College Network

CLH87 · Feb 25, 2007

The 2006 NCLEX passing rate was 82%, according to our State Board of Nursing. Their approval status is at "conditional". Half of the people in my current class are 'repeaters'. The other half (us new ones) will probably have to repeat it next quarter, if we stay. The highest test grades are coming from the ones who have previously had the class.

The approximate total cost for this program is $25,000. Yes I said twenty-five thousand dollars! We have voiced our concerns to the administration and they go unheard. We all can't be stupid! And they do imply that. "Is the material too hard for you?". That's a quote from both Deans.

So, at this point, I'm tired of fighting them, I'm tired of feeling stupid, and I'm afraid of not passing boards. I just want an education, and I want to feel confident in my knowledge. I don't right now, and that's a scary feeling...especially to me.

Nascar nurse, ASN, RN · Feb 25, 2007

my personal opinion is why on earth would you pay $400 per book when you can get them off e-bay for a little of nothing... who cares is they are the last edition . it is not like the book is word for word the test, it is only a idea of what it is like. with all the free information out there and all the yahoo study groups one should be able to keep the book expense at a bare minimum and still do well on the test. it is nothing but a rip off...but that is just me.

couldn't have said it better.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 25, 2007

I am wondering about being employed in the state of Kentucky as an RN graduating from an online course. Do employers like for their nurses to go to regular clasess?

If you pass NCLEX that's all they care about. They don't look at where you went or what grades you made. A valid license is your only ticket needed.

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Feb 25, 2007

I have an appointment with College Network Rep. this week. I was wondering if anybody has graduated from the program. I am an LPN trying to get my RN. If anybody has any information I would greatly appreciate it.

This is where I got the best information and most support, I credit them with being able to finish and passing and it's totally free! Make sure to check out the files and links.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rnstudygroup/

You can download the "free" study guides from www.excelsior.edu.

Good Luck!

laizure · Feb 25, 2007

Thanks for the tip of study guides at excelsior. Can you tell me where they are on the website?

caliotter3 · Feb 25, 2007

laizure: They are on: Excelsior College Publications Request under Excelsior

College Examinations section. You click on Download rather than request by mail. While you are on the pub request page, load plenty of paper, and download a copy of the nursing school catalog. Then you will have a complete guide to all the rules that you can refer to as you need it. You can get to this page by clicking on the area at the left side of the opening page of the nursing dept. that says examinations.

CLH87 · Mar 3, 2007

To Critter1972:

Thank you for all of your great information. It helps to have someone who is actually doing the program give advice.

And because of being burned by my current school, I decided to do some research. And for anyone wanting to know, this is what I found out:

I currently work for a big hospital corporation in our city, and talked with the tuition reimbursement representative, who praised The College Network's program advisor I have been talking with. They are very comfortable with this program advisor and his wife; nothing but good things to day about them; even said that they were 'good people' (which in today's world, means a lot). They are also very comfortable with The College Network and Excelsior college, as well as a few other long distance programs. They haven't heard of any bad experiences dealing with either company; they have heard of people not following through with what they need to do as a student.

I checked with the Better Business Bureau. No complaints against Excelsior. There were 3 complaints agains The College Network, BUT The College Network tried to fix those problems, with no response from the people who filed a complaint. The College Network's attempts to fix those problems were to the satisfaction of the Better Business Bureau (they felt The College Network went above what it had to do to fix the complaints, but no response from the people who filed the complaint), and I actually talked with a person from the BBB.

I checked with our State Board of Nursing, and they recognize Excelsior. I will be able to sit for boards with no problem.

I have done some serious research on the internet, and for the most part, not many bad reviews. I know that there are some, and I didn't expect anything otherwise.

I spoke with a few people (friends of friends type thing) who have done both The College Network and Excelsior and they have done well. Passed Boards and all; some are even working on their BSN right now. A couple of them didn't pass the clinicals the first time, but they said that it was their own faults. They thought that their experience would help them, but they said it only hurt them. They didn't prepare as well as they should have and said that they were used to taking 'short-cuts' because of work. But they passed the second time.

So, all in all, I'm going to sign up with The College Network and Excelsior. And many of my fellow students are leaving the school we were attending and will probably do the same. It will be great to have a pretty big study group to get us all through this.

So, Critter1972, thank you for all of your great information, and I hope this will help someone else make a decision. Like Critter1972 said, this isn't for everyone...my fellow students and I have been in an online program for over a year (with a bad school) so we're used to doing things on our own. It will help to have so many of us working together.

Good Luck to everyone!

laizure · Mar 4, 2007

Well, sounds like a great match for you. Good luck with it! For some it is a perfect fit.

While I got the latest editions of the college network off of EBAY for $20 - $50 a book, I saved a huge amount of money. Being an adult all around, I am able to stay focused with my schooling and passing the first time is not a problem. very happy being cheap, I will take all that money I saved and perhaps:

1 - Go on vacation :bugeyes:

2 - Pay off another bill :thankya:

3 - Buy that special thing for my kids :rotfl:

4 - Tell my wife I love her with somthing special :icon_hug:

5 - Go out and do something fun :balloons:

all the while I will stay:

1- Out of dept :yeah:

2- No crazy interest :no:

3- No contract :bowingpur

4 -Be the same RN you will be :w00t:

and in return I will have

1 - The same content from the college network you had :cheers:

2 - $4000 more dollars in my pocket :twocents:

3 - Really happy :monkeydance: I will do the monkey dance

caliotter3 · Mar 4, 2007

Personally, since I have been warned, there are plenty of other things I can spend $4000 on, including housing, food, medical care, travel expenses. The list goes on and on.

kakalika · Mar 4, 2007

Well, sounds like a great match for you. Good luck with it! For some it is a perfect fit.
While I got the latest editions of the college network off of EBAY for $20 - $50 a book, I saved a huge amount of money. Being an adult all around, I am able to stay focused with my schooling and passing the first time is not a problem. very happy being cheap, I will take all that money I saved and perhaps:
1 - Go on vacation
2 - Pay off another bill :thankya:
3 - Buy that special thing for my kids :rotfl:
4 - Tell my wife I love her with somthing special :icon_hug:
5 - Go out and do something fun :balloons:
all the while I will stay:
1- Out of dept
2- No crazy interest
3- No contract :bowingpur
4 -Be the same RN you will be :w00t:
and in return I will have
1 - The same content from the college network you had :cheers:
2 - $4000 more dollars in my pocket
3 - Really happy :monkeydance: I will do the monkey dance

I hear you, this has got to be the best way to do it. I have already purchased 2 study guides of ebay. :wink2:

Queenietoo · Apr 3, 2007

I'm glad to come across this forum. I am considering College Network. For some of us, the most important consideration is not money, it's convience and being able to pass the courses. I'm sure you can get the books off ebay much cheaper, but some of us do not enjoy nor have the time for all that ebay shopping, and jumping from website to website for support. My only concern is that they are legitimate and their material is indeed what they claim, a condensed version of what you need to know.

MERCEDES674, MSN, RN · Apr 17, 2007

I signed up for the college network in Dec 2006. At the time it sounded good. Now that I look at the price of all of those books it's way too expensive. I have been trying to cancel this contract but I am getting no where. Did you have any luck?