Old college credits not helping

[mwpamela]

I have been an LPN since the late 1970s. I am also a certified professional midwife. I have an associates degree in Life Science, graduating summa cum laude. My midwifery training was a Masters level school, without the degree. Seems I'd be a good candidate to return to school, right? I'd like to get my MSN and teach some day. But every Bridge program I've looked at wants me to redo every one of my science credits because they are over 7 years old. I am sorry, hard science facts may update, but don't change all that much and I am not willing to start all over again, nor can I afford it! I am pretty sure I could pass the NCLEXX exams if I was allowed to take them.

Anyone know now any other options for someone like me? I am a good student, an experienced nurse, and over all good person. Just cannot stomach having to take A&P, organic chemistry, and Micro AGAIN!

[elkpark]

Science knowledge does change rapidly, and that's why nearly every legitimate school has an "expiration date," typically five or seven years, for science credits they will accept for transfer. I remember, 30 years ago, in my first A&P class meeting in nursing school, the professor having us get out our new textbooks, and walking us through the book -- "Now, turn to page 331; cross that page out. Now, turn to page 473. Cross that page out. That's all outdated now. Now, turn to page 501. Cross that page out. That's all wrong now ..." And that was the brand new edition of the textbook. Just during the time it took to get the book through the publishing process and into print, significant amounts of it had become incorrect.

Sorry, but I doubt you're going to find what you're looking for. Of course, there are always the for-profit diploma mills, if you're willing to just buy a degree. One of them might be willing to accept outdated credits.

[morte, LPN, LVN]

OP, any possibility of CLEPing any?

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

Yep, that's tough. I recently went through RN to BSN and one of the blessings was that the college took practically every course I took in my first go at college 20 years ago (including all the sciences). Make sure to check out Excelsior as they are pretty generous with accepting credits (and have one of the few viable LPN to RN online programs). In the worst case scenario, CLEPing is not a bad idea, you should have a really good knowledge base and it will be far cheaper. Sometimes CLEP does not provide credit for the labs (and most programs require the labs) so some online courses do offer the option of doing labs in addition. Just some different thoughts out there.

Knowledge of even basic sciences like A&P does change. I was helping my step-son study A&P a few weeks ago and turns out that ongoing research is re-writing some theories in A&P.

[unionnurse12]

Look into any University in the state of Tennessee….currently TN is granting loan forgiveness for anyone willing to get the MSN to teach