hmowry

I am on the alternate list - #5. Sooooo 5 people need to decline!

Thanks! My husband thinks I'm crazy to worry. But, of course I'm terrified. SCF gives NO information on how many people they take and what their standards are. Good luck to you!

Oh, and I'm totally with you on wishing I knew what this was going to involve. No one seems able to explain what nursing school really involves. Even my friend who is in her last 13 weeks. She just keeps saying "critical thinking" and "studying." It must be the most mysterious program on Earth!

I haven't been able to go to any of the info sessions. I work during those hours and my boss has no idea I'm hoping to quit soon to go to school. :) How disappointing that you had to turn it down last year! I'm hoping for Venice. I just wish I had any idea where I might stand. My GPA is around 3.9 (although SCF Connect seems to be broken, so I can't remember for sure), my TEAS scores were: Reading - 85.7, Math - 97.6, English - 100, and I still need to take Microbiology, Psychology, and Human Development. Would you mind telling me what you think, considering you got in last year? (I'm not asking you to share your info, just maybe if, based on your numbers, you think I might have a chance.) I'm in my late 30s, so I really want to get started with my new career sooner rather than later. I'm biting my nails waiting for the email!

Do you know for sure you're starting in the spring? I applied and I'm waiting for the October 23 email. Do you know something I don't? I'm dying with this wait! :)

I know this thread is a year old, but can anyone tell me what the application entails? It's not up until September 1st and I'm curious if I will need a letter of recommendation or to write a personal essay or anything. Thanks!

I've been in that man's position and a nurse was my angel. She is the reason I am becoming a nurse now. You changed that man's life. Bless you.

I'm with you. The sheer amount of vocabulary is daunting. I just keep hoping if I focus on the big picture, the little pieces will make more sense. :)

Yes! There's only one nursing school in my area and it's supposed to be very competitive. I've read that if you don't have all A's in your prereqs you can't get in. Most of the people in my class seem to be thrilled if they're earning B's, but I'm desperate to get an A and it almost seems impossible! Thank you all for your comments. I know nursing school will be hard, but I'm praying that once I'm in I can concentrate on actual learning, not just making perfect grades (which I know isn't even possible).

Thank you! I just needed to hear I'm not crazy!

Please tell me I'm not the only one who is completely overwhelmed by neural tissue. I'm doing really well in A&P, but suddenly I'm so stressed out I can't take it. We just finished muscle tissue and are starting neural tissue (and learning all the muscles in lab at the same time). Is it normal for me to be this stressed out? I work full time and am married with two small children. And I worry, if it's this hard now, what will nursing school be like (of course, I'll be a full time student then)? I'm exhausted and I just need someone to tell me it's normal!

Oh, the muscles. We just started on that last week. I'm not so scared of memorizing them (I did fine memorizing the bones and bone markings), but the physiology. OMG. Just looking at my book right now is giving me a headache. I'm so glad there are other people at the same place as me. My husband is awesome about supporting me, but he has NO CLUE. He keeps comparing everything to law school. I know that was hard, and I would probably fail it, but this is hard too!!! Thanks for the venting opportunity! Good luck everyone!

@temmymano - I'm working my butt off in A&P I and I find it fascinating. It's SO hard, but so far I have an A. Is A&P II more on the physiology side? We just started muscles, and it's so much harder than what we've done so far! My undergrad GPA is good, but not perfect, and I'm working full time while I do these pre-reqs, so I'm completely stressing about the grades. I hope you're right about it not being as competitive as before! Did you guys do all of your GenEds before applying, as well? I want to apply this spring, but I'll only have the pre-reqs done, not the gen-eds, and I heard having them done really helps your chances. Good luck to you all!

We just started in on the skeletal systems, with a practical next week, and will start muscles right after that. For the skull bones I was able to find an awesome little skull model (even my professor was impressed by the detail), which was SO helpful. Has anyone ever found a skeletal/muscle model that was affordable and decent? Thanks! In case anyone is looking for a skull, here is the link. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C6NTMSA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can't apply until next spring (for Fall of 15) but I keep searching these boards hoping for an idea of what type of GPA I have to have to get in! I'm in A&P I right now and with working full time and a family I feel like I"m going crazy trying to make the A it seems like I HAVE to have in this class. Anyway, good luck!! I'm hoping to hear that lots of people got accepted for spring!

These are all good ideas. I used to run, but I've injured my back, so I'm having to back off of that (which, as any runner will tell you, is NOT easy to do!!). But I found a flashcard app that will do a "slideshow" with sound, so I think I might be able to do some low-impact cardio machine while I listen to that. I didn't know you retained info better while you're in motion! Yay!

I'm working full time, have 2 small children and a husband who is very supportive, but can't do everything himself, and am currently taking A&P 1 and will be adding a Psych class to that next month. So how am I supposed to fit some gym time in? So far I've just let it slide, but I'm not a very happy or healthy person without at least a few hours a week at the gym. I feel like my classes may be suffering because I can't concentrate as well when I'm not working out. I'm spending every, single free second studying (including time I'm supposed to be working - shhh). Has anyone found a way to combine working out with study? There's just not enough hours in the day for all of this!

Wow - thanks everyone! My daughter thinks it's way cool that we both start new schools on the same day!

I'm starting my A&P class next Monday and haven't been in school for (ahem) a number of years. I'm taking my Kindergartner back to school shopping this weekend and I realized I probably need a few things for myself! Anyone have any "can't live without" supplies for class? Yeah, I know I need a pen and some paper, but anything else that wound up being super helpful? Colored pencils for A&P? Digital recorder? etc? TIA!

Sounds like I got my answer! Thanks everyone!

I've seen a million rent vs. buy threads on this website, but they all seem to be about actual nursing texts. What about the pre-reqs? Specifically A&P. I'll be starting that one in the fall and I'd love to rent, but I'm worried I'll want my book later on (like A&P II!) and it would be easier to be able to make notes in the actual book. Anyone have any thoughts?

I'm actually using the Carnegie Mellon one. I messed up my original post. It's at https://oli.cmu.edu/ just search biology here's the link to the MIT open learning, which also looks good MIT OpenCourseWare | Free Online Course Materials after that you can just search "biology"

I just wanted to put out there that I have been using the MIT OLI Bio 101 course online to brush up on my biology before I start in on A&P this fall. It's free and it's been very helpful. My last biology class was about 8 years ago and it was never my favorite subject, so I struggled. This course, combined with some excellent Youtube videos (tyler dewitt, craig savage, & thepenguin prof, so far), has really gotten me back on the right track. It is missing some information (no mention of hydrolysis or condensation, which would have been helpful!), but the Youtube videos fill that in well. Anyway, I thought it might be helpful for someone else, so I wanted to put it out here! I'm feeling a little more prepared for A&P now (a *little*). :)

congratulations! I'll be applying there next year. :)

Good luck, everyone! I'm pulling for all of you! This will be me next spring so I'm feeling nervous for you guys!!