Take all prereqs now and get to nursing school faster or wait?

coco1320 · Jul 9, 2019

The most important thing is to make excellent grades in your pre-reqs, so if you don't think you can balance studying for 4 classes while working then I would spread it out more.

That said, I was in similar situation and was able to manage 5 classes in one semester while working full time, so you can do it! I was lucky because my local community college offers classes during "intersessions" as well as accelerated classes that don't last the full semester. So I took 2 classes (English and communications) during the one month intersession btwn winter break and spring semester, 1 class that lasted the full spring semester (physiology), 1 class that was during the first half of spring semester and 1 that was in the second half (life span development & another communication class). So ultimately I took 5 classes that semester but was never studying for more than 2 at a time.

Do you have any options like that available to you? It was definitely hectic but worth it in the end!

mxhedgehog · Jul 11, 2019

Hi Coco1320, thank you so much for your reply!

The community college I'm taking prereqs at does offer English Comp 2 as an accelerated course, so it would only take half the semester. I may opt to take both English and Algebra this fall and the other two courses in the Spring if I decide I can't manage all four at once.

Grateful for your input.

Blondie_M · Jul 15, 2019

I wouldn't take much with Micro, it's a hard hard class, at least my schools were. Lots of homework, papers etc

Bloop41, BSN, RN · Jul 16, 2019

Does the program you're looking at require you to finish all your courses before applying? You could leave some courses until the semester immediately before program start (i.e. take the last class Spring 2020 before entering the ABSN program in Fall 2020). If you decide to do this, I would leave the easier courses for last, because they probably won't have as big of an impact on your admissions decision.

My advice: get Micro out of the way. It can be a tough course and admissions usually cares a lot about your grade in this class, along w A + P as the other big one. I would not take more than one course with this one (maybe English?).

mxhedgehog · Jul 19, 2019

On 7/15/2019 at 4:35 PM, Blondie_M said:
I wouldn't take much with Micro, it's a hard hard class, at least my schools were. Lots of homework, papers etc

On 7/16/2019 at 11:38 AM, Bloop41 said:
Does the program you're looking at require you to finish all your courses before applying? You could leave some courses until the semester immediately before program start (i.e. take the last class Spring 2020 before entering the ABSN program in Fall 2020). If you decide to do this, I would leave the easier courses for last, because they probably won't have as big of an impact on your admissions decision.
My advice: get Micro out of the way. It can be a tough course and admissions usually cares a lot about your grade in this class, along w A + P as the other big one. I would not take more than one course with this one (maybe English?).

Thanks to both of you for the input! Unfortunately the program I'm looking at does require that all pre-reqs be completed by the application deadline. Since I struggle with Algebra, I'm going to take just Algebra this fall, English II as an accelerated class spring '20, Micro during the regular spring '20 semester, and Physical Science during summer '20. Appreciate y'all!