Continuing for RN

I am getting ready to send my stuff out now

I am getting ready to send my stuff out now

Do you know of anyone who has gone this route and the outcome?

I know one RN who did and spoke well of it.

Do you know of anyone who has gone this route and the outcome?

the DON where I used to work, did it and passed her boards on the first try

A coworker who is an LPN just finished up EC and seems to have liked it. She hasn't taken NCLEX yet.

I just took and passed my last requirement for EC this past weekend. The last requirement is called the CPNE--it is a clinical exam over a weekend. Glad it is over!!! I liked the program but you must be a very self disciplined person to do this. I would advise you to stay away from publishing companies because you can get books from ebay/half for a much lower cost. EC has the free content guides that tell you what will be covered on the exam--you just look up and study it from common nursing books (med-surg, peds, fundamentals.) Ec also offers on-line nursing concepts prep courses--I am not sure but I think soon they will have it for all the nursing classes for the ADN program. The clinical was a very stressful thing. I will be preparing to take state boards at the end of march/early April. It is nice to be GN now :)

Kim GN

I agree with Kim- you don't need publishing companies like College Network. Save your money. I did the EC program without a pub. co., passed the CPNE without a workshop, and passed the NCLEX on the first try with 75 questions. I was very happy with their program, and would do my BSN with them if I didn't have to do the 3 clinical performance exams required for it- the CPNE was enough for me!

I agree with Kim- you don't need publishing companies like College Network. Save your money. I did the EC program without a pub. co., passed the CPNE without a workshop, and passed the NCLEX on the first try with 75 questions. I was very happy with their program, and would do my BSN with them if I didn't have to do the 3 clinical performance exams required for it- the CPNE was enough for me!

How involved was the clinical?????

Well.....I don't ever want to experience something like it again..LOL You must perform to perfection. You get a big guide that outlines everything expected of you. If you know this guide inside and out and practice, practice, practice then it is very doable. The stress is very intense. Your examiner's are all at masters level or higher and they are not there to teach but to evaluate you. Don't do a program like this unless you are self motivated and very dedicated. It is doable though, and in my opinion a great program. I took all of my generals at a local CC so that all I needed to take were the nursing courses and clinical from Excelsior. Visit their web site at http://www.excelsior.edu or call them at the free number listed at the bottom of the web site. Speak with admissions to clarify all of your questions. I have grown sooo much as a nurse and learned sooo many valuable things with this program. I am thankful to have avoided daycare for my daughter by taking the program.

Kim

How involved was the clinical?????

Thanks for responding...I wish I would have found out sooner about the publishing company College Network. I already have my stuff through them. Oh well...How are the exams at the end of each concept class? I am worried about them as well as the clinical at the end. Is there any type of study video that I can get for that? How much did your education through this program cost approx? It is expensive, but hopefully worth it in the end. LPN salary just isn't cuttin' it for me!!

I just took and passed my last requirement for EC this past weekend. The last requirement is called the CPNE--it is a clinical exam over a weekend. Glad it is over!!! I liked the program but you must be a very self disciplined person to do this. I would advise you to stay away from publishing companies because you can get books from ebay/half for a much lower cost. EC has the free content guides that tell you what will be covered on the exam--you just look up and study it from common nursing books (med-surg, peds, fundamentals.) Ec also offers on-line nursing concepts prep courses--I am not sure but I think soon they will have it for all the nursing classes for the ADN program. The clinical was a very stressful thing. I will be preparing to take state boards at the end of march/early April. It is nice to be GN now :)

Kim GN

Hi, I enjoyed your post. I am a 20 year LVN who decided to take the plunge 2-1/2 years ago. I also signed on with College Network. I know I could have saved a bunch of money now too after reading these threads but at the time I didn't know about other options. I figured it would be just as expensive (possibly more) to purchase the books directly from Excelsior. I am not sorry that I went through CN though. I carry a "B" average and I love the courses through them. I wouldn't be sure where to start if I was scouring through books on my own. They prepare you nicely for the Excelsior exams. But, I highly recommend taking Excelsior's practice exams for the nursing concepts before you go in to take the operational. It is an additional expense ($65.00) but wellllllllll worth it!! I've gotten "A"s on my tests since I started taking those. They only came out this past year. I am now on NC5 and am in the process of studying for the test. I am very nervous about the CPNE but all I keep reading is organize, study, study and study some more. Which is how I am anyway. That and a lot of prayer will get me through. Good luck to you and if I can answer any more questions, don't hesitate to respond.

Hello everyone. I'm in CA, I am "grandfathered" in with Excelsior as the BON in CA no longer accepts Excelsior students past Dec 2003. I was enrolled for over a year before I actually sat down and started studying. I just passed Nursing concepts 1, and trying to decide if I should do A&P and Lifespan before continueing on with NC2-7. Any feed back would be great!

Also as I mentioned I'm in CA but we are considering a possible move to Tx (North of Dallas). Any LVN's here from Tx? How's the job market in Tx? How's the pay scale? I work at an out patient surgery center and make very good money, not to mention I totally LOVE it! I think I'll stay within the pre/post and circulating when I become an RN.

btw... any of you who are thinking of the Excelsior route, be aware that Kansas BON just axed extended learning via excelsior not allowing them to sit for the NCLEX. Kansas thus far the only state that doesn't allow (except for Illnois as well... they have never allowed excelsior grads) and just for clarity no one here in CA could sign up for the RN program after Dec 2003 - people who enrolled prior are infact "Grandfathered in" and won't have a problem sitting for NCLEX per Excelsior. What a shame too - as I think we may have a broader recollection of nursing school (be it unconventional way of learning) because we MUST be self starters, self motivators and self studiers.

Looking forward to any feed back. :) (revised for clarity)