necessity of prereqs if you already have a science degree

shock-me-sane · Jun 24, 2006

I have never heard of exceptions. Pretty sure that you will not be able to get out of doing the pre-reqs.

sorry

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2006

After a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience, a TON of science and math courses and paying nearly $120,000 for all this education I can't believe you still do not know how the college system works. Maybe you better ask for your money back. The rules are you have to have specific coursework before entering a nursing program. This coursework is specified for a reason. Pretty much every bit of human anatomy and physiology and microbiology is needed to help in understanding human disease and treatment. We ALL had to take it. I don't trust people who try to cut corners and get around rules that everyone else follow because they think they are special. Makes me wonder what kind of nursing care they'll try to cut around and cheat patients out of.

karmyk · Jun 24, 2006

I have a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience and took a TON of science courses and math courses in college, but I never took anatomy ( took physiology, though) because it wasn't offered as a course. I didn't take microbiology, either, since it wasn't required for the neuro degree.

In neuroscience, you looked at science/the body/life/etc. from one particular perspective. Nursing looks at it all from a different perspective. Thus, nursing is going to require different classes than neuroscience did.

Still, with a full-time job which requires a lot of overtime, taking an anatomy course with a lab (some schools seem to require the lab component) at night is going to be virtually impossible.

It's possible. It won't necessarily be easy, but it's possible. I had a full-time job as a military officer and electrical engineer... my days often started with me getting at work around 0630 hours and sometimes leaving work around 2200 or 2300 hours (sometimes later, into 0100 or 0200 the next morning) on non-school days, cutting out "early" (1900 hours or 2000 hours) on school days, and coming in on weekends to make up for the lost time and then some... but that's life when your job includes running the computer & network help desk (among other things). Taking a&p and micro as night courses was a major pain... but I got through it.

It depends how much you want to get that application in. If you REALLY want it, you'll find a way to make it work out.

If I do end up taking the course in the fall, which, at this point, is the only viable option, then I am not considered eligible to apply to schools such as UCSF which require prospective students to have already taken the course upon application.

Chances are you're either going to have to do your best to find a summer course that begins late OR take the classes in the summer and apply a year later. Since the applications are due in October, you also might want to try to find a local school that runs on the quarter system... chances are that you'll be able to get those classes out of the way before October, and you can apply for the program.

After paying nearly $120,000 for my college education, paying for another course seems daunting. Advice is greatly appreciated!

Many people who applied for Entry-Level MSN programs had expensive educations. Hell, my undergraduate education is quoted to be worth $250,000... but I still took the prereqs for the program I applied for because I believed (and still believe) they're important. The requirements are there for a reason.

smk1, LPN · Jun 24, 2006

i am in the preliminary stages of applying to direct entry nursing programs and am very concerned about the prereqs listed for each school. I have a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience and took a TON of science courses and math courses in college, but I never took anatomy ( took physiology, though) because it wasn't offered as a course. I didn't take microbiology, either, since it wasn't required for the neuro degree. Still, with a full-time job which requires a lot of overtime, taking an anatomy course with a lab (some schools seem to require the lab component) at night is going to be virtually impossible. If I do end up taking the course in the fall, which, at this point, is the only viable option, then I am not considered eligible to apply to schools such as UCSF which require prospective students to have already taken the course upon application. Yikes! I don't want to waste another year because of one course. And UCSF is my top choice....fell in love with San Francisco when I visited a friend there several months ago. Does anybody have any suggestions? How much consideration do schools give to students who have taken a great deal of science courses yet lack some of the "prereqs"? After paying nearly $120,000 for my college education, paying for another course seems daunting. Advice is greatly appreciated!

Sorry, you have to take anatomy with a lab. Your physiology course also may not transfer so have your transcripts reviewed. Trust me when i say that you will need an indepth knowledge of anatomy for nursing school. Microbiology is also required, because it is essential in learning about disease transmission, infection control among other things. It will be hard, but you can do it if you really want to. By the way, the best thing for you to do is take in your transcripts and have them reviewed and talk to an advisor. Most schools require chemistry (specific types), Microbiology, A&P, and nutrition as prereqs. You need to know what you are missing and will be required to take, and don't be shocked if you have to retake something that you basically already took under a different name. Schools are all about making money and if they can make you retake a course with them, then they will set the rules to be very stringent. i have 2 friends who have bachelors degrees in communications, but they were still required to take Speech 101 and research english because they had taken them and far more advanced communications studies out of state. Good luck.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jun 24, 2006

Welcome to Allnurses. I really don't have anything else to add. Good luck to you.

DermNP2Be · Jun 24, 2006

Have you called the school to see if the anatomy class has to be completed by the time of application or by the time of enrollment? Alot of colleges will grant admission if most of your sciences are out of the way, conditional on if the last class or two are completed by enrollment. So since your app will be due by October, by that time you will be half way through your anatomy class. Give them a call and ask- you never know.

L&D_2b · Jun 24, 2006

i am in the preliminary stages of applying to direct entry nursing programs and am very concerned about the prereqs listed for each school. I have a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience and took a TON of science courses and math courses in college, but I never took anatomy ( took physiology, though) because it wasn't offered as a course. I didn't take microbiology, either, since it wasn't required for the neuro degree. Still, with a full-time job which requires a lot of overtime, taking an anatomy course with a lab (some schools seem to require the lab component) at night is going to be virtually impossible. If I do end up taking the course in the fall, which, at this point, is the only viable option, then I am not considered eligible to apply to schools such as UCSF which require prospective students to have already taken the course upon application. Yikes! I don't want to waste another year because of one course. And UCSF is my top choice....fell in love with San Francisco when I visited a friend there several months ago. Does anybody have any suggestions? How much consideration do schools give to students who have taken a great deal of science courses yet lack some of the "prereqs"? After paying nearly $120,000 for my college education, paying for another course seems daunting. Advice is greatly appreciated!

A&P 1 and 2 and Microbiology will be required in (probably) every program. And even if you already took them, usually they only have a "shelf life" of 10 years. Which means, if they are over 10 years old since you took them, plan on repeating them.

If you can't go to a local college to do your science prerequisites, why not look towards online options? There are a great deal of community colleges that offer them online now. Some suggestions would be http://www.ccconline.org http://www.riosalado.edu and http://www.edukan.org

Good luck!

tookewlandy · Jun 24, 2006

i am in the preliminary stages of applying to direct entry nursing programs and am very concerned about the prereqs listed for each school. I have a bachelor of science degree in neuroscience and took a TON of science courses and math courses in college, but I never took anatomy ( took physiology, though) because it wasn't offered as a course. I didn't take microbiology, either, since it wasn't required for the neuro degree. Still, with a full-time job which requires a lot of overtime, taking an anatomy course with a lab (some schools seem to require the lab component) at night is going to be virtually impossible. If I do end up taking the course in the fall, which, at this point, is the only viable option, then I am not considered eligible to apply to schools such as UCSF which require prospective students to have already taken the course upon application. Yikes! I don't want to waste another year because of one course. And UCSF is my top choice....fell in love with San Francisco when I visited a friend there several months ago. Does anybody have any suggestions? How much consideration do schools give to students who have taken a great deal of science courses yet lack some of the "prereqs"? After paying nearly $120,000 for my college education, paying for another course seems daunting. Advice is greatly appreciated!

Do you have any friends or relatives in the pIttsburgh area, i ask because if you could stay around here there are tons of community colleges and other school that offer A&P for 5 weeks during the summer and Micro. Just a wild shot but i was tryin :-)

smilin_gp · Jun 25, 2006

I had a double degree in general science and music education. I still had to take every A & P and micro. The only prereqs my BSN let me 'out of' were biology for nursing and college algebra, as they counted higher level science classes in place of these. A & P/labs and micro were done concurrently while working full time was possible, in my case, but a lot of my life had to be put on hold while I did it.

kukukajoo, LPN · Jun 25, 2006

I would speak to the school directly. You will still have to take it, but maybe they will accept your application and let you take it in the fall when it is more convenient for you. Where you have already shown an aptitude for sciences (hoping your GPS is high), they may accept it with a stipulation that you get above a higher grade.

Good luck!

ndnutmeg · Jun 30, 2006

I know what you mean. I will have a BS degree too, but my school doesn't offer anatomy or nutrition, so I think I will just take them at some random community college and hope for the best. Are you sure that you have to have ALL prereqs done before you apply? Maybe if you explain your situation, then they will allow you to apply before you have taken anatomy. I would understand that they would want all prereqs completed before actually entering the program, but it seems like they could possibly bend the rules for that