Question regarding expiration of credits (career changer)

caliotter3 · Jul 28, 2019

General ed, such as freshman English last forever. It is science courses that expire. Each school has its own criteria. Some are seven years, five years, I have also seen three years and ten years mentioned. Different courses, but generally, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, perhaps psychology, math. Go to the nursing program link on the websites of each school that interests you and you will be able to see what the different criteria are. Make appointments to talk to the nursing advisor at each program to get your specific questions answered after you have explored the program site information.

amoLucia · Jul 28, 2019

OP - there's only one thing worse than NOT fulfilling your desire to change careers because you fear outdated science credits.

You wait a year or more and then you realize your outdated credits are now even MORE OUTDATED (than when you posted this July 2019)!

PP caliotter offers good advice. Check out programs and then talk with their admission advisors/recruiters. Every program is different.

Oldmahubbard · Jul 28, 2019

Your science credits will be too old. In any case, don't expect to get a huge amount of credit for your previous degree. That was my experience.

When I went back for a second degree in nursing, I was surprised I had to take Freshman English at the community college. I had tested out of it at my previous private university via my SAT score. They figured, you get a 700 on the English, you didn't need it.

I enjoyed the English class, and it was an easy A.

Rionoir, ADN, RN · Jul 28, 2019

See what you can test out of with CLEP too if you need to. I was able to skip English comp and some other general classes.

Misteighbloo, BSN, RN · Jul 30, 2019

I am about to finish up an ABSN program and I started 20 years after graduating college the first time. I had to retake or take for the first time only the 6 required prerequisite courses for my school - every school I applied to required 5-7 specific courses be taken within five (sometimes ten) years but the rest are fine and don’t “expire.” These courses are generally anatomy and physiology 1&2, microbiology, statistics, psychology, and sometimes nutrition or chemistry but can vary slightly from school to school. Good luck!!

Oldmahubbard · Jul 30, 2019

The distance BSN I attended ( this was before online) had a minimum number of "credits you must take with us".

Check out different programs.

Tacocat, ASN, RN · Jul 31, 2019

I got a bachelors in 2010 and then went back to school a few years ago. My A&P 1+2 and microbiology did expire (7 years) but as an ADN student I was able to take them over the course of a couple semesters, including the summer.

For my program, psychology didn't expire, and neither did chemistry.

Figure out the application requirements for the program you're interested in. Mine required A&P1 completed at the time of application, with A&P 2 completed by the second semester of the nursing program, and micro by the third -- you might be able to stagger the courses a little so you finish A&P the semester before you apply, and then take the others.

Hopefulnurse1823 · Aug 2, 2019

Thanks everyone for the responses. I have found a school which accepts the gen Ed’s but not sciences. So it looks like I might have to retake a couple of classes. But because the program runs throughout the year, I’m only spending a semester getting my stuff together.

Wish me luck. ? Thanks once again.