Micro, A &P on their own??

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi all,

I just met with my school counselor and he mapped out my pre-reqs for me. I have a few (6!) semesters to go before I can a apply, but was curious about something. When he mapped out my classes, he had me taking anatomy alone, physiology alone, and my micro with it's pre/co req math class. The other semester were loaded down. Is this a good plan? Any been there, done that experience? Should I not take other courses with my major sciences?

So basically, he had 3 semesters with 4 classes each, then the following semester with Micro and a math, then Anatomy on it's own, followed by Physiology on it's own. Making 6 semesters. Sound right?

Thanks!

Specializes in OR.

I'm in my 40's and doing pre-reqs, too. I took 12 credit hours my first semester, but everybody told me if I could, to take the science reqs by themselves, including the advisor I spoke with. In these parts, A&P I is frequently referred to as a "weed-out" course. The average drop rate is about 50%. In my particular class, we started with 65 and are down to about 30 students.

I'm doing great -- pulling an A in the class, but it has required A LOT of studying. This semester, I'm taking A&P I, A&P I Lab, and ENGL 1102 for a total of 7 credit hours. I'm handling the load just fine, and could probably have actually handled an additional class, but I'm glad I didn't try.

I guess what I'm trying to say with all my rambling is, yes, more classes are totally doable. You just need to decide what's more important for you. For me, it was a choice between finishing sooner or maintaining my sanity. I chose my sanity, while still maintaining my 4.0 GPA. :bugeyes:

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It depends really on you. I decided to take a lot of classes together, and not work this semester so I can begin the nursing program sooner. I'm taking AP I and Micro both with lab, nutrition, and psychology. 14 credits. It's really tough, but not impossible. I just dedicate more to school since I'm not working. If you can, I recommend taking AP before Micro. If you don't have to take them together that's probably best. It's a lot of reading and memorizing.

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Thanks for the replies! 2 years of pre-reqs seems so long! But, hopefully it will go by fast. My current plan is to go for my ADN, but may transfer for my BSN.

I know how you feel! I started the nursing pre-reqs in Fall 10 and I am starting my first semester of Nursing at a CC in Fall 12! During these 2 years though, I have also gotten my BSN pre-reqs out of the way as well. So I was working on the associate sciences as well as the BSN "BS" classes as well. I would take one science with some easy BSN course.

I still have to only take Stats I, which I will take one summer and I have to save one course (which for me will be Geography) to take online at my 4 year school (because they require so many credit hours to be taken and the BSN nursing classes alone won't fulfill that obligation, therefore leaving me with one class to take!)

I do have to say that these 2 years have flown by. Of course, I have been super busy, studying every day. You really ought to consider my path and take your sciences with an easy BSN requirement to add to your schedule. Taking your sciences one at a time makes sense because they are so demanding. Especially Chem. I had to take chem I AND II. Organic chem was the worst, actually they both Chems were the worst and I spent a lot of hours in the tutoring center, but I pulled it off with A's all the way. I'm finishing Micro now and will take AP2 in the summer (our anatomy & physiology is together, but we take AP1 & AP2)

I wish you the best!

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Thank you all for the encouragement and advice!! I appreciate it. It's a lot to take in, and seems like such a long time, but I know it will fly by. Thank you, thank you!!

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I'm talking micro together with physiology plus a government class. It's tough but I didn't want to drag things out. I have an A in all classes. I have 3 kids under the age of 9, but I did have to close my business because I couldn't do everything. You can double up on science courses and be successful, but it takes dedication. I get up at 4:30 on most mornings to have about 1 1/2 hours of uninterrupted study time.

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It's a lot to take in, !!

I know its a lot to take in but may I suggest keeping a WORD doc of helpful info so you can refer back to it later? That is what I did and cataloged it by subject. so if I were looking for info on BOOKS - then I would just "find" BOOKS. or CPR Classes, anything. You will be surprised by how much info you collect.

Find students at your school now that are in the program. see about getting on an FB group site they may have on their nursing group. Look out for special seminars that retired nurses may put on for future nurses (Here in cleveland, we have the CCBN (cleveland council of black nurses) which do presentations for us on study tips, test taking strategies, and math. It is all free and very helpful.

your best bet yet would be to befriend some current nursing students and some going into the program so you can be on their shoulder as they go through so you know what to expect at your school. you can learn about professors, their styles, who the good and bad ones are (although you may not have a choice who you get) what clinical sites are better than others.

there is so much to learn and when you have just one more semester to start, you will feel empowered that you already have all of this information and it will be less frightful!

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Specializes in Ambulatory care.

OK now it makes sense .. it seems advisor scheduled your classes for maximum chance of success. STart light and see how you feel. The science classes can be overwhelming and what nursing depts focus on too. Do your maths before chemistry because in chem there's no time to be struggling with math while you're tryign to figure out chem.

Its better to take a bit longer, get solid high grades on your prerequs than to try to cram eveyrthing in 1 semester and do poorly. AND under no circumstances take 2 hard classes together. I've seen it happen and the result was not pretty ... one friend didn't make it into the RN program and had to do the LPN route because she got a B+ in chemistry and A- in anatomy. GOOD LUCK!

I had chem + english, medical dosage, A&P 1 and, A&P2, then Pysch, socilogy and pysch deve in summer. DO NOT PAIR 2 science classes together.

Your class schedule sounds very similar to mine its a very do able one. LOL relaxing almost but its fine you'll have enough stressing in nursing.

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Interesting! At my school (Sacramento City College), our A & P class is together not seperate! bascially, we have A & P

part 1 and then A & P part 2... Of course Micro is a class by it's self!

Personally, i'd take each Core science class one semester at a time! All 3 classes are TOUGH & ALOT of WORK!!! It's up to you...

everyone has defferent learning styles!! Good Luck!!!

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It will go by fairly quickly. I have 4 semesters of pre reqs since I Have been out of school for so long and did a semester of classes that could transfer for my BSN. I can't believe all five of those semesters are done already and I have my seat in the Fall.

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