Excelsior BSN Program

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is or has anyone gone through the excelsior bsn program, and if so what was your experience. also is there anyone in the virginia (especially richmond area) who is going through the excelsior bsn program. walter

I am currently enrolled in the Excelsior BSN program. I have finished all the nursing theory exams.

I have yet to meet the advanced writing requirement and the ethics requirement. I am just starting to work on both of these.

I now stand within 28 semester hours of completion. It is a challenging program worthy of the BSN degree.

A short while back I posted a request for anyone doing the TPE, HAPE, MOP or PRPE exams. I am still interested.

Agnus

How long did it take you to go through the nursing theory exams? I dont know anyone who has done the TPE, HAPE, MOP or PRPE exams. What do you think the time frame will be from starting to your completion of the BSN program?

Walter

It is all pretty individual. I don't mean to seem evasive. That is really true. Here is what I have done: Profesoinal Strategies, Sept. 2000;Health Support A, Feb 2002; Health Support B, April 2002; Management in Nursing March 2003; Reasearch in Nursing, April 2003. I am currently working on Taking Ethics in July this year.

As you can see I have taken considerable time off between some exams due to life. That is the beauty of this program.

How fast you go through the exams really depends on how much time you want to spend on a weekly basis, studying. I do not estimate how long I need to study on anyone exam because frankly until I have done it I don't know.

After I have finished I cannot tell you either because I do not keep tract of the time I spent. And my studying goes in spurts and stops. I just study until I am sufficiently comfortable with the material.

If you have a definite time frame that you need to meet and you have trouble disaplining yourself I suggest then a more traditional route.

The advantage of this route is not speed. It is the convenience of fitting it into your own life and not having your time dictated by an instructor.

I choose when and what I will study and from what sources. I choose when I will test. I have to seek out clarification myself of concepts that I have trouble with. This takes time and work.

I live 55 miles from the nearest college. The next closest one offering a BSN is 180 miles.

I could bite the bullet and pack up my life for the time it would take to get my degree by a traditional route and get it over with. I am not willing to do that. Speed is not an issue but my time spent grinding away in a university is.

I have tenatively projected completion for myself by the end of 2004. I f I don't make it by then it doesn't matter. I will make it. There are things in my life more important.

A good rule of thumb is for a 4 sememster hour exam 180 hours to 240 hours of study. you deside how you want to do that. Perhaps some of these exams you will not need to spend 180 hours because it is your area of expertise. Some areas will be totally new to you and will require more time. Then there will be the exam that you will procrastinate about for your own reasons.

You can do the MOP at any time and it is suggested that you get started early. I have had the course guide for some time and am now finally starting to formulate my project. It is still perculating. You may already have an excellent idea for a project and so should order the course guide. In any case the sooner you get it the sooner you can start to formulate your idea.

I actually got my idea studying for my last exam, Research. I think it will be a history project, related to promoting nursing's immage. I even have a couple of ideas on finding the required mentor for this.

It took me a long time to come up with this and I am glad that I had the guide so that I understood what is required. Honestly without the guide I probably would not have the idea yet.

Agnus

I got my Associate Degree through Excelsior so I know what it takes go go through the exams. I was just trying to get an idea of how long it took you to get to the point that you are at now. Thanks for the information on the MOP, I will get the learning guide in the next couple of days. If you come across anymore information that would be helpful I would appreciate you sending it my way, and if I come across anything that might help you I will be sure to send it to you.

Walter

Where are you in the program?

I did not enroll until Nov. 2001. By that time they eliminated the need for a ADN grad to take 2 of the written exams and did away with the need for a portfolio assessment as well.

I had already taken one of the two exams that was eliminated and was ready to take the next one. I'm sorry I don't know the name of the exam but They both covered content area that is taught at the ADN level.

They are still a requirement if you are not an RN when you start the program. I took the exam June 2001, after after the professional stratagies exam.

I only graduated my ADN program in May 2001. So I am really not far off tract compared to those who might deside to go a more traditional route.

Are you doing the BSN or the MSN? You know you do not have to have your BSN before enrolling in the MSN. You pick up your BSN along the way as you work on it. The exams are different and geard more at the MSN level which you take before getting your BSN. So some of the exams I took will not artuculate toward the MSN.

Agnus

I just enrolled in the BSN program, and no I am not going to go for the MSN program because I am thinking of joining the military so I can get my CRNA. But I do agree with you that the Excelsior program is a good program cause it lets a person go at their own pace. I am planning on finishing the program in 18 - 24 months. Going to do 2 exams at a time cause I only work 3 days a week 12 hour shifts in an Emergency Dept.

Walter

You know what you can handle better than anyone. If you really plan to do 2 at a time, you might try this. Work on a theory exam while you are working on a performance one. You have 12 weeks to complete the teaching and the MOP after your proposal is accepted. I really do not see how these should really take that long.

The assessment and teaching (the kind they require) are my strong points. I could easily combine working on one of these with another exam.

I don't know where you are on the general ed requirements, but I would get the advanced english requirement out of the way asap. This will help you in preparing the papers you have to do for the MOP and the TPE. Besides you are going to either have to take a formal class or a distance learning class and these take time do to logistics. So working on English while you do something else makes real sense.

Please, don't misunderstand my next question. I have nothing against the military I was in myself for 12 years and got out SFC. They offer a lot. I have to question why you would you join the military to get your CRNA????!!!!

i'm currently in process for starting the bsn program with ec. they have a special right now 12 courses for 499.00....is this worthwhile for me to pursue?

amk1964

I didnt know that Excelsior College had any sort of special going on for classes. If you know something I dont I would appreciate you letting me know where I could get that information. Hopefully it is for the BSN program. I think that if you are a good self motivated learner the Excelsior program is a good wayof obtaining a degree. Right now I am looking at going to a traditional college and Excelsior. The traditional college has a weekend only program and is pretty fast paced. So I am comparing my options at the moment. Walter

Originally posted by amk1964

i'm currently in process for starting the bsn program with ec. they have a special right now 12 courses for 499.00....is this worthwhile for me to pursue?

Huh?? Come again with that? This sounds very fishy to me.

What 12 courses are we talking about?

Are your sure it is 12 courses and not 12 units? Even then that is pretty cheap.

Please, tell me what is the source of your information.

To answer your question if your information is correct and IF it come DIRECTLY from Excelsior College. Grab it and Run. That is a great deal.

Beware, there are MANY companies and publishers who PRETEND to represent Excelsior who do so without authorization nor endorsement from Excelsior. THEY will take you to the cleaners before you know what happened.

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