NO MORE pre reqs to the pre reqs!!!

[Elleveein]

In California anyway! Thanks to a bill AB 705 :) you can enroll in any class you want in community college. If you're using financial aid this may not apply to you, I'm self funding so it's awesome news for me! Some might've already made this post, if I repeated. If you skeptical, google the bill.

[Elleveein, LVN]

I'm not trolling. It's a definitely a fact at West LA College.

[Mergirlc, MSN, APRN, NP]

Here is what is stated under the Spring 2019 schedule for Anatomy 001 - Introduction to Human Anatomy at West Los Angeles College:

"

Enrollment Requirements

Placement or Complete ANATOMY 001 or Biology 003A AND Biology 003B OR Biology 003

Requirement Designation

Meets IGETC 5B 5C CSU B2 B3"

If you check the other Los Angeles Community Colleges, it specifically states you need those Biology classes in order to enroll into Anatomy. It really doesn't make total sense to have a free for all and let every Joe walk into Anatomy class. It just seems odd all the other schools in the district still have the prerequisite listed if what you say is true. LA College district is usually on top of things so if there were no prerequisite, it definitely would've been taken off all the colleges - not just one. The way West LA listed the above just looks odd, but I believe they still require the prerequisites done.

OP, perhaps you already completed Biology years ago and that's why you're allowed to enroll? Only you know that. I would double-check w/ a counselor though. As others have mentioned, that bill was meant for REMEDIAL Math and English.

I highly doubt any CC will drop the prerequisites for Chemistry or Physiology though. It's bad enough people drop left and right when they take Chemistry and that's after taking the prerequisites!

[Neo Soldier, BSN, RN]

It would make no sense. Not only would people be set up for failure, they are going to impact classes worse than they already are when underqualified students fill the seats of a class they will have to fail or drop.

I went to community college in California and getting into classes is not a joke. There have been classes that I have taken where there were 20 people on the wait list hoping that someone won't show up so that they can get in. Two weeks later there are far less people in class than we started with. The point is, if the bill is set up the way you say, it's really not effective. You can't just show up and take a class just because you are allowed to; you need the basics out of the way. It's a waste of time for people who have taken the required pre-reqs when they don't get the class. It's also a waste of time for you when you find out that you're not prepared and you have to drop.

[Etak, BSN, RN]

I went to community college in California and getting into classes is not a joke. There have been classes that I have taken where there were 20 people on the wait list hoping that someone won't show up so that they can get in. Two weeks later there are far less people in class than we started with. The point is, if the bill is set up the way you say, it's really not effective. You can't just show up and take a class just because you are allowed to; you need the basics out of the way. It's a waste of time for people who have taken the required pre-reqs when they don't get the class. It's also a waste of time for you when you find out that you're not prepared and you have to drop.

Where I am most of the nursing prereqs will completely fill, then the waitlist fills and stops accepting almost as soon as registration begins. It happened this semester for anatomy. I was waitlisted on the class I needed after signing up literally the minute I was eligible to register. Luckily I got a spot before the semester started but on day one it was literally standing room only with waitlisteds hoping to get in. Now we are 10 weeks into the 16 week course and at least 1/3 has dropped. It seems 2-3 people drop after each practical. It's a shame for the people that never got in but would have done well if given the opportunity.

There are even fewer physiology professors/ classes. If there were no prereqs, any person could sign up, take a seat from someone who is ready, and just like every other difficult class, half of them will drop before the semester ends. A free for all enrollment system would just end up wasting a lot of time for a lot of people.

[Chrispy11, ASN, RN]

Chare, you are correct... I'm currently working through my prereqs at a CA cc and there are prereqs for my prereqs. Anatomy and physio are two separate courses at my school, and to be allowed to enrolled in physio you must have completed chemistry and anatomy. To get into that chemistry, you need to have completed intermediate algebra.

This bill just means that you don't have to take remedial algebra to enroll in intermediate algebra but really doesn't do much for nursing students that need advanced science courses.

And to be honest, as impacted and competitive as CA nursing schools are, you're setting yourself up for failure and not getting ahead by trying to get into the nursing science prerequisites without a grasp on algebra and in most cases, chemistry. Anatomy sure, all it is is memorization and an enormous time commitment, but there's no way to go on to physio (at my CA cc) without chem and algebra. You'll simply be dropped from the course if you try to enroll.

Can't you just test out of the Algebra? I did that with a few subjects. Middle States accreditation.

[Etak, BSN, RN]

Can't you just test out of the Algebra? I did that with a few subjects. Middle States accreditation.

This might be an option to get into some chemistry itself, but algebra is still a prerequisite for the ADN programs here. You need statistics for a BSN and algebra is a prereq for stats. If you're capable of test placement freeing you from having to take the algebra course or are transferring high school credits, then you are prepared because one way or another, you have met the criteria for knowledge necessary to succeed in the class. (Which is probably what this entire law is about).

The main point I'm trying to make however, is that every single prerequisite for every single class in California ccs has not been lifted. My main example is: at my CA cc, you can not get into physio without having first taken chemistry AND anatomy. Maybe you can transfer highschool or other coursework, but one way or another you can not get in with no experience or transcript to show that you have somehow met the prerequisites.

And this is just for nursing, which is the only degree path I'm personally familiar with. In other areas, I just can't see how they'd let anyone with no prereqs in to any advanced chem, calculus, or physics class.

And regardless of any of the particulars for various programs, the law only specifically mentions remedial English and math and has been in effect since Jan. 1 2018, so whatever prereqs were standing at registration last semester aren't changing on a statewide level by registration for spring 2019.

[Apple-Core, ASN, BSN, RN]

I have no idea if this is accurate, and I will say when I took my classes my MAT class alone had 4 pre-reqs just to get to the class I needed for nursing. However, what I will say is that students will be missing out on a huge amount of foundation knowledge by bypassing all those classes, and it is knowledge that will really, really help once you get into school.

I do understand the temptation to jump ahead, but in the long run I'm not sure it will pay off.

[Thanksforthedonuts, MSN, APRN]

No offense to the OP but you've seriously got this law misunderstood. You can keep telling yourself that you've found a skip out on a lot of prerequisites but I'm not buying it.

The prerequisites to the prerequisites all add together for the total number of credit hours needed to qualify for your nursing degree (be it AA or BSN). Hence, all the prerequisites (including pre-prerequisites) come together for a grand total of credit hours to place you in junior year standing when in a 4-year bachelors degree program. Case in point: if you don't complete all those pre-prerequsities then you won't have enough credit hours at the end of your program to graduate with your desired degree. Unless of course, you spent multiple fruitless years taking aimless classes at your local community college.

Plus, I would LOVE for you to explain all the skipped classes (if you didn't test out) to the program advisor at your desired RN program. I bet you they won't have ANY of it lol.

Side note: I NEVER trusted the advisors at my local community college (even thought its highly rated) because they don't know diddly squat with what you need and they couldn't care any less if you have to go back and take extra classes because they gave you wrong information. I spoke to 4 advisors each with 5 different (completely WRONG) approaches with completing my RN prerequisites. They gave me a bunch of BS every time.

Call your desired RN program counselor and see what they say. I would love to hear it! Those Pre-prerequisites paint a whole picture of your academic success and skipping them will not make you a desirable candidate unless you got a 4.0+ GPA. And gleaning from your reading comprehension of this new bill, I doubt you have a 4.0+ gpa. Sorry!

[Apple-Core, ASN, BSN, RN]

I can understand the desire to by-pass a bunch of classes. It can, quite literally, add several years to your study plan before you can even apply to get in to nursing school.

However (yes - I'm repeating myself) - you are *really* going to struggle once you're in the program by circumventing all those classes. I can say hands-down the nursing degree is considered to be one of - if not THE - hardest 2 year degree there is. Without that foundation knowledge I honestly think you will struggle to get through it. All the chemistry, math, A&P, microbiology, ALL of it - you are going to need once you're in nursing school.

Obviously it's your call: if you have discovered a law, or there is a new law - that allows you to by-pass these classes, then by all means, save yourself the money and time if you feel it is in your best interests. Personally, I would prefer to have a thorough understanding of the concepts and not appear a complete fool in class because I don't understand the basics of A&P when I'm being asked.

But - to each their own, I guess...