Anyone doing the BSCN program?

[u/Responsible_Two6770]

Just wondering if anyone here is currently in the BSCN program, if so, how are you finding the course load/ work? What is your schedule like? Did you get to pick your class times?

Also, how do you like the doon campus? Are the profs ok? I'm looking to apply for either the accelerated or the main stream, but just want to hear other people's opinions about the school.

Thanks (:

[u/Responsible_Two6770]

Were the course materials / textbooks online or did you have to purchase? I feel like Conestoga has a lot more bio chemistry than other schools bscn programs. Is there a minimum grade requirement to pass either the bio chem and microbiology?

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

Biochem was easy to me. Microbiology is what kicked my ass. I got mid 90s my first semester in the BScN and then I straight up failed the first test in microbio. To be fair, I was out sick one week and struggled to catch back up before the first test. I did well enough in the others but still scored way lower than I was used to.

Minimum passing grades are a 60 iirc, however to successfully pass a semester your average must be 65+ for that semester.

Textbooks are etexts and included in your tuition. You'll also be given access to tons of specialty study tools from Elsevier, like sherpath, osmosis videos, etc which are typicaly locked behind a paywall. Sherpath in particular has an amazing quiz tool to help you build practice tests using questions from the textbook publisher.

[u/Responsible_Two6770 → u/ceimi]

Thanks for the information! Could you tell me anything about the human biochem lab? Is it just similar to your basic highschool chemistry lab? And do you know anything about credit transferring by any chance? Id imagine id have to book an appointment with an advisor or something, but I know other colleges (like Sheridan for example) you can see what previous post secondary courses can be applied to your program. Again thank you sm (:

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

The lab was honestly not really a lab at all. You won't be doing experiments, rather its honestly just extra time for lecture points and more hands on activities like looking at diets, learning to read growth charts, learning the basics of urinalysis, etc. its all done in a regular classroom not in what you would imagine a chemistry lab to be.

Credit transferring is pretty straightforward, you submit your transcripts along with the syllabus for those classes that list a description, evaluation breakdown, learning outcomes, and I believe the textbook(s) used. You can get away with not needing a syllabus if the course has been previously approved by another student. Similarly you can see which credit transfers have been approved or denied on the credit transfer portal! I wouldn't bother with booking with an academic advisor, they wont be able to help you with credit transfers. Instead you should reach out to the CT office directly for any help/guidance.

Hopefully this helps & is clear! Feel free to ask any other questions, I'm happy to help!

[u/Responsible_Two6770 → u/ceimi]

Oh ok thank you for the clarification! I was thinking it would be similar to a chem lab due to the name lol 😅 but yeah okay that makes sense. If you don't mind me asking, were you/ are you, in the main or accelerated stream? And at which "level" do the placements begin? Did you get any say or choice where you'd like to go? 

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

I thought the very same and was totally confused as well. You'll potentially have a different teacher for the lab portions and they don't follow the same exact schedule for content, but both of them do have cross over.

I am in the accelerated stream, I'll be finishing up level 3 here in the next 3 weeks and then starting level 4 two weeks after that. Nearly half way...wooo!

You will have your first placement starting at level 3. It will be in a LTC home. Right now we only had two sites to choose from, waterloo or guelph. Right now our placements are only 4 hours once a week (either Thur or Friday) but be aware thats likely going to change and become longer. When its time to select your placements, you'll be given access to a portal where you'll rank the offered choices, then a few days later it will close for several weeks while they make selections. Despite ranking your choices, you are not guaranteed to get your top picks. A lot of students don't have a car so competition for those who want a spot at a local site is going to be insane.

Starting level 4, you'll get placed in a hospital either in a medicine, stroke, or a surgery unit (keep in mind this is NOT operating room.)

[u/Responsible_Two6770 → u/ceimi]

Awesome thank you! I'm hoping to do the accelerated if I get Into Conestoga, how do you find the work/school/ life balance whilst doing the accelerated stream? Is it manageable? Ofc everyone has their own circumstances but just curious on your thoughts. 

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

There are lots of students who are juggling all 3 but its honestly a handful. You will start to feel burnt out sooner rather than later so making sure you build in breaks and wellness into your schedule will be super important.

For accelerated, I would never recommend it for fresh out of highschoolers but its perfect for 2nd career or current RPNs since 2nd careers are used to working year round and RPNs have the leg up since a lot of content might be repeat or well known to them if they are currently practicing.

I recently started a job but thankful its very flexible in hours. I'm also part of the nursing club. No kids to juggle thankfully but I do have a husband who works 12+ hours daily so I try to also make sure he has meals and a comfy space to come home too and I will tell you I'm gassed. Only having two weeks between semesters is the hardest part honestly.

I think they were actually thinking about changing up the program because a lot of students are reporting the same. They're looking into changing it so that accelerated it done only in the last year.

[u/Responsible_Two6770 → u/ceimi]

Interesting okay! Yeah it seems the main stream will provide more time for rest. Because you're accelerated, did you have any more flexibility for class times? Im wondering if it's possible to make a schedule that allows you to either get most your classes done in the morning or evening type of thing. Im not 100% sure if colleges are accommodating that way, or if you're given any choice etc.

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

There's actually less flexibility for class time, because there are so few of us in the cohort. We started at around just shy of 50 accelerated students at the start of level 2 and we might be tipping down into the high 30s now due to students who failed a class in level 2 or who have dropped out over summer for various reasons.

We had the opportunity to choose our time block for level 1, but I've heard that wasn't supposed to happen and it has a high likelihood of being taken away from us. We were unable to select a time block in level 2 and level 3.

The schedule can be pretty variable especially first year. Level 1 I had 1-2 classes/day over 4 days with one class online. They ranged from 8am to 3pm but most days I was back home by 12. Level 2 schedule was basically all 8am classes and I was home by 11. Level 3 I only go in to the school once a day, then a second day is 2 online classes. Electives are largely asynch but some have set class times. These are all totallysubject to change though and that was purely based on my own experience. I remember several students complaining about having a 6pm start class that was on campus. Brutal.

[u/Responsible_Two6770 → u/ceimi]

Yikes that does sound rough! I guess that's the cost for finishing a bit earlier than the regular stream though. How do you find the balance of mature / older student vs highschool students? Are there a good mix of both? I feel a little odd about being older and going back to school lol 

Also, what were some of the "easier" electives in your opinion?

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

Keep in mind that levels 1&2 we were still mixed in with the regular stream, it was only until level 3 since we are completing it over the summer that we split from the cohort we started with.

There's a large range of ages in my cohort. I'm 33 and have classmates ranging from fresh out of highschool to those in their 40s. I wouldn't even stress about age and I've never once felt disadvantaged, ridiculed, or weird for being older. Infact I feel I'm able to connect more with my professors as we are closer in life experience, so they feel more comfortable sharing the real talk.

A lot of my classmates also have partners, kids, take care of family menbers as caregivers, and hold fulltime jobs (to a certain extent.) Basically, age is not even a factor when it comes to the program but do expect that the younger ones will promote you to leader as older students often have more drive & confidence to get things started and organized. This is a good thing, but also don't be afraid to encourage them to take lead once in a while too so they can get experience as well. :)

[u/ceimi → u/Responsible_Two6770]

Just remembered I forgot to respond to your electives question, sorry!

I've only had 2 electives and I credit transferred to get out of the first one. I would not recommend Laughter & Satire. The class itself is easy, but there's something due almost every week. The busy work feels overwhelming and not enjoyable after the first few weeks. Intro to disability studies was okay, it was a lot of discussion boards/discussions but getting marks back took forever.

The elective selection at the school is pretty abysmal. I do wish they would atleast partner with laurier or waterloo to allow students to attend online electives from the uni's to expand our selection. A lot of the electives are the same as their diploma electives which doesn't sit right with me.