Will I be in over my head? Advice please!

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hello Everybody! I have been using this site as a tool for years now, but didn't make my own account until today. I'm 21 years old and living in NYC. I recently applied to SUNY Stony Brook and I'm trying to decide on my future career path. I have a different story than most. I'm just looking for a little insight from people more experienced than myself.

Let me start by telling you a brief story of how I ended up where I am.

I come from a somewhat crazy family. My father was an "evangelist "on Sundays and beat my brothers during the weekdays. My mother was also a religious fanatic with crazy views on the world. After my older brother grew up and left, I was left with my parents. My mother, being the religious person she was decided school was "evil" and pulled me out and moved to Vermont around the age of 10, the only problem was--she didn't teach me. She would tell everyone I was home-schooled but neglect my homework. By the time I was in high school, I was too embarrassed to go to school because I knew I was so far behind. I use to be threatened by the fact that "if people found out I was behind, the state would take me away from my family". I remember telling myself I wouldn't turn out like people predicted. I became straight edge, (No drinking and no drugs) and made a promise I would end up in college to be a nurse no matter what it took. Around the time I should have been a junior in high school, I met a girl who I shared all my problems and secretes with. She started teaching me math and science after school and was thankfully very patient and kind. Without exaggeration, I would start practicing math from 10am to 7pm every day hoping to catch up to my friends in high school. After about 6 months of this my girlfriend started bringing home her math homework to see if I could figure it out, and to my surprise I could with some help. I went to an adult education place in my local town, and started taking classes while taking college level courses at my local community college. Long story short, I ended up with my high school diploma, and I also have about 38 credits from a community college. I moved out of my house as quickly as possible, and I now live in NYC with that same girl from high school. My problem is I never took chemistry or physics in highschool. I am terrified of taking it at college. I have taken statistics and college algebra, and have gotten an A in both classes but feel as though my girlfriend has to spend extra time everyday helping me with my homework in order to understand it. I feel as though I have to work twice as hard to understand math than other people in my classes.

I applied to Stony Brook University recently, I have a 3.9 gpa and I applied undecided because I still have to take a lot of the prereqs for the nursing program. My question is, will I be in over my head? I feel like everyone there has taken 4 years of science and math already, and I was just some kid who was taught by my girlfriend. She says she will teach me chemistry, but I want to be able to fully understand it and be confident in school. I am good with conceptual things. I have taken medical terminology and was at the top of my class. I just feel so nervous and I can't shake it. Should I pick a different major? I see all these kids with years of preparation failing nursing school. I can't help but feel as though I will have an even harder time than them. I want to be a ER nurse, it's something I am very passionate about. I just want to hear from people if I should go to a school known to be very difficult in sciences. Will Stony Brook be that much harder than the classes I took at community college?

I'm sorry for rambling; any kind of response will help...I just feel as though I will be in over my head. I will be living on campus so I will have lots of time to study. I'm proud of how far I've gotten despite my situation--I am just unsure on how to approach all of this.

Again, I am sorry for the unorganized ramble and rabbit trails! Any kind of response will be helpful! I am just looking for honest opinions.

Sounds good and that is super weird about calc. For physics yes , chem no. And I have taken classes a t 9 different places in my time !

I found the calculus thing weird, too. Anyway, I am not taking any math courses this semesters, just some basic pre-req classes that are required for the Nursing program. This summer, however, I am taking chemistry and pre-calc! If you transfer over pre-calc you dont have to take the placement test at Stony Brook. I don't want to have to take a math assessment because I know I will not be placed in calculus, but feel I will do just fine in the course. Since I am transferring over chemistry, I will not have to take calculus as a pre-req. I am thinking of doing this at Nassau Community College over the summer. It will be tough, but I think it will be worth it--plus it will speed up the whole process.

What do you guys think?

I think you are on a great path and have a bright future ! Just remember to stop and smell the roses so you don't get too stressed !

So, I was enrolled in classes, I was going to start on the 26th, but ]unfortunately after a very long process, I will not be able to attend Stony Brook after all due to complications with instate residency and so on.In order to attend, i have to pay 9000 dollars out of my pocket by feb 15. My only other option is a Parent Plus Loan, but my mother has horrible credit and actually is in trouble for not paying her taxes or something.

It is a real heart breaker since I felt extremely ambitious and excited to attend, but nonetheless, I am determined to not let time and circumstances make me lazy. I will make it work some other way, I suppose. Hopefully it is not to late to register for some classes at a community college.

Bleh! what a blow to the head!

Specializes in Certified Med/Surg tele, and other stuff.

I'm sorry :(. What about someone who would be willing to co-sign a loan? I'm happy to hear you aren't going to give up your dream. Some of us don't get a straight shot, but end up veering off the beaten path for a bit before arriving at our destination.

Hey [COLOR=#003366]FutureNurseNYC,

You are very inspirational to me!! My mother was similar in a way, I started my freshman year of high school and then had to drop out. I am now 23 and starting my dreams of college :) I still do not even have my GED! I am brushing up on various subjects before I apply to my local community college next spring. A site I heard about here on AllNurses has helped me immensely! It is called Khan Academy, the have amazing videos, step by step help and they cover everything from pre-algebra to physics. oh and it's free, best part lol. Maybe it could help you some :)

Hey which_path,

I will check out that website. It sounds very useful. You can do it! Have you tried going to an Adult Learning Center instead of getting a GED? In my opinion it seemed easier and there was less testing involved, but it might take a bit longer. That is how I got my diploma. When I started community college, I had the option of taking the refresher classes in Math and English. It doesn't give you college credits or count towards graduation, but it gave me a much better foundation for other classes.

So, I am still fighting to get instate tuition. I have been living in NY for almost two years now, and I have filed independent taxes here, and I also have the w'2s and pay stubs to show that. They are saying anyone under 24 are put under where their parent's reside. The reality, however, is I have been living independently in NY own my own for over a year. I am not under a lease, but I rent out a bedroom from my brother. I also do not have a NY license. It was foolish of me to not change, but I am thinking of doing that Tuesday. I figured showing bank statements, w’2s, and paystubs would suffice.

They mentioned another option if I could not get the instate tuition, it was a Parent Plus loan. My parents have horrible credit and a tax lien so that is not an option. I would ask my Grandfather to cosign but I do not think that is an option. They also mentioned that if you are denied the Parent Plus you are loaned an automatic 4000 to help, but I will still not have enough especially if I have to do that each semester.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? What are my other options besides a student plus? I already have a federal loan and financial aid, but it does not meet my needs. I assumed my needs would be met by loans, because Stony Brook is a relatively cheap school, and I didn’t think a lot of people had huge chucks of cash lying around.

If it doesn’t work, I will do one more semester at a community college, and apply for a lot of scholarships. I am told I will get a lot due to my strong gpa.

Any suggestions or thoughts?

I had to have a meeting and write a letter for financial aid to consider me an independent student. But I had no contact with My family and came from an as abusive home. Can you go to school where your parents are? I assume not. Are you an independent student or is your family supporting you. Ask in what way their decision can be appealed.

Good luck and keep fighting

So, I never go instate tuition, but I did get a private student loan. I started classes yesterday ( Mostly electives and general ed classes) and so far they seem like they are fairly easy-- except one of teachers has an extremely strong Russian accent and I have a hard time making out anything she is she is saying. I am kind of worried I might do bad in that class and recieve a bad grade and not get into the nursing school. Also, I found out today if you do bad in a course, if you retake it, you still have the bad grade in your gpa, so that is kind of scary. haha.

Your story just brought tears to my eyes not because, of the your circumstances but, because mine is so similar. I've overcome a lot of obstacles myself but, each time I've come out on top. I believe you will be fine just take the classes, you have the ability to learn and the determination to make sure that you will learn. You will be fine, I wish you the best.

Specializes in inerested in school nursing, peds, OR.

I commend you for what you achieved! You sound like a hard-working, intellegent person who will one day make a great nurse. I think with your drive, and obvious ability to learn you will be just fine with your science classes. In my opinion, the math classes you have already taken are much harder!! In fact, I barely passed my math classes and made As in my sciences. Congratulations in you accomplishments so far, and good luck with your future. I know you will do great!!

:)

Thanks for the feedback, guys! So far the classes I am taking aren't that bad and I have been getting good grades. My only concern is my one history class. There is only two exams, and the are worth 90% of your grade. I went to TA today, and she asked me so many question on the test I didn't know. It's not even hard material--it's just the fact that the class has 300 students, and there is no structure at all. Last semester the class average was a 72 during midterms. I feel like if I recieve a C in this class I will ruin all chances of getting into the actually nursing program!

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