Prereqs at a Community College

If you completed prereqs at a Community College, what was your experience like? Do you think it was beneficial rather than completing them at a University?

I ask because I am thinking about attending a Community College. I was going to attend a University however, there is a $600 per credit hour price differential. I can take the required 3 credit hour course for $219 at a Community College, the same course is well over $800 at the university I am interested in.

What are your thoughts?

Well, I went to a CC that is "tied" to a 4-year university in terms of transferable credits (and students!). I could have taken pre-reqs at the university at a WAY higher price, and had them mean exactly the same as if I'd taken them at the CC.

I took them at the CC. Much less money and the SAME pre-reqs--I was at absolutely no disadvantage in the CC program I continued in, and if I decide to continue for my BSN at the university, all those credits are accepted.

No brainer on this end :)

I agree with he above poster. I am experiencing the same. Everything tied to the ADN degree are completely transferable to the BSN-bridge I am looking to apply.

The only courses I will need to take at a 4-year University are Sociology (I already have it from a previous degree), a Health Ethics course, Statistics (I already have it from a previous degree), and Pathophysiology. The Patho and and Health Ethics I plan to take from the University with the Bridge Program. I am enrolled in one this Semester and will enroll and complete the other one by the end of next Summer.

You are right, they are coslty... I will end up paying about $700 for each course not including the books! However, since I am knocking them out one at a time, I am able to pay cash for them just like I pay cash for the others. If all goes well, I will be able to complete an application for transfer and apply to the bridge program and get accepted on a contingency basis before I finish my ADN.

Talk to a counselor to make sure your courses will transfer and the requirements of your school of choice because schools vary. Besides, counselors are your best source of information.

I have taken all my pre-reqs at the community college too. I started out at a big university with a totally different major and I can say that I actually prefer the CC. The one science class I took at the big univerity had over 100 students in it and labs were not fun to say the least. At the CC the classes are much smaller which is an advantage to me. I feel like I get more 1 on 1 time with the professor. Also I attend the after work classes and most of the students are older and "more serious" (not that younger student's aren't, heck I'm only 22!) But I can tell you there is a difference between classes where the average age is 19 and a class where the average age is mid to upper 20's. (not trying to knock ages or universities here, just giving my personal experience!) Of course at the university I wasn't a nursing major so I didn't have direct experience with nursing pre-reqs, just general biology.

i took some of my pre-reqs at a community college. the reason i didn't take all of them before i transfered was because i COULD NOT get into any of the science classes at the CC. they had wait lists twice as long as the number of the people in the class. i ended up taking all the sciences (except general chem) at the university i am at now.

Also I attend the after work classes and most of the students are older and "more serious" (not that younger student's aren't, heck I'm only 22!) But I can tell you there is a difference between classes where the average age is 19 and a class where the average age is mid to upper 20's.

And imagine a class where the average age is more like 30+ and you'll have my program! :) I'm also not knocking the young 'uns but when you've reached a certain age and yet are in nursing school, chances are good you can multi-task REALLY well: we've had prior jobs and/or careers, know how to juggle work, babysitter, sick baby, cranky preschooler, teacher conference for defiant grade-schooler, household demands, grocery shopping, bill paying and --oh yeah--sometimes a spouse!

I know this is off on a tangent but I saw your post and all this came to mind. Yes, a very different school ethic the more notches you have on your Life Totem :)

I am taking them at a community college. I feel I am getting a very good education and it is sooooo much cheaper. Ours has a BSN program through a University. It may be a bit more expensive, but I still plan to do that.

I took all mine at CC too. I think I've gotten a great education and most of the universities have dual admissions programs with them. You can save huge amounts of money and as long as the credits will transfer they are worth every penny.

I took most of mine at a CC, though nutrition I took at a 4-year. The CC's class schedule worked much better with my work hours. The education was fairly comparable between the two, especially as they were both state schools. My biggest issue with the CC was the facilities. Unfortunately I think they get the short end of the education funding stick in our state (plus the university receives much more in the way of alumni giving, grants, etc.) so there was only one science lab and for micro most of the media we were using had expired. The university facilities were much more modern. But ultimately, if the credits from the CC are easily transferrable and it's cheaper and easier for you to do it there I wouldn't give it a second thought.

Here, the CC and 4-year work closely together to make sure most courses are transferrable. Also, some instructors work at both the CC and university.

I took all my prereqs at the community college and I'm continuing this fall full time in the university's nursing program. I don't regret it!

As long as your nursing school accepts transfer credits from the CC, I'd go with the CC. I did a bachelor's degree at a 4 year university and it was great for the "college experience" and had a lot of resources, but if you're strictly looking to knock out the prereqs it's a no-brainer to do it where it's much cheaper and usually smaller classes. I didn't feel that the quality of my education was compromised by taking classes at CC, in fact it's on the campus of the nursing school I want to attend so they have a good relationship.

The CC was the better choice for me because I am starting back to college after 6 years of stay at home mom/wife duty. I forgot how to interact with people so the small class size was much less intimidating for me. Also, it is much easier here to get to know ALL the people in your classes. That is also a plus for me because I know that I will already know several people in my nursing classes, some of whom I will want to study with and some I will know NOT to study with.

I'm sure there is good and bad for university and CC but small, much less expensive classes are best for me.

natrgrrl