1 yr. of prerequisites before I can get into nursing program

OBNURSEHEATHER · Mar 22, 2001

Hi Gisele! Where I went to school, taking the first year to complete prerequisites was an option, but not a requirement. However, to do all of the primary classes ALONG WITH the nursing classes equaled something like 24 credit hours per semester. I'm not sure what else you have going on (work, family, etc), but this was absolutely crazy! I know it seems like forever now, but those 3 years will go quickly! Good luck!

Heather

Michelle_nurse · Mar 22, 2001

I had to take math and physical science (chemistry and physics) to get into the 3 year Rn college program in Quebec. It took me a year, cause I had to take them as night classes, since I had to work. It ended up costed me more, cause I had to pay tuition since I was part time. If there are any Quebec high school students interested in nursing, I highly recommend doing the math and physical science when it is free!!

It helps a little in the program, but I think it is more of a filtering process in the schools.

Good Luck!

colleen10 · Mar 22, 2001

Hi Gisele,

I live in Pittsburgh, PA and am currently looking into Nursing schools, LPN schools, etc. I have seriously looked at 4 different schools in my area (4 year college, hospital affilitated nursing school, 2 yr. program, etc.) and none of them require 1 year of course work before acceptance into the nursing program. All of them even accept students into their program straight out of high school! Even with the two year associates schools all you need is to successfully complete the average number of High School credits for Bio., Chem, Math.

Are you in an area where there is an excesive number of nurses? Maybe the schools feel that the 1 year of education before acceptance will make it easier to "cull the herd" so to speak and they will only take the smartest and most successful students. As with any career field schools can be more selective where there is an over abundance.

1 year before acceptance sounds like something a 4 year college would do.

Good luck!

Wyldeflower · Mar 22, 2001

I feel your pain! I too will need the first year for prerequisites. I guess if I felt like killing myself with work, I could try to fit them in while taking the RN coorifice, but like OBNURSEHEATHER said, that would equal out to 24 credit hours per week...and I think that would be too much for me, since I am married and have a child in school. Lol, it would also save me A LOT of money to do it that way, but I would rather do well in all of it in a slower pace than to try to cram it all together, and risk not doing well. Good luck! I just mailed off my FAFSA sheet Monday, and am in the process of filling out my application to Davis and Elkins College!

KatieRN · Mar 22, 2001

Hi Gisele, I also live in CA (SF Bay Area)and just graduated from a "2 year" nursing program which actually took me 3 years to complete because of all the prerequisites. I already have a BS and MS in another field, and even with my prior college coursework, had to take all of my sciences over again, including A&P, Micro, Psych, etc. because it had been over 7 years since I had graduated. The 3 years really does go by quickly, and I would do it all over again. Good luck.

MollyJ · Mar 23, 2001

If you look around you may well be able to find a program that will admit you and let your take your pre-reqs at the same time as core nursing classes. As previous posters have said, it's a long haul when I've seen people do it. However, it is one of the advantages of the ADN--short length of time to complete the course of study.

You have two options: to take the extra time or to bear relocation expense and find that program that will admit you and allow you to do the content in 2 calendar years. As posters have said here, be assured that the outcome will have advantages whichever way it goes.

In terms of a life expectancy of 78 years for the average American female (assumption) 2 vs 3 vs 4 years for an education is a drop in the bucket.

Hypoxic Pixel Eyes · Mar 23, 2001

As long as it's not "fluff" then the more science the better.

I was reading a book by Echo Heron called Critical Care.I think she went through school in the seventies.She also went through one year of prerequisites and a two year RN.Her first job was for $5.85hr!On noc shift no less.Oh MY GAWWD!

I'm getting ready to go through one year of prerequisites to enter an ADN program.I'm even going to look at adding some classes to get ready to apply to one of the BSN programs after.

I've gone through a program for respiratory therapy that had no prerequisites and was mostly fluff about ten years ago.I think there is a need for a foundation of science before school.When you're trying to

understand disease processes,normal/abnormal lab values,contraindicated therapies and drugs...etc,You will be a complete practitioner of diagnostic and theraputic foresight.

Whatever nursing program you attend,you will find it difficult to actually absorb this scientific base while simultaneously applying it to mastering the art of nursing.

I feel very passionate(can ya tell?)about this and feel that any program that would require truly practical prerequisites,must care about what kind of students they produce.

My advice is to not only do it,but excel at it as well.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Mar 23, 2001

Originally posted by mustangsheba:
Get the prereq's out of the way and devote your time to the nursing. That extra year is a good investment. Best wishes.

You'd be doing yourself a BIG favor by getting as much as you can out of the way before starting your nursing core classes. Even if you have to take Summer classes

I did that, save for my humanities electives, and watched classesmates suffer as they mixed nursing with A & P or English 101 requiring dozens of papers. Not fun!

mustangsheba · Mar 24, 2001

In my experience, the "two year" ADN program in many areas, including mine, is a misnomer. I had to take all the same prerequisites that Wildtime did. It took me three years. However, after our first year of nursing school, we sat for the LPN boards and were able to work as LPN's while doing our senior year. Get the prereq's out of the way and devote your time to the nursing. That extra year is a good investment. Best wishes.

C.LO · Mar 26, 2001

Hey Gisele!

I graduated from a 2 yr school in Fla and my prerequistes to get into the program were a total of 13 cr. which were math and sciences and psyc. Once I was in the program I finished the rest of the requirements that were needed to graduate, like mirobiology and some other requirements to attend the BSN program. Just continue to hang in there. The road may be challenging at times, but it's worth it in the end!! :)

TracyRN · Mar 27, 2001

I took 1 year of pre-recs. The average of the pre-recs multiplied by my NLN score was the basis for acceptance into my program. There were 76 applicants competing for 12 available spots.

You'd better check what those pre-recs are used for before you go in and whether you'll be taking a placement test. Consider this: those pre-rec classes are necessary for your degree. You'll be taking them eventually anyway so don't consider it a waste of time. Yes, it takes 3 years to get your ADN but, depending on what classes you do take, when you have the ADN, you're only about 3 semesters away from BSN.