Would appreciate advice on combining pre-reqs

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I would appreciate input from those of you who have taken these classes on which ones go well together. I have some pretty serious time restrictions so it's important that I not overload myself.

1. I work 40 hours a week - must do this in order to meet the bills

2. I have a 5 year old and a husband who each need some of my love and attention

3. I am obsessive compulsive about grades and will drive myself nuts if I can't give enough effort to make an A

4. As soon as I finish my CNA in March I'll be trying to get a 1-shift-per-week job so add another 8 to 12 work hours to that 40 listed in item #1

5. As soon as I finish my CNA in March I'll be enrolling in CNA II so I'm guessing 8 hours of class weekly for it.

When you add all of that up it's practically impossible for me to take more than 1 prerequisite class per semester and make any sort of decent grade; however, if I was able to physically do it, which of these would go well together?

A&P I

A&P II

Microbiology

Chemistry

Developmental Psych

Introduction to Sociology

I know from the past that I will struggle with chemistry so I want to take it by itself. All others are up for grabs!

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Where I am AP1, AP2, and micro are all to be taken in row, one after the other, not together. With your schedule, I say go for just one class but if you really want to take two, I say, ap1 and psych

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Just like the previous poster, at my school, A&P I & II and Micro are taken in a sequence. They can't be taken together. But different schools do different things. I've seen folks take Micro before A&P at some schools. With that schedule, I'd do no more than 1 class at a time right now and see how it goes. Especially with A&P. I found Micro far easier than A&P so its possible to take that with any other class except A&P. A&P just requires a gazillion hours of study time and I would not take it with anything else with that schedule that you have.

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That's a pretty busy schedule. I would consider taking only one class at a time and reevaluating your work schedule prior to starting nursing school. However, if you want to take more than one class I would take them in the following order:

Chemistry

A&P I

A&P II - Developmental Psych

Microbiology - Intro to Sociology

Definitely take Chemistry first because it will help with the other courses.

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I have a similar situation to yours. I have found that taking only 1 science class at a time is a good rule. The sciences are just harder and require more studying than Psych, Soc, etc. Thats what has worked for me anyhow. Good luck!

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That's a pretty busy schedule. I would consider taking only one class at a time and reevaluating your work schedule prior to starting nursing school. However, if you want to take more than one class I would take them in the following order:

Chemistry

A&P I

A&P II - Developmental Psych

Microbiology - Intro to Sociology

Definitely take Chemistry first because it will help with the other courses.

I agree with this schedule and taking chem before all others. You will find chem in all your science classes..so its best to take it first.

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Good luck finding a CNA job that will let you work one shift per week. The requirement MOST (not all) of the time is to work every other weekend. Then when you take CNA II (PCT) you will have to do your clinical hours. I don't know about your school, but I am taking my PCT course starting in January and when clinical time rolls around.. you are paired up with a PCT at the hospital and you work their schedule......

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I have a pretty hectic schedule too and I found that taking some of the classes online really helped out. If your school offers online classes I would definitely take the psychology and sociology class online. So this is what I would do:

Chem

AP I, Soc (online)

AP II, Psych (online)

Micro

Good luck!

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.
I have a pretty hectic schedule too and I found that taking some of the classes online really helped out. If your school offers online classes I would definitely take the psychology and sociology class online. So this is what I would do:

Chem

AP I, Soc (online)

AP II, Psych (online)

Micro

Good luck!

I would do this schedule. You seem determined, you can do it!!

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Thanks for all of the advice & input. I have one more question, I have already registered for A&P I for the coming semester. Should it be a big prob to take A&P I before taking Chem? I can take Chem this Summer. Someone posted about the remote possibility of getting 1 shift/week CNA, and I'm sure you're probably right. If I have to do every other weekend or PRN or whatever I will. I would just prefer not to give up FT job hours for CNA hours since my FT job pays significantly more than the CNA position will. Thanks guys!

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Taking ap 1 first would be fine. I would give it a second thought about taking the chem class over the summer though because a lot of the summer classes are condensed (6 week class) which makes the class much harder. None of these classes are easy (I took them all) but if you REALLY have to take a class over the summer, I would do AP 2 then take chem in the fall ;)

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I have no hubby, no kids, work 35 hrs/week (bartending) I have a question, I am starting prereqs this Jan and was thinking of doing the following:

Spring - chem and A&P 1

Summer - A&P 2 and micro

Fall - develop psy and nutrition

I was trying to get the sciences out of the way so that I have AP and Micro grades while I am applying for Spring 2012 ABSN admission. Do you think it looks bad to apply when I have micro in progress (so Summer would be A&P 2 and nurtition and Fall,, micro and develop psy)? The schools I am interested in you can being taking 2 classes when you apply, they just all have to be done prior to matriculation.

Thoughts?

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