Potential Employers view on Achieve Test Prep

Nursing Students Excelsior

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Hi All! This is my first time posting so please bare with me. I am an LPN in NJ and have been for almost 3 years. I'm ready to further my education but an infant and full time work schedule has made it a bit more difficult then when I entered nursing school 3 years ago. I have started looking into online programs. A few of my fellow classmates have jumped on board with Achieve Test Prep.. after attempting to achieve my RN with College Network and not getting where I wanted to be I have become skeptical of this program. Does anyone have first hand experience? How do potential employers view receiving an RN through Achieve from Excelcior. Thanks!

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Most employers look for the 2 letters after your name, not where they came from.

During my interview my now boss, she asked me where I went to school. I told her Excelsior. She had never heard of it. I explained what it is and that I had been a paramedic for 16 years and that was counted as my clinicals. I then explained the CPNE to her and she said that sounded horrible, I laughed and said it was but I got through it.

As for if Excelsior is for you, only you can answer that. After have gone through the CPNE, I actually have told a few people not to do it (2 of them were rather new paramedics with no real experience, looking at Excelsior as a shortcut to nursing).

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Welcome to Allnurses! I wrote a post with a bunch of information that you may find helpful: https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/excelsior-college-distance-808335.html

Third-party prep companies like Achieve or The College Network really aren't necessary, and they add thousands to the cost of your education. EC now has an option to take courses online instead of doing the test-out exams if you think you might need a little more structure for some subjects, but otherwise you can find lots of networking and support here, on Facebook, and on EC's nursing community site.

Whenever I have described the clinical exam to potential employers, they all agree that it sounds brutal. I have been hired in ERs and trauma centers as an EC grad, and was selected for active duty commission into the Army Nurse Corps at a time when it was (and it still is) extremely competitive. Online and distance programs have gained favor over just the past few years as people have realized the potential of such programs. It's good stuff. :)

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Thank you both for your information. I will be looking into EC. I am so eager to further my education!

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