plasmatix

I sent you a PM with some edits meant to clarify certain statements. They are suggestions, NOT definites. You should use what you feel good about. After all, it's supposed to be your personal statement. Overall, I think it's pretty darn good. Your writing skills are quite a bit above the average seen these days, which will help you enormously, especially if you're trying for a BSN program. Best of luck!

a keen observation and some cautionary advice, wrapped in a lovely quote. alas, it's a message overlooked by increasing numbers of today's "communicators", who seem hell-bent on intentionally limiting their linguistic fluency to twitter-speak. i do appreciate poe, but i didn't think it quite fair that he receive credit for pope's intellectual property.

J-NO, I'm not sure, but I think that you may have missed half of GrnTea's message/suggestion. Did you see the part about checking your lab text for info on focused assessments? I can certainly appreciate that you're being overloaded with schoolwork, and in all likelihood, you're sleep-deprived also. However, I think GrnTea made an excellent suggestion, one that I'll second: get your nursing assessment lab text and/or a good nursing skills book (i.e., Perry). Read up on abdominal assessment, and integrate it with text info on pre-operative assessment (don't forget GrnTea's advice on reviewing cholecystectomy). This may seem like an unrealistic and demanding way to deal with your assignment, but if you're at the end of your LPN program, your base of nursing knowledge is well-developed. You should be able to skim the reading, and isolate what you need from each source fairly quickly. Good luck to you! p.s. I think it's Alexander Pope's sentiments that are being served up with GrnTea's nursing advice (very appropriately, IMHO).

Weezy, IMHO it won't be a waste of time. However, aside from my opinion, there's the question of whether you plan to attend a BSN program, either for your first nursing degree, or an RN-to-BSN in the future. Keep in mind that many BSN programs require one or two general chem courses (w/labs). These schools typically require the chem credits for all their BSN programs. Over the years, I've worked with many ADN-nurses who hadn't taken chemistry since it was not a pre-req for their ADN nursing program. When they finally decided to go for their BSN, they were shocked to discover that they had to take college chemistry courses before they could apply to the RN-to-BSN program of their choice. Some were really struggling with the difficulty of the class material, and with juggling the demands of the class, their full-time nursing jobs, and their families. Many expressed regret that they hadn't taken chem when they had taken their original nursing prereqs, but they hadn't had any idea that they would ever need the credits. Since you have the time now, I'd go ahead and take the class. Just make sure that the specific class you are taking is transferable to the BSN programs in your area.

33762fl, i'm old enough to have witnessed the feminist movement of the 60s-70s, and can fully recall just how limited the options were for women in the pursuit of an education and a career prior to that. i want to haul off and slug those of my generation who have spent their adult lives dissing feminists, yet have had no compunction about taking advantage of the accomplishments of feminism, or encouraging their daughters, nieces, or grandchildren to do so. the notions that a girl shouldn't go to college, or that being an engineer or a surgeon or a welder are male-exclusive career choices, or that women can only apply for jobs in the "female help wanted" list are virtually extinct; in fact, many people under the age of 35 don't believe they ever existed (if you don't believe me, sit down and watch "mad men" with your favorite twenty-something). as far back as i can remember, i was fully aware of my femininity, but at no time did i believe that it meant that (1) i was weaker or less intelligent than a man, (2) that it made me a second-class citizen and legal target for abuse, and (3) that a decision not to bear children would permanently and irreversibly eradicate my femininity. in fact, i wanted children, and have several, all grown now. my once pert parts are now soft and saggy, and collagen creams, ibuprofen, and loreal "preference" crowd my medicine chest. but my husband still thinks i'm one hot, sexy mama.....primarily because i know i'm one hot, sexy mama! and i can guarantee that my abundant femininity has nothing to do with my history of pregnancy and childbirth. i'm so tired of seeing people who have children, not to love, but to please their in-laws, compete with their friends, or just show the child off as another acquisition. look around at the parents who don't recognize that children require attention, even simple, basic human touch in the form of cuddling. i've seen mothers who look at their 3-month-old babies as though they are alien beings, and carry them like sacks of flour; they appear concerned only with finding ways to distract them and shut them up. and the truly sad results of this can be seen in the "acting out" of increasing numbers of toddlers, young children, and teenagers. so, 33762fl, you go, girl! i can't tell you how much i respect you for deciding not to have children in the face of the unbelievable amount of societal pressure that still exists to do so. you are every bit a woman, and a most unselfish one at that. but you already knew that.

Fabulous post! I very much appreciate the considerable amount of thought and time that I know you put into it. Unfortunately, the people we need to heed this are the very ones whose heads it will fly over. They may read it, but they're so into their perception of what a nurse is that they'll unconsciously reject anything that doesn't align with the image. The sentiments in this post need to be crafted into a checklist form that all aspiring nursing students have to read and sign off on. Nursing programs used to conduct interviews of applicants, or at the least, require essays from them about the reasons they wanted to go to nursing school. Admissions committees could get an idea of whether a hopeful student's expectations were within shouting distance of reality. But even essays are a thing of the past, with more and more programs moving to rolling admissions, in which academic qualifications, emotional maturity, and classwork ethic take a back seat to the speed with which a student can submit his/her application. It's a great post!! Many thanks for sharing it with us.

John F. Kennedy, Jr. did not fail the NYS bar exam ten times. He didn't even fail the bar "something like" ten times. He did, however, take the bar exam 4 times in a 15-month period. He graduated from New York University School of Law in 1989, and took - and failed - the bar exam twice. There was a fail rate of 30% in both testing cohorts. In the summer of 1990, he passed the Connecticut bar exam, and in November of that year, passed the exam for New York. I don't have an opinion, one way or the other, about JFK, Jr's intellect, knowledge of the law, or ability to pass standardized tests. But perhaps, prior to posting statements of this nature, they can be checked for something that remotely approaches accuracy? http://abovethelaw.com/2007/07/the-bar-exam-a-list-of-famous-failures/#more-5350

Call my ex. I can't take credit for laughs that his "assets" get me. Although I wish that I was still in a position to take his assets.

Not me. I've heard a LOT of those in my time. At least 70 or 80 from my ex-husband, alone. I like the idea that I've been able to add to his repertoire.

My understanding is that National Geographic is neck-in-neck with Vogue for a Valentine's Day pictorial, Paco. Subjects of the article are holding out for the cover. Personally, I don't understand why you're interested in a story about my ex-husband.

Altra, I agree totally with your sentiments, and I'm very happy to see that people are noticing this trend. However, it's getting increasingly difficult to identify "legitimate" journalism. Almost every mainstream media source (newspaper, magazine, TV news, etc.) has moved into "blog journalism" (a term that, I believe, defines "oxymoron" better than any other). All of them are either hiring bloggers to "write" regular columns, or else they've enlisted journalism hopefuls to contribute (for no recompense, or very little) to their news blogs. The result is that you'll see articles that you think are legitimate news, that are anything but. Case in point: came upon an article on the website of "The Atlantic" (a well-respected magazine) that had been written by one of these "journalists", in which she discussed the "wealth gap" between Baby Boomers and younger Americans. It was in early November, and there was a lot of coverage on the topic because the Pew Foundation had just released an extensive study on generational discrepancy in economic status. A sharp-eyed reader (not me) had taken exception with the author's claim that the #1 source of income stream for "Boomers" was Social Security, saying that, chronologically, this was impossible. The author, apparently not believing an error was possible, stated that she had taken it directly from the Pew study. She provided a link to the report itself, and a portion of text from where she had gotten her inarguable journalistic "facts": "Meantime, older adults continue to have the advantage of inflation-indexed Social Security as the anchor of their annual income streams. Today, as in 1984, on average Social Security accounts for 55% of the annual income of households headed by adults ages 65 and older." My own examination of the actual Pew Foundation study showed that the author had taken journalistic license to replace every mention of "older Americans" with the term "Baby Boomers". In fact, there was not a single reference to "Baby Boomers" in the study, and "older Americans" referred to anyone over the age of 65. The earliest boomers, btw, turned 65 in 2010, and the data in the Pew study was collected in 2009. I don't even want to get started on how she interpreted the study itself. However, had I been a jobless twenty-something with $100K in student debt, that article in "The Atlantic" would have inflamed me to the point of contemplating irrational acts against anyone over the age of 45. And that's only one of millions of "news stories" being published under the banners of very well-respected publications that, in reality, are merely personal opinion disguised in news format. The author of the article I mentioned has a regular (albeit small) following that perceives her as a legit financial journalist. None of these publications feels in need of having any of these articles put through the typical fact-checking and editing process; perhaps they feel, because the authors aren't on the payroll, or because they're "bloggers", that they don't have an obligation to provide that type of screening. However, since the publishers do not make a clear distinction between what is generated by their own journalists, and what is contributed by "unofficial" reporters, most people reading some of the more skillfully-written contributions believe that they represent legitimate news stories. However, in the case of the "article" cited by the OP: that is definitely something on a nonsponsored content site, and very clear that it's not a genuine news article. But it warms my almost nonexistent heart that the author stands to make a serious piece of change from it - it should get tons of hits now that it's been posted on the AllNurses site.

Sarah, I think you have a great start on being a fine nurse. I'm not referring to your grades, but to your ability to think ahead and to use your time effectively. That's a quality that is much more rare than you would expect. It's a smart move to take these additional courses now while you have some "down" time. Even if you enter an ADN program, if you continue your nursing career for a few years after graduation, you're going to want to get your BSN and/or Masters. Unfortunately, some people choose an ADN program because they don't want to do additional prereqs that are required for the BSN program, and they figure that once they are licensed and working for a couple years, they'll do an online RN-to-BSN bridge. What they don't realize (very often because their ADN school tries to keep it under wraps) is that they'll still have to do those same prereqs they evaded a few years before. And it can be so much harder to get through OChem when you're doing it with a brain that's 6 or 7 years older, and a couple of toddlers that weren't in the picture the first time around, and you're pulling tons of (involuntary) overtime at work. If you've got the time and the money right now, get those courses out of the way.......because the requirement for them isn't going to go away. You and Nicole both have the right idea: when students are registering for classes in their current school, they need to check with the programs they plan on attending one day - each and every program - because they may enroll in a course that doesn't teach an adequate level of material, or that may not transfer into the degree program they'll want 1 or 2 or 5 years down the road. Even though the basic course of study is the same, they can have small differences that can end up costing a lot in time and money later on. A couple phone calls or emails will cost far less. When you finally start your nursing program, you'll be glad you kept busy with additional classes, too....that extra learning will help you deal with those challenging nursing courses. As for whether to repeat some of your 'B' courses, I say don't bother, unless you honestly feel like you didn't learn it at a level you'll need. A program isn't going to turn you down for those few Bs you have (if they do, trust me, it's a GOOD thing). And a competitive, high-quality program will understand exactly why you took that course again and won't find it a particularly admirable trait. Don't get me wrong: when you dropped the course in which you were getting a C, so that you could begin another with a fresh start, THAT was a smart move. If you have that option, I believe you should definitely do that instead of hanging in, hoping that things will get better, until one day you wake up with a permanent D or F on your record. You're doing a great job, and you're being very astute in your approach to this. I know that time seems to be dragging for you, but you'll be be prepping for your NCLEX before you know it. Best of luck!

Your refs sound good; I'd choose a professor from your current school, over the family friend. FMU will be interested in things about you that aren't always easy to tell from GPA alone, such as your attitude in the classroom, your consistency in submitting high-quality schoolwork, whether you have genuine curiosity, and a desire to learn and open your mind to new ideas. If you've had an instructor that you believe recognizes those things in you, I'd ask him/her to write a letter. Make sure if there are FMU university guidelines to follow and/or forms to complete, that you provide them to the letter writers in a timely fashion, so that they have plenty of time to complete them. I also suggest that, if you have to write an essay, you mention why you chose to pursue a BSN instead of an ADN. Don't say it's because you'll make more money, or believe that hospitals are all moving in that direction, even if that's true. Find things that clearly set FMU apart from other programs: if a school believes that a student recognizes special qualities in the school that they've worked hard at maintaining, they'll want that student on campus. But don't try to "wing it", or bluff your way through. In addition, about 18 mos. ago, FMU appointed a dynamic and very bright individual, Dr. Ruth Wittmann-Price, to direct their nursing program. You will really benefit from attending a small program that's directed by a nurse with a wide range of professional and academic experience; you'll have an opportunity to find out how wide-ranging the nursing profession can be, and the diversity of directions in which your career can lead. If I were you, I'd make the effort to read up on her, and on the results of her work over the years. Best of luck!

I can't say that this is the case with your friends, but I hear about an awful lot of students who have near-perfect GPAs, 'A's in all sciences, in the 99th percentile on the TEAS....and they're turned down. keepmovinglpn is right: often there's more to that story. But another reason may be that everyone's credentials may not be as stellar as they are claiming. There seems to be a growing phenomenon: "Don't like your reality? No problem. Create an alternate one." I'm not saying that your friends aren't truthful. But I am saying that you should use caution in using other people's experiences as a frame of reference, especially in allowing them to plant and nourish seeds of doubt in your head. Look back on your performance in each of those classes? Did you work as hard as you could in them, and put the amount of study in that your instructor recommended? If so, then I don't think you need to take it again. However, if you slacked off a lot, and barely studied because you found the class material incredibly boring and irrelevant....well, I'll let you answer that one. What you may want to work on during this time is the essay that will accompany your applications (if the programs to which you are applying require them). There are hopeful applicants who submit applications with 4.0 GPAs, stratospheric TEAS scores, and impressive resumes that list countless volunteer gigs..... and essays that reveal their inability to spell, punctuate, tell the truth, or form cogent thoughts. If you have to write an essay, just be yourself. Be honest about why you've decided to pursue an education and career in nursing. Make sure that you have a very clear and accurate understanding of what it is that most nurses do on a regular basis: many nursing students don't, an inconvenient truth that tend to emerge during their first clinical. Also, do some research on what sets each of the schools to which you are applying apart from the others: it will demonstrate to the admissions committee that you don't consider them as just another school on the list, another opportunity to get credentials. BTW, keep in mind that many schools (especially some the the community college ADN programs) are moving to rolling admissions, where applicants are admitted on a first come, first served basis. As long as an applicant meets the admissions requirements (often, a 2.0-level GPA, min. TEAS score of 65, no essay), they're on the list, and will get a seat in the program ahead of students who have worked hard for near-perfect scores. So make sure that you know how your chosen school processes applications. Best of luck to you. Get your confidence level up, and keep it there. You'll need it when you start your nursing classes.

I can't make it quite that easy, but I can make it a little less labor-intensive. Go to the website of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing; The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education is their accreditation arm. http://www.aacn.nche.edu/ccne-accreditation/accredited-programs Click on Baccalaureate and Graduate Nursing Programs. You can then use the pull-down lists to designate a state and program-focused search. It doesn't distinguish between type of BSN programs, but every institution listed has a web link. Click on it to go directly to the nursing schools, and find out there. Best of luck! You do have a difficult decision to make, and I don't envy you.

I may be missing something, but I didn't see SCIT 1407 (Applied Human Anatomy & Physiology I) as being a pre-req for Intro/General Biology. It's listed, along with BIOL 1406 (Introductory Biology for Science Majors I), as a pre-req for Anatomy & Physiology I/II (BIOL 2401/ 2402), and also for Microbiology I & II (BIOL 2420/2421). The gen bio course (BIOL 1406) is also a pre-req for Genetics (BIOL 2416); SCIT 1407 is not. Essentially, GenBio teaches basic biological science concepts that are the foundation of courses in A & P, Microbiology, and Genetics, and, as doomsayer pointed out, it's an invaluable perspective. I think that SCIT 1407 is labeled as an A&P course, but probably is a more of a intro college biology course with an A&P overview. BTW, a student doesn't have to take both SCIT 1407 and BIOL 1406 in order to register for these 2400-level sciences; students choose one OR the other. However, SCIT courses are WECM-designated (i.e., "workforce ed" courses); they transfer for credit within the state community college system, but may not qualify for transfer to 4-year state or private colleges/universities. While not an issue for a nursing student in an AAS-degree program, it may result in extra expense and coursework later on if the student decides to apply to an RN-to-BSN program/other advanced nursing course (particularly if it's in another state).

Anyone that's been in nursing/patient care for a few years has seen everything, ribeye, and you'll have to try a lot harder for laughs. On the serious side, have you talked to a physician about this? Sometimes it's symptomatic of underlying compulsive behavior disorders, even a very minor manifestation. There have been so many advances in treating some of these over the years, and you might have some success in reducing the frequency/intensity of your symptoms, or eliminating them altogether. At the least, some light might be shed on what's making you do this. I strongly advise that you do this, even if the symptoms aren't that bothersome to you. There's a possibility that it could present a barrier to future employment. If the problem is as severe as you describe and there are always open wounds on your hands, and intermittent episodes of bleeding, hospitals may consider you a risk for both spreading and contracting blood-borne pathogens among their patient population, and patients may resist your assignment as their nurse. If it bothers you enough to ask about it here, get it checked out. Best of luck in your career change and your studies.

Ha! I just saw the candy strippers thing, too, and wondered if it was one of the things that qualifies a facility as one of those much-touted "Centers of Excellence"! Wouldn't put any gimmick past the hospital admin bean counters these days. Even candy strippers.

There's one problem with your post, MFRN. It's your inclusion of the last word, "right" and the question mark. Stop worrying about what OTHER people think of your accomplishments. I'm no spring chicken, and I can tell you that, without question, you will always be your own toughest judge. So much so that you don't have room for any other "judges" in your life. So, absolutely: To hell with them!! Oh, and one more thing. The next time one of these idiots says, "You're still in school and don't have a degree yet?", you stop dead in your tracks, look him/her right in the eye, and then, very seriously, reply, "You've completed all that schooling (pause).....and you still don't have a clue yet." Shake your head sadly, and walk away. With your head held high!

Apparently I have offended some of the more delicate sensibilities here in the section for student- & school-related posts. I am a bit more accustomed to the rough-and-tumble atmosphere of "general discussion" posting area; however, it was not my intention to hurt or discourage the OP. But post-secondary education requires serious academic and financial preparation and planning, especially on your third-go-around, and what I found in the OP's post was more akin to "I'm hoping...". But permit me to address the issues some of you have raised: "However, it's not like it matters, the amount of loans you take out. It's not like it's free money that your taking....every cent is paid back, plus a great amount of interest in the end. I don't get the big deal?" Well, yeah, it DOES matter, and it IS a big deal. Every cent DOES NOT get paid back, not by a long shot. Read the info I've included on some of the massive costs being incurred in the name of "education" these days. "Pay back what you can afford monthly, $500 is substantial. It's not like you're trying to pay the complete bare minimum. That's why loans have a great amount of repayment time...people can't usually shell out $1,000+ a month on it..." Twisted logic aside, when one enters into a formal agreement to borrow money, for ANY purpose, he/she is OBLIGATED to pay that money back as stated in the contract. The borrower cannot arbitrarily choose to make payments in smaller amounts than that for which the contract calls. The time to decide that you can't afford $1000 a month on payments is BEFORE you agree to the terms and sign the contract. That being said, the OP has stated that she pays $500/mo for her $40,000 school loan, and I have no reason to believe that she is not telling the truth. "There are options out there and who cares about this tax payer mumbo jumbo....." Just a guess on my part, but I'm thinking perhaps someone who actually PAYS taxes might have a little more skin in the game. "I don't understand how the OP is not being responsible? He/she is paying their debt and plans to continue paying it." Except during the time she's back in school for yet another degree, while incurring another $50K in taxpayer-sponsored debt. "I don't see why people consider loans "free money". Nothing is free, You have to pay it back with interest" That, too, was always my understanding. However, the rapidly rising student loan default rates seem to indicate that others don't share our interpretation. "I think the majority of people (unless their parents pay for it or they are very well off) used some type of student loan to pay for college. Not everyone can afford it." Obvious point. My only question is why did you feel compelled to make it? " kindergarten-worthy rant" and "mish-mash of numbers that appear to have come from an Excel toilet-paper spreadsheet" Actually, all things considered, I think I demonstrated great restraint.....Okay, I'll agree with your assessment, as long as you'll promise me that you'll use the phrase, "---jeez somebody is having a bad day. totally unnecessary and plain mean", to respond to the first attending that bawls you out during clinicals. "People shoudn't be allowed to write stuff like this when people ask for advice." Seriously, pay attention to the rest of the post; perhaps you'll see that I gave some very good advice. "If you want to be a nurse, go for it." I don't have an issue with the OP becoming a nurse. I have a problem with her continuing to collect degree after degree on the taxpayer's dime, at the same time she is talking about how she needs reduced payment arrangements. "People can be so harsh and criticizing." Being realistic, and asking tough questions should not be equated with being harsh and critical. If you honestly believe this to be true, you could be facing a very difficult adjustment when you enter nursing. I'm sorry if some were offended by what they saw as my insensitivity. However, none of you had the maturity to address me directly, nor did you come armed with any documentation or information with which you could justify your "issues". Post-secondary education in this country is a privilege, not a right. Today's students are fortunate to have financing sources available to help them bankroll the significant expenses associated with college. However, it is not a bottomless well, and students should not treat it as such. Pursuing post-secondary education requires preparation, it requires advance planning, and I see nothing improper or insensitive in pointing this out. Some facts about government-sponsored (and, yes, TAYPAYER-funded) student grants and loans: In 2000-01, academic year, total undergrad enrollment was 19 million; ten years later, it had increased by 37%, to 26 million undergrads. In 2000-01, academic year, Pell Grants were awarded to 20% of all undergraduate students (3.8 million awards). Ten years later (2010-11), 35% of all undergrads were receiving Pell Grants (9.1 million awards). The limit of the Pell award has been increased to $5550. High undergrad enrollment does not translate into a degreed population. For instance, by 2009, only 15% of all undergraduate students who had entered postsecondary institutions in academic year 2003-2004, had completed an accredited 4-year degree program. Federal student aid for the academic year 2003-2004 alone totaled just under $88 billion. By 2009, it had risen to $117 billion. In 2009-10, the 12% of FTE students enrolled in for-profit institutions (like the University of Phoenix and DeVry) received 26% of the government-sponsored Stafford Loans, compared to 9% for the public two-year (community) colleges that enroll 27% of all FTE students. The last figures available (2009) for college loan show that defaults have risen to almost 9%. For-profit colleges have nearly half of all student loan defaults, despite only enrolling 10% of the nations college students. For those who insist that loans are "paid back 100%", keep in mind that those same funds that are "invested" in students (many of whom who are on their 3rd or 4th degree, or even worse, never manage to complete their degree programs) could be placed in investment vehicles that would pay 2 to 3 times the interest paid by student borrowers. Also remember that, for many borrowers, interest on these loans is tax-deductible, offsetting the costs for borrowers while resulting in a substantial loss of tax revenue by the U.S. Treasury ($14.7 billion in 2009). Don't get me wrong: I am ALL for education (and I mean education in the form of actual acquisition of knowledge, not simply another piece of paper), and we need to raise the quality and accessibility of education at all levels in the United States to ensure a productive and a secure existence in the future. But students who continue to borrow dangerously high amounts to finance degree after degree are unwittingly putting themselves and others in a hazardous position. The lender structure for student loans changed significantly in the mid-aughts, and students no longer have many of the consumer protections that existed prior to the privatization of many of the lending mechanisms. Private lenders are now free to raise your rates and principal to astronomical amounts that couldn't be retired in a 200-year lifetime. They can, and are, utilizing measures that can endanger a delinquent student's professional and personal reputation, and ability to earn a living, purchase a car and home, and raise a family. Moreover, students need to accept responsibility for their own obligations, and their own lives. Yes, I'm a member of the "Baby Boom" generation, and, no, I didn't cause your problems or those at the root of the current economic crisis. I know that many young adults are angry because they can't get jobs; however, the truth of the matter is that, in my lifetime, it's NEVER been easy to get a good job right out of college. So you may have to take a job at Starbucks, or Walmart, or even end up detasseling corn in Iowa in the summer while you're looking for a better job. And while there is nothing wrong with following your dreams, there is a major problem with expecting other people to foot the bill while you test-drive several versions. And that includes expecting taxpayers to finance degree after degree after degree, in the absence of any return on their investment.

From where is the requirement being issued? Is it (1) a prerequisite for taking OTHER prerequisites, such as Anatomy & Physiology, or Microbiology? Or is it (2) an academic requirement of the nursing program you hope to attend? If it's #1, I'd check with the dept. chair and/or advisor to see if you can get a waiver. If you had an overall high GPA during your prior undergrad experience, and you got an A in the class, they may let you slide. It's worth asking - it might even pay off! If it's #2, and you're not absolutely sure from the description on their website, contact the nursing program's admission coordinator for guidance. List your choices along with their course descriptions (as listed in the catalog), and ask the coordinator which Biology course will fulfill the nursing program's requirement. You can phone them, but I strongly recommend that you send an email to which they can respond in writing. Then you have documentation if there's a screwup later (I've seen many students have to delay their nursing program start date because they took the "wrong" course). Good luck!!

Gardenfan, the "difficulty" of the sociology course isn't the only thing you should consider here. You also need to consider that You're going back to school (to college this time) for the first time in many years. This will take some adjustment. I don't know if English is your native language, but you say that you have a serious problem ("my english writing is very bad") that could make the learning experience more challenging. You're taking three other courses BESIDES Sociology. The courses are very different from each other, which can create confusion for some students who have been away from school for a long time. In addition, the Biology will probably move along at a faster pace, and include more complex class material than you've experienced before. (by the way, if this a General Biology course?) You are taking these courses so that you can eventually gain admission into a nursing program. To be able to compete with the hundreds of other applicants, you will have to earn good grades (especially if you are trying for a BSN nursing program). It's a lot better to take 2 or 3 courses and get As & Bs, than to take 4 courses and get Cs & Ds, or even Fs You don't just want to "get through" these classes, you want to really understand the material. You will need the information that you are taught in General Biology to be able to understand what they are trying to teach you in Anatomy, Physiology, and Microbiology, and also in your nursing courses.So considering that this is your first time at college, and also your first time back to a classroom, I'd delay taking Sociology for another term, or two. If you take the English, Math, and Biology, that will be plenty to get you started, and give you a challenge while taking care of a pre-schooler. A word of advice: have the college counselor set you up with a course of prerequisite studies based on the nursing program you want to apply to, and then have that curriculum checked by a counselor in the nursing program also. Do this at the start of each term, and for any change you make with any course. It can be very easy to either miss taking a prerequisite course, or to take the wrong one (wasting a lot of time and money for you). Communication is very important. If you're confused, ask questions! If you fall behind, get help. Don't wait until you're too deep in trouble, either with "juggling" your class demands, or with understanding the material. Most schools will have people on staff who can help you not only with academic issues, but also with organizing yourself. Take advantage of it. Congratulations on taking this important first step into your future. Best wishes for your success!

I don't think your mental health status is a factor in this equation. Nor is your "dream to be a nurse", although I confess to wondering what you were "following" while accumulating $40,000 in student loan debt for bachelor's and master's degrees unrelated to nursing. Re: your last paragraph, NO, you DON'T have a plan. A "plan" should be based on facts and on sound information; it should include costs, both existing and projected, that are based on accurate calculations; and present a thorough examination of all contingencies. What you've presented here is evidence of a total lack of concern over the responsibility for your existing substantial debt, while figuring out how you can hit the American taxpayers up for another fifty- or sixty-grand. You mentioned that you've read "all the posts here about ADN vs BSN", but it's readily apparent you've skipped over all of them that deal with the NONEXISTENT "critical shortage of nurses". I don't know how old you are, but your post appears to have been written by a twenty-year-old who's lived a sheltered and indulged existence. You start out with a kindergarten-worthy rant about the application process for the FREE money you "need" to follow your dream, and then follow that up with a mish-mash of numbers that appear to have come from an Excel toilet-paper spreadsheet, along with a lot of wishful thinking. Your statement, "Sure you accrue more interest with this plan but I don't really care about length of time to pay it off as long as I have a low payment each month, I'm fine with it" sums it up nicely. Personal responsibility is SOOOOO overrated. If you've just woken up, and it really IS your dream to be a nurse, here's what you need to do before you make any more attempts to pickpocket the American taxpayers: Find out everything about your existing debt: principal, interest rate (current & any projected adjustments), payment adjustment date and amount, amount of additional interest that's accrued due to reduced pmt amts. Find out where jobs exist for new grad nurses, and what they are actually paid - after-tax, take-home amount. Take a sample of thirty metropolitan areas across the country, since you will probably have to relocate by the time you graduate. Then calculate what your payments will be on that $90K+ and all that accrued interest will be, WITHOUT any magic government programs. Even if they're available at that time, reduced pmts are typically limited to 2 or 3 years....and the interest clock continues to run on overtime during that period. Chances are very strong that your loan payment could suck up 2/3 of your take-home pay (or even more). Forget the HRSA Program. If you aren't capable of reading it properly, applying for it will prove even more challenging. I'm sorry if I appear to be harsh and uncaring. Perhaps it comes from my inability these days to escape the barrage of news stories and videos of young able adults angry about the enormous amounts of student debt they are carrying. So take it as a sign of my caring when I advise you, strongly, not to take out additional debt to attend nursing school. You can always satisfy your need to help people by volunteering at a community hospital, or a local LTC facility, and learn an awful lot in the process.

IVanillax, happyloser is right: the two-year Associates Degree is a myth. While it is true that the registered nursing programs that offer an ADN are typically 4 semesters (2 academic years), you are expected to have anywhere between 25 to 30 college credits, at least half of which are in basic sciences, PRIOR to entering that 2-year program. Also keep in mind that (1) You may have to take 2 or 3 classes, or more, to enable you to enroll in the nursing pre-reqs. For instance, General Biology is not typically listed on nursing pre-reqs, however many schools require that you have credits in Gen Bio before you are permitted to enroll in Anatomy/Physiology and/or Microbiology; some require Chemistry also. (2) It's not just the number of credits, but the difficulty of the courses you have to consider. Many students, determined to cut down on their time in school, overload themselves with classes, and are forced to drop them when they realize that they can't keep up with the demands of Micro or Chem. This not only costs them more in time, but also in wasted tuition money. (3) You also have to consider grades. There are more and more people competing for an inadequate amount of nursing program seats, and schools can afford to be picky. They use grades as a way to predict whether a student is prepared to handle the rigors of nursing school. And, to be honest, a student who starts his/her nursing career by being content with a C average probably should switch to a career path in which they won't have responsibility for human lives. With this in mind, if you're reasonably bright with above-average reading and comprehension skills, didn't have problems with Algebra I & II, Biology, and Chemistry in high school, and, most important, are willing to make the necessary commitment to classwork/studying, you can get through the prereqs for many ADN programs in 12 months. It will help if you have some college credits already (English comp, Intro Psych). However, if you need to work more than 20 hrs/wk and/or you have very young children, it may significantly impact your ability to focus on more than 2 or 3 classes a semester. It's a very individual thing, however, no matter what your ability/achievement level, don't make the mistake of thinking that this will be an easy process. Don't automatically discard the idea of a BSN program due to time constraints. Many students do because BSN programs are known as "4-year degrees", and the "two-year ADN" sounds more appealing. The truth is that the nursing programs for the ADN and the BSN are BOTH 2 years in length. The BSN requires more prerequisites (approx. 45 to 50), but if you have some pre-existing college credits, they may apply toward that total. The other thing to consider is that you will almost certainly want to go back for that BSN one day (many employers have made it a requirement), and it's very likely that you will have to make up those pre-reqs you missed before you are accepted into an RN-to-BSN program. I include this only for information purposes, not to pressure you; you are the only one who can decide what type of program will work best at this point in your life. You need to research each of the schools you are thinking of attending, both online and via personal visits. Realize that you may attend one school for pre-reqs, and another for nursing, and MAKE SURE that you know which prereqs are required for which program, and whether your credits will transfer. Because of competition, you need to keep your options open as to where you'll go to nursing school, but this means that you may be keeping track of requirements for 3 or 4 schools. In addition, even if you plan on attending nursing school where you are getting your prereqs, be aware that you have to maintain communications with both the college itself and with the nursing program; do not take it for granted that they are aware of, or familiar with, the requirements of the other. I cannot stress the importance of COMMUNICATION enough: I've known many students who had to spend money they didn't have to re-take the "approved" class, or who missed being able to accept a seat in a program because they didn't have the proper credits. You CAN do this, but you have to be (A) extremely well-organized and focused; (B) expecting and willing to work harder than you ever have before for the next 3 to 4 years in school, and then as a working nurse; and © firmly committed to being a member of the nursing profession, while being sure that you know exactly what that means. I wish you the best.

I concur with your assessment, but will further opine that Donster is awesome-er for having actually read (and comprehended) the Terms of Service. By the way, Donster, thanks for posting that information. I like to think that improvement in the area of post literacy will follow, but my age and firmly-rooted cynicism short-circuit any thoughts of an optimistic nature.