Published Aug 7, 2009
butterfly78
6 Posts
Hi. I am starting the LPN program on the 27th. My goal is to finish this and get into the RN program as soon as I can. However, I don't have any pre reqs for the RN program yet. So either I fit some in with my LPN program and work extra hard OR I finish the LPN program and then take pre reqs for a year, then apply for the RN program. Is it common for people to take pre reqs while in the LPN program? Is it doable? I am 31, married, with 4 kids... I have lots of support from my husband and kids so I am not alone. Please give me some insight.
Thanks.
Boog'sCRRN246, RN
784 Posts
I took two math courses, chemistry, pharmacology for my RN program, and an art history class while I was in LPN school. Three of the classes were online, while the other two were in-person. If you're going to start your PN program as well as start your RN pre-reqs, I would take what you can online while you are adjusting to LPN school. After you know what kind of load it's going to be work and time-wise, it's easier to take in-person classes.
Thanks. That was my thought. I want to take as many online as I can. Right now I have 4 classes online. I am in class full days on Monday (lab and lecture) on Tuesday's I am out at 2, Wednesday's I have clinicals/lab all day, and on Thursday's I am out at 2. No school on Friday's... I think I can do it!
LaneRN
218 Posts
Be careful. We had a girl in our class that was doing this and failed her pre reqs and was dismissed from the program even though she was passing her nursing classes. At our school you have to mainntain a B in nursing and nothing below a C in your other classes so just be careful and do not take on to much at one time.
NurseLoveJoy88, ASN, RN
3,959 Posts
I agreem, please be careful. I know of a student that was taking prereqs while in NS and failed out the program. I splitted my prereqs up. I did two years of prereqs for LPN and RN then I did my one year LPN program. This fall I plan to finish up my prereqs while working as a nurse, and then enter into the RN program next fall. You know what you can and can't do so just go with your heart. Good luck !
My LPN program was at a completely different school than where I took my RN pre-reqs, so my grades at either school had no influence on each other. If your LPN/RN programs are at the same school, you would have to be more cautious, but it's totally do-able, so you should be fine.
Aurora77
861 Posts
I hope so; I'm starting LPN school in two weeks. I've got 8 credit hours of nursing classes this fall and am taking physio, micro, and algebra as well. I may be insane, but this is the only semester I have to fit those classes in since I plan on immediately bridging to my school's RN program. I feel confident it's going to go well.
Student4Now
66 Posts
Hello! You might want to check with the school just in case. I thought about taking my RN pre-reqs while going for LPN but found out that the school has a policy that doesnt allow the students to attend 2 schools at 1 time. But they might have changed that by now...
jesuislizz
3 Posts
You and I are in the same position. I'm about to start my LPN program later this month and have been wondering when and where to start working on my RN pre-reqs. I hope it isn't too much of a workload. I just don't want to have any gap between both programs, I want to jump into the RN program as soon as I'm done with LPN.
Does anyone have any suggestions on what (less difficult) RN pre-reqs to take during the first semester of my LPN program?
AZMOMO2
1,194 Posts
I am in semester 2 of an LPN program and will be taking 10 Nursing credits, plus a 3 credit IV Certification class at one school. Then I'll take Micro as an 8 week online & when thats finished I'll take CHM130 as an 8 week format ending three weeks prior to the end of the LPN semester. Since they are transfer credits they won't count as my GPA and even though I'd love to ace them both, I'd settle for a C if I had to. Semester 1, I felt I could have taken another class, wish I had, since I didn't and don't work right now. Soooo I am hoping to be able to handle it. I need these last two classes and ALL of my RN pre and co reqs will be finished. At my school we can roll into Block 3 of the RN program upon completion of the LPN portion & an 800 or above on the HESI.
Depends on what your pre/co reqs are.
shakeytails
25 Posts
Depends, what are your RN pre-reqs? Mine were A&P1, Math, Psych, and a computer class. Other classes- English 1&2, Humanities, Public Speaking for me transfered from college that I attended 20+ years ago. I took A&P1 and Psych last semester, and took Math and an online computer class over the summer. Since I chose to enter the LPN program this fall rather that wait to see if I'm accepted for RN in the spring, I'll be taking A&P2 and Developmental Psych as co-requisites along with my nursing classes since I didn't choose to take the easier 1 semester LPN pre-reqs. When summer classes started I didn't yet know I was accepted, so it was too late to take A&P2 during the summer.
A&P is a tough course, expect to put a lot of time into it to get a decent grade. The other classes were a piece of cake, and honestly didn't take too much of my time. My self-paced computer class I finished in about a week and a half, but I worked on it for several hours a day to get it done. I actually had 150 days to complete the course if necessary.
I think it's do-able, but be very cautious about getting in too deep. Look for on-line courses, or ask around and find out what professors are easiest. I thought about taking Dev. Psych over the summer, but I wanted the teacher I had for Psych 1 because he doesn't assign papers to write and some of his tests are take-home (read "easy A").
You might also want to see if your school allows you to "Clep out" of certain classes. That would decrease your cost and lighten your school workload.