Some Information

jessica.brading · Aug 29, 2012

It really depends on you and your motivation. You have to be a self motivated individual and find ways to keep you going when you are not wanting to study. Some exams are harder than others but the free study guide from excelsior give you all the areas that you need to cover and what books to use. There are many options as far as what materials to use. Some people use all the recommended books or previous editions of them, others use study guide 101, nclex books, or publishing agencies (TCN, RUE, etc) or a mix of all. I took exams about every 2 weeks. How often you take exams is very individual. It depends on finances, how much you plan on studying per day, and your experience. Good luck with the program! Just some info on my experience. I started in March 2012 and had 2 pre reqs. I completed Dev psych in march and Micro in April . I completed 1 nursing course in may, 3 in June, 1 in July (took vacation), and 2 in August. I will begin the FCCA on sept. 3 and then CPNE as soon as I can after being eligible. I studied about 5 hours a night with some breaks to cook dinner etc. I worked full time as an ADON in a LTC facility and have a 9 and 12 year old highly involved in sports. I am telling you this because it's easy to find excuses not to study but if you have the motivation it is possible to study anywhere (basketball games/practices, football fields, wrestling tournaments, on break at work) I had something to study every where I went. Was it hard yes but doable. Just stay motivated and ask your family to be understanding. I had a long talk with my boys and husband before I started so they would understand.

g8sushma, ASN, BSN, MSN · Aug 29, 2012

So how hard are the exams? are they tricky wording in the questions? would you reccomend the practice exam first? I am serious about doing this. I dont think I could do the every 2 weeks thing (congrats to you) but I am aiming for 1 a month.

tnmarie · Aug 29, 2012

Jessica is right on the money. I would highly recommend taking one of the two courses you can take before you enroll. That way you can see if the program is for you without losing the enrollment fee. Something to keep in mind though is that you might want to enroll before October because there are several changes regarding how many ACE credits you can get and if you will have to retake Micro and A&P if it has been more than 5 years since you last had it.

How hard are the exams?

They are challenging but the content guides are very detailed and do an excellent job in telling you where to focus.

Have you failed any exams?

No, but I did get a C on LS3; trying to beat that September deadline for the FCCA (which I did, hooray!)

Do you really need all the books?

There were a few that I felt I could have done without. Fundamentals and Med Surg are a must in my opinion. Maternity for repo of course, but I barely cracked it for the other subjects. I strictly studied Med Surg for all the Life Spans. You can get your books really cheap from Amazon.

Any tips for studying or testing?

Can't think of anything specific. Just use your content guides!

Is it really expensive?

Compared to most schools, not so much. The convenience was really worth it for me. There are also ways to save money (use CLEP for prereqs, take Information Literacy through Penn Foster, buy your books used and buy the previous editions, etc).

Also do you think it would be possible to do an Exam a month?

I KNOW it would be. I did all non-Life Span courses in about two weeks each. I did take about a month for the Life Spans though.

Good luck!

jessica.brading · Aug 29, 2012

1 a month is a great goal! I have only used 1 practice exam and it was very helpful. I have heard others that used them for all the exams and have never heard a bad thing about them. They really help you find where you are weakest and strongest at. The lifespan 1-3 exams were more difficult than the others to me only because they cover a lot of information and disease processes. NCLEX style questioning. The transitions exam was hard for me to get into (a lot of nursing history and theory not so much clinical) more memorization than judgement. Health differences, chronicity and repro were not super difficult. But you do have to study for everything.

This is all just my opinion, the program is different for everyone.

Jessica

monalisa lpn · Aug 30, 2012

Congrats jessica you are my motivation i need to get moving

NursePooda · Aug 30, 2012

Great advice everyone thanks!

misted · Aug 30, 2012

I've been doing the program since 2009. I had to do ALL the gen eds plus all the nurses classes. A total of like 16 classes. I have failed 3 exams but passed 2 of them the 2nd try. I have to retake my English yet and do my Cpne then I will be done except for boards. In the last 3 years i have had 3 surgeries and my husband has had 2 surgeries and my son got injured also, so yes even with hectic lives it can be done. I realize i have the biggest hurdle left with the CPNE but I will get through that too. I made the mistake of signing on with the college network a publishing company. Yes i mainly used their materials to pass the exams, but you can get them ALOT cheaper off ebay, ect. so i would not recommend signing a contract with them. I would be happy to answer any questions that you have. Motivation is the key to be successful through Excelsior:nurse:

CallieNM, ASN, RN · Aug 30, 2012

Wait...

There is an online school for RN students?

What?! I wish I would have known this... :uhoh3:

How do you do clinical?

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · Aug 30, 2012

Wait...
There is an online school for RN students?
What?! I wish I would have known this...
How do you do clinical?

There are several, however they are not entry to practice they are LPN to RN transition programs. Clinicals depending on the program structure. Some you find your own preceptor and site. Others like Excelsior evaluate your clinical skills in a 3-day CPNE (Clinical Performance in Nursing Examination) practical evaluation. Not all programs are accepted in all states.

dreambecomingreality · Sep 3, 2012

Hey girls. Thanks so much for the information above. I too have decided to go the excelsior route. I am so nervous about the exams. Right now I'm studying for the Health and Safety exam that I plan on taking soon. I'm trying to stay focused and motivated.

Btw, I agree with MonaLisa, Jessica you are my motivation.

jessica.brading · Sep 4, 2012

Ahh thank you ladies! I am happy that I can be your motivation and if you ever have any questions feel free to message me. I will always offer any advice that I can! I am so glad this board is here for us.

Jessica