 2009

I could have never taken an online math! Those who are more gifted in math may do well with an online but for me I studied my butt off like crazy just to get C's in those classes! Now the boring stuff like psych, writing and speech I took online (after the first few terms) and loved it. After my LPN program I vowed to never step foot in a classroom sitting around wasting time and got my ADN thru Excelsior without any problems.

Isn't it funny how different we all are. I am NOT gifted in math, I have big time learning disabilities in math (they pulled out of math and science classes way back when in high school).

Taking the math online was the only way I could have gotten through it. The online class gave me the flexibility to spend as much time as I needed to on topics I struggled with, without having to "keep up" with the class. To me, math seems to be more a skill than something I know. The online course gave me the time to practice that skill, over and over and over and over...well you get the idea :)

Up2nogood RN, RN · Dec 10, 2009

Isn't it funny how different we all are. I am NOT gifted in math, I have big time learning disabilities in math (they pulled out of math and science classes way back when in high school).
Taking the math online was the only way I could have gotten through it. The online class gave me the flexibility to spend as much time as I needed to on topics I struggled with, without having to "keep up" with the class. To me, math seems to be more a skill than something I know. The online course gave me the time to practice that skill, over and over and over and over...well you get the idea :)

Maybe that was my problem, by the time I mastered a concept we had to move onto the next. Plus it didn't help sitting with a bunch of jabberjaws. It scares me to think of the 2 classes I'll have to take to get my BSN but at least I won't have to worry about GPA's.