Should I Take Micro and AP 2 at the same time?

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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I work 40 hours a week and finally after several semesters I was able to get both AP 2 and Microbiology. Here is the problem. I work a third shift job. From 10pm -7am Sunday -Thursday. I will have to be in class from 1pm to 8:45pm on Tues. and Thurs. I just don't know if I can do it. When would I sleep? But I need to do it. I am afraid that if I wait on this micro it may be another year before I get it again. I know it would also be hard for me to get the AP 2 in the spring since that is when most people take it. Should I go for it or should I drop one? Please help!!!

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It's two loooooong days a week. I say go for it; but you're the only one who knows if you are capable of doing it. Good luck!

-B

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I also say to go for it. There are times in nursing school when you have to REALLY sacrifice and this may be one example. If you feel that you may have to wait another year to get micro, then grab it now. Also, have you looked at taking it somewhere else (maybe as a night class)? But in all honesty, you are the only person to really know your capabilities-mind AND body...Good luck ;)

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That's a pretty tough call. Working 40 hours a week on top of the course load...yeesh. Do you have children or other obligations aside from school and work? I firmly believe it you have your head in the game and sacrifice a semester of your time, you CAN do it! With much determination on your part.

I took A&P II and Micro last semester and I felt like I was always studying. Always. Keeping up with my family- including a 6yo & 3yo, was challenging. I had to keep focus on what was most important to me. It was 12 weeks of staying at home and not doing alot of 'fun' things. Halfway through the semester I put our family on a strict routine. I don't think I would have made it if I didn't implement a family schedule. IT HELPED! Make a schedule of your week and stick to it. Whenever it was time to study and I felt like giving up, I just thought about how bad I wanted it and I knew by the end of the 12 weeks, I could apply to clinicals. I gave myself alot of pep talks. I spent many Sundays after church studying. I would say goodbye to my hubs and 2 kids and from 1 in the afternoon to 9 o'clock at night, I studied. On weekedays before I picked my son up from the bus stop, I studied. Every night after I put the kids to bed, I studied. I think my biggest advice would be NOT to let your outside life affect your school life. It's a sacrifice and you just need to set your mind to doing it. GL.

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Specializes in ER, progressive care.
It's two loooooong days a week. I say go for it; but you're the only one who knows if you are capable of doing it. Good luck!

-B

This. My micro class wasn't very hard and I took that along with A&P 2 at the same time and I was able to manage just fine. Then again I also wasn't working 40 hours/week at that time.

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Let me play devil's advocate here.

Lets say you do decide to do what you are proposing. (and I am not saying it can't be done, plenty of people can work full time, family, and take a heavy course load all while functioning on very little sleep). Do YOU think you can attend class and absorb the lectures/labs running on little if any sleep for most of the workweek? You have to ask yourself, how you react when you don't get your sleep. For me, its ok for a while then I crash hard, nothing said to me sticks in my brain, I become forgetful, very weepy and many times then i become the B**** of all B***'s. But how do YOU react is the most important. (if you have had babies, think back to trying to function on that 1 hr of sleep here and there..)

What might seem like a good idea now could backfire and set you back farther. You might end up not doing well in not one but both classes due to being barely able to function with little time for sleeping and studying. That can/will trash your hard earned GPA. You may not get the needed grade in order to even use it (all sciences for my nursing program the appliacant needs to have a C+ or better)

As I said, I'm not trying to be Debbie Downer or the naysayer of the bunch. I know it can be done, but its on an individual basis.

Perhaps, you can sign up for both and attempt it. If you notice your grades aren't up to par, or you just can't do it..you can always withdraw from one (obviously keep the one that has the higher grades) and not affect your GPA

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If you can fit in sleep and study time, then go for it. I"m taking A&P 3 (we're on quarters. we have A&P 1, 2, & 3) along with Micro, Psych 2, and an STNA course. But, I don't work. So I have plenty of study time.

You could also look into other schools to see when they offer Micro or A&P2. My school offers both courses every quarter. You could look into an online A&P 2 from another school as well. I personally don't like online science, but I know a few people that really enjoyed it because it fit well within their schedule.

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I am also on a quarter system and do not work or have children. I took 4 classes (A&P II, Statistics, and 2 histories) last quarter and got straight As. What helps me is staying calm, doing my best without stressing, and sticking to a "study schedule" to make sure I am prepared for every test, lab, or paper. I record lectures in class, put them on my computer, and then transfer it to my ipod so I can listen to it in my car as I commute. I took pictures during labs of the models so I could review the pictures to study from when I'm not in class. If you are one step ahead, no matter how busy you are, you can make it work.

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I currently am taking Micro (summer school) so it is 15 weeks condensed into 10. I work 3 days a week (12 hour shifts so those days are not available for studying....I leave at 5:45am and get home at 8pm). The days I have class I leave at 7:30 am and get home at 2pm. I do absolutely NOTHING but read, do assignments, labs, case studies, etc. . I Know I couldn't do A&P II with Micro...I have no time as it it. Glad I finished A&P II last semester.

There is a girl in my class taking both Micro and A &P II together; she doesn't work but has kids and an extremely supportive husband. She also has a BA in Biology so these are repeat classes for her and science is her strength. It is NOT mine. Just look at what your strengths are...and are you attempting to get "A"'s or just complete the classes with a C???

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It can be done but you have to work hard! I took Chemisrty, APII, and Micro Biology during one summer term and made an A in each class. I also worked part-time. I was sure glad when the semester was over!

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I worked 40 hours and took A&P 2 and Microbiology at the same time. You should be fine, I didn't have too much of a hard time, ended up with Bs in both classes but nobody received an A in my A&P 2 class. To my surprise, the classes complimented each other. The material for the classes overlapped at times. But, that is dependent on the curriculum of the classes at your college.

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Hi Shiningstar05,

What kind of recorder and software do you have that allows you to upload your lecture and convert to your ipod?

cruisegerl

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