Excelsior Pass Rate?

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jun 28, 2004

Yeah- that makes sense. I don't see how anybody without any exposure to pts could make it through the program. (Large Minivan...lol)...

Chris-The-Girl must be flying back today. I know i scheduled my flight back for the following day, just in case I had to repeat anything & would be in the facility until 5p on the last day.

J Lynn · Jun 28, 2004

I've been reading some of these posts since I'm now interested in distant learning. I wonder how Chris is doing..........if she passed. I'm sure she'll tell us all about it soon.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jun 28, 2004

I started a new thread with my news.....

I am so mooooooved by all the attention and how many people were sending vibes my way!!!! I could just hug you all!

:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss:kiss (my kinda partay)

Dixiedi · Jul 5, 2004

You only get three chances at the CPNE, and then you are expelled form the program>>
This seems like an awful waste of money as there is nothing to transfer to a traditional college.
Do the CPNE boot camps help much or just as much of a failure rate with them?
Kelly

I thought most colleges accept clep tests these days.

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jul 5, 2004

Nursing schools in general don't accept transfer credits from other nursing schools (it's not just Excelsior).

It may have something to do with the idea of "if you couldn't make it in your former school, why would you expect to transfer all your credits here and just leap right to graduation?"

CLEP is something different entirely. Most school accept CLEP, some don't (I don't have a list).

Excelsior College must, because if they didn't, they'd have to go back to (gulp!) 1975 for my algebra credits.....

Hope this helps.

Dixiedi · Jul 5, 2004

You take CLEP tests to earn your credits at Excelsior. They kind of have to accept them.

Still hoping to find someone who can tell me if Excelsior Advantage provides college credit for their courses or do you have to take CLEP exams after the classes?

chris_at_lucas_RN, RN · Jul 5, 2004

You take CLEP tests to earn your credits at Excelsior.

No, you don't. You take exams at a testing center, only after you have paid for those exams AND been given permission by the school to actually take the exams.

They kind of have to accept them.

No, they don't. Excelsior College doesn't have to accept credits from anything they don't find sufficiently accredited. They accepted my algebra CLEP (I believe).

Still hoping to find someone who can tell me if Excelsior Advantage provides college credit for their courses or do you have to take CLEP exams after the classes? (emphasis mine)

Okay, I can see where part of the problem is. Excelsior College is NOT Excel Advantage, although Excel Advantage would like you to think it is.

In this thread, we are talking about Excelsior College which is a "real" college in Albany, New York, which the State of New York permits to give out degrees (including masters, bachelors and associates).

You are talking about Excel Advantage, which is also called Academy of Nursing. They are located in Utah, and they are not a "real" college, school or whatever. The State of Utah does not allow them to give out any kind of degrees. They are not accredited by anybody.

I was fooled by their ads too, where they mention Excelsior College about every third line. It's in blue and might even be bolded, and it made me (and apparently you, and much of the rest of their intended audience) think that they had anything whatever to do with Excelsior College.

I didn't bother to "click" on Excelsior College, because I was already a student enrolled there. Later, when I found out how hokey their material was (I signed up for one on-line "course"), and attempted to get my money back because it wasn't anything like what they described, I was told that every single one of those links is to the disclaimer that they are not associated with Excelsior College in any way. And you know what, that part was true.

I did get my money back. It took me a couple of hours on the phone with all three of the people who apparently make decisions there (none of whom, by the way, was a nurse--an IT guy, an accountant and a marketer--just what you want for nursing education, right?).

In order to get credit in any school worth your time, for anything you do at Excel Advantage, you will need to find a test to take at a real, accredited school. You will have to pay their fees, and be enrolled in their program, after you have applied to them, and after they have accepted you as a student. Unless you are actually sitting in a classroom at Excel Advantage, you aren't getting anything from them that yu cannot get on the web for free.

Sorry to be the one to break the news to you, but better now than later.

Hope this clears up some of the confusion. Good luck.

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Jul 5, 2004

Still hoping to find someone who can tell me if Excelsior Advantage provides college credit for their courses or do you have to take CLEP exams after the classes?

"Excel Advantage" (no affiliation with Excelsior College whatsoever) is a publishing company that makes study materials for Excelsior College exams. They also have a hokey CPNE "bootcamp" that they claim will prepare EC students for the CPNE. They are NOT a college, nor -I repeat- do they have anything to do with Excelsior College or any other college. You pay big bucks, they give you study materials, and you go and take the EC exams--- the same exams that you would take whether you went through College Network, RUE, Chancellor's, or straight through EC for your study materials.

Please, so some MAJOR research before signing with Excel Advantage or any other publishing company. These publishing companies make it sound like they are affiliated with EC, when in fact they are not. Some of these companies scam their way into students' pocketbooks---- and Excel Advantage is one of the best at this. Please be wary.

DC2RN · Jul 5, 2004

I just finished at Excelsior College. I did all of my studying for the Nursing Concepts tests from NCLEX review books, and I got straight A's. DO NOT try this if you do not have a pretty good educational and clinical background. The NCLEX review books give a nice overview of what you learned in nursing school and teaches you how to answer the questions that you will get on the EC tests. Think of it as Cliff Notes for Nursing College. :)

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jul 5, 2004

Excel Advantage sucks. They actually rely on students to inform them when there is incorrect material on their practice tests. Think about that. If people know enough of the material to know that there are wrong answers on the practice tests, why would you need them? Don't waste your money with a publishing company that is not run by nurses, and have no real idea of what it is that you need to be learning. Join the Yahoo study groups for free study materials and support from real students & graduates.

Spazzy Nurse, RN · Jul 5, 2004

I did all of my studying for the Nursing Concepts tests from NCLEX review books

I used a couple of these while studying for my NC exams too. Great study tools.

sheshe2519 · Aug 26, 2008

I HAVE TAKEN THE EXCELSIOR ROAD. it was horrible. i passed all my exams but the CPNE. i took it in columbus ohio. i have been a nurse for 8 yrs before that. i worked in acute care settings. the things they failed me for were trivial and petty. the stress is unbelievable. the first thing they said to me after failing was "ARE YOU GOING TO COME BACK AGAIN??" i guess they need more money. i have not gone back to retake. i dont know that i want to spend that much money. i have had 5 other friends do the program and all had the same experience. none of them passed cpne. they even went to new york. they even took the practice that was available for the cpne (workshop) i dont recommend excelsior. the testing site is now closed in columbus, but it stinks now i need 4 more classes (repeating) since its been 2 years. indiana state will accept all my credits though. that doesnt seem fair. its ok for one not the other. $$$$$$. just telling you my experience