EC- how do I sign up??

First of all, congratulations on being an RN already. Are you a diploma grad interested in the ASN or do you want to get the BSN? I would suggest going for the BSN with Excelsior. You can find all the info you need at their website http://www.excelsior.edu. It will cost you less if you get as many of the "regular" type classes done prior to enrolling. This is because after the first year of enrollment, every year you are assessed an administrative fee just to stay enrolled. This is whether you complete any requirements or not during the year. It is best to avoid procrastination. There is also a seven year limit on enrollment. Most people finish their ASN in about two years. I suggest taking the prerequisites at your local community college. If you feel you are good at test taking, then you can take CLEP, DANTES, or Excelsior tests for some of your courses. You can find out a lot more, including the current costs, by visiting the school website. Feel free to come back here with questions or to research previous threads for info.

I think she mentioned she's taking three EC exams as part of her RN-BSN curriculum. BumblebeeRN, shouldn't your school have this information for you if they're requiring you to take EC exams? I know how EC works for EC students, but I don't know the process for non-EC students to take their exams.

In general, the price for EC's exams does NOT include the study materials. Excelsior provides exam content guides on its website, and these exam content guides provide the recommended textbook information as well as outline the required reading. How long it takes to study and what you'll need (review classes, etc.) really depends on the individual student.

Good luck!

Suesquatch is right about not having to enroll just to take three exams. At most, you might have to indicate to EC what program you are taking the exams for when you register for the exams. You should find out from EC if you have to be an enrolled student in order to take any applicable practice exams. Practice exams are available for about $60 for some of the nursing exams. People say these practice exams are valuable and contain some of the same questions as the real exam. I do the reading that is noted from the EC exam content guide. If you don't have the text that they recommend, you can read the corresponding material in your own text. I also use flashcards that I have purchased on ebay and that I've obtained from http://www.flashcardexchange.com. Other study sources are notes from Lisa Arends and StudyGroup101, both of which can be purchased on ebay. Good luck on your tests. I know precisely how you feel about taking unnecessary courses. :wink2:

The best place to start is http://www.excelsior.edu -- download their nursing program information and give it a thorough read, so that you understand the program. I have actually seen students complain when they get to the point of the CPNE that they didn't know it was an EXAM -- they thought it was just a clinical teaching weekend. Nope!

The way it works, in a nutshell: you apply to EC. They evaluate your transcripts and let you know if you're accepted, and which courses you'll need to complete to graduate with your ADN. EC exams are pretty tough -- they cover a wide range of information, and the student is responsible for learning the material that EC outlines in their free exam content guides. When you feel you're ready, you pay EC for the exam, which is taken on a computer at a Pearson Vue testing center. You receive your grade immediately upon completion of the exam.

Once you've completed the nursing exams and are within 10 credits of finishing any general ed requirements, you'll be eligible to apply for the Clinical Performance in Nursing Exam (CPNE). This is a 2.5-day test of basic nursing skills and assessment/management. It is a pass/fail exam, and is fairly stressful -- but do-able. A student has 3 opportunities to take/pass the CPNE before being dismissed from the program. The CPNE is expensive ($1900 currently), and the wait for it is long -- lots of students, not so many test sites.

Does that help? :)