Please Read Before Posting: Tips Regarding Distance Programs

Since this forum attracts a good number of new members daily, I thought it might be a good idea to post this sticky that addresses some of the more commonly asked questions here. That way, our new members may have a single area where they can find the answers to some of their questions, rather than searching all over the board for it.

**First and foremost, I would like to ask that our new members here refrain from posting your email addresses in your posts, when requesting assistance from current students, or when looking for study buddies. Please note that you are not able to use the email or PM function until you have 15 posts here at Allnurses. Attempting to work around that by posting your email address in your posts will only result in it being edited out by the moderators. Please see this thread for further information: http://allnurses.com/forums/f207/pri...st-315542.html
For any other technical questions, please go here for assistance: http://allnurses.com/forums/f128/**

Now for some answers to some of the most frequently asked questions here in the Distance Learning forum:

• Excelsior College is not an online program. It is a distance ed program, where you test out of the required courses, culminating in taking a clinical performance exam (CPNE) at the end.

• Excelsior (EC) is not accepted in CA. If you live in CA, you may want to consider Indiana State University's LPN-BSN program. Other states have stipulations regarding EC graduates. It is necessary to contact your own state's Board of Nursing to determine whether there are any restrictions in your state. See SBON contact info here if needed: http://allnurses.com/boards-of-nursing-info.html

• To begin at EC, start at their website here: https://www.excelsior.edu/
• For ISU's program, go here:
  http://www1.indstate.edu/nursing/pro...-bs/lpn-bs.htm

• For EC, you can take the first 2 nursing exams before you enroll in the program. You must either be a paramedic, a LPN, or an ASN student, who has completed half the program.

• **The College Network, and other companies that say they'll get you your degree through EC or ISU are ONLY PUBLISHING COMPANIES. They DO NOT grant degrees, nor are they officially affiliated with EC at least. You most likely do not need to spend thousand of dollars on these publishing companies. Most likely, a quick check on Ebay for some of these guides will save you a lot of money, and you can avoid signing a contract.** EC provides free course outlines to their students, as well as practice tests on their website (for a fee). Those have proven to be better than anything for some, in studying for the exams.

• If you are a paramedic, or have very little nursing experience, you may want to consider doing a CPNE workshop, if you're an EC student. There are a few that are very reputable, and some of the current EC students here can direct you to the best ones. Lynn's & Tina's are well liked, as well as EC's workshop. There are a few snakes out there that will take your money, while not teaching you anything, so check before you sign up for any workshop.

• Yes, there is a long wait for the CPNE. It can be anywhere from 3-9 months. You can take the CPNE once you have finished all the nursing exams, and are within 9? credit hours of finishing your gen eds.

• No, there aren't any short cuts.

• Yes, EC grads do go on to work as RNs in the 'good' jobs.

• Yes, EC is accredited (NLN).

• If you see that someone was posting that they had study materials several years ago, they probably don't have them any more.

• Please don't post, wanting to buy or sell your TCN study guides- your post will have to be deleted by the mods

• It may be helpful to read through your CPNE study guide (all 500+ pages of it), note where you have questions, and post here for clarification. It seems overwhelming at first, but it does get better.

• There are many, many EC & ISU grads here that were happy with their choices to attend these schools.

OK, grads & current students: that's all I could think of for now. Please add your input or comments, and correct anything I was wrong on. Whew!