I need advice on where to go from here....

For your info: College Network is merely an overpriced publishing company that sells materials for Excelsior. Do not go through College Network, because you can pruchase the same Excelsior materials on www.Ebay.com for half the price.

Excelsior is good in that it permits you to earn your RN license on your own schedule. Excelsior is bad because it is not accepted by every state's board of nursing.

PLEASE head to the distance learning forum and read the threads on the college network. You can get your degree from Excelsior much much cheaper without using a publishing company. They charge anywhere from $300-450 per study guide and you can get outlines for free from EC (excelsior) and then buy your stuff on e-bay for a little of nothing. you may also want to try some of the messge boards for EC on yahoo groups.I know you can get your study guids fot cheap. Someone had there stuff for sale on there the other day all 7 study guides for $160 or so...The college network makes it all sound real good but you pay out the bootie....Do your research before you sign.....

Don't sign anything !!!!

she doesn't want you t sign something committing yourself because it's not the best route

It is unwise to sign anything from College Network because, as I said earlier, they're nothing more than an overpriced publishing company that you can do without. The study materials purchased from them simply lead back to Excelsior College, but at a substantial cost. If you plan to receive your education from Excelsior, pruchase the study materials from www.Ebay.com or elsewhere.

The College Network is an unnecessary middleman.

Ok, we are in the EXACT SAME BOAT. I also graduated at the top of my class, I also had a child at 16-17. I have been married for over 11 years, and have 2 kids. Reading this post is almost like reading my diary.
DO NOT GO THRU ANYTHING BUT EXCELSIOR. The college network people are only publishing guys. When you talk to him on Monday, he will tell you that you will end up going thru excelsior (EC) anyway. Also, ask about the wait for the clinicals. I called 3 months ago and was told that the clinicals would take almost 16 months to get into. I was told last month that it takes 4-6 months to get into the clinical after you finish all 7 classes.

Also, when you sign with CN, you sign a contract. You have to pay for everything. Even if something happens and you decide to go a different route, you still pay. When you go via EC, you can almost pay as you go. I have been told, and it is on the website excelsior.edu that you can pay out any and all fees. I was able to borrow texts from friends and really read thru the first nursing concepts. I have been flipping back and forth to be honest.

Like you, I want that college feeling. I have to say, and will probley get flamed here, but FOR ME, LVN was harder than my prereqs. I think that I could handle the RN ADN with better leverage for many reasons. The first is that my family already understands how important this is to me, and we have already done this for several years. (getting the LVN and prereqs.) Also, THIS IS WHAT I WANT. I know I learn better in a class setting. Also, I am able to get the student loans, and Pell grant to help. With EC and CN, you pay everything. No loans, and no pell grant.

Also, I do not know where you live, but if I am going to put my family thru all this, I want them to see me walk across a stage. You are able to do this with EC, but you have to go to NY. My family is not able to afford this.

DO NOT LET ANYONE PUSH YOU INTO SIGNING ANYTHING UNTIL YOU ARE READY. Come back and talk to us and get the good and bad feedback.

I went ahead and payed the money to see what exactly I would have to pay for EC, but because of this board, I understand the big difference between EC and CN.
to clarify, CN is a publishing company. They send you materials, books, ect. You pay them to pay EC for your degree. In the end, CN is a middle man that is not necessary.

Good luck, and if needed PM me. I will give you my number and we can talk over the phone. This is a very important thing, and you need support from every aspect of your life.

Another good point, someone already made, is that several states, California being one of them, does not recognize EC,CN or Rue.

Sorry for the lenght, it is that I have been doing alot of thinking on this. Good luck. Texas