Micro and A&P 2 together?

brittany_micah · May 29, 2010

I dont have any experience taking both together, but I did struggle with this decision last semester. I wanted to have both classes finished so I wouldn't have to take micro this summer. I called my advisor and she said Yes, we recommend you take them together. Well I talked to a few friends who told me no way. I am sooo glad that I listened!! A few of my classmates in AP2 struggled the whole time taking micro at the same time. There were days that they would have 2 lecture tests and 2 lab tests in the same day. One of the teachers even said I do not encourage anyone to take both of these classes together. I am getting ready to start micro on Tuesday. I hate that I wont have a nice long summer break before I start nursing classes, but it wasn't worth the chance of failing and be kicked out of the program. Good Luck in you decision though. I admire anyone who can handle taking both at once. I think it prob also depends on different things, if you are working, have kids, manage your time right, etc. I have 2 small boys, so with me I would have never passed both at the same time.

tempestwaiting · May 29, 2010

I took both of them together and had the same instructor for both micro lecture and A&P II lecture. I also had the same instructor for micro lab. I am sure she got tired of seeing me. Though I only took one other class that was online that same semester. It was tough and took a lot of studying and reading, but I would do it again. I start nursing classes this fall and can focus completely on them. I would do it as long as you have time to study and read the material and maybe only have one other "easy" class that semester. If you already have a full plate, then it might be easier to wait. Best of luck.

OpenHeartLPN · May 29, 2010

Hey shesham,

Those two classes are tough, you really need to get ***** ******* for the A&P she is in my opinion the best professor at CWI. I haven't taken micro yet as it conflicts with their LPN programs schedule, but they have a new instructor teaching it. Always try to make sure your instructor is not brand new it always makes for a harder class, make sure he/she has at least 2 semester under them. My chem prof. was new and they walked him out the first day, the nursing head was new and she was relieved mid semester due to an inability to teach (Some people are great chemists, nurses, or masters of their field, but simply are not good teachers.).

I am at CWI and since the exit of the head of the nursing department has been replaced there is going to be changes to the nursing program schedule. I wouldn't take what is on CWI's site too seriously yet.

You replyed to another one of my posts and said that the programs at CWI aren't accredited. Here is the scoop on that:

All degrees at CWI have are accredited by the Northwest Commission of Colleges through a piggyback agreement with CSI.

If you are looking for nlnac accrediting for the LPN program as I think you were refering to on the other thread, most LPN programs across the country are not accredited with NLNAC their are only around 10 in the USA. Therefore its not really needed for job placement in the LPN field.

The RN program at CWI is accredited with the NLNAC through the piggyback agreement with CSI's accrediting with the NLNAC. The RN field of work definately needs this accrediting for easier job placement.

Now for some even better news about the program at CWI, my pharmacology instructor has relayed to us students that the new head of nursing is intending to create a broader lpn-rn bridge program with 30 seats instead of the initially planned 10 that starts in january rather than fall. This is just her plan so far and is not law yet, but from what my pharm instructor has said it seems like it will happen.

Please if you have anymore questions about the program start a thread in idaho nursing forum and ask away (Just easier for me to find your post there and I'd like all Idahoans to have easy access to the info).

QuarterLife88, MSN, RN, NP · May 29, 2010

I didn't but had a friend that did and she was exhausted. A&P2 is like 2 classes by itself. I'm not sure about Micro (taking it in the fall).

dream& achieve · May 29, 2010

I took both A&P 2 and Micro at the same time in addditon to 2 other classes( nutrition and medical terminolgy), and I managed to pull off "A"'s in all of them. Mind you,I had to sudy hard and manage my time well, since have 2 children to boot. But it is possible to do. I'm sure I'll be ready when I start the RN prgram at my CC this fall..just make sure you have support of family in case you need help with child care or friends to study with if you think you will need it. I found both classes so great that I couldnt help but do well .If you pull a "B", would you be happy with it? Evryone is different..another thing, can you retake the class you dont do well in, over again, if you need to?

Strwbrywne · May 29, 2010

I am a survivor of taking both A&P II and Micro in the same semester. It WAS tough, but I got through it and did just fine. I do think you have to do well with time management. I was on a routine with my kids, who are 6 and 3. As long as I stuck to my schedule of daily activities I needed to get done, I got all my studying in and was able to spend time with my family and friends.

Here is my opinion....I am not a big study nerd and I have been a completely average student my whole life. (I am 34) It scared me to death to take the science classes. I found in the end, I didn't need to be super smart or a brilliant student to do well. I did my research on the professors, talked to them before signing up for their classes, and made sure I understood their teaching style. I went in to the semester wanting to WIN. I knew I had to do well in order to be accepted into clinicals. I can't stress how bad I wanted this. So I studied, stayed focused, and did well....and you can too. :)

I won't know until the beginning of July if I have a spot in the RN Program, but I do know I definitely worked for it!!

Good Luck!

Sand_Dollar, BSN · May 29, 2010

I took both of these classes together, along with general psych, online and during a 10wk summer semester. I got A's in all the classes, but I had absolutely NO life whatsoever. I would be up at 6am and bed at 10pm, with only a few hours out of the day taken for normal day to day stuff (my family really stepped up to the plate for me). I would spend about 20 hours a week just writing up lab reports for AP2.

Since you would be taking them during a normal semester of 15 weeks or so, then it should be no problem at all. Good luck, Micro was my favorite class!

daniedi77 · May 29, 2010

I did both, wasn't that bad. Alot of it goes hand in hand.

Rags2Riches RN · May 30, 2010

I took both together in the same semester, got an A in A&P II and a B in Micro. It wasn't hard for me plus the way it worked out, some of the topics that were discussed in A&P were touched upon in my Micro class and vice versa.

RNCEN · May 30, 2010

I did it, and worked 50 hours/week. Not easy, but certainly possible to earn good grades if you apply yourself and have great time management skills.

CJMR · May 30, 2010

I did it and it worked out just fine for me. I took A&P 2, Microbiology (both with labs, of course), and a Sociology class and got an A, B, and A. I probably would have been able to get straight A's but I broke my arm a week before midterms and I was zonked out on pain meds when I otherwise would have been studying. I quit my job before the semester and I don't have any kids so my life isn't quite as hectic as some of the other students. A woman I talk to in my classes who was also taking A&P 2 & Micro at the same time has 4 kids and a job and somehow managed to get straight A's. I think it's just what kind of student you are and how much reading and studying you can fit in. Personally, I'm a slow reader so 4 kids, a job, and both classes would not have worked for me.