is anyone enrolled in excelsior college

[jmvand]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone is enrolled in excelsior college's lpn to rn program. I have been doing a lot of research and would like to get in touch with someone who has taken some of their exams, in particular the anatomy and physiology and microbiology ones. I need to make the decision soon as to whether I am going to take these exams through them or through a traditional school. I am almost 100% sure I will do all of my nursing theory through excelsior. I am also seriously considering buying rue education study materials. I am a mother of four children and really am loving the idea of doing all of my studying at home. I have taken several classes at home already and love it.

[CAYTAYBRY]

I am in the Excelsior program now. I am at the end, I am just waiting to do the CPNE. (That's the clinical exam at the end, if you didn't know)

I think it's a great way to go. Ofcourse it's not for everybody, not everyone can do it with no structured classes or no teacher checking behind them. But, if you have already done classes at home, I'd say go for it! My advice is not to use alot of those publishing companies(istudysmart, the college network, RUE) because it can get really expensive! You have to buy their courses and books, then pay for the test. Plus you have to pay the enrollment fee to Excelsior. - Once you pay the enrollment fee, Excelsior provides study guides for free. They aren't as in depth as the publishing companies, but they're free. - I'm not downing those companies, their materials are good, (I used them for 2 courses) it just gets expensive. It just all depends on your budget and how much help and guidance you need with studying.

Hope that helps!

[SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN]

I'm doing Excelsior.

Don't take any classes through anyone until you are enrolled with Excelsior. THEY will tell you what you need, and it might not be as much as you think.

The only extra materials I've bought have been Lisa Arends notes and they're only so-so, but for 10 bucks I didn't expect gold. I just do the reading and pay for the practice exams.

[jmvand]

Thanks so much for the reply! Did you do your prerequisites through them specifically anatomy and physiology and microbiology. If you did can you tell me how you did? I'm trying to decide whether to go through them or a traditional school.

I am in the Excelsior program now. I am at the end, I am just waiting to do the CPNE. (That's the clinical exam at the end, if you didn't know)

I think it's a great way to go. Ofcourse it's not for everybody, not everyone can do it with no structured classes or no teacher checking behind them. But, if you have already done classes at home, I'd say go for it! My advice is not to use alot of those publishing companies(istudysmart, the college network, RUE) because it can get really expensive! You have to buy their courses and books, then pay for the test. Plus you have to pay the enrollment fee to Excelsior. - Once you pay the enrollment fee, Excelsior provides study guides for free. They aren't as in depth as the publishing companies, but they're free. - I'm not downing those companies, their materials are good, (I used them for 2 courses) it just gets expensive. It just all depends on your budget and how much help and guidance you need with studying.

Hope that helps!

[ctlizzylpn]

HI everyone! I am an SPN and I will be graduating in october '07. I am also trying to decide what my next step will be. I live in CT and was hoping to see if anyone else in CT is taking the excelsior program, or any other LPN-RN online program. Thanks.

[bailey52501]

What is a reasonable amount of time to plan to get through the EC program?

[akanini, MSN, RN]

The program is designed to be completed in 2 years according to their website. Howeve, it is self passed and if you have credits coming in it's even better. When I interviewed for PN school the counselor told me about Excelsior. I will finish PN school in August and plan to take the exams right away.