College Network vs. Rue vs. Excelsior

oholycats · Mar 18, 2006

What would stop someone from going directly through Excelsior rather than through Rue or College Network? Does Excelsior offer the prereqs along with everything else? I am possibly signing with College Network on Monday for their LPN to ASN, but I am wondering if just going through Excelsior would be better. I was going to go for BSN, but the rep told me that ASN would be better for coming straight from an LPN. So, If anyone has any suggestions, I welcome them. Thanks!:)

Several of my LPN classmates went through RUE without any trouble. Does anyone have the link to RUE? I can't find it on the net.

oholycats · Mar 18, 2006

Several of my LPN classmates went through RUE without any trouble. Does anyone have the link to RUE? I can't find it on the net.

Any info would be helpful.

grandee3 · Mar 24, 2006

To Lockcuff--Please let me know what you decide about signing with College Network on Monday. I was thinking about signing with them next week also. I do however have some doubts now. You can PM me.

Thanks, CM

shana3co · May 8, 2006

I want to respond to Lockcuff's question. I went through The College Network to earn my LPN to BSN degree from Indiana State University. Someone else said that you have to become an ASN first, but that is not true. I thought The College Network was GREAT!
I used the study guides and passed all my exams on the first try. I was having trouble with stats and I called the academics people at The College Network. The guy I was talking to stayed on the phone with me for like 2 hours at 10PM. He stayed with me until I understood.
The price of the study guides was WAY less than the price I would have paid for the 4 or 5 textbooks I would have had to buy for each course. Best of all, The College Network guarantees that you will pass the exams!
I have referred several friends to The College Network, and they pay me $250 for each person that signs up. I think my decision to sign up with The College Network was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Dear LindaBSN, How long did it take you to complete the program? Thanks.

davioh · May 17, 2006

its a shame that people still somehow think there is a choice between what are publishing companies vs. the actual college itself. A publishing company is NOT a college!

The way I went about it was to buy study matierials used off of the internet. I paid only a few hundred dollars for the study material. I've met people who have gotten locked into contracts with publishers and they have threatened to sue and garnish wages if they don't get paid. They paid THOUSANDS of dollars and still have nothing to show for it. buyer beware.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · May 17, 2006

A warning to those with questions regarding College Network, etc: Be very wary of people on nursing discussion sites who have recently joined the site, and with few posts stating how great certain publishing companies are. There have been many posts like this here and on other boards that are written by people who are actually reps of these companies.

As an EC grad, I can tell you it is VERY do-able to pass these exams without a publishing company. Don't waste your money, folks. Excelsior does not endorse any publishing company.

jksapphire · May 17, 2006

I recently met with a College Network Representative who showed me that it would cost $10,995 to go thru them to get my RN thru Excelsior College. This includes the EC enrollment fee, literacy course, clinical fee and graduation fee. When I got info from EC, they charge $250/credit hour and for the 46 credit hours I need, tuition alone comes to $11,500, not including books or these other fees.

This doesn't sound right, but on paper that is what it looks like. Am I missing something?

I thought the study materials College Network provides would make studying easier. I took one class thru EC a few years ago and it seemed overwhelming to try to get the right books. Maybe I didn't have a good EC advisor.

I appreciate all of your input, because I plan to go from LPN to RN, too thru this route.

Thank you,

Judy

suebird3 · May 18, 2006

Moved thread to more appropriate Forum. Good luck, all!

Suebird

traumahawk99 · May 18, 2006

if you go through your commuity college and use clep where you can, you can get through excelsior's program for approximately 4,500, i believe. i'm betting you can do the other hours you need at a community college online for well under 2,000, bringing the cost in at under $6,500.

seems to me like the college network isn't worth it. i did it as above, no problem.

TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN · May 19, 2006

how do you go about going thru a CC and doing the cleps? (i'm assuming this is for the gen ed's only correct?)

then you just pay for the Nursing concepts classes and enrollment and extra fees for EC?

*** Has anyone done the LPN to BSN through Indiania State University, with or without college network?***

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · May 19, 2006

how do you go about going thru a CC and doing the cleps? (i'm assuming this is for the gen ed's only correct?)
then you just pay for the Nursing concepts classes and enrollment and extra fees for EC?

I took Micro & Lifespan Psych at my local CC. Already had A&P 1&2, Communications, and Eng. done before that.

I CLEPped Analyzing/Interpreting Lit for 6 Humanities credits, Biology for 6 Science credits, and Soc. for 3 Social Sciences credits. I suggest only doing CLEP subject exams, though- don't take any general exams. Most schools don't accept the generals, or if they do, it's for elective credits.

I took only the nursing courses at EC.

traumahawk99 · May 19, 2006

i took both anatomy 1 & 2 (got permission), microbiology, nutrition, and clepped psych and sociology in 1 semester at my cc. 21 hours in one semester, and it was very affordable.

not to mention all my classes were online. excelsior accepted all 21 of these credits, leaving me with only nc1-7 and the cpne.