40 year old starting NS and taking the ACT

Nurses General Nursing

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I am starting my pre-req in Jan. I will be taking mus., psy and alg. going part -time . I have to take the ACT test to get into NS !! That is going to be very hard for a 40yr old ,I have to make a 19 to be accepted . Can anyone help me ,How hard is the test ,what so I need to study the most???:banghead:

who is the best teacher in psy.?

I took Dr. Raines for Psy II and Abnormal. He is by far the best teacher for any psychology class. He provides power point slides for each lecture so you do not have to take alot of notes. If you print them off you can just follow along as he lectures. I took Vivian Grooms for Developmental Psy. She is interesting but her classes tend to be a little unorganized. However, she gives alot of extra credit. Many of the students who take Grooms pass because of the extra credit. The only thing that is time consuming in her class is the essay assignments. She assigns four short essays throughout the semester. She always provides a detailed outline for each chapter and the test questions usually come from the outline. I would recommend both of these teachers for Psy, but try to get Dr. Raines for Psy I or II and Abnormal. I absolutely loved his class. :rolleyes:

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Specializes in ICU.
Who ever wants to go into nursing for the money needs to see my paycheck. I started in mid-June of this year and I've made $27,000 yr to date which means for a full year I should make around 55K, sounds good. Well, I bring home $1500 q2 weeks which definitely isn't much money. Definitely not what I feel that I'm worth. Taxes hit me hard!:crying2:

And yet, actually, 55 a year is pretty good money. 3000 a month take-home is 36,000 a year take home which is the gross for most police officers in my area. You can't buy a house on that, only a mobile home, but that's not the fault of the profession, that's the fault of the housing bubble. You could buy a house if they were 90-100K like they should be. You'd be doing OK if you had no debt (and maybe you don't). But 55 a year is about right for someone with a B.Sc. degree. In Civil Service, you'd be about a GS-11 and you'd be equal with a junior grade officer in the military.

The problem is not the pay. The problem is the hyper-inflated economy we have and the personal debt we've all used to build it. Values are going to have to change, and I don't mean a return to religion. I mean an attitude of having less, of wanting less. And who knows maybe that is a return to an honest religion.

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Specializes in Oncology, Triage, Tele, Med-Surg.

Hi Powers2004,

Kudos to you for going after your goal. I'd worked in the medical field for years and knew "some day" I'd go back to school to get my RN. Even though I had a boat load of credits that did transfer, I (naturally) had to retake chemistry, micro and A&P since they can't be over 5 years old --- Plus, I needed an ACT score "within the past 3 years" -Not to attend the college - just as part of the NS application process. UGH!

I seriously held off on even applying for a while because I dreaded taking the ACT at age 43! Bah! I too HATE (really, really HATE) math! I borrowed some ACT computer program, but all I really worked on was my math. ( I knew I was strong in the other areas, but I hadn't looked at an algebra problem in decades!)

I did fine & you probably will too! Besides, you're taking it early enough that you can retake it if necessary.

It was humbling going back at 43 but I was much better student than I was in my youth. I graduated with honors & a 4.0. The work was hell, but I loved it. A thirst for knowledge and the satisfaction of working toward a worthwhile goal can really help.

Getting my RN was a lifelong dream for me. I kept my eye on the prize and school was over before I knew it! Every journey begins with one step.... and YOU are on your way! Hold on, it will be a wild ride!

Best wishes to you. :redbeathe

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I am so glad you said to take him, he has a class from 1-4 on M onday ,and I was thinking that is who I will have to take. Thanks so much! I went to con. ed last nite and did a little alg. (I think I can do it ,I have never taken alg before.) The advisor from Lexington keeps trying to get me to take alg. and musiic on-line .

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Hi Powers2004,

Kudos to you for going after your goal. I'd worked in the medical field for years and knew "some day" I'd go back to school to get my RN. Even though I had a boat load of credits that did transfer, I (naturally) had to retake chemistry, micro and A&P since they can't be over 5 years old --- Plus, I needed an ACT score "within the past 3 years" -Not to attend the college - just as part of the NS application process. UGH!

I seriously held off on even applying for a while because I dreaded taking the ACT at age 43! Bah! I too HATE (really, really HATE) math! I borrowed some ACT computer program, but all I really worked on was my math. ( I knew I was strong in the other areas, but I hadn't looked at an algebra problem in decades!)

I did fine & you probably will too! Besides, you're taking it early enough that you can retake it if necessary.

It was humbling going back at 43 but I was much better student than I was in my youth. I graduated with honors & a 4.0. The work was hell, but I loved it. A thirst for knowledge and the satisfaction of working toward a worthwhile goal can really help.

I could not have said it better: "A thirst for knowledge"

Getting my RN was a lifelong dream for me. I kept my eye on the prize and school was over before I knew it! Every journey begins with one step.... and YOU are on your way! Hold on, it will be a wild ride!

Best wishes to you. :redbeathe

I love learning and never would have said that

20 years ago,it is so shocking thinking u are to old to learn ,and then wow... it just comes easy , (that is want I found out doing Alg. last nite.):nuke:

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You can do it! I went back to school at 40 too. Had not been in school for 20 years and didn't even have a high school diploma. I was determined and got every ACT and GED book I could find and wound up with a GED score which provided me with a scholarship and an ACT of 28 which also led to a scholarship. You would be surprised what determination and hard work will do for you. I will graduate magna cume laude on December 13th, not because I am smart but because I was determined and worked hard. Us old folks are good at those things! Nursing school is hard but I believe you can do it and as long as you believe it too it will happen. Hang in there and study hard.:)

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:nuke:

I took Dr. Raines for Psy II and Abnormal. He is by far the best teacher for any psychology class. He provides power point slides for each lecture so you do not have to take alot of notes. If you print them off you can just follow along as he lectures. I took Vivian Grooms for Developmental Psy. She is interesting but her classes tend to be a little unorganized. However, she gives alot of extra credit. Many of the students who take Grooms pass because of the extra credit. The only thing that is time consuming in her class is the essay assignments. She assigns four short essays throughout the semester. She always provides a detailed outline for each chapter and the test questions usually come from the outline. I would recommend both of these teachers for Psy, but try to get Dr. Raines for Psy I or II and Abnormal. I absolutely loved his class. :rolleyes:
When you have time will you tell me about on-line classes? I registered today , I took Dr,Raines for Psy II , Music on-line , do you have to go to class to take the mid-term or final. one more question do I need to take Psy II or should I take Abnormal,or Dev. first
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:nuke:When you have time will you tell me about on-line classes? I registered today , I took Dr,Raines for Psy II , Music on-line , do you have to go to class to take the mid-term or final. one more question do I need to take Psy II or should I take Abnormal,or Dev. first

I would take Psy II first because everything you learn in this class will be the foundation for what you learn in the other two. I have taken two online classes and I think they are a bit easier than on campus classes. As long as you keep up with your work, you will do just fine. I am not sure if you need to go to class to take the mid-term or final. It depends on what the teacher decides to do. I had on online class over the summer and I never stepped foot on campus. My math class this semester has required me to take my final and midterm on campus.

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Hey everyone I just wanted to say a big thank-you for all your help, you all have giving me direction to start my dream. One day I will come back here and help another 40 year old start her or his dream, that is how I will give back !!!! Thanks!!!! P.S Flightline ,is it so bad to depent on people that have more knowledge than you ?" I hope that never becomes a fact!! "

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Specializes in ICU.

I guess that all depends on how dependent you are or become. I'm not the type to need or depend on study groups. I'm not the type who believes my individual progress is a team effort. I'm a loner for the most part, so my comments, no doubt, reflect that prejudice

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I guess I got mad when you said I was to dependent to be a nurse because I really do feel dependent now and scared . All my life I have been the most independent person in the world or at lest that is what people say( have raised myself ) but now things are different ,I have to rely on the knowledge of others ,and I could have not do that years ago. Flightline ,I value your opinion ,I don't know why but I do , I think you are very smart and a "deep person" . Have you ever thought about becoming a Doctor? I think you would fit right in ,you already are a know-it-all Ha HA

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Specializes in ICU.
I guess I got mad when you said I was to dependent to be a nurse because I really do feel dependent now and scared . All my life I have been the most independent person in the world or at lest that is what people say( have raised myself ) but now things are different ,I have to rely on the knowledge of others ,and I could have not do that years ago. Flightline ,I value your opinion ,I don't know why but I do , I think you are very smart and a "deep person" . Have you ever thought about becoming a Doctor? I think you would fit right in ,you already are a know-it-all Ha HA

Thank you for saying I am a deep person. I appreciate that. But I have to ask you a question, and this is no kind of challenge, or right or wrong, or trap, or anything else. I'm very interested in your opinion, and anyone else's for that matter on this subject that you raised:

Do you think being a doctor is greater than being a nurse?

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