indiana or excelsior?

Nursing Students Online Learning

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Specializes in pedies and er.

can someone please explain the difference to me between doing distance / online learning thru indiana (local pre-ceptors, and "no -fail" clinicals"-???), or is it better to go w/ excelsior...(and why are they grouped in w/ some of the exam testing?--if I read it right..?)

just trying to find the BEST program for me to go with. thanx for any help.

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I believe Indiana only grants a BSN, while you can get the RN only through Excelsior.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Moved to the Distance Learning forum. Good luck to you!

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ISU is not "no fail clinical". You can fail clinicals just like you can in traditional nursing school. With ISU you do what the on campus students do with the exception of lectures. Rather than sit in class you have Breeze presentations and projects to do as well as reading. You have papers and group projects just like on campus students. For clinicals you have a clinical notebook for each class that has the objectives you have to meet, hours to log, documentation of what you did, etc. as well as an end of semester evaluation from your preceptor. You turn your notebook in to your ISU professor who grades it pass or fail.

Excelsior is basically CLEPing all your classes (except you use Excelsior tests rather than CLEP but same basic idea as far as you study the material and just take a test on it). Then you have the CPNE which, if I understand it correctly is a 2 or 3 day test over your hands-on technical skills like IV push, etc.

They are actually really really different programs. The only similarity being that you don't sit in a traditional classroom for either one. ISU is more like traditional nursing school then like Excelsior.

The grouping in that you've seen is because LPNs can test out of the pre-requisites and 4 of the lower level nursing courses. Some of the pre-reqs are Excelsior tests.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

I have a bunch of credits from several different colleges, so EC was the better choice for me since it has no residency requirement. I agree that both schools are much different. You can get a BSN from EC, but only if you have an RN first, whereas Indiana State makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN when you finish the BSN. It really also depends on where you want to be licensed for which program is best for you.

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I have a bunch of credits from several different colleges, so EC was the better choice for me since it has no residency requirement. I agree that both schools are much different. You can get a BSN from EC, but only if you have an RN first, whereas Indiana State makes you eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN when you finish the BSN. It really also depends on where you want to be licensed for which program is best for you.

ISU doesn't have a residency requirement. I live in Maryland and I transferred credits from colleges in several states.

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.
ISU doesn't have a residency requirement. I live in Maryland and I transferred credits from colleges in several states.

I mean that EC's residency doesn't require a certain number of hours needs to come from EC, and I believe that ISU does. (Not that it's a bad thing at all--most college do it this way!) For example, if I had a bunch of psychology credits with general ed credits that fit EC's criteria for a bachelor's degree in psych , I could have EC evaluate my credits and not take one extra class to receive my degree from them. Of course, I'll be paying the honking fees, but that's another matter. However, I don't think nursing students are usually that lucky to be able to transfer every little class in to EC like I think some of the liberal arts students can more easily. :)

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I mean that EC's residency doesn't require a certain number of hours needs to come from EC, and I believe that ISU does. (Not that it's a bad thing at all--most college do it this way!) For example, if I had a bunch of psychology credits with general ed credits that fit EC's criteria for a bachelor's degree in psych , I could have EC evaluate my credits and not take one extra class to receive my degree from them. Of course, I'll be paying the honking fees, but that's another matter. However, I don't think nursing students are usually that lucky to be able to transfer every little class in to EC like I think some of the liberal arts students can more easily. :)

OIC. I would check into that more if you were still looking at options. I transferred a LOT into ISU. Almost all of my pre-reqs were transferred from another college and the rest are CLEP/Excelsior/Dantes. I'm only doing nursing courses at ISU.

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After reading indiana or excelsior, I am still confused on which school to enroll in. Let me as a couple questions, but preface it by saying I have an LPN, a BS from Northern Arizona University and all my rn prerequisites except Anatomy and Physiology. I only took a general A&P class.1. does Indiana give an associates and/or BSN degree?2. Are more classes required for the BSN in theory or less than practicum from excelsior?3. Are all states allowing you to test in or get licensure by reciprocity at both school? I have an associate who got her LPN in Michigan, attended Indiana for her RN and had all of the credits transfered to Michigan State University online BSN program because her degree was better recognized there than at Indiana and in all 50 states.4. How is it cost wise, both places?5. How short or long does it take at both places? I heard that excelsior lets you out of the 4 lower nursing classes based on your RN. does Indiana let you do that also.6. I'm an old woman and getting older by the minute. Which one is less stressful. Reading isn't a problem for me. Been an LPN for 38 years.Thank you all for your help

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Indiana only does an RN-BSN. It's quite expensive. However, even CA will license an ISU grad. NOT all states will accept EC.

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ISU is a state university and their tuition is pretty average for a state school. I have a list floating around somewhere (maybe on the sticky thread?) that lists which states accept ISU at this point.

Having a BS and almost all your pre-reqs should allow you to finish fairly quickly but you would really have to send in transcripts to know for sure.

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Hi AnnieNC,

ISU does offer an LPN to BSN completion program. I don't know if you've been to the website and seen this info just yet, but here is the link to an overview of the LPN/LVN to BSN: http://www.college-net.com/downloads/ISU_LPN_700s.pdf . Also the general webpage for the program is http://www.college-net.com/isu.asp?degree=LPB . Good luck, hope this helps.

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