Applying for nursing school can be a very complicated process, and one mistake could land your application in the trash can instead of the “accepted” pile. Luckily, some mistakes can be prevented simply by understanding some of the basic terminology used during the application process. If you understand these two terms, then deciphering which classes you’re supposed to take before applying and which classes you can take after being accepted become much simpler.
Nursing Prerequisites
“Prerequisites” are classes that you are required (aka: “requisites”) to take before (aka “pre”) starting nursing school. Although these classes have to be successfully completed before attending your first official nursing class, you might be allowed to apply to nursing school even if you are currently taking some of these prerequisites, though, so make sure to check with your school for their policy.
Nursing Corequisite
“Corequisites” are classes that you are allowed, or even required, to take at the same time as your nursing classes. For example, in some ADN nursing programs, Microbiology is a corequisite. This means that Microbiology could be taken after you are accepted into the nursing program, at the same time as you begin taking nursing classes.
However, it’s also important to remember that you don’t necessarily have to wait to take your corequisite classes for nursing! Sometimes it’s better to get those corequisite classes completed before you begin nursing classes, so that you have one less class to worry about.
Nicole Whitworth is the founder of Your Nursing Tutor. She has a BSN and an MA in Clinical Psychology, and has been a professional nursing tutor for over 12+ years. Nicole specializes in getting nursing students through school confidently and calmly so that everything finally “clicks”. She is also the creator of the Silver Bullet Study System, an easy-to-follow study method that automatically trains your brain to become a nurse at the same time that you study for your normal nursing classes.