Questions about getting into a nursing program. (Warning this post is long.)

[Zelenn]

Hey guys, long time lurker. My names Bryan and I have a few questions about getting a degree inorder to get into a nursing program. I'm one of those that loves to learn, but hates to go to school.

First, some back story (I warned you). I'm about 23 years old and I love to do two things: Travel, and learn; specifically about science, anatomy, nutrition, and oddly enough philosophy. I've always been the kind of 'kid' that writes essays to argue with friends on the net, solves math problems for 'fun,' thinks chemistry is just 'cool ****' and reads Plato's Republic like its a bed time story.

However, as Mark Twain said, "I've never let schooling interfere with my education." Which is why I don't have a degree and barely have any credits. I've gone to college before and I just can't seem to finish it. I've dropped out mid semester so many times. It's boring. Going to school for a class for a mere 90 minutes a day, 2-3 days a week, and dragging out these simple, mundane classes for 9 weeks is just not necessary. I'm 'that *******' in the front of your math class rolling his eyes cause you don't 'get' quadratic equations.

My obvious ADHD not withstanding, the other barrier I have to getting a degree, is that I just can't sit still. I love, love, love to travel and I mean low budget style. I JUST got done cycling down the Pacific Coast. I started in Yakima WA and bicycled for about 1700 miles down to San Diego CA. I did this on $8-$11 a day. I thoroughly enjoy traveling, and I'm willing to forgoe a few luxuries (like a hotel room, expensive food... etc) to do it. And I read The Tao Te Ching and The Meditations of Marcus Areulius and did math problems in my spare time the whole way down.

(DISCLAIMER!! THE FOLLOWING RANT, DOES NOT REFER TO NURSING EDUCATION. IT REFERS TO ALL THE PREREQUISITE, GENERAL EDUCATION, HIGH SCHOOL PART 2, COURSES THAT YOU TAKE IN YOUR FIRST 2-3 YEARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT NURSING IS A DIFFICULT FIELD OF STUDY THAT REQUIRES MANY YEARS OF MENTORSHIP FROM QUALIFIED PROFFESSIONALS IN THAT FIELD AND PROBABLY ISN'T SOMETHING YOU WANT TO COMPLETE ONLINE.)

I find it so difficult to sit still, with my feet firmly planted on the ground, in an institution and listen to 'some professor' drone on and on and on about things that quite honestly, I usually already know. The things I don't know, I find fascinating, but the excitement is short lived as it won't be long till we 'review' IE repeat what was said last week. I wish there was a self teaching fast track. I'd streamline this whole process, at least the Gen Ed courses. Instead of taking 3-5 classes over 9 weeks, why can't I study on my own, bang out 1 semesters worth of information in a month and just take multiple tests to get college credit?

I've recently been turned on to CLEP exams as a means of getting some 'credit by examination.' My research tells me that most B&M (Brick and Mortar) colleges have a limit as to how many credits can be accepted by 'testing out' and that there is also a minimum amount of credits that must be gained through the institution itself. This kind of irritates me as it seems to confirm what I have long assumed about education: Its a racket. What difference does it make, when I learned it, where I learned it, or how much it cost me to learn it, as long as I know it and can prove it? To steal a line from Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, "Don't be ****** off at me because I can get the same education that you have, for a $1.50 in late fees from my local library."

The cost of an education is so ridiculous that I just want to strangle someone. And its so unneccessary. A CLEP exam is about $77 here in Madisonville KY. If the exams are certified and the institution will accept them 'sort of' why not accept any credits I can bring from accredited sources (Like the exams they already accept) and then charge me some kind of a big ass fee to process them all. I'd play that game. But it doesn't seem like our education system does this. It seems like colleges would like me to outsource my (General/ basic) education to their institution, when I do not want or need their servies. All they need to do is administer the damn test. I'll take the test, pay you a fee. If I pass I get credit, if I don't I take it again after studying.

It doesn't make sense to me and so far my irritaion with conventional education/ financial issues (I.E. I can't afford their bill) has been the biggest barrier to my getting a college degree. Because it costs so much, I can't afford it without working (And I mean working my ass off, when would I have time do the homework or study?). Whereas testing out is an appealing option, because I can sit here at my local library, study, review the terms and main ideas, if get stuck or have a question I can use the internet as a source of information or I can contact a local tutor or professor to get around a few learning snags.

(I'm very much a do it your self kind of guy.) Because the Gen Ed classes are not challenging enough and because they take too damn long to complete cause we move at a snails pace, I get bored. And bored is a kind of mental torture, that I just can't deal with. Some people don't like small spaces, some people can't 'do' blood, others hate spiders. I hate being bored. Its actually painful to me, like a gnawing mental pain, and is the reason why I read, solve puzzles, and write so much.

...Breathe... inhale... exhale... so, thats very much my rant on our education system. I guess, if I had to turn all that into a question, it would have to be: So, is there any way I can get around all that? The Gen Ed I mean. It has been suggested to me that I go through an online school like Excelsior. Thoughts? Do you know any nurses that have 'online degrees?'

Might it be possible to test out of an Associates Degree from Excelsior (for a fraction of the time and cost) and then take that degree to a B&M school; take their of their nursing prereqs and then jump into a nursing program?

Sorry for the long winded post. I LOVE to talk.

[truckinusa, BSN, LPN, RN]

I have a few suggestions. I was around your age when I dropped out of college. I'm back in college for my nursing degree. I have ADHD also. School is just boring to me. I am doing nursing because I am basically grinning and bearing it. I don't like the school part.

1. Summer school is a great way to get credits out of the way quick. If I knew how easy summer school was I would have just done a summer school class here and there. They are four weeks where I live. Got an A in Algebra and American History over the summer.

2. Short Term classes. My college offers 8 week courses. Less time and less frustration.

3. Online classes. Not everything is offered online, but some are and they are much easier.

4. Get A LPN instead? I'm not officially in the RN program, but I have been accepted to LPN school. I hear its more hands on and you teach yourself where I live. They have computers with headphones and you watch lessons on the computer. If you speed thru it you finish quicker. The quickest is supposedly 10 months. They allow you to take your CNA, A&P and Medical Terminology beforehand and jump ahead if you have credit when you start.

The only other thing I can suggest is to just go for it and not think about all the time you have to waste on all these prerequisites. They are boring and useless to me too. I have a English COMP I class and the teacher hasn't graded any assignments. I have an A I'm sure though. Its crap like that, that has me question the point of this stuff.