require to take SAT if you're nontraditional studnet?

RoxyBen · Jul 21, 2004

I am 32 and started my prerequsite for nursing. I am attending a community college. College has been tough. I took the compass to get into college and now they say I got to take the SAT to get into nursing. Do non traditional students required to take the SAT to get their ASN? I don't have college credit and I have been out of school for ten years so why would I need to take the SAT Test. I have a speech impair and it takes me a little longer to learn but I do alright. I feel very stressed out with classes and trying to deal with classes without getting disability. I had to take elementary algebra and I made a 96 in it. I'm starting to feel like I'm wasting my time trying to do nursing because I don't have anyone to help me with my daughter and none of my family cares if I make it through school. Thanks for any help and advice you can give me.

Sorry, but I had to take the SATs. I don't know why you should feel excempt just because you call yourself "non - traditional". Elementary algebra is great for elementary students but you're talking about getting a ADN. Perhaps you need to research more what's required of an RN these days. It certaintly requires more than what's elementary.

ayndim · Jul 21, 2004

I am 32 and started my prerequsite for nursing. I am attending a community college. College has been tough. I took the compass to get into college and now they say I got to take the SAT to get into nursing. Do non traditional students required to take the SAT to get their ASN? I don't have college credit and I have been out of school for ten years so why would I need to take the SAT Test. I have a speech impair and it takes me a little longer to learn but I do alright. I feel very stressed out with classes and trying to deal with classes without getting disability. I had to take elementary algebra and I made a 96 in it. I'm starting to feel like I'm wasting my time trying to do nursing because I don't have anyone to help me with my daughter and none of my family cares if I make it through school. Thanks for any help and advice you can give me.

I don't have to take the SAT (didn't know any cc's required that). We do have to take the NET. Even the university here doesn't require it for non-trads. Not sure if it matters if you have credits or not. The cc does require college algebra. I have some grad math classes under my belt and would be glad to help if you want to stay in touch by email. I would suggest you take college algebra and then attempt the SAT or look into some other cc's. Just take your time and get a good basis in math. And congrats on your 96. I am 33 this year and took the SAT back in 1987 and I don't remember it being so bad and I got an excellent score. But that was a long time ago.

Roxyben, your post came off a little rude. And elementary algebra is not for elementary students. I was advanced and took it in 6th but most people take it in high school, jr high at the earliest. FYI, most schools do not require non trads to take the SAT.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 21, 2004

To the OP - it sounds like you did fine with elementary algebra (I just finished a BSN completion program and only got a C+). Anyone that does well in math is pretty intelligent in my book. As to taking the SAT - well if its required, just go for it. There isn't anything to really study and its just a measure - not a pass or fail thing. It sounds like you have a lot of stress in your life caring for your daughter? One suggestion which worked for several of the single parents in my nursing program was to share child care duties. For instance, one night - one of them would watch all the kids while the others studied and took notes and then they would rotate this. I thought this sounded like a good idea. Please don't give up - you can do it. So much of nursing is what you make of it - please take care and keep plugging along!

azebe00 · Jul 22, 2004

ayndim and traumaRUs thank you for you positive feed back. I'm not complaining just seems weird that I had to take the compass and now got to take the SAT. My college has career programs and transfer programs. We have 13 career programs. I thought I would be able to do any of the Career programs with out taking the SAT. I don't have a problems taking the SAT. It's just hard to take a full load and study for the SAT too.

RoxyBen I know Nursing takes more than elementary classes. DUH. I am just saying that I did great in math to be going back to college after being out of school for ten years. If I needed to take the SAT to do the school's career programs then the school should make everyone take the SAT to get into the school instead of making non traditional students take compass then take SAT. The college's rule is to take compass if you don't pass the math you got to take elementary algebra then take the compass again and pass it. If you don't pass the compass they will kick you out of college and can't go to any public college for three years.

DawnEyes · Jul 22, 2004

When I started taking classes, I wasn't required to take the SAT for my school. I had been out of high school for 5 years at the time. I had to take the college placement exam for math and ended up taking college algebra. In fact, I've never taken the SAT's at all (though I did take the ACT's about 2 years out of high school.). On a side note...a couple of the colleges near where I live have daycare on campus, it may be something to look into at your school.

As for negative feedback...try to ignore it the best you can. You've made a decision to further your education and try a different career...a strong move indeed! Pre-reqs can feel like they're going to take forever, but they will end eventually. Keep your chin up and keep plugging along. Take heart from the people encouraging you here. There are a lot of people here that worked/are working hard to become an RN and understand some of what you're going through. Good luck, I hope it all works out for you!

*Edit*

You mentioned in your first post that you have a speech impairment? Check with a college counselor or someone similar at your school, you may qualify for extended time while taking your SAT's.

Katnip, RN · Jul 22, 2004

I didn't have to take SATs either. SATs are meant for those in high school, and the questions are geared toward what they've learned recently. If you haven't had all those subjects within a reasonable amount of time, it seems ludicrous to have to take it, especially if content has changed over time.

Nursing really doesn't use anything beyond basic algebra and, if you go for your BSN, statistics.

husker-nurse, LPN, LVN · Jul 22, 2004

I didn't have to take SAT's, either, being a non-trad, but did have to take an algebra test, which I failed miserably, and a mathematics test, which I scored through the roof. I graduated and passed my Boards with no problem. Please, please, please, do what your heart tells you to do, and pay no heed to those who may attempt to block your path. Remember that we need good nurses! The best of luck to you, and stay focused on the reward......

LeesieBug · Jul 22, 2004

Sorry you have to take the SATs. At our school, students over 25 do not have to do this. The only requirement is that you have graduated from high school or have a GED, then you are required to take placement tests to determine what you need. I think this is much more practical for students that have been out of school a while. The key is assessing how much they remember and getting them up to speed if they need it, which the placement tests do quite nicely.

I guess the only way you can look at it is that it the first of the many things you are going to have to do (that you may not necessarily LIKE) to achieve your goal. I agree with another poster, if you did well in your algebra class, you more than likely have what it takes to do well in the rest of the classes if you put your mind to it!

Good luck!

Asiancutie · Jul 22, 2004

sorry.. some schools are not resonable at all

RedSox33RN · Jul 22, 2004

I did not have to take the SAT's either, but at the CC I was attending, if anyone was non-traditional AND had "C"'s and above in HS in Algebra and Chemistry, then they did not need to take the SAT's. Luckily, I had squeaked by with C's in both, many moons ago! LOL I did have to take placements tests though, but because I could produce high NLN exam scores, I "tested out" of the Math, English and Reading Comprehension sections. All I had to do was write a 1-page essay for my placement testing at the CC.

At the private college I'm attending in the fall for nursing, I'm still a non-traditional student, but because I'm transferring in so many credits with a high GPA, I don't need to take any additional tests. Also, I think all colleges are required to have assistance and programs for students with disabilities, physical or learning. If your school does not already know about your's, you should let them know.

There are several books available to help you study for the SAT's. They are available at most libraries (which you will become very familiar with, if you aren't already! LOL) so you don't need to purchase them.

And I think it's great you did so well in Algebra. Math is not my strong suit by any means, but the basic level courses give you a wonderful foundation for the more advanced level classes.

Keep up the good work, and don't let anyone, least of all family, deter you from your goals. :)

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jul 22, 2004

When I was in high school, everybody took the SAT. Then, about five years later or so, I attended a community college in another state, and their requirement was for the ACT.

I enrolled without any problem, and nearly completed my whole first semester without anybody noticing that I hadn't taken the ACT. I wasn't trying to get away with anything, I just thought the tests were equivalent!

Of course they aren't.

The advisor actually threatened me: if my score wasn't high enough, I could be expelled! I was making A's! I wasn't all that worried, because I actually like standardized tests. I find them challenging.

When the score came in, it was a 29 or 30 or something (been too long, don't remember). I immediately went to the advisor--if I was going to be expelled, I wanted to know! He said, yeah, it was good enough to get into the school. Later I found out it was pretty good, in the upper 90th percentiles or something.

Anyway, don't worry. If you took one and "passed," you can probably do the other just fine. Remember, these are for high school seniors.

And as for the "negative" feedbacks, all I saw were people who didn't understand that you weren't claiming you didn't have to take it because you were a nontrad student! What I read was, do nontrad students have to take the SAT. So you are a couple of steps ahead of those guys.... you knew what you wrote! :rotfl:

You'll be fine--just do what you need to do, and you'll get where you are supposed to go. It always works out that way, sometimes in spite of our best efforts! :rotfl::rotfl: