What should I do? UC Davis student here...

[lovenurses87]

Hey everyone! I am new to this website. I have been reading a lot of the threads and it seems like a great community!

I am a 4th year UCD undergraduate student in Davis, CA. I am majoring in Human Development and as of right now I am also taking the nursing science prereqs. I will be finishing up Chemistry this Spring quarter. I am planning to graduate in the end of fall quarter 2009. I still need to take Anatomy & Physiology, Microbiology, Organic Chemistry, and Biology. I am planning to take Biology and Organic Chemistry in the summer and maybe in Fall. I am wondering if I should take these prereqs in a community college next spring quarter/semester (esp. Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology) so I can save money or just finish up my 5th year finishing up these classes, but I am afraid is going to be very difficult for me. I am also confused what anatomy and physiology I need to take considering the prereqs for community college and university are a little different. I went to the assist.org, but still very confused.

Another thing, I took a general psychology course when I was a freshman and got a C- at UCD, is there any way to retake that at another college because I know usually you can't repeat C-, but you can with Ds and Fs. I have done very well in upper division psychology course, but of course in my freshman year I was adjusting to college life so I didn't do so well.

I am not sure which route I should take. I am also very interested in applying to the Masters Entry Program in Nursing after I am done with my prereqs.

Well, any ideas and/or suggestions would very much be appreciated. Thanks! =)

[Scooby-Dooby-Doo]

UCSF has a great program that someone told me about for those that have a BS/BA already. she also told me that there's no need for prereqs too but i dont know well so check. there are other schools out there too. also you better take the prereqs at a community college where it is much cheaper, also the fact that assist.org is a direct community college to CSU/UC trasfer courses and not a UC to UC/CSU or a CSU to UC/CSU transfer but if you like it more up in Davis, then go for Davis. it is all your choice and you have so many options to consider.

since you are interested in the generic master's, then you should probably start preparing for that. all nursing schools need trascritps from all the coleges that you took prereqs from. that will include UCD with your chemistry and psychology. you can also retake psychology if you want to, but retaking will reduce your competitiveness to some schools. other are ok with repeats.

good luck.

[caliotter3]

If you want to enter a masters entry program, I would continue taking the prerequisites at UCD. I think it looks better and it might be easier to be accepted at a higher level program with all your courses from a four year institution. Besides, you won't have to be dealing with a second school. Now if you had your sights set on an ASN, then I would advise you to knock off the prereqs at a community college. Whatever you decide, good luck.

[jennafezz]

I would take them at a community college. It's cheaper and in my opinion, easier. It might be a little more difficult to get into the classes, but it can be done.

The prerequisites for nursing programs at universities (CSUs and UCs) can all be done at a CC. Try looking up the California Articulation Number listing. The CAN system is used at a lot of CA colleges.

For example, I'm applying to CSU East Bay. For A&P, they offer the classes A&P I and A&P II. My community college offers Anatomy and Physiology (two separate classes). Both of these options work for entrance to CSUEB's nursing program, the only condition is that I can't do something like take Anatomy and then A&P II. It has to be the same style. The CAN number on the classes tells me if they are acceptable to substitute.

Also, watch out for four unit and five unit science classes, especially Microbiology. Many schools require a five unit micro class (some require just four units), and some schools offer four and five unit versions.

As long as your A&P are two distinct semester-long classes (as in, NOT a one-semester A&P complete class), you should be fine.

Yes, you can retake psych at a community college, some schools will count the new grade, some will count the old grade, and some will average. Schools look at that in different ways.

[serasarah18]

I was in the same situation when I first considered nursing my sophomore year at UCSD. I was a psychology major and took most of the prereqs at a community college. It's a lot cheaper (it was only $80 total for a 5 unit micro class opposed to a couple hundred dollars/unit at a UC) and the description of the classes had a better match with what nursing schools required. UCSD also had quarter units, (I think it's the same with UCD) and most school required a certain amount of semester units so that would have caused some confusion and trouble. I'm sure you can take Psychology over again. I got an A in that class at ucsd, but I had to retake it again at community college because of the quarter/semester unit problem.

Taking these classes at a community college will not make you a worse candidate. I did almost all my prereqs somewhere else and was recently accepted into Johns Hopkins second bs program. Also you might not have to take some of the classes you mentioned like organic chemistry. It depends which school you're looking at. They all have different prereqs and you might have to do less (or even more). I didn't need to take ochem, but all schools I've looked at do require anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and nutrition.