If you’re coming from a different career and exploring an online direct entry MSN program, a clear list makes it possible to prepare calmly, one smart step at a time. You don’t need a heroic personality to get through prerequisites. You need a plan that respects how real life works: energy dips, busy weeks and the fact that motivation is unreliable.
This matters even more when student stress is already common. In the Healthy Minds Study 2024–2025 Data Report (published September 8, 2025), 37% of students reported moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms and 32% reported moderate-to-severe anxiety.
We’ll map prereqs in a way that keeps momentum, we’ll build study stamina without grinding yourself down, and we’ll gently set you up for the pace of a full-time nursing pathway.
The Prereq Playlist
Prereqs feel heavy when they all sit in your head at once. What helps is treating them like a playlist with an order.
Start by respecting the rules that actually shape your timeline. Elmhurst states that MENP prerequisites must have been completed within five years, which means “I took it ages ago” can become a real barrier if you wait too long to act. Elmhurst also requires a grade of C or better in each prerequisite course, which gives you a clear standard for deciding when you’re ready to move on.
Now for the part nobody tells you plainly: the goal isn’t to cram your way to a passable grade. The goal is to become the kind of student who can learn consistently, because nursing school rewards consistency more than last-minute intensity.
If you want one simple decision filter that stays practical, use this:
- If a prereq is outside the five-year window, prioritize retaking it early so it stops hanging over your timeline.
- If you earned below a C, plan a retake, and treat it as a reset of your foundation rather than a setback.
- If you’re working full-time, pair one lab-heavy course with a lighter companion course only if your schedule truly has slack.
- If your schedule is already tight, take one demanding course at a time and let “steady” be the strategy.
- If you’re unsure which courses you still need, use Elmhurst’s suggestion to talk with an enrollment advisor so you’re not guessing.
That’s the playlist mindset: fewer simultaneous pressure points, more forward motion.
Your Brain Is in the Syllabus Too
A&P, Micro, Chem, Stats. These classes ask a lot from your attention, and attention is a physical resource. That’s why it’s worth zooming out for a moment. The Healthy Minds Study 2024–2025 Data Report (published September 8, 2025) found that 11% of students reported suicidal ideation. That number should remind you that “powering through” isn’t always the healthy badge of honor people make it out to be.
There is also a hopeful note worth holding onto. A University of Michigan summary of Healthy Minds reported a third consecutive year of improvement in student mental health indicators, which matters because it suggests support and prevention can help.
So, in a prereq season, what does responsible self-care look like without turning your life into a wellness project? It looks like lanes to follow that keep your study plan repeatable.
One is pacing. When you can, choose a course load that leaves room for sleep, meals you don’t regret, and some movement you actually enjoy. Another is planning your week so you’re not making ten decisions every day about when you’ll study.
And if a week goes sideways, don’t rewrite your whole identity around it. Adjust the plan, not your confidence.
Train Like It’s Full-Time
Prereqs are about content, sure. They’re also about practicing the rhythm you’ll need later. Elmhurst describes its online MENP as a rigorous, full-time program requiring 100% commitment, and it strongly advises students not to work, even part-time. Elmhurst also notes MENP students may spend 8 to 12 hours a day studying and completing clinical hours, which is a very different lifestyle than “a couple classes after work.”
That’s not a reason to panic. It’s a reason to prepare in a way that feels empowering.
A practical way to do that during prereqs is to practice “full-time behaviors” on a part-time schedule. Set specific study blocks, protect them like appointments, and get used to showing up even when you’re not in the mood. That’s a skill, and you can build it now.
It also helps to remember why this pathway is worth the effort. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) notes that the U.S. nursing shortage is expected to intensify, and it highlights constraints in nursing education capacity. In other words, doing prerequisites well is part of stepping into a role communities genuinely need.
Finally, keep your plan flexible enough to survive real-world timing issues. NPR reported delays with the updated FAFSA rollout in 2024, and financial-aid timing can affect when students can start or how many credits they can reasonably take at once.
A calm prereq plan leaves room for those realities without turning them into a personal failure.
The Finish Line
If there’s one mindset that makes prerequisites feel lighter, it’s this: you’re not trying to “win” A&P. You’re building a foundation you’ll stand on later.
A clear course map keeps you moving. Guardrails protect your energy and focus. Practicing a more committed rhythm helps you step into a rigorous program with fewer surprises. And when you do it this way, you don’t just become eligible. You become healthy and ready.
So, choose a prereq plan you can repeat, even on messy weeks.