Be very careful before you sign up for the Excelsior program if you plan on working in a major metropolitan hospital or even a larger hospital in a rural area.
I know of two people here in Colorado that have had problems with their Excelsior education. One spent over $5,000, passed the Colorado NCLEX and has found that major hospitals will not hire her because of the lack of additional clinical hours and real-time instruction. The second stopped taking the course after spending more than $3,000 after finding out the same information.
I signed up last April and immediately after had the RN that had taught my CNA class the year before tell me that many hospitals have problems with these types of degrees. I had already bought a bunch of books, but basically left it where it stood thinking I could always get my money back. Boy was I wrong.
I was using the istudysmart.com system to get some of the classes out of the way for Excelsior and when I wanted to get a refund, I was shocked at what I heard. If you do not request a refund within 3 days of signing up, you're out of luck. No refunds period. Am I glad I only spent $800 plus another $200 on books.
So...my advice is to try and get into the second year of an ADN program at a community college if you're an LPN (which in most states has a very small waiting list as compared to entering into it in the first year). If you're a CMA, Paramedic or whatever Excelsior currently says qualifies you for the RN-ADN program, do what it takes to get into a real-time, nursing school. I have heard three stories besides my own now and would council anyone seeking to become a nurse to seek other options than online programs. It may take me longer, but it will be better in the long run.
I cannot believe people are allowed to learn nursing online, it just doesn't seem right to me. (Sorry if this upsets anyone, it is just my opinion)
Wow, I must have been asleep or something. Never noticed this thread before today. Without going into too much detail, I am the president of the largest vocational college in my county, CEO of a health care corporation nurse registry that I started several years ago, junior partner in the largest NP-owned clinic in California, captain in the California State Military Reserve, serve as adjunct faculty for graduate and undergraduate nursing students at two major universities, was accepted by Johns Hopkins, Duke & Colorado for DNP (the only 3 that I applied for) as well as a bunch of other stuff. In short, Regents College (now Excelsior) made this all happen for me. If it wasn't for Regents, I'd still be slinging patients back and forth on an ambulance, working on my thrid herniated disk for getting paid minimum wage. It makes me ill when I see comments like this one and the OP when in fact they have absolutely no clue of what they are talking about.
BTW, I'd like to know the name of one hospital--just one--who will go on the record regarding actively descriminating against Regents College graduates.
thanks alot for the advice. I will be done with my LVN program in June, and have been shopping around for schools like Excelsior, for my RN program. I am glad that I read your thread and will make sure to pass it along. I can't believe that the state board would allow for a school like this to operate, allow students to take the state board for RN, and then for students to be turned away from hospital jobs. Something should be done about this not tommorrow but today. Good luck and thanks for the advice.
Another astude consumer of accurate information. Unbelievable.
Specializes in Medical-Surgical, Education, Community Health.
BTW, I'd like to know the name of one hospital--just one--who will go on the record regarding actively descriminating against Regents College graduates.
Sorry, just had to vent.
Me too! I hear people say it, but where is it actually written that a specific hospital won't take Excelsior RN's? I think that if the state BON regognizes Excelsior, that the hospital would too. It would be foolish to turn down an RN because of their alma mater.
I was looking at a post I made in July. My how times have changed. I went from my brick and mortar RN program to Excelsior--and have absolutely no regrets! :-D One major thing Excelsior has over my previous school-- Excelsior is accredited!
I am an Excelsior grad from March 2007 and I have to say that I was VERY happy with the education I received. It was 50% funded by the VA where I work and while they cautioned me about the difficulty (75% drop out rate in our facility), they were equally impressed by the speed at which I accomplished my degree and my level of competence.
The CPNE is grueling to say the least, but once you pass that, you are pretty much home free. When I called my state board of nursing, they asked where I graduated from and when I told them, their response was that I should have "no trouble at all with the boards. If you can do THAT program and pass, you can do this!" I passed my boards on the first try.... the same boards as any other nurse takes.
I realize that some states are questioning whether or not to acknowledge Excelsior degrees, so I would definately check with your individual state FIRST!
I cannot believe people are allowed to learn nursing online, it just doesn't seem right to me. (Sorry if this upsets anyone, it is just my opinion)
I did not learn nursing "online." I began my journey in a 4 year BSN program many years ago. Following a series of unfortunate events beyond my or anyone else's control, I had to stop attending classes my junior year. At the time I started my BSN program, I was already NREMT, serving in the Army Reserve as a medic, and working in an Emergency Department. I was able to resume schooling after a pretty significant amount of time had passed and did manage to complete LPN training and obtain an Associate of Science degree. Since entering into the Excelsior program, I have not attended ANY virtual classes. My learning was obtained through a combination of my past classroom-based instruction and my own independent learning with study guides from Excelsior's NLNAC ACCREDITED PROGRAM and well-regarded nursing texts. My skills were learned in supervised clinical experiences in my initial BSN endeavor, as well as in LPN school, not to mention the exceptional, rigorous training that I received from the Army's combat medic training program.
No student can enter into Excelsior's program without prior nursing/allied health education or experience or a combination of both. When I graduate from Excelsior, I will possess significant experience that most new RN grads have only read about in their texts or heard about from their instructors. Perhaps the disdain for distance learning for nurses stems from the fact that most people are completely ignorant of what that learning actually entails.
I also have not learned any nursing online. My nursing education came from a BSN program that I was successful in until life circumstances caused me to leave at 8 weeks before graduation. Excelsior College gives me the opportunity to get an RN license, where the school that I attended for the BSN will not give me the time of day. Excelsior is a viable choice for many like myself and is not necessarily the right choice for those who have other options.
thanks ladies, i am an LPN for 4 years now so i really need to get this out of the way so that i can pursue other things. i just need a study patner in houston TX. Anyone out there?
Since you will be an RN, why risk going to EC for the RN to BSN? There are many reputable schools out there that let you do RN to BSN online for probably the same price or less than EC, and then you don't have to worry about whether or not your degree will be accepted. Just do a search for rn to bsn online on google and see how many programs come up.
Excelsior College School of Nursing is accredited by the NLNAC and Excelsior College has been designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, as well. Getting a BSN from Excelsior is not RISKY at all. Neither is Excelsior a disreputable institution. How about :idea:you conduct a Google search of the things I just mentioned and see for yourself.
You are not going to succeed in convincing everyone that Excelsior College has a legit RN program that graduated alot of competent and successful RNs. There are "traditional" schools that have their own distance learning program, but there are still some people that is against any learning where you're not sitting in a classroom. I'm proud to be an Excelsior grad, and so are plenty of other very successful RNs! I read your other thread regarding Excelsior and applaud you for your great efforts, but this is going to turn into another bashing of Excelsior College. Again, you can't convice everyone that Excelsior College is a reputable university that has a very challenging nursing program. Put all of your energy in getting through Excelsior instead of trying to convince close-minded people to accept the program. Good luck with your studies! :)
Excelsior College School of Nursing is accredited by the NLNAC and Excelsior College has been designated a Center of Excellence in Nursing Education by the National League for Nursing, as well. Getting a BSN from Excelsior is not RISKY at all. Neither is Excelsior a disreputable institution. How about :idea:you conduct a Google search of the things I just mentioned and see for yourself.
rhonda1976
17 Posts
Thank You!