Pre-reqs change MCC

MsBruiser · Jan 3, 2008

i completely agree with the three who think this new change in pre-reqs and co-reqs is a bad idea. i am dissapointed and strongly feel this is a poor choice for many reasons . i forsee the wait lists flooding over with unprepared students. this will make the existing wait list even longer for those who were basically finished and are much farther ahead with completed classes that are now co-reqs.
unfortunately, i am in the same boat as you cardiopedsnursetobe. i have taken all of my pre-reqs and am taking bio202 this semester. i would have been able to provisionally apply this week, but due to the changes i was able to apply with a boatload of other people today. i dropped off my app at glendale cc early this morning and other people were there doing the same thing. most them were applying based off of the new system and did not have all of the classes under their belts like me and the rest of us who were working off the old system. maybe i'm feeling unfairly annoyed, but their is no denying the amount of frustration i feel when a very large percentage of people are getting what seems like a huge jump start on their application. i am worried about how clogged up the waiting lists will become because of these changes, and feel like those of us with the co-reqs done should be farther along on the list.
many of those people who applied today do not have many of the important classes under their belt. it is my personal opinion that some may find themselves underprepared or will put off taking the co-reqs until it is too late and will become overwhelmed and bomb out. bio205 (among other classes that are now co-reqs) was a challenging class. almost half of those who enrolled with me in bio205 dropped or did not pass. i already feel that mccd's reqs to enter the rn program are lax compared to other programs around the u.s. now they've just made it even easier for people to apply.
an applicant needs to know whether or not they can pass certain classes vital to this profession before putting in an app and getting on a wait list. this just doesn't seem right. what are the stats of those who fail the classes that are have now been made into co-reqs??? i'd like to know, b/c all of those ppl can now be on the same wait list with those who have passed that hurdle. i wonder how mccd came up with this system anyway? it seems like it is going to slow things down, not speed them up. hopefully i am wrong and their is some strategy behind this change that i do not yet understand.
so, i'm feeling a little blue today, especially after seeing the flood of applicants with my own eyes . i just re-read my post. sorry to be such a downer. hopefully this is a good thing. we have a nursing shortage, have tons of ppl already waiting...... i just don't see how this is the solution

in my program, we lost a whole bunch of people who never had to take the cna class. then they found out "nursing was not for them." stupid, stupid move...

MassagetoRN · Jan 3, 2008

I completely agree with you all. However, I think that MCCCD's thinking was that if they lowered the pre-reqs to apply, applicants would have something to do while they waited. And that the sciences and math would be fresher in our minds when we finally do get placed. Under the old system, we basically twiddled our thumbs while we waited out the 3 semester long waitlist because there was only 2 or 3 filler classes to take. I do see that there is room for flim flammers to apply and take up vital spots, but no system is perfect. I definitely understand the frustration, as I am blessed that I applied as provisional this past Oct and will beat the mad rash by the skin of my teeth.

missrisa77 · Jan 3, 2008

I agree and say it is completely stupid to compress the pre-reqs, or put them as co-reqs. Heck, on the first day of block one, we were split up into groups and had to show a complete flow chart for various systems. Mine had the heart, but other groups had sensory impulses, CO2/O2 alveolar gas exchage, among others. This was in October and I finished 202 the December prior, it had been awhile! Now, how can you do that if you are just beginning to take A&P? I have used all of the knowledge from my pre-reqs (and med. term. and food and nutrition - which used to be pre-req's and are not now) and found it helpful. I agree with Stopnik and others. There are enough people who don't have their stuff together and who can't keep up with the pace even in the pre-reqs. I couldn't even imagine taking any other classes in addition to my course load already (yes, it's not rocket science, but still time consuming!) What a moronic idea! Ugh! Be smart and get them out of the way before the program begins!!

Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. :lol2:

Cursed Irishman · Jan 3, 2008

I agree and say it is completely stupid to compress the pre-reqs, or put them as co-reqs. Heck, on the first day of block one, we were split up into groups and had to show a complete flow chart for various systems. Mine had the heart, but other groups had sensory impulses, CO2/O2 alveolar gas exchage, among others. This was in October and I finished 202 the December prior, it had been awhile! Now, how can you do that if you are just beginning to take A&P? I have used all of the knowledge from my pre-reqs (and med. term. and food and nutrition - which used to be pre-req's and are not now) and found it helpful. I agree with Stopnik and others. There are enough people who don't have their stuff together and who can't keep up with the pace even in the pre-reqs. I couldn't even imagine taking any other classes in addition to my course load already (yes, it's not rocket science, but still time consuming!) What a moronic idea! Ugh! Be smart and get them out of the way before the program begins!!
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now.

got anybody in particular in mind? how's your break been?

sassiebaz · Jan 3, 2008

In my opinion, it would have been smarter to eliminate certain pre-req's altogether! I mean, require what is truly vital to being a nurse and weed out what maybe isn't so importatnt or exchange it for a class that is. Im not sure what the goal is here but there is a nursing shortage and there are ways that could possibly solve that without having so many spots taken just to have people drop. It seems like such a waste if a school starts with 30 students, and after 2 years only 12-15 of those students actually graduate....to me it makes sense to make it a little easier without compromising the vital learning process. Or is that possible?

missrisa77 · Jan 3, 2008

got anybody in particular in mind?

Why, yes I do in fact. :) But I'll be a good girl and won't tell. Here's an example from days past. Let's just say I totally agreed with my 205 instructor when she said she wanted to smack most of the people in her class upside the head with a 2x4 because they didn't answer questions, didn't "get it", and just sat like bumps on a log! :)

My break was good. Studied some, went out of town, ate a bunch of junk food. You?

missrisa77 · Jan 3, 2008

In my opinion, it would have been smarter to eliminate certain pre-req's altogether! I mean, require what is truly vital to being a nurse and weed out what maybe isn't so importatnt or exchange it for a class that is. Im not sure what the goal is here but there is a nursing shortage and there are ways that could possibly solve that without having so many spots taken just to have people drop. It seems like such a waste if a school starts with 30 students, and after 2 years only 12-15 of those students actually graduate....to me it makes sense to make it a little easier without compromising the vital learning process. Or is that possible?

What pre-req's do you think should be eliminated? I know I could've done without the pysch (boring), but I've used knowledge from all of them....just curious.

GilbertDaddy · Jan 3, 2008

I agree and say it is completely stupid to compress the pre-reqs, or put them as co-reqs. Heck, on the first day of block one, we were split up into groups and had to show a complete flow chart for various systems. Mine had the heart, but other groups had sensory impulses, CO2/O2 alveolar gas exchage, among others. This was in October and I finished 202 the December prior, it had been awhile! Now, how can you do that if you are just beginning to take A&P? I have used all of the knowledge from my pre-reqs (and med. term. and food and nutrition - which used to be pre-req's and are not now) and found it helpful. I agree with Stopnik and others. There are enough people who don't have their stuff together and who can't keep up with the pace even in the pre-reqs. I couldn't even imagine taking any other classes in addition to my course load already (yes, it's not rocket science, but still time consuming!) What a moronic idea! Ugh! Be smart and get them out of the way before the program begins!!
Okay, I'm off my soapbox now.

On the flipside, for the dedicated students, using that year of waiting in line still gives you more than ample time to finish up co-reqs.

At least it does for me :)

bonitamiaRN · Jan 3, 2008

Then is this why they are very very slow in processing the provisionals from Oct's apps? Or, do they have to place all of the other waitlisted people before they handle the Oct app people? I have all of my pre-req's completed (as of Dec 12) and have had my transcripts sent over and done just about everything....my app just sits out there as provisional status. I am not sure if I should call (not that it would do any good) or give it another week or two. The entire process is a huge mess IMO.

Cursed Irishman · Jan 3, 2008

no prereq's should have been eliminated, if anything they should have added to them...brought back the nurse assisting and patho requirements and added ethics and history of nursing....yes, there might be a perceived shortage of nurses, but had there been more weeding classes, people wouldn't have gotten into the field only to discover they don't like and created this "shortage"....you should start to question a program that has dropped 90% of the prereq's other programs in the country require

GilbertDaddy · Jan 3, 2008

no prereq's should have been eliminated, if anything they should have added to them...brought back the nurse assisting and patho requirements and added ethics and history of nursing....yes, there might be a perceived shortage of nurses, but had there been more weeding classes, people wouldn't have gotten into the field only to discover they don't like and created this "shortage"....you should start to question a program that has dropped 90% of the prereq's other programs in the country require

I think this won't help the influx of unqualified nurses. It does help folks like me who are a little older and have been through school before and are more aware of the demands required.

But I'll be competing with guys and girls right out of high school who will freak out at a 4+ hour nursing science class :nono:

I would like to see what administrative changes caused these changes. If instructors and teachers are short and classes are full, it seems reasonable to assume that there may be more money available by the district now.

I wouldn't mind more pre-reqs if they were required, I just don't want any wait time between the time I finish my pre-reqs and the time I start nursing school. Perhaps a better provisionary application system may be better?

MassagetoRN · Jan 4, 2008

We really shouldn't go down the money road. The recent increase in tution is nothing compared to the salaries required to get and keep these nursing instructors. These are accomplished professionals that can be making $40+ an hour in the field. Its difficult to compete with that salary and benefits. Plus, you really have to enjoy teaching to do it.

Lets think of the math,

$65 a credit hour x 11 credit hours a semester = $715 per student x 30 students = $21,450 per semester - administration fees - instructor salaries, etc.

The district probably isn't making money off this program or not paying their instructors enough, hence the shortage of quality instructors. Just another angle to look at this from.