You are only taking one class.... It's no wonder you are getting an A!

[luvmy3kids]

Ugg.... let me start out by saying this is by no means a slam at those of you taking more than one class..... I'm just venting here....

I am in Anatomy. Yes... it is my ONLY class. But.... I have 3 children, who I take to pre-school, dance, basketball, baby class, and art class. (not to mention things like the zoo, children's museum, etc).... I also volunteer at our hospital and teach Sunday school at church, and my husband travels 80% of the week for his job.... (and these are just "planned" activites... not including Dr. appts, things like that)

And I'm working my butt off in Anatomy. I've studied harder for this class than I did for any of my courses when I received my BS degree.... And even though I'm only taking one class.... I'm getting an A because I'm working hard for it....

I had a girl who is taking 2 courses tell me that she's getting a C/D because she is taking 2 classes at the same time. Ummmm hello.... don't most full time students take 16 credits at a time as it is??? If everyone who was taking a full course load were to get C's and D's.... imagine what the school would be going through???!!!???

Anyway... I just wanted to get that out.... I don't have any "extra" time in my week to study any harder than someone taking more than one class. I just plan and organize my time so that I can fit it in. Granted there are many times when I'm up at 1am having to study.... but I'm doing it! And it's not because it's my only class!

Ok, I feel better now! Thanks for letting me rant!!!!

[AZmom]

I always try and assume the best intentions in people. You took the statement to mean she was belittling your efforts when she just as easily could have been meaning "hey, I wish I had the option of only one class at a time; I could get an A too."

"But she could take only one class.....or study harder......or blah blah blah." Who cares? We're not all on a level playing field, we don't all have equal options. Also, just because someone makes a statement of jealousy, or complaint, or whatever doesn't mean they are some horrible person who's making bad choices and/or is trying to blame other people. Sometimes a vent is just a vent.

We all do the best we can in life given what we have to deal with. At least that's how I like to think. :)

[lisabeth]

She is probably one of the angry bitter ninnys who would rather look down on younger people who are living at home, doing things the way she wishes she had done them, but didnt. She probably didnt go to college when she was younger, or didnt finish and just has a bad outlook on life. I wouldnt talk to her either. Life can be as good or as bad as you choose to make it. People need to grow up and do the best they can with whatever circumstances they have made for themselves. Noone else is to blame.

At my CC once you hit the science classes they ARE one class at a time. First you have to take inorganic chem, then you can take o-chem, then you can take A&P 1, then you can take A&P 2 and micro (together if you so choose). But you can't take A&P until you have both chem's done and you can't take micro until you have both chem's and 5 credits of a biological science.

I have finished all of my humanities/math prereqs so after I finished inorganic chem (I took my last math class when I was in inorganic chem) I was down to one class at a time. Not b/c I wanted to get an A (I do want an A) but b/c the science classes were all that I needed and that is the way my CC set them up. I was not going to waste my time and money taking classes that I did not need just to look tough and say "oh I am sooo cool taking 20 credits everyone look at me, if your only taking one class you suck".

The majority of the people at my CC are older with kids and they work full time. They are only taking one to two classes a quarter. I harbor no ill feelings for them. I am just happy that they have decided to go back to school so that they can persue their dreams and hopefully make a better life for themselves and their families. Of course I make good grades so I am not looking for someone to blame for my poor performance academically.

However on the flip side, in one class, on the first day, there was a woman who sat next to me. We were chit chatting and she said (out of the blue mind you) "I hate those B*%#$@$ who live at home with mommy and daddy and have them pay for everything! They don't have to work just go to school make good grades and they are the ones who get in!" I was flabbergasted and never talked to her again. So I guess it goes both ways. Say la vie (sp). All you can do is worry about you. Keep your nose to the grind stone and put one foot in front of the other and you will get there!!!! Good luck in A&P!

[catzy5]

Well, this may be a politically unpopular statement, but it doesn't really matter why people are taking only one class, and I'm not saying you don't have to study to get an A, you do, no question on that.

However, any way you slice it, it is easier to get a higher grade the fewer classes you take. You don't have demands of other professors interfering with your study time.

I started at a college this fall taking 16 hours and withdrew, that was 5 classes, because in 4 of them, I had tests EVERY SINGLE DAY and all were reading intensive. I absolutely could not manage that and I thought it was ridiculous. There isn't enough hours in the day to do all of that! It's not like I could do a little in each class and then spend 2 to 3 days focusing on one class for a large exam and then set that class aside of a couple of days to catch the other classes up. Nope, it was reading for retention and you only got one shot at the tests and we didn't go over the material until AFTER the test....yup, most ridiculous thing I ever saw in my college career and that is why I'm changing schools...the other one doesn't do crazy stuff like that.

So heck yeah it's easier to take one class at a time. People can get mad if they want, but it's the truth.

its just simply a matter of biting off more then you can chew anyway you look at it. Some classes are harder then others and you have to take less work load with them some classes you can belt out 3 or 4 at a time. It all depends on whats going on personally and academically

[I RN A]

This is not to scare you, but just keep in mind, that any of your prereqs classes can not compare to the NS classes. Nursing program is a fixed program and you can't choose to take only one class. Depending on your school it can be as many as 7 to 15 units at one time. What are you going to do if you have this big of a load? And the classes are completely different. The anatomy will seem like an easy course in comparison to the nursing courses. While I was taking my prereqs, I had A's, but in a NS its different. No matter how hard you try you get either A-, B+ or B's. In my fundamentals class there is not one person who had an A.

[lisabeth]

Those nursing classes do make me nervous, and I know it will be MUCH harder than the pre-req's, but the tradeoff there is that the grades must be maintained at a C rather than an A. I know that wont be any easy task either, and I will never stop trying for A's. Right now, my focus is getting in. I know at that point, I will be concerned about staying in. I have read and heard so many stories that I kind of know what to expect, but when I first started, I had no idea. After that, I have just thought, pace yourself for the gpa.

Thanks for the warning.

This is not to scare you, but just keep in mind, that any of your prereqs classes can not compare to the NS classes. Nursing program is a fixed program and you can't choose to take only one class. Depending on your school it can be as many as 7 to 15 units at one time. What are you going to do if you have this big of a load? And the classes are completely different. The anatomy will seem like an easy course in comparison to the nursing courses. While I was taking my prereqs, I had A's, but in a NS its different. No matter how hard you try you get either A-, B+ or B's. In my fundamentals class there is not one person who had an A.

[catzy5]

This is not to scare you, but just keep in mind, that any of your prereqs classes can not compare to the NS classes. Nursing program is a fixed program and you can't choose to take only one class. Depending on your school it can be as many as 7 to 15 units at one time. What are you going to do if you have this big of a load? And the classes are completely different. The anatomy will seem like an easy course in comparison to the nursing courses. While I was taking my prereqs, I had A's, but in a NS its different. No matter how hard you try you get either A-, B+ or B's. In my fundamentals class there is not one person who had an A.

I think most of us are aware that nursing school is full time, but our circumstances are such that we are pecking away getting the best grades we can until we get in. I know in my case its taken me several years to get this far, I don't have a hope of getting in until 2008, so my family is not going to suffer until then so I take my time. Also its important atleast in my school to get the best grades possible, once in you can maintain a certain average, there is no doubt nursing school is going to be hard work but I don't have to have perfect scores either like I do now. By the time I get into nursing school my life I hope will be in a little more order my kids are growing and becoming more independent so I can spend more time at my studies and take on a bigger load.

Next semester will certainly give me a taste of it with micro and ap 102 thankfully I have some time off after so I don't get burned out.

[BSNtobe2009]

This is not to scare you, but just keep in mind, that any of your prereqs classes can not compare to the NS classes. Nursing program is a fixed program and you can't choose to take only one class. Depending on your school it can be as many as 7 to 15 units at one time. What are you going to do if you have this big of a load? And the classes are completely different. The anatomy will seem like an easy course in comparison to the nursing courses. While I was taking my prereqs, I had A's, but in a NS its different. No matter how hard you try you get either A-, B+ or B's. In my fundamentals class there is not one person who had an A.

I totally agree, and I also think that is a huge reason for the dropout rate in nursing school, especially among those that have never attended college-level courses and being enrolled on a full time basis.

[BSNtobe2009]

its just simply a matter of biting off more then you can chew anyway you look at it. Some classes are harder then others and you have to take less work load with them some classes you can belt out 3 or 4 at a time. It all depends on whats going on personally and academically

They were all 100 and 200 level courses, but it was the way they were structured. I took the schedule to the department head and asked and he said it was a normal load.

There shouldn't have been anything hard about these classes, they were only to bridge the gap between the BS that I already had and the Gen Ed requirements for the BSN program. I can't take 4 tests every day, and I'm sure not going to take 2 classes at a time for 4 years for prior to starting nursing school...there are too many other programs out there for students to choose from. I had always taken close to 18 hours before, and never had a problem.

I just don't think classes should be tested for before the material is reviewed. It would be different if we were tested daily to see if the assignment had been read, but no, we were tested for understanding and application...if I wanted to take distance learning and teach myself I would...if I am paying tuition to a school, I am paying a professor to teach...not to just print out the syllabus that he has been using for the last 5 years and expect us to figure it out. That's just pure laziness, and only in the college system can these people actually maintain employment.

The BSN program at this college was brand new and they are losing students in droves b/c of the way the program is structured, there are 5 other students that I met there that are re-enrolling at the college that I am going to be attending in the Spring, where they have a well-established nursing program.

[BSNtobe2009]

I think most of us are aware that nursing school is full time, but our circumstances are such that we are pecking away getting the best grades we can until we get in. I know in my case its taken me several years to get this far, I don't have a hope of getting in until 2008, so my family is not going to suffer until then so I take my time. Also its important atleast in my school to get the best grades possible, once in you can maintain a certain average, there is no doubt nursing school is going to be hard work but I don't have to have perfect scores either like I do now. By the time I get into nursing school my life I hope will be in a little more order my kids are growing and becoming more independent so I can spend more time at my studies and take on a bigger load.

Next semester will certainly give me a taste of it with micro and ap 102 thankfully I have some time off after so I don't get burned out.

Nicoleg is very, very correct. If you have never attended college on a full-time basis, you are in for a major shock as far as workload.

[stpauligirl]

I think most of us are aware that nursing school is full time, but our circumstances are such that we are pecking away getting the best grades we can until we get in. I know in my case its taken me several years to get this far, I don't have a hope of getting in until 2008, so my family is not going to suffer until then so I take my time. Also its important atleast in my school to get the best grades possible, once in you can maintain a certain average, there is no doubt nursing school is going to be hard work but I don't have to have perfect scores either like I do now. By the time I get into nursing school my life I hope will be in a little more order my kids are growing and becoming more independent so I can spend more time at my studies and take on a bigger load.

Next semester will certainly give me a taste of it with micro and ap 102 thankfully I have some time off after so I don't get burned out.

ditto

I so much hope that my son will be LESS of a baby in a year or two when I get into nursing school.....

[catzy5]

Nicoleg is very, very correct. If you have never attended college on a full-time basis, you are in for a major shock as far as workload.

Well I have done both, I attended college full time when I was a single younger girl. And now I attend part time as a mom to 3, I can tell you hands down attending full time and working full time as a younger person was way easier and less stressful them pecking away at it with 3 kids, my job never ends and having to squeeze in study time and class time amongst 3 kids and giving them 100% attention when needed is a very hard thing to juggle.

I am not worried about nursing school though I have been very flexible, infact my only worry is child care when the time comes nursing school at my school anyway has odd hours.

[smk1, LPN]

Well, this may be a politically unpopular statement, but it doesn't really matter why people are taking only one class, and I'm not saying you don't have to study to get an A, you do, no question on that.

However, any way you slice it, it is easier to get a higher grade the fewer classes you take. You don't have demands of other professors interfering with your study time.

I started at a college this fall taking 16 hours and withdrew, that was 5 classes, because in 4 of them, I had tests EVERY SINGLE DAY and all were reading intensive. I absolutely could not manage that and I thought it was ridiculous. There isn't enough hours in the day to do all of that! It's not like I could do a little in each class and then spend 2 to 3 days focusing on one class for a large exam and then set that class aside of a couple of days to catch the other classes up. Nope, it was reading for retention and you only got one shot at the tests and we didn't go over the material until AFTER the test....yup, most ridiculous thing I ever saw in my college career and that is why I'm changing schools...the other one doesn't do crazy stuff like that.

So heck yeah it's easier to take one class at a time. People can get mad if they want, but it's the truth.

Nobody is denying that it is usually easier to devote more time to a class if you only take one. THis is however, a choice we can all make. THe ones that choose to take more classes and get lower grades in them have no real reason to get mad at the people getting high grades by taking one class at a time. They could have been one of those people. They chose to try and get done faster by taking more classes at a time. It is all a choice. -----Signed SMK who took a full load each year and did what was required to get the "A's" anyway, and is now in the program, closing in on the halfway mark. As I said, all about choice.