If you're going to be a nurse

[Peggy in Ks]

would it be better to take precalc or college alg. your senior year?
Thanks,
Peggy

[CynthiaOK]

It probably wouldn't matter - at least it wouldn't at the nursing schools I'm familiar with. The math of nursing is usually taught as a separate course, but the student would still need to satisfy the usual freshman/sophomore math requirements for the particular university. Most of the nursing students I've known haven't done either of those classes in high school, so your student would probably be a stand-out by having completed either one :-)

[MelodyInTx]

I have a BS in Nursing and for math in college we needed Intermediate Algebra and that was needed to satisfy the college basic requirements.
For my school, the only additional math needed was a Statistics class.
Any additional Math was taught/reinforced during Clinical labs and Pharmacology.

[Peggy in Ks]

This helps.

[Caroline]

My mom is a retired professor of nursing. One of the classes she taught was math for nurses. It was mostly proportions, fractions, algebra word problems, and statistics.

[KIN]

and I didn't have either of those courses in high school. In fact, I tested out of the math requirements for nursing at college. :) Maybe your child will be able to test out!

Editing: Is intermediate Algebra the same as Algebra 2??? I did have that.... :) It's been a while, can you tell? I graduated in '95 from college. :)

[Rachel]

I'm currently waiting to get into our nursing school and all the schools around here (California) require Intermediate Algebra and Statistics (only for a BS, not ADN)

[stephanie]

would it be better to take precalc or college alg. your senior year?
Thanks,
Peggy

I have my Bachelors of Science and I'm an RN, but I never took pre-cal. I stopped at Algebra 2 in Hs, and I felt plenty prepared for college math. HTH!

[MelodyInTx]

Editing: Is intermediate Algebra the same as Algebra 2??? I did have that.... :) It's been a while, can you tell? I graduated in '95 from college. :)

I came out in '98 a few years after you, but I was a late bloomer; I dabbled in business before nursing.

I was pondering whether intermediate Algebra is Algebra 2. I am thinking it is algebra 1. My daughter has had Algebra 1 and 2 and she tests for college algebra.

DD has mentioned that she would like to do nursing. So technically, she has all the math that she needs right now.

On a side note, I am glad to see so many other fellow Nurses. Are any of you still practicing?
Personally, I do disease management. So essentially I teach.

[Pam "SFSOM" in TN]

would it be better to take precalc or college alg. your senior year?
Thanks,
Peggy


Just remember that the best laid plans often go astray. I'd have her take the highest math she can manage with the view of getting into nursing school but with the option to choose any other path her heart desires, should her desire change.

More won't hurt. Less might hinder. I deeply regret the math classes I didn't take.

[Jann in TX]

I would have your dd take College Algebra (Algebra 3) her Sr year. It is a one semester course. She can dabble in statistics or take a pratical math course the other semester if desired.

[GothicGyrl]

According to my mom--both, if you could swing it. It would give you the advantage.

Oh and I know this is sidetracked but--please teach her to have compassion!! I am so sick of nurses with gruff, nasty attitudes when it comes to children who are afraid. :(