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Wow, I went away for a few days and came back to this awesome discussion!! So today I decided that I am leaving that well paying corp job and I'm going to take the basic and then the advanced CNA classes at the Red Cross this summer. (the "advanced" one will teach things like venipunture, EKG, basic wound care, etc.) I can't believe I'm actually going to do this, but my husband and I went through a very thorough analysis of our finances and we think we can afford this. Just barely, but I think we can do it. This is a big deal!! I don't have any sadness about leaving the corp job because the environment I'm currently in at work has become very, very negative and unhealthy. It's just seems funny to be intentionally leaving a job that pays more than a rookie nurse makes, so that I can go make $8-$12/ hour as a CNA, and I'm totally fine with that. In fact, I'm super excited!! Hopefully I can work part time as a CNA while I take the rest of my pre-reqs. I'm taking all of them at Wayne State and I'm HOPING and PRYAING to get a 3.5 in them. I've only taken 2 so far, but I got a 4.0 in both. To be fair, they were the easy ones... :) I think I'll focus on Wayne by taking all the pre-reqs there, but I will also focus on becoming a CNA, getting that experience and finding creative ways to assert some leadership in my activities, which will hopefully help with my UofM application. I have a HUGE strike against me going into this because I did HORRIBLY in my original Bachelor's degree. I had serious personal issues and I graduated with a 2.5. UGH. But if I can get almost all A's in my pre-reqs I'm hoping that I can show them that my original Bachelor's from 12 years ago and my academic and personal work NOW represent two very different stages in my life. We'll see. I want this so badly!! Thank you guys for all the advice and support!! e

WayneStateKatie, I can't remember... Are you currently in the ABSN at Wayne?

ejcl68, can i ask, have you been accepted to a program? how exciting!! thank you for all this info. it's SO much to think about, but this is absolutely what i want to do. and WOW, your sister got her CRNA from Wayne? i hear that is incredibly hard. major kudos to her. !!

I REALLY appreciate all the info you provided! Your response had made me feel very motivated. I think I'm going to do the CNA course offered at the Red Cross. There's a "basic" CNA course that 90 hours and then an "Advanced" one that teaches things like EKG, Phlebotomy, etc and that course is another 120 hours. The 2 classes together cost about $2,000 but that doesn't bother me. I'm trying to decide if I should leave my job at a corporation (making pretty good money) and get a CNA job while I take the rest of the pre-reqs. Do you think this would be helpful? I really don't know if UofM or WSU would look favorably upon that or not. Again, THANKS for all this info and for the pep talk. You are awesome!!

I'm wondering if there are any of you out there that have been accepted into UofM or Wayne State's ABSN programs... What are your "stats"? Where did you take your pre-reqs? Did you have all pre-reqs done when you applied? What was your pre-req GPA? Did you have any previous healthcare experience? Was there anything else that you believe helped you get in? I'm still in the pre-req phase but I'm trying to figure out how to increase my chances of getting into either of these programs. THANKS!! e

Hi all, I have to take 8 pre-reqs and I can only do it one at a time. (I work FULL time and have a 3 yr old and a 16 month old.) I have 2 done, 6 more, so far I have a 4.0. But the first two were the "easy" ones (human nutrition and developmental psych.) So anyway, I come here for encouragement because it seems like I'll never get to the end. I need all my pre-reqs done by the time I apply and I'll be doing so in Jan of 2012 for (HOPEFULLY) acceptance in the Fall 2012 ABSN program. Anyone else out there having to take this REALLY slowly? Hopefully I'm not the only one!! e

I've heard that A&P (Bio 2870) at Wayne State is a killer anyway, but has anyone dared to take it during Spring/Summer semester? I would imagine that would make it even harder as it an abbreviated semester. But I'm trying to plan my prerequisite schedule and I may have to do this. Anyone have any experience with this?? Thanks! e

I just have to say, this thread is so inspiring!! I will be 35 on Thursday and I'm in the process of taking pre-reqs to hopefully get into a ABSN program in 2012. My DH is super supportive but the rest of my family thinks I'm "crazy" and "too old" to be back in school. You guys are proof that not only can it be done, but that it is as rewarding as I'm hoping it will be! I'm following my gut because it tells me that becoming a nurse is what's in my heart... and if one more family member tries to give me the speech about how they know SO many people that are trying to become nurses and how I'll never get in because of that, i'm wasting my time, etc. I'm going to SCREAM! I just want to say Hey, leave me alone and let me at least try, you know? Anyway, thank to the person who started this thread. It's a good one!!

Hey there anyone taking prereqs, Regardless of when you're hoping to apply to Nursing school, just wondering how the Fall 09 Semester is going? I'm taking my first 2 of 8 pre-reqs this semester. I have Nutrition and Developmental Psych. I was scared to go back to school ten years after graduating (YES, I'm old I know), but so far so good! I have A's in both classes. I'm terrified of next semester though... Inorganic Chemistry. I'm so scared of that class. Ugh. How is everyone else doing?

hi all, i was hoping to complete all my prereqs so that i could apply for the fall 2011 absn cohort at the universities i'm interested in, (which means having them all completed by september of next year.) but life events have gotten in the way and i can't take more than one prereq at a time. so i'm thinking the best i can do is have enough prereqs done to apply for the fall 2012 cohort. i'm wondering if it's even worth it. this is my dream and i want so badly to accomplish this and become a nurse. but i'm afraid that: #1. the prereq requirements might change since there's so much time between now and when i'd apply #2. the schools i apply to would look at my application as a joke because i can only take one prereq at a time. the thing is, i would love to be able to take 2 or 3 prereqs at once, but i can't do it financially. i managed to take 2 classes this semester, but neither of them have labs so i worked out a funky but acceptable schedule at work. the rest of the classes i need to take have labs, and the chemistry classes have a lecture, a lab and a discussion session. there's no way i can take chem and bio and meet the equivalent of 5 times a week between the two of them and still work full time. so... do you guys think this is a lost cause? right now i have solid a's in both of my classes. but maybe that doesn't matter. ugh. anyone else have to take their prereqs over a long period of time?? thanks for reading.

I have to take it and I HATE HATE HATE algebra. Does this mean I will fail Stats? If I hate and am not very good at alegebra, is it a lost cause? I'd hate to think that this ONE class will stand in my way of applying to the Nursing school I really want to get into, (which unfortunately requires a general STATS class.) But I can't even remember what is involved in statistics. The last time I dealt with it was 10 years ago in undergrad when I was in a PSYCH class. Can anyone elaborate on what to expect?

I need to take statistics and I HATE algebra. Will I fail Statistics? I haven't dealt with Stats in YEARS and I don't remember what is involved. Ugh. Anyone?

It's nice to see other moms with small kids trying to take these classes! So here's my question. I have a 1 year old and a 2.5 year old. I work 4 days a week. I am squeezing 2 classes in between all of this, but they are the "easy" ones, Human Nutrition and Developmental Psych. My question is... Next semester, should I try and take both Basic Chem AND Basic Bio at the same time? Both are the intro classes that I need to get into Biochem and MicroBiology, but I am scared because it's been YEARS since I've taken science courses. Anyone have any opinions on this? If I don't take them simultaneously, it will probably put off applying to get into Nursing school by a whole year. But I don't know if it's smart to try and take both. Any input is appreciated!

I know the semester just started but I'm curious what your impressions are so far. What's been the biggest surprise? What are you enjoying most? and not enjoying? I'm a pre-req-er who is just curious!!

hey, I have a 2.5 year old and a 1 year old. how cool to know that you have young kids and you're still doing it. AWESOME!! i'm taking my prereqs at Wayne State because i read that they give more of priority to people who take prereqs there than those who don't. i don't have a preference, i think i'll be applying at Wayne State, UofM, Eastern and OU. did you take more than one prereq at a time? i'm so torn because i want to get them DONE so i can apply! but i don't want to take on too much. (plus i'm kind of scared of bio and chem because it's been YEARS since i took either.) thanks for the reply!! glad to know that there's another frazzled mom out there trying to make the dream come true!!