Prerequisites and working

[Cecelia]

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How is it working out for those of you who are taking prerequisites and working fulltime or parttime?

 

[medicomel]

It was very challenging trying to keep it all together. You definitely have to prioritize and trim the fat in terms of socializing.

 

[MJB]

Got up at 6 yesterday, went to work, got off work, went grocery shopping, went to the gym, studied until midnight...

Rinse and Repeat.

 

[Skaterbabe74]

It takes major time management skills. I don't get any aid/loans at this point so I'm paying for everything on my own. As a result I work 32-40 hours per week at one job, have a flexible research asst second job (read a book, abstract it, send it in), and take 8 credits in the summer and 18 in the regular semesters. (The full-time job is a new addition so I'm still figuring out how it will really work.) This summer I'll be working an 8 hour shift Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, plus one or two other shifts during the week. I'll most likely be sleeping in two 4 hour shifts because of the way scheduling works out, and probably won't really be studying on days that I have both work and class. The fall will be better because I'll have all morning classes so I'll work graveyard and go straight to class and then come home and crash.

I have no social life, but in the end it will be worth it. The computer and tv will be turned off for most of the next year, but as long as you keep to a schedule (which you absolutely must write out and stick to) it's definitely doable.

 

[DocteurMarion]

This is hard but you can do it - I started my pre req last semester - I work 40hrs /week and took 2 classes (chem 1 and Phy 1) it was hard, lab reports and stuff but in the end I pulled 2 A's. I had to do most of my studying on week ends. As far as exercise I could not get to the gym, I had classes 4 nights/week.

I am not sure it is doable to take more than 2 classes/semester when you work full time though...well I guess it depends on your work schedule, mine is a regular 8 am 5pm.

Good luck to you

 

[Skaterbabe74]

This is hard but you can do it - I started my pre req last semester - I work 40hrs /week and took 2 classes (chem 1 and Phy 1) it was hard, lab reports and stuff but in the end I pulled 2 A's. I had to do most of my studying on week ends. As far as exercise I could not get to the gym, I had classes 4 nights/week.

I am not sure it is doable to take more than 2 classes/semester when you work full time though...well I guess it depends on your work schedule, mine is a regular 8 am 5pm.

Good luck to you

With the 18 credits I can only do the 4 shifts per week (~32 hours) and that's only because it's graveyard shift (10:30pm-6:30am). I'll be doing the bulk of the hours on the weekend (Friday nite, Sat nite, Sun nite) so it leaves me plenty of time still to study. I agree that a regular 8-5 M-F job makes taking more than 2 classes/semester impossible.

 

[IUgrad]

TIME MANAGEMENT is the key! I also try to take only the minimum credit hours for full-time status (12 at my school), so I still have some time left for studying, volunteering, etc. My boss has been pretty great about letting me work kind of odd hours; I agree with others who say that a 8-5 M-F job would be close to impossible with more than just a couple classes.

 

[JennyJet]

Took two lab intensive classes while working part-time. It was all about the time management. I'm kind of a hermit, so missing out on socializing was not too big a deal. I worked as a TA and a tutor at the campus where I went to school so that helped in terms of not having to travel for work. Plus, I had some study time during my tutoring job. As a TA, you work with students the whole time so no "getting paid to study" there.

 

[smsansoucie]

How is it working out for those of you who are taking prerequisites and working fulltime or parttime?

I have been working 20-30 hours per week as a lab assistant while completing my prereqs at 16-18 credit hours per semester. So far it has been working out well, but truth be told... I do not have much of a life. My hats off to those of you who can do it working 40 hours! I can manage my time pretty well and have managed to pull a solid 4.0 every semester I have been working. I have a sinking feeling that it will be much harder this upcoming semester as I am taking Organic Chem and Physics along with several other non-prereq courses.

Stephanie

 

[Beau Geste]

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[kjayquen]

I find that working evenings full time I am only able to squeeze in 2 classes per semester but I also take any classes I can get in the summer and if they offer any "quickies" during Christmas break I try to get on in their. Only have physics left for just the prereqs. However, trying to find time to fit in biochem and genetics as more schools add them to the prereqs is tough. Plus paying for them all without the financial aid is tough, too.

Jay

-My first post!!!-

 

[Skaterbabe74]

. Plus paying for them all without the financial aid is tough, too.

Jay

-My first post!!!-

I wholeheartedly agree that paying for them without financial aid is way tough. I just found out that my school raised tuition by 2k (for 18 credits) each semester. "Most" of that should be covered by a new state stipend fund of $80/credit hour, but I'm still waiting to hear if I'm going to be eligible for any of that stipend because of how many credits I have. My full-time gig fell through so now I'm looking for other stuff, still trying to get into a hospital as a receptionist or admissions rep, looking into a couple work-from-home things (medical transcription and stuffing envelopes), and desperately trying to figure out a way to keep living on campus. I sooo don't want to move or find a roommate or have to commute again. It would all be soo easy if I just had a co-signer for private loans 🙄 Why can't any of my friends actually have decent credit?

 

[blankguy]

How is it working out for those of you who are taking prerequisites and working fulltime or parttime?

To put it succintly. A major pain in the ass. You definately have to sacrifice on the social department, but then again I don't consider myself to be big on the social department. You can manage it but it will be study, work, work, study, etc....

 

[thirdunity]

How is it working out for those of you who are taking prerequisites and working fulltime or parttime?

Transitioning from graphics and web development here.

I decided to get into the health care field so that I could be in a medical environment while working on my prerequisites. By the end of summer, I'll be a licensed phlebotomist. And by the end of the year, I'll be licensed as an EMT-B.

This has several benefits. I get some clinical experience. And -- it has the benefit of being a *job*.

This was, btw, all on the advice of people here at SDN.

 

[MJB]

To put it succintly. A major pain in the ass. You definately have to sacrifice on the social department, but then again I don't consider myself to be big on the social department. You can manage it but it will be study, work, work, study, etc....

Worked 7:30-4:30 yesterday....came home...studied from 5-midnight just so I could enjoy my birthday weekend with my wife.

That sucked, and I think it's the first time in my life I've ever studied on a Friday...but there are a lot more firsts in terms of academics coming for me...I never had to study hard in school...but my 3.1 GPA shows it too.

 

[MaryWrathers]

Transitioning from graphics and web development here.

I decided to get into the health care field so that I could be in a medical environment while working on my prerequisites. By the end of summer, I'll be a licensed phlebotomist. And by the end of the year, I'll be licensed as an EMT-B.

This has several benefits. I get some clinical experience. And -- it has the benefit of being a *job*.

This was, btw, all on the advice of people here at SDN.

how do you go about being a licensed phlebotomist?

thank you

 

[Sundarban1]

how do you go about being a licensed phlebotomist?

thank you

I know you can do it through your local red cross, they usually have classes you can take. I'm not aware of any other way.

 

[ISU_Steve]

Most community colleges that have Clinical Lab Science/Medical Lab Tech programs also offer phlebotomy courses. I've never heard of the ARC offering them (unless you're going to be working for them as a donor collection tech) but it could just be that the ARC around here has nothing to do with blood (seperate entity handles blood donations for this part of Indiana).

As for how things work out working full time and going to school full time, let's see I work 4 days a week, 12 hr shifts as a respiratory therapist, work about 10 hrs a weeks as a cell biology research assistant, and I take 9 credit hrs during each of two summer sessions and 18-20 during fall and spring semesters, this is in addition to being a volunteer firefighter and having a fiancee' (who is pregnant with our first child). So the time I have for socializing is very minimal, but then again I don't socialize much with my classmates since most of them just want to drink in their spare time.

 

[Scottish Chap]

How is it working out for those of you who are taking prerequisites and working fulltime or parttime?

Take them in the evening. That's what I did for PHY I and PHYII.

 

[thirdunity]

how do you go about being a licensed phlebotomist?

thank you

I'm doing it through a private vocational college. Since I'm unemployable in my previous career (due to combination of low experience and declined demand for my previous career), I am going through a program called Workforce Investment Act that pays the tuition for the training.