4-week course? Can I do it? Nope...

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Hey AN,

I just wanted to share an experience with some fellow students. I took a chance at trying to take a 4 week course in College Algebra this summer, to knock out some RN - BSN prerequisite before my NS starts. At first the class was fine and I was fired up to take on this class, boy was I WRONG!

The teacher went through the material like wildfire. I was still trying to comprehend the 1st chapter, while she's just finishing the 4th chapter. Be wary of these accelerated courses. There was no way I can learn this fast.

I dropped the second day to get a full refund.

I don't want to go to school to pass tests. I want to go to school to understand the concept. I don't want to rush, I want to take my time and enjoy the journey. Here's a favorite quote of mine.

"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ernest Hemingway

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Some classes you just can't learn in 4 weeks. I took nutrition in 4 weeks. 6 hours on Friday nights and 10 hours on Saturdays. We learned SO MUCH. Probably because my professor was awesome and nutrition is something you can learn that quick. You kinda either learn it or you don't there's no real memorization needed or "practice" involved.

I actually feel like I learned and knew more about nutrition than some of my peers who took the traditional 16 week route. Simply because the class was so condensed, everything was fresh and relevant and there was little time to forget what we had learned.

My school offers Human Growth and Development in 4 weeks too. I'm thinking of doing it that way also.

Anyway I think a lot of the super condensed course offerings are meant for people who already know the stuff, but need to have the college credit for it, or for people who didn't pass with a high enough grade and need to retake.

Some are doable (like nutrition and HGD) others like Math and hard science I would totally run screaming from.

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I guess it would all depend on the type of learner you are. I took anatomy in the summer which was 6 wks long. My counselor was against me taking any sciences in the summer but I stuck with it and received the highest A. Yes it's tons of material in a short amount of time, but I didn't feel like it was crammed. I actually learned and didn't memorize. A lot of people say anatomy is all memorization, but I disagree. But @least you realized it was going to be tough and got out of it before it affected your gpa and stuff, short term classes aren't for everyone. Taking short term classes saved me a lot of time and I was accepted to my schools BSN program this fall.

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Nurse2B209, Thanks for the post. I really enjoyed it. I too have made a similar mistake recently. I have difficulties is Algebra and wanted to bring the darkness to light First summer CCAC. I enrolled and attended one class before I realized I was in it to fail. I had no idea what lied ahead, nor was I going to stick around and wait for the sinking feeling to emerge (alongside my gpa). My intent was to brush up for the PSB-RN. I was better off paying Barron's Nursing School entrance Exams to teach me exactly what i needed o_0 beyond Algebra for $11 Barns & Nobels online used.

More Money put up for these expansive scrubs I keep hearing about upon entering nursing school. Great Business decision!

Hey all I really needed to read is your so so wise quote by Ernest... LOVE IT!

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***** Sidebar***** :o ccac, I took my condensed classes at CCAC. I have a REALLY good study book I used for the PSB, you can HAVE it.

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I think some classes are doable in 4 weeks depending on the subject and on your learning style. I did both my anatomy classes in 12 days. Was it tough? Yes but doable. There were quizzes every day and tests every other day. I made sure to stay on top of everything from the beginning so I wasn't behind. I think what made it pretty easy was that we really had no time to forget anything. And it was great to get these classes out of the way so I could enjoy the rest of my summer! Good luck!

Hey AN, I just wanted to share an experience with some fellow students. I took a chance at trying to take a 4 week course in College Algebra this summer, to knock out some RN - BSN prerequisite before my NS starts. At first the class was fine and I was fired up to take on this class, boy was I WRONG! The teacher went through the material like wildfire. I was still trying to comprehend the 1st chapter, while she's just finishing the 4th chapter. Be wary of these accelerated courses. There was no way I can learn this fast. I dropped the second day to get a full refund. I don't want to go to school to pass tests. I want to go to school to understand the concept. I don't want to rush, I want to take my time and enjoy the journey. Here's a favorite quote of mine. "It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters in the end." - Ernest Hemingway
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