Published Mar 21, 2014
TrixiaPilapil
8 Posts
I'm trying to challenge the board and use method #3 (equivalent education) to apply to take the NCLEX, and I called the board and asked them if I was allowed to apply to take the exam without passing my school's exit exam.
My school's exit exam is not the california state approved HESI, it's honestly a load of bs, it 6 different 100 question exams. My school has a long history of graduates taking up to 12 months after graduation to exit! I really don't wanna be a part of that!! I graduated in January of this year.
SO the board told me as long as I fill in the application, my background check is cleared and my school sends in my transcripts I will get approved.
Some of my classmates are telling me that the school will refuse to send in my paperwork if I haven't passed their exit exam. Are they allowed to do that? I don't owe them any money either.
Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN
5,047 Posts
Request a copy of your transcripts, then send them to the BON yourself. You can get them in a sealed envelope if the BON needs them that way. I'm not sure if the school can refuse to send them to the BON, but they can't refuse to send them to you
vintagemother, BSN, CNA, LVN, RN
2,717 Posts
Don't tell your classmates what you're doing. Nursing is competitive and full of haters. Just do it!! GL!
CT Pixie, BSN, RN
3,723 Posts
My LPN program beat it into our heads that we HAD to pass the exit exam in order to be considered 'graduates'. Before we put pen to paper to sign the papers we were informed, verbally and it was part of the 'contract'.
Each and every class we were reminded that we HAD to pass the exit exam in order to graduate. It didn't matter if you had a 4.0 all through every class and at the end, if you didn't pass the exit you didn't graduate and your transcripts and needed paperwork would not be sent to the BON.
If your school has the exit exam as part of their program requirements for graduation, then they do not have to send anything because you have not 'passed' or 'graduated' the program per their guidelines for graduation.
They may send your transcripts but I'm sure it will not indicate that you graduated from the program if you didn't take and pass their exit exam.
pookyp, LPN
1,074 Posts
My friends school did this. They were not accredited. They wanted those HESI's to see who had a good chance on passing the nclex.
Some peoples transcripts were not being sent to the BON until their score was good enough for the school. Just a mess.
RNsRWe, ASN, RN
3 Articles; 10,428 Posts
Yikes. The real answer can be found in your school's program book /handbook/whatever was given to you that stated what was required for graduation. If your school requires you to pass the exit exam prior to being considered a graduate, you have your answer. You must be a graduate of your school before applying to the BON; it's possible that in your explanation to them, that part wasn't clear--that you have not actually graduated.
Now, if it turns out that the test in question is NOT a requirement of graduation, that's a different story. But first you're going to have to do some more research, check carefully through everything you signed, and your program description.
Good luck!
Yes I know exactly what you're saying. I wasn't even aware I could challenge the board and independently apply to take the nclex until I called the board my self. The school hammered it into us we could no advance forward to take the exam until we were done either the bs exits.
im already considered a graduate and we didn't have I exit in order to graduate so I think I'll still be considered a graduate. It's just getting really stressful for me
My school is accredited but it makes me wonder why they don't use the HESI for exits. Their methods are so backwards. I swear to you I know graduates from July 2013 still trying to take the exits.
Thanks for the super helpful advice. I'll definitely dig around my documents and see. My school is super notorious for their crap and treating students like idiots...
rtx723
83 Posts
The exit exam just assures the school the likelihood or chance of a student of passing the NCLEX. However, if a student does not pass the exit exam the school will not consider he/she as graduate of the program but you'll be eligible providing you've met the other requirements
duskyjewel
1,335 Posts
If this is true, why did you go there?
More thoughts....
My private for profit Lvn school charged us 31k and told us the fees incl NCLEX fees of $200.
Towards the end of school, they informed us that we have to pass more exit exams than in our original contract and do more practice questions.
We were told that the school would refuse to pay NCLEX fees if we don't pass exit exams and do extra questions.
Me being me, I said no to signing the new contract with new terms but still, I and everyone else did complete all of the extra practice questions and did pass the "exit" exams.
When we graduated, our school never sent any of our apps to pearsonvue, although they did send packets to the state.
I was so mad that I paid for my NCLEX mysel! I did this even though my school blew me off and said I'm jumping the gun, wasting money and won't get a refund after pearsonvue "finds" the packet my school supposedly already sent.
I figured the school would eventually pay for my classmates Pearsonvue packets. Months later, I had my license and the school hadnt paid for anyone's testing fees. When a bunch of students got mad, the school agreed to reimburse.