Willow505

I found them to be similar as far as difficulty, but it sounds like different schools to split up A&P 1 and 2 differently. At my school A&P 1 focused on skin, muscles, and nervous (I may be forgetting something). In A&P 2, the focus was cardiac, respiratory, endocrine, GI, and a little one reproductive. I found A&P 2 to be more enjoyable and a lot of the concepts repeated over and over again. Gases will want to go from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Capillary nutrient exchange, gas exchange... many concepts relate to several areas of the body. Things really started to come together in A&P2 and that made it even more exciting to learn. Best of luck!

I’m 37 and currently taking my pre-reqs. My plan is to get my ADN and then do the RN-BSN online. But I have completed my BSN pre-reqs already just to get them out of the way. In my area (NM), ADNs are hired with the contingency of completing their BSN within a certain timeframe (I think 3-5 years).

I am also a career changer with a previous degree. I have found that my local community college offers A&P (and all of my other sciences) online for very reasonable prices. I did have to take a basic biology class with lab (also online ) first. But that class really helped me understand basic biological processes and genetics. It also helped when I took Microbiology.

OP: what did you decide to do?

I will preface this by saying that I am not a math person. Chemistry has more math. Basic bio and micro both have some simple math. For Chemistry, they will likely teach you dimensional analysis to solve the problems. This is a very logical way to learn it in my opinion. You will learn conversions (converting between units), which seems intimidating but honestly is not complex! For biology and micro, you will do some conversions, but mainly any math will have to do with magnification of the microscope and estimating cell size. All of those have simple formulas and my school lets us use calculators for that. You will do great!!

I’m interested to hear what others say! I’ve been working on pre-reqs for a year as a SAHM to 6 kids (2-13). But starting this fall I’ll be working with my husband on a business we are purchasing. I’m signed up for only 4 credits over a 15 week semester: micro lab (only 1 credit, but I’ve heard it’s rough) and a 3 credit developmental psych class. I hope it’s manageable! After that I’ll take A&P 1 alone for Spring semester.

I just wanted to say congrats for getting accepted to both! I’m currently a CNM student aiming at either CNM’s associates program, or the dual degree program. Good luck! I hope you get some great advice here.

I’m just finishing up a 15-week stats class. It isn’t easy, but it also hasn’t been a total nightmare. I would consider taking it in a condensed version if I didn’t have any other class during that time.

I totally get why this feels like a blow! But honestly, I think most of us would have trouble maintaining As in two heavy science classes and working. What’s health class, like nutrition? If so, that is a pretty detailed class as well. I’m almost 20 years older than you and working on my pre-reqs. I had wanted to be a nurse and started out in that direction. But shortly after getting to college, I was so intimidated by the expectations that I took the easy way out. And here I am all this time later still with nursing in my heart. I had to find the courage. It took me a long time! But to me it sounds like you already have that courage to have made it this far. This is just a small setback for you. You can pull yourself up and succeed in this class over the Summer and move on!

I’m taking micro over the Summer! I’m so excited to get into a class. It is totally online though, including the lab. I have seen some quizlets but haven’t actually used them yet. I do love index cards though. I find the act of actually writing the definitions out myself is another step in cementing the information (at least from my basic bio and nutrition classes).

Can you describe what each of those biology classes are? And which of them have labs? I definitely agree with balancing only 1 hard class with 1-2 easier ones. I may have been able to handle another easy class this semester, but I’m glad I just have these 2. Since I have a previous degree, I don’t have many easy classes left. I have a little dilemma in planning my next year too. My school sets up A&P1 to be taken with Patho 1 as pre-reqs. And then A&P2 can be taken with Patho 2 as either pre or co-reqs. I’ve heard horror stories about A&P taking 20 hours a week and Patho itself being a heavy class that requires a lot of time. Some people at my school advocate not taking them together. Or taking A&P1 alone and then A&P2 with Patho 1. I’ve heard other people saying they recommend taking them together because they complement each other and help you prepare for the rigor of nursing school. But I just can’t decide! If anything I have under-estimated my abilities to manage my time and get my school work done. But on the other hand, these last 4 classes will be the most intense of my pre-reqs, so maybe I need to take them slowly.

I don’t have much advice, but just wanted to say good for you for taking this plunge! I am a 37 year old mom of 6 and am a month away from finishing my first year of pre-reqs. I have been doing them very part time, to help maintain a sense of balance for my family. Last Summer I just got my feet wet with some math refresher classes. This past fall I took Chemistry with nutrition (7 credits), which was very doable. This semester I am finishing up intro biology with statistics (also 7 credits). Statistics has been more time consuming than nutrition, but it hasn’t been too bad. I’m planning to take a 3-week developmental psych course in May, and then Microbiology over the Summer. After that I have A&P 1 and 2 and Patho 1 and 2. What courses do you have left?

I would consider taking math first. I took 2 4-week math classes last Summer and they were very difficult for me, but they really set me up to handle Chemistry and now statistics. Those subjects would have been more challenging if I had not taken some basic algebra. Do the science classes listed (anatomy, physiology, and micro) have pre-requisites? At my school we have to take Intro to Chemistry and a basic Biology class before we can take those sciences. I would definitely take an 8 week bio or chem this Summer to get you set up for the other sciences later.

Yay for those first steps! That sounds like an awesome plan! What classes are you taking this semester? I began taking my prenursing courses last May, but and only going part time. This term I am taking biology and statistics ?

I’m not in nursing school yet, but since you tend to be an audio learner, check out the Straight A Nursing Podcast. She has lots of great topics!

This is an inspiring thread. Congratulations on finishing all that and starting your program next month! I just wrapped up my second semester of pre-reqs, taking just a science and an easier class at a time because I have 6 kids. I cannot wait to be nearing the finished line.

Good for you for taking this step! I’m also taking my pre-requisites. It’s exciting making progress every semester.

I don't think it is too late! I am 36 with a previous degree in English and have had nursing on my heart off and on for several years. My husband and I have had 6 kids since I graduated from college and I haven't had any jobs outside the home all this time. Honestly, I haven't even had many hobbies aside from kid-related things since I became a mom. I finally made the decision to just go for it and START this journey, applied to my local CC, took some math classes over the Summer session, and just finished up Chemistry and Nutrition over the fall. It is an amazing feeling to look back and see that I achieved these small goals toward a much bigger goal. It was do-able for me to take 7 credits over this last semester, so that is what I will take next semester too. I am hoping to start nursing school in the Fall of 2022. I'll be 38 and my kids will be ages 4-14. I'm not exactly sure how it'll work, but I am just going to put one foot in front of the other and keep chipping away at this goal. Things will come together somehow. Oh, and just to note my previous degree in English is only helping with 2 of my needed classes for an ADN (English 101 and Psych 101). My previous math could have counted, but I am so glad I retook some math before Chemistry! I found this Youtube channel of a mom who started her BSN journey well into her 30s from the very beginning. She even had to take remedial math and sciences (and re-take some of them), in addition to all the GenEd needed for a BSN. She's just now starting nursing classes. I find her so inspiring. She's also on Instagram. https://www.Youtube.com/channel/UC437qDHaU4Vou53K0s4N0wQ