Pregnancy and birth

Published

H! I'm a 20 year old about to start my second year of college. My whole life growing up for some reason I just assumed I would be a nurse. Maybe it was my dad rubbing off of me but I always assumed that's what I would do. So I have done a year of pre reps for my local nursing program but the last 6 months I have become discouraged with my choice. I don't really know that nursing would make me the happiest. I have always been extremely fascinated by the process of pregnancy and birth. I've been researching careers that deal with that, and also that don't require years and years of schooling. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE some input. Are there careers in that field that you would suggest? Thanks so much!

That makes zero sense. If a BSN takes four years, why would getting an ASN take longer?

Because I'm at a community college and not a university. Lol

That STILL makes no sense. The requirements for a Bachelor's degree are more lengthy than that of an Associate's degree. So you do the math... "Lol."

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yeah they're telling me that I could do 2 years of pre reqs for JUST an associates. But if I want to bridge to a bachelors degree at the local university after getting my associates at my community college I have to take additional pre reqs that would take another year. Sorry I'm probably misleading in the way I'm explaining it

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Yeah they're telling me that I could do 2 years of pre reqs for JUST an associates. But if I want to bridge to a bachelors degree at the local university after getting my associates at my community college I have to take additional pre reqs that would take another year. Sorry I'm probably misleading in the way I'm explaining it

No, I don't believe that you've understood this correctly. In no way would getting an Associates degree in Nursing take LONGER than just going the straight to BSN route. WHY would anyone do that? Either you haven't understood what you've been told, or the people advising you are not on the ball.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I don't know to be honest the whole process confuses me. I have different information being given to me through different sources. It's frustrating. :/

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Maybe you can ask the transfer counselors what classes you need to transfer to a BSN program. Normally, two years at a CC will give you the 60 units you need to transfer to a BSN program (2 or 3 years of nursing school once your in) . Sure, you can also use the 2 years of prereqs for an associates degree but if you've done the prereqs for he BSN program in that time, you could finish the BSN just as fast.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
No, I don't believe that you've understood this correctly. In no way would getting an Associates degree in Nursing take LONGER than just going the straight to BSN route. WHY would anyone do that? Either you haven't understood what you've been told, or the people advising you are not on the ball.

Agreed. OP, every college should have a printed list of all prerequisites, program courses, and corequisites. Choose your courses based on what will apply toward the program you want (and make sure the exact classes will transfer, if you want to start at cc then transfer to complete your 4-year BSN) The associate's degree is a lower level degree; it cannot require MORE classes than a BSN. And if a cc advisor really is telling you you have to stretch ASN prereqs out over 2 years my guess is they're clueless or shady.

WHY is the cc telling you it will take 2 years? How many credits of prereqs do they require? Are they telling you it would be too hard to take x y or z courses together and you have to spread them out? Are they saying their admissions has a wait list and it will take that long to start?

If you can explain more of the "why" it might help people figure out what's what. Also: have you spoken with anyone in the nursing office or is it a general advisor saying this? If you haven't, go straight to someone in the nursing program. Outsiders aren't always well-informed.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.

I think the community college is wanting you to get a prenursing associates degree which they are telling you will take 3 years and then apply to a BSN program which is two. No, no, no!! I don't know why this degree even exists. It's a money maker for the community colleges. Thank goodness mine did not do that.

I think they are telling you three years because you are maybe missing some math and with the order of the prereqs it may take you an additional semester. If you take classes in the summer, you should be able to get it done in a year. The apply to their nursing program and that sound only take 2 years. You could actually be an RN in 3 years. Then you could bridge and go from ASN-BSN and still be am RN with your BSN is about 4 years.

You need to tell those advisors you don't want a prenursing degree. You either want an ASN from their school or you need to take certain prereqs at their school for a particular BSN program and will all their credits transfer? Then find a BSN program you want to attend, figure out their prereqs and take them. This requires some research on your part. It doesn't fall in your lap.

You do not need a prenursing degree. That's ridiculous. And I'm 99% sure that is what this person is trying to get you to do. I was lacking in my math as well. I sucked at it. I did 2 semesters of remedial math, then took college algebra over the summer to be done so I could start the nursing program that fall. One year later. I just graduated in 3 years this past May.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How many credits are you taking a semester? Which of your prerequisite classes are not going towards your associate's degree? Most of them should apply to both the prerequisites needed for nursing school and the associates.

I went to a community college for my prerequisites and was able to graduate in three semesters and 2 summer semesters with a ASN and my prerequisites done as many of the classes overlapped. Then my BSN nursing school is another four semesters. So in total it will take 3.5 years for me to get my BSN in nursing from start to finish. I have my GED and only finished my sophomore year of high school so it definitely wasn't that I took some specific classes in high school.

If you didn't do any summer semesters it should only take you 4 years. However, that would mean taking 16 to 18 credits per semester on average. I know full time is defined as 13 credit hours in most places, but 13 credit hours will not get you a 2 year degree in 2 years or 4 year degree in 4 years. True full time is 16 to 18 credits per semester.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

You need to tell those advisors you don't want a prenursing degree. You either want an ASN from their school or you need to take certain prereqs at their school for a particular BSN program and will all their credits transfer? Then find a BSN program you want to attend, figure out their prereqs and take them. This requires some research on your part. It doesn't fall in your lap.

I am horrified, but somehow not surprised, that there is such a thing as a "pre-nursing" degree.

Everything NurseGirl said plus, when your'e asking about what credits will transfer, ask the college you want to transfer into, NOT just the community college, especially if the cc is jerking you around about their own programs. Have course numbers in hand. Or, if like in my state there is a partnership between the community college and a university (and a website where you can check courses within the state that transfer universally), there may be document that lists courses that transfer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
How many credits are you taking a semester? Which of your prerequisite classes are not going towards your associate's degree? Most of them should apply to both the prerequisites needed for nursing school and the associates.

^^THIS^^

Pre-reqs could take 10 yrs if you only take 1 class at a time. The assumption is that she is taking 15-18 credits per semester to fit in everyone's expected timeline.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

They gave me a sheet of all the classes that I would have to take to be able to have my pre reqs done then transfer for the nursing program at a university. They're telling me to only do one core science per semester because they're telling me they are extremely difficult. My first semester they must have thought I wasn't a good student (even though I had a 4.0 in highschool) so they recommended I only take 8 units. Last semester I took 13 units. And I'm currently in a summer class. I still have anatomy, micro, and physio to take and they're telling me to only take one of those per semester. I'm taking anatomy next semester. And so I guess if those were the only classes I had left I would be done in two years. However they told me to take additional classes while I wait to see if I get into their nursing program, the additional classes would make me eligible to go to transfer to a university. Does that info sound right to you guys?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
They gave me a sheet of all the classes that I would have to take to be able to have my pre reqs done then transfer for the nursing program at a university. They're telling me to only do one core science per semester because they're telling me they are extremely difficult. My first semester they must have thought I wasn't a good student (even though I had a 4.0 in highschool) so they recommended I only take 8 units. Last semester I took 13 units. And I'm currently in a summer class. I still have anatomy, micro, and physio to take and they're telling me to only take one of those per semester. I'm taking anatomy next semester. And so I guess if those were the only classes I had left I would be done in two years. However they told me to take additional classes while I wait to see if I get into their nursing program, the additional classes would make me eligible to go to transfer to a university. Does that info sound right to you guys?

No, it doesn't sound right. It sounds like the colleges telling you what's in their best interest not yours.

If you want to take the prerequisites for nursing school in two years you will have to take more than one core math or science class per semester. And honestly if you can't pass 2 core classes in the same semester, you're not going to make it in nursing school.

The prerequisites to get into nursing school should be very very similar to the classes required for an Associates in pre-nursing ( which essentially is just an associates of science degree). For my nursing school they differed only by about 6 credit hours.

To get into nursing school you have to take all the nursing prerequisites. You don't have to get an associates degree, at least not at any of the schools around here. However, since they're only 6 credit hours difference or so I thought it would be good to get my associates in pre-nursing so if for any reason I couldn't attend nursing school right away I would at least have a associate of science degree to show for my effort.

To sum it up, to get into a nursing program you need to take the prerequisites. You most likely do not need to also get an associates degree, or take the other prerequisites required to transfer to a university. If you know for sure you want to go to nursing school get their list of classes, take those classes, and apply for nursing school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion