Is it OK to be frustrated that it will take me 4 semesters just to work through pre-requisites?
I finally signed up to community college this fall. I'm a foreign student so I've never taken ACT's or SAT's, I've just taken the Compass test. My scores on Reading and Writing were 99, Math was a mortifying 29. I have to take an Algebra Foundations course before I can take College Algebra. I have to take General Biology 1 and 2 before I can take A&P. So I'm up to 30 credits before I can even apply to nursing school. My class schedule did not include a biology for fall semester either so I can't start working away on that until next year. I'm pretty sure I can't take more than one biology class a semester, so by my third semester all other courses will be done except biology.
The whole concept of pre-requisites is alien to me, so I guess that isn't helping. It's just seeming like a huge mountain to climb.
4 semesters is equivalent to 2 years of general education courses at the college level...I think. It makes sense to me. I had to take 4 semester of gen ed courses and then I got into the meat of my major.
It's taking me 2 years to knock mine out, too - that is including summers. I have to take beginner's math before I can take the math pre-req. I have to take Bio 101 before I can take the *two* A&P classes required for my program. I have to take Psych 101 before I can take the Psych 235 prerequisite. So, I have 3 pre-reqs to my prereqs. My program's prerequisites are:
CNA
A&P 1
A&P 2
Micro w/ lab
English 121
Psychology 235 (Human Growth & Development)
Psychophysiology
Human Nutrition
Math for Clinical Calculations
That's for my ADN. Luckily, my dual enrollment program for my BSN works closely with my ADN school and so once I meet all of these prereqs for my ADN, they count toward my BSN, too. I will only have 6 months left of school (online) for my BSN once I'm finished with my ADN.
When I'm done (Christmas), it will have taken me about a year and half to complete all the prereqs. Four summer sessions and two fall sessions. Seven classes in all.
I am willing to help you with math if you like. I tutor math and science pre-req courses online. I wish you well.
Thank you, I'm open to all potential resources! I'm on point with all pre-algebra. I did a nurse med-math quiz last week to see what it involved and got 90%. It's just algebra makes my eyes cross.
I honestly feel so much better now, thank you everyone for sharing. It's been so long since I have legally been able to do anything, so I think I am just anxious to help support my family.
Agree with all PPs - pre-requisites can be daunting, particularly if you have to take remedial classes to qualify for enrollment into the 'real' course. In Tx, OP would have to take Tx History & Tx Government also... 'cause, we're like a whole 'nother country y'all.
OK, thank you. It's good to know this is pretty much normal. My ignorance is showing in that I heard 2 years of nursing school, and thought 2 years. Then I found out about pre-requisites, which the school said would take a semester to complete.
You aren't the only one. Back in 2009 I thought the same thing until I sat down with a nursing advisor at my CC and she told me it was actually a 3-4 year program once prerequisites were accounted for. It's now 2015 and I am just entering my first semester of nursing school in August. However, I took a LOT of breaks in between.
I know how you feel. This is my first year of pre-requisites, and my long term goal is for BSN. I'm taking pre-reqs for the LPN and while I'm almost done with them (taking summer classes to keep ahead), I will eventually have to take a bunch of RN pre-reqs depending which school I want to attend. And then sooner or later I will have to take all my generals for my bachelor's degree. Thankfully I've gotten started early (took my CNA class in high school) and started pre-reqs after graduation. It's a long climb, but it's something you have to keep plucking away. Eventually we will all make it to the top. Hang in there!
Agree with all PPs - pre-requisites can be daunting, particularly if you have to take remedial classes to qualify for enrollment into the 'real' course. In Tx, OP would have to take Tx History & Tx Government also... 'cause, we're like a whole 'nother country y'all.
We're most likely moving to Galveston in 3 or 4 years. I'm trying to get my BSN done before then because I really don't want to have to take that Texas history class. I mean I love history so I probably wouldn't mind, but I suffered through 4 credits of political science already!
Totally normal to be horrified and also normal for it to take awhile to get them done.
I'm 33, I spent 3 years getting my pre-reqs done and now I'm in nursing school for my LPN and 4 credits shy of my Associate in Science. So, even though it's taken me forever, by the time I get my RN I'll be pretty darn close to my BSN because of all the extra classes I took while getting through the pre-reqs.
I also made sure to take classes that would transfer towards my BSN instead of taking the easier ones that didn't .
yeah, if you want to go to college in texas. be prepared to take an extra semester in anything you do. they have more remedial classes than any state ive ever been to. its daunting.
strawberryluv, BSN, RN
768 Posts
4 semesters is equivalent to 2 years of general education courses at the college level...I think. It makes sense to me. I had to take 4 semester of gen ed courses and then I got into the meat of my major.