Rio Salado's Pre-reqs for Pre-reqs!

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Hi everyone! I just wanted to mention my frustration and disappointment in trying to register at Rio Salado.

I sent in a copy of my transcript that indicated I'd completed the pre-req's for Intro Chem and Microbiology. And to my surprise, shock, or rather HORROR I received an email from one of their advisor's telling me that my pre-req for the Microbiology was no good! It seems there is a secret requirement that the pre-req's for the biology courses must have been completed within the last 8 years!:down:

And geesh, it sure was nice of that advisor to point out how many years it's been since I took the intro bio course!:devil: Like I can't count, hmmf! I took the intro class 15yrs ago but the transcript also shows the two A&P classes I took this year and got high marks in.:yeah:

I have a bachelor's degree and have taken quite a few other upper level Bio courses (about 10yrs ago) for that degree but didn't bother sending a transcript from that school.

What UPSETS me about this 8 year rule is that I can't find mention of it anywhere on the Rio Salado site! Not in the biology course descriptions, not in the college catalog, no where! Maybe I'm so fricken old and just don't see it? ANYONE know? Is the 8 year rule supposed to be like common knowledge and they don't see a need to list it? I know a lot of nursing schools, for example, require that A&P be completed within 5yrs and pharmacy schools too have req on science courses BUT it's always clearly stated.

I emailed the advisor telling him that I'd like to contact the head of the department so I can make a petition, get a waiver, or whatever and register for the course. I cannot imagine having to go through an intro level course when I already know the basics. Having to endure more meiosis, mitosis, krebs cycle, etc... will make me super crazy, koo koo!

I was hoping to take U.S. History, Statistics, Microbiology, and Chemistry online at the same school. But it looks like that's not gonna happen.

Rio Salado has an impressive looking website but so far that's about it! Trying to talk to a knowledgeable person through their phone system is next to impossible and that email I got just burns me up!:banghead: Maybe I should take all this as a sign...and take my classes elsewhere.

So...can anyone recommend an online college that doesn't give you a hassle about the pre-reqs for courses? I'm checking out ccconline now and they state that each of their many colleges have their own rules on the pre-reqs.???????

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Specializes in Telemetry and Psych.

Hi there,

I can understand your frustration. I applied for classes at Rio Salado earlier this year. I ended up routing through the phone system like you did and just let them know to forget it.

I had my transcripts sent there and to another community college here in arizona. I wanted to do the online thing because of work but Rio Salado kept saying to me that I didn't have the "basics" to get into the classes I only needed.

I met with an advisor at the other college and got the classes immediately with them. (This was actually through the nursing advisor!) So, I actually don't have anything good to say about Rio, plus they still owe me $50!! lol...which I have been battling for since January! UGH!!

I saw others on allnurses talk about CCConline but i'm not familiar with them. Since you have a bachelor's degree have you tried looking into BS to BSN degrees?

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Hi allieinez!

Thanks for the response. I've actually been looking into the BSN programs and such. But I still need some science pre-reqs before I'd be eligible.

I've been reading a lot of the comments about Rio Salado here on the forums. And I'm now thinking it's just not worth it! I never actually registered, an advisor registered me for the chem class only! As soon as I found about about this I immediately logged in and dropped the class. However I noticed that I have a $50.00 payment due!:confused: I'm thinking that might be for the lab kit. I hope they haven't already sent it to me. Guess I can just refuse delivery.

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Specializes in Telemetry and Psych.

The $50 is for the kit. i would call them when you get the chance to let them know that you have dropped the class and do not need the kit and to reverse the charge.

They are so horrible about reversing the charge..lol. I hope it does work out for you. Good luck.

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the $50 is for the kit. i would call them when you get the chance to let them know that you have dropped the class and do not need the kit and to reverse the charge.

they are so horrible about reversing the charge..lol. i hope it does work out for you. good luck.

check the fine print! when i took bio156 a kit came with it and i could only receive a refund for the kit within the first 2 weeks of the start of the class if i decided to drop the class.

good luck.

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From what I have found out, it sounds like all the MCC schools have a 5 year limit on pre-reqs (they didnt tell me anything about 8 years???). Most of them will allow you to sign a waiver if you took the class more than 5 years ago and do not want to re-take it for a pre-req, but Rio Salado will not. On the bright side, you can take a CLEP test for the subject, which is only $71 and they will accept a passing score. If the class is a pre-req for the nursing program (and not another class), then there is no time limit. For example, I took Biology in high school, but as that was more than 5 years ago I have to either re-take it or CLEP it before I can take BIO 201. But Chemistry is a required pre-req for the nursing program- I took that in highschool too and do not need to re-take it. Good luck!

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so what happened???

I just found out about this 8 yr req....i made it barely....however i am also considering ccconline.org or rio

are you going to apply to OU nursing program???? I am for spring 2010

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