Hello Everyone,
I’m a 26 y/o RN who needs advice.
I will be returning to school this second summer term to take GenChem II.
My Question: Would you advise taking Org I & Phys I together this fall. They would be my only classes. I have saved enough money to stop working until I fullfill my prereq’s. No wife/kids either.
I understand it depends on my personal strength in the area’s. I know how to study hard. However, it has been about 4.5 years since Chem I. Should I just take Org I & a Bio class ? Bio is definitely easy for me.
Remember: I want A’s just like everyone else here !
I think it probably depends on how difficult the physics sequence is at your school and how confident you feel about physics. If you’re pretty comfortable with the math (especially trig, assuming non-calc physics) and the reputation of your physics class isn’t too bad, you might be okay. You may also want to check on how much work is involved with the physics lab (I’m assuming you are taking the labs with them as well).
Ask around about the physics course and see what you find out.
I agree with Emergency - ask around at the school, see how much of a time committment each is, especially the lab. Both organic and physics tend to be conceptually challenging courses. If your approach is conducive to things like this, it should be doable.
You may also want to consider doing full-time coursework, if you’re able. You’ve said that you’ve saved money to stop working, so I imagine you’ll mainly be a student. If that’s the case, it may pay to take some other courses. I wouldn’t recommend any “fluff” or fillers, and I also wouldn’t recommend 15+ credits of pure sciences. While taking my pre-reqs, I threw in additional interesting courses: Sociology, Medical Terminology, U.S. Healthcare Systems, etc. I found that the online stuff was especially doable - it made me think but allowed me the flexibility to focus on my ‘primary’ coursework when able. YMMV, of course.
Edit: and lest I forget - welcome to OPM! 
I concur with the previous replies as well. If you are worried about the math, most physics usually have a brief math review in the appendix. Might want to get the book early and go thru it. I also strongly recommend getting the “solutions” manual for physics as well as organic which helps immensely when doing problems at the end of the chapter I always tried to find the professor way before the course started to see what text they are using. Getting a used text online or getting the typically paperbound international edition is cheaper and lighter to carry. I orderd my organic text and solutions manual from Amazon UK with slow shipping and those two together cost less that hardbound text in the US. Also, I had a physics professor who said the old edition was fine and would phot copy the few assigned problems that couldn’t be found in it.
Doing full time school (ie 12 credits or more)for at least a semester is very useful as many medical schools like that on a non-trads record. It also has the advantage of being cost effective as usually you pay the full tution for the term and can take up to 18 credits.
The school I went to had a community health degree which was basically an undergraduate public health program. So I supplemented with health policy, aging in america, etc. If you think you can handle an addition upper level bio class like genetics, that might be a good thing. But I would avoid Biochem and Molecular Bio until AFTER organic is done (BTW, some med schools are now stating on the web sites that they will take Biochem instead of second semester organic but I do not know how common that is). And don’t be hesitant to take a course for fun. We all need a break.
- fredbear Said:
Hello Everyone,
I'm a 26 y/o RN who needs advice.
I will be returning to school this second summer term to take GenChem II.
My Question: Would you advise taking Org I & Phys I together this fall. They would be my only classes. I have saved enough money to stop working until I fullfill my prereq's. No wife/kids either.
I understand it depends on my personal strength in the area's. I know how to study hard. However, it has been about 4.5 years since Chem I. Should I just take Org I & a Bio class ? Bio is definitely easy for me.
Remember: I want A's just like everyone else here !
I'm a 26 y/o RN who needs advice.
I will be returning to school this second summer term to take GenChem II.
My Question: Would you advise taking Org I & Phys I together this fall. They would be my only classes. I have saved enough money to stop working until I fullfill my prereq's. No wife/kids either.
I understand it depends on my personal strength in the area's. I know how to study hard. However, it has been about 4.5 years since Chem I. Should I just take Org I & a Bio class ? Bio is definitely easy for me.
Remember: I want A's just like everyone else here !
When I went back to school, I got the advice that I should go full-time if at all possible, because AdComs "like to see that you can handle a heavy science load." Over the many years since then, I've heard a variety of opinions on this but I have to say that if your MAIN endeavour is going to be school, then yes, you should plan to take O-chem and physics together.
I gotta be honest: shying away from this challenge isn't the right approach. I'm afraid I disagree with the advice above to scope out the situation, figure out how demanding the class will be, etc. Quite honestly I think you need to show that you want to do this regardless of how hard or challenging the classes are. If you actually aren't going to be holding down a job as well as attending class, my question is, why are you only taking two classes?
I'm saying this not to bust your chops or get in your face, but to give you a little push. If you are serious enough about this project to quit a job, then you should be serious enough to go after the toughest coursework and nail it! Good luck!
Mary