Going Back to School - Lima,OH

Depends on the courses and how they're taught.

For ours at my school A&P looked like this:
A&Pi (quarter 1)= Anatomy
A&Pii (quarter 2)= Physiology

Day 1: Memorize 100 bone features of the Skull (zygomatic arch, sutures, etc.) and read 40 pages
Day 2: Quiz on day 1. Memorize 40 origin and insertion points of nerves and the names of the nerves from the sternum/clavical/skull. Read 38 pages. ((Of course, one needed to know all the bones and bone features in order to accurately describe the origin and insertion points.)) Luckily, this was the "weekend".
Day 3: Quiz on day 2. Memorize all the rest of the bones and and 50 bone features of the upper body.
Day 4: Quize on day 3. Memorize all the bones of the spine, parts of the spine, all the nerves and origin/insertion points of the spine.

Quizzes were usually 6 questions (aaargh, 250:6 is a rough ration, no wiggle room!), biweekly chapter tests 25, midterms were 500, finals were cumulative (I think 800 questions? Including an oral section, microscope section, Franklin -our classroom skeleton- section, etc.). The tests were split between scantron, short answer, and diagrams that one had to fill in (or in physiology, create; like 'draw the krebs cycle, or illustrate the ATP switch.) My professor actually FORGOT to teach us neurotransmitters (headsmack!) so we all got 15 minutes before the final to memorize neurotransmitters. Fortunately we'd already done receptor types, agonists, etc... so we weren't too screwed, but that was one unhappy 15minute cram session! Murphey's Law... of course I was taking neurochem NEXT quarter. Sigh. If I'd taken it the previous quarter (a whole quarter on nothing but neurotransmitters, practically) I'd have been golden. As it was, there was quite a bit of guesswork on that section of the final.

The class only picked up in intensity from there. In general, I had to memorize 200-250 things for each class after the "lazy" first two weeks. Of course, none of us realized they were "easing us into" A&P those first few weeks! Oy.

In our area many the nursing prereq classes (not prereq for the prereq like bio101, but Pre-Nursing...A&P, microbio, 3 quarters of chem & 3 quarters of o-chem) are washout classes. Nutrition, Psych, Developmental Psych, Stats, Intro to Research.. those are relatively easy classes. But the hard sciences they WORK you. In our area the top nursing schools have about 6,000 applicants for 40 spots, and even the straight RN programs (instead of BSRN) have several hundred applicants for 40 spots. The competition is brutal, the classes are very very intense. The classes are also the same whether you're going for your RN or BSRN. Same classes, professors. No distinction. 260 & 261 no matter if your path was RN, BSRN, Pre-Med.

Most people I know either ONLY take A&P for those 2 quarters, or they pair them with a "fluff" class that requires zero effort. I've only ever met 1 person who took a full load with A&P. Most people manage full loads with Chem & Micro, but pare down for O-chem.

There is no WAY anyone is accepted to nursing school before all their genEd and prenursing classes are completed in our area, so count your lucky stars!!! (aka there's a lag year between prereqs and starting school... and in order to be a competitive candidate one needs to have that gap year filled before application with acceptance into some program of study or work that is healthcare related. Doesn't really matter what, medadmin, more volunteer hours; one needs several thousand volunteer hours to be competetive so people start those volunteer hours when they start classes an keep them going right up until they're accepted into school -and beyond, emt, phlebotomy, lab tech, whatver... but that year needs to be mapped out).

The coursework is INTENSE. (Have I said that enough, yet?)

That said... I only had childcare for when I was actually IN class. I did all my studying during naps, after bedtime, and later, when he was in preschool. Everything was literally "night before" (because that's all the time you have), but you DO have to retain it. There's no way to cram 500 q's out of a possible 3000 or so the night before. I had a 3.86 by the time I was done with my prereqs. I could have done better if I'd had more time to study, but all A's and A-s (and 1 B+) isn't awful. Thank god for fluff classes. I have 1 C on my transcript. That was the quarter I tried to bump up to 3 classes at a time, and learned how silly that thought was for me!!! Some parents can, I couldn't.

I LOVED when I had one weekend afternoon a week w/ childcare. Loooooved it. Only had that for a little while, but it really took the stress level down :) :) :) Also was a dedicated time I could get a study group together.

I would talk to a school counselor or an instructor and ask them how much time is expected for homework. If there is an on-campus daycare you might be able to leave the kids there for an extra 2 hours after class to study. Ask about audible books; you can listen to them while you are doing dishes or other house work.

Good luck going back to school is not easy--but doable.

How many classes are you planning on taking? Anatomy is extremely time consuming, and hard. We had to be in lab at least 4 times a week on top of lecture to be able to keep up. Expect at least 2 hrs of study time for each hour of class (this includes labs). I would not recommend taking Anatomy with Physio! I am taking Physio right now, its only the end of the 2nd week, but so far I am thinking it is easier than Anatomy was. Chem and Bio are a breeze compared to A and P. I study at night, but I also need extra time in the day,I usually get someone to watch my daughter for a few hours or have her watch a video so I can get some study in. Good luck, I can't imagine having 3 little kids and being in school.
Also, you can't wait until "the night before" to study, for anatomy if you haven't started studying for the exams atleast 2 weeks in advance you wont have enough time to learn/remember the info.

Nursing school is a lot of work and is extremely competitive to even get into... then you have to take your finals for your license, which not many people pass their first or even second time. I have 3 friends doing it now, and have many friends who have completed it. Plus, you can't just cram the night before for a test... you actually have to retain and know what is being covered, which doesn't often happen in cramming session. Also, most of the classes aren't just one class, but you will also have a lab as well. Definitely speak to your counselor about planning classes and labs that work with your schedule. You will likely need to stay after school a few hours each day to study... it will be easier to do that than at home.

It sounds like you are doing alot of thinking ahead and not in a good way.
I hope that someone can get on here and tell you exactly how they did the same thing, going to school and how hard or easy it was to study.

My only advice is if you are going to think ahead, think positive. Tell yourself, Yes I can! I can and I will do it! For yourself, for your family. You can do it.

You cannot have a positive life, with a negative mind. :*)
Not saying your negative, but do not let those thoughts even "think" about creeping in.

Good luck, you are on a great road to success!

I have been back in school for two years now, I have 2 kids 9 and 3. Yours are quite a bit younger than mine, and I don't work. You will definitely have your hands full, but it is, of course, doable.
I have already finished all my sciences, I did A+P 1 and 2, chem, micro and I didn't have to do biology because I tested out of it, so it must not be very hard.
Go on rate my professor.com, and choose wisely, a lot of A+P teachers are foreign, and learning a really intense subject with a prof who has a thick accent is no fun - I learned that the hard way!
I did A+P 2 and chem together, and that was hard, at least, AT LEAST 3 hours of studying every single day including weekends for me to get A'S.
You will have to dedicate 2 hours per class per day for studying, if you want A's.
I did my A+P's both hybrid, which meant all I had to go in for was the labs, and this will save you time, you should be able to do biol all online also. I trawled ratemyprof, and chose professors that seemed easy, and who didn't give a lot of busy work.

A&P is alot of work, so is chem, but bio wasn't too bad. You will have alot of work both memorizing and comprehension. I would try to see if you can set up several times during the week where either friend or family could keep an eye on the kids so you can concentrate soley on your work. You need a strong background in these disciplines to be successful in your core RN classes..Good luck and you can do it.

They tell you to expect to spend 2 hrs/credit hour/week. I just started back in January and I find that to be pretty accurate so far, maybe a little less. I think I've been spending about 10-12 hrs/week on schoolwork and studying and I am taking 6 credit hours (they are online courses).
I don't work, but I do have 4 kids and I'm 17 weeks pregnant. So far, it hasn't been a HUGE adjustment, but again, I am only taking two classes. One is a 100 level and one is a 400 level.
I would recommend taking 1-2 classes your first semester, especially if its been awhile since you've been in school. It sort of eases you back into "school mode". Until I got pregnant, I had planned on going full time in the fall until I finish (I am about 75% finished from when I attended college out of high school), but now that will probably be postponed until next spring. I can't imagine going full time with a newborn and 4 kids! Good luck, I'm sure you'll do great!