What are the pre-nursing classes like?

fiveofpeep · Jan 26, 2010

The math isnt too complicated. Have you seen the pre nursing and nursing student boards? You may find alot of information you are looking for there. Just click the student tab and select the board you are interested in.

I guess physio is probably the hardest, although anatomy may feel worse because you are just getting started. Make sure you really work hard and strive for a 4.00 to maximize your chances of getting into a school.

good luck and welcome :) Its great that you are researching your options for nursing before you even graduate high school :)

MissCharlieRN · Jan 26, 2010

I found that the most difficult classes were the actual nursing courses. Chemistry took a bit of extra work for me but I still pulled off some swell grades in it. As far as math, dosage calc is pretty easy. There are a few pretty basic formulas to learn, but once you get it down you'll be fine.

Jules A, MSN · Jan 26, 2010

Hi and welcome,

I didn't think the work was too hard just that there was a ton of it and you can't afford to get behind. Good luck!

proudnurseRN · Jan 26, 2010

Of the pre-reqs, I'd have to say I had to work the hardest at chemistry and the A&P labs.

chasemelony · Jan 26, 2010

Out of the pre-reqs, chemistry & micro-bio. So far the actual nursing program isn't too bad, just a lot of reading and material that you have to know. The test are much different in the nursing program, so thats another thing that gets people.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jan 26, 2010

If you're getting a BSN, you might have to take statistics. That is the hardest course, followed by Anatomy memorization of allllll the body parts, and then microbiology....

tewdles, RN · Jan 27, 2010

I struggled with organic chem. If you are a math person statistics won't be too much of a problem.

dannyc12 · Jan 27, 2010

Hello, I'm currently a Senior in High School & I Plan to major in Nursing. I just have a quick question: What are the pre-nursing classes like? Which did you find the hardest & is the math really complicated?

Physiology and Microbiology are widely considered the most challenging prerequisites for nursing school. If you work hard and spend the time, you should be able to do very well in them. (You need to do very well in them)

The math is not really complicated. It is actually very easy. However, the application of the concepts is not easy. I cannot tell you how many of my fellow nursing students say they have their dosage calculation skills locked in, but then go into complete, total, and irreversible brain lock when trying to apply them in a lab checkoff.

They deemed the math "easy" after doing one or two practice problems, then never looked at them again. Best thing to do is practice your math skills whenever you can.

When you are in Chemistry and doing dimensional analysis, PAY ATTENTION. You will need this skill later. (It would be a great idea to listen when they talk about tonicity and osmolarity too, although it seems very few of my classmates did.)

Good luck

TCLA · Jan 27, 2010

The math isnt too complicated. Have you seen the pre nursing and nursing student boards? You may find alot of information you are looking for there. Just click the student tab and select the board you are interested in.
I guess physio is probably the hardest, although anatomy may feel worse because you are just getting started. Make sure you really work hard and strive for a 4.00 to maximize your chances of getting into a school.
good luck and welcome :) Its great that you are researching your options for nursing before you even graduate high school :)

Thanks so much! i was hoping you'd say A&P b/c im taking that class now and I absolutely LOVE it! i have 103% right now in that class, so i dont think that'll be a problem in College. only the chemistry's and math's are my biggest worry.

hearts895, RN BSN · Jan 27, 2010

Anatomy and Physiology will be a bit more difficult than high school level A&P, but given that you are excelling in the class (kudos!) you should do well. Microbiology is considered to be rather difficult as well, but if you are good at Biology (like it seems you are) you can probably get through it just fine. If you are doing nursing at the community college level (ADN), you'll probably only have to take 1 inorganic intro level Chem. class. If you are doing nursing at the university level (BSN) you'll probably have to take 1 inorganic Chem. class and 1 organic/bio. Chem. class. These can be difficult for some people (really depends on teacher/ grading scale/ class), but they are certainly not insurmountable. Your school may require Intro to Psych, maybe also require Developmental Psych., and Intro to Sociology as pre-reqs. These are pretty easy classes though. A Nutrition class is required for some schools too, but it is no harder than your Bio. classes. Math pre-req classes depend on the school - every school is very different. Some require no math classes, some require basic math, and some (like almost all WA state nursing programs) require Statistics. I've never seen any school require a crazy math level like Calculus (thank goodness!).

The real difficulty in the pre-reqs lies in getting a perfect GPA, because nursing programs are so competitive to get into. Like 'fiveofpeep' said, aim for a 4.00 or as close to that as possible to maximize your chances of getting into a nursing school/program. You have a great start and I'm sure you you'll make it into one! :)

Check out the Pre-nursing student forum too!

CC918 · Jan 27, 2010

the hardest pre-req classes for me was microbiology and speech. microbiology was so detailed i had a hard time with it. and well speech, it was difficult to get through, but came in SO handy. I did tons of presentations throughout nursing school.