Nursing school Vs. Nursing Prereqs

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Hello Everyone. I am currently a prenursing student and I was just curious as to how all of you nursing students would compare your nursing classes to to your prereqs (chemistry, microbiology, anatomy and phys, etc) in terms of difficulty. I've heard some people say if you can get through chem, math, micro, etc that you will do fine in nursing school and then it also seems I've heard people say it is the other way around, that you can get straight A's on the science classes and still have a very difficult time when it comes to the nursing classes. Im sure this will be different for everyone but I'd love to hear about your experiences.

Thanks!

Specializes in Emergency, Med/Surg, Vascular Access.

Stardust, I did A/P I and Micro at the same time. My Micro class wasn't very hard, but I think even if it was I could have done both...you're going to have to study A LOT...mentally prepare for it--there's no getting around that. But you can do it!!

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For me it is like comparing kindergarten to high school. I would love for nursing school to be as easy as prereqs were.

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Specializes in Case management, occupational health.

You really cannot compare prereqs with nursing classes. There is a huge difference between memory and application. It is like comparing simple addition with advanced calculus

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

As someone that got into nursing school with almost a 4.0 in my nursing pre-reqs I can say that nursing is harder. I did actually raise my GPA in nursing school but it was not easy. I did not have a life. I worked very hard. Take the energy you spend studying for a bio exam and multiply it by 10. Thats how much more you will spend in nursing school if you want to continue to get As. If you want to get by with Cs you can probably get away with studying the same.

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Specializes in being a Credible Source.

As someone else alluded to, the challenge in nursing school wasn't with the material but simply the pace (unrelenting) and the stakes (one misstep can get you tossed).

For the most part, students who are successful before nursing school tend to be successful in nursing school.

It gets an undeserved bad rap IMO.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Yep, it is mostly the pace and the stakes along with application based knowledge, which requires a thorough long term knowledge of base information that you are then required to apply to different situations and scenarios - in other words, long term memory. Where most students are struggling is with time management, basic organization, the ability to think ahead and learning how to get information into long term memory. In pre-req's, a good majority of students memorize material until the exam is over and then have trouble recalling it again. From day one in nursing school you are preparing for NCLEX. Everything you learn has to be there still two years later. Combine that with a really heavy duty schedule, a fair amount of stress (from trying new things on real live people if nothing else, though most people are also stressed about doing well) and subject matter that is a cut above and you have nursing school.

It isn't harder per se. A good student is a good student. It is just different. It requires a LOT more dedication than the pre-req's and a LOT more stamina.

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To the original poster, did you have any difficulties getting through your pre reqs? Next semester I plan on taking Anatomy, Physiology, and microbiology in the same time because I decided very late in my college to career to pursue nursing. I hope I will be able to do it!!

I actually took anatomy and phys and microbiology during the same semester as well. I did this also while working full time during the day so its not impossible! I did have a bit of difficult getting through A and P but to be honest, I had the worse instructor I've ever had in my life for this class. And trust me, I am not the type of person to just blame bad grades on an instructor. The labs were completely self taught and all the students were trying to help eachother while he went in the next room doing whatever. So I ended up with a C. During the same semester, however, I got an A in microbiology. This wasn't easy, but clearly doable! I would say the hardest part about taking these two classes together was just that is was time consuming and there was alot of information to memorize. Most of the material is straightforward but there is just alot of it! I'm sure you won't get my professor for A and P, lol, so you should be fine! If you accept the fact that alot of your time will be spent reading and memorizing things, you will do great. :)

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well I guess its different for everyone, I did okay in the prereqs just barely well enough to get into nursing school in the first place. But I am know in my third semester and have been doing very well. Bettter than many people who got the straight As before entering the nursing program. I guess it just depends on the person

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Prereqs are much easier than nursing school. Where I attend school you have to have a C average in pre classes to be accepted to nursing. Thats not too hard if you put some effort into it. We have to maintain a B in nursing classes. I am in my 2nd semester and we have lecture monday clinical all day tues and wed and lecture again on thurs. With clinical comes preplanning on mon night and drug cards, care plans on tues night due wed. It is a very tight schedule weekends were meant for study not play. The other post are right you dont have to memorize! You have to be able to think like a nurse when you test. Good luck!

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Memorization is not my strong suit...application definitely is...so I'm hoping NS will be easier for me than the prereqs! I'll let you know 'round December!

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.

I disagree with those that say that nursing school is all application and no memorization. There is a TON to memorize... medical terms, procedures, lab values, med dosage ranges and side effects... sure, after a while certain things come up over and over so they tend to stick. But especially at first, there is a lot of information coming at you all at once.

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Specializes in ER.

I am hoping I am up to the task of being successful. I start nursing school in August, but have been taking 8 credits for the last 2 terms. Right now I have A&P II and Micro (class 4 nights a week), while working 50 hours a week during the day, and trying to see my kids here and there. There is little/no time for sleep or for leisure activities, and I study as much as I can (4.0 thus far) I am fine with that, but I'm hoping nursing school will not be outrageously more difficult. I will not be working full time then, so I will have a lot more time to devote to my studies. I am certainly ready for a break this summer!

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