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Pre-Calculus or Statistics for 12th grade?


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This is where I am really stuck right now, I am trying to plan ahead for next year (I know it's early, but I need to do it now because I don't want to put it off any longer or I will end up doing it last minute), but I am unsure of what I should choose. I am required to have 4 years of math and I have algebra 1, geometry, doing algebra 2 right now and my last year of math I can choose what I want. As I am interested in the field of nursing, I looked into the requirements of many colleges for future nursing students and they require 3 years of math (algebra 1 and 2, geometry), my third year it's up to me. So I am torn between both pre-calculus and statistics. I am leaning more towards statisitics because as a nurse you need to deal with a lot of charts and graphs and just numbers in general so I think statistics will better prepare me for my future career.

 

Advice is greatly needed.:bigear:

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you sound like you are really on your game. we need nurses just like you. i am a R.N. you will only have to take a college algebra class and a stat class in college. you will need your algebra in figuring out chemistry problems and doing medication dosages once you are in nursing school. as far as the stat course goes, it is all math with stats and is used with the perspective of psychology. i have never taken any trig, cal, or physics and didn't have one time that i wished i would have. if there was something taken out of one of these courses, i was unaware and the info was easy enough to learn without having to take the entire course.

the only other thing i can think of is if you plan on going for more than a B.S. in Nursing. the GRE (test you take for grad school) may include some cal, but i am really not sure. i haven't taken that test. it would not be difficult for you to find out though.

nursing school is more difficult to get into these days with the increase in number of people applying. do not let this scare you, but know that you really need to do well in college (exceed the minimun, if possible) and score high on the entrance test that nursing schools have started administering.

i would suggest you visiting a few nursing school now and look at the courses required for that major. many of the colleges have the courses available on there websites.

one last bit of advice. if there is a particular subject you struggle with, do not hesitate to take that class in the summer at a community college. the classes are usually smaller lending itself for lots more individual attention by the teacher. i had difficulty with chemistry because math was not a strong subject for me. i took the chemistries (there are 2) in the summer and finally understood it. i made B's in both of the classes!!! at the university with a ton of people in the class, i didn't know what they were talking about. just make sure the course will transfer.

from the sounds of things, i'm sure you will have no problem. the most exciting time is when you are able to first put that R.N. behind your name!!! good luck, you'll do great!!!! ;)

 

angel R.N. !!!!

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you sound like you are really on your game. we need nurses just like you. i am a R.N. you will only have to take a college algebra class and a stat class in college. you will need your algebra in figuring out chemistry problems and doing medication dosages once you are in nursing school. as far as the stat course goes, it is all math with stats and is used with the perspective of psychology. i have never taken any trig, cal, or physics and didn't have one time that i wished i would have. if there was something taken out of one of these courses, i was unaware and the info was easy enough to learn without having to take the entire course.

the only other thing i can think of is if you plan on going for more than a B.S. in Nursing. the GRE (test you take for grad school) may include some cal, but i am really not sure. i haven't taken that test. it would not be difficult for you to find out though.

nursing school is more difficult to get into these days with the increase in number of people applying. do not let this scare you, but know that you really need to do well in college (exceed the minimun, if possible) and score high on the entrance test that nursing schools have started administering.

i would suggest you visiting a few nursing school now and look at the courses required for that major. many of the colleges have the courses available on there websites.

one last bit of advice. if there is a particular subject you struggle with, do not hesitate to take that class in the summer at a community college. the classes are usually smaller lending itself for lots more individual attention by the teacher. i had difficulty with chemistry because math was not a strong subject for me. i took the chemistries (there are 2) in the summer and finally understood it. i made B's in both of the classes!!! at the university with a ton of people in the class, i didn't know what they were talking about. just make sure the course will transfer.

from the sounds of things, i'm sure you will have no problem. the most exciting time is when you are able to first put that R.N. behind your name!!! good luck, you'll do great!!!! ;)

 

angel R.N. !!!!

 

It's because of the bolded that I would recommend pre-calculus over statistics. When you tackle the higher level math, it will help to make the math needed in chemistry more accessible and understandable. Statistics is a great course to take, but IMO, not at the expense of pre-calculus. JMO :)

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It's because of the bolded that I would recommend pre-calculus over statistics. When you tackle the higher level math' date=' it will help to make the math needed in chemistry more accessible and understandable. Statistics is a great course to take, but IMO, not at the expense of pre-calculus. JMO :)[/quote']

 

:iagree:

 

In the end if you go further with statistics you would need to have calculus to do upper level statistics courses. So get the basics in now.

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If you are going for the B.S.R.N., I would recommend the trigonometry/pre-calc. The reason for this is you will have to take more chemistry than the two year A.D.N. requires and one of those classes, if you are going to a competitive college, will be organic chemistry. Organic chemistry is challenging. The more higher math you have, the easier the logic and mathematics of that class will be.

 

I know of four women who never got into their nursing programs of choice because they could not get the minimum B required in organic chem.

 

Additionally, when dd was looking at nursing, there was a minimum ACT or SAT score in math that had to be achieved to be considered for the pre-nursing major or remedial math (college algebra and trigonometry) had to be taken before seeking admission to the college of nursing. Since there are 10 trig questions on the ACT (not sure how many are on the SAT), it's important to get as many of those right as possible in order to bunp that score. Of course, the higher the composite score, the greater the chance of merit money as well. It's all kind of tied together.

 

Trigonometry will also look more competitive on your transcript. If you need scholarship money, you need to have a great transcript along with a really good ACT/SAT score in order to get looked at for merit money.

 

I always tell college bound students that the "requirements" to get into a program are the minimums. But, that's just it - minimum. The merit money follows the students that challenged themselves and exceeded the minimums. There are a gazillion prospective freshman who will meet the "requirements", strive to be one that exceeds them and gets the attention of the scholarship award committees.

 

:001_smile: We are all pulling for you!

 

Faith

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Thank you all foryour replies, and I definitely see now that I should be doing pre-calc rather than statistics, although it won't be easy! I will do my best and hopefully get into the nursing school of my choice, I want to stand out from the crowd and show nursing schools that I want this career.

 

Thank you!:)

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