excelsior any advice?

Hi there, Yes excelsior is very ligit and an excellent program. Make sure you check with your state board of nursing to verify that they are excepted in your state there are a few(very few) that do not accept excelsior grads. Also go to the top on the forums home page and click search type in excelsior there are alot of threads about it. Or you could just keep checking out all the pages in this forum some good info, good people a supportive bunch we have here. Good luck

:sofahider hey i was just wondering if anybody knows any specifics on excelsior. me and my boyfriend were both thinking about starting the program to get our RN. i was just curious if anybody has already started/completed the program. it sounds pretty legit. i just want to make sure it'll be worth it. if u have any advice: positive or negative let me know. im open to all.

thanks a bunch :redpinkhe

thankx so much. i'll check it out

I live in GA and just completed the EC program. I highly recommend it. If you have lots of clinical experience you might find that this is a better way to go.

Though I would still verify through the Fl BON, LPNs are eligible in your state.

My advice: do everything through Excelsior. All of their study guides are free. There are quite a few publishing companies out there who really want your money. If you decide to use a publishing company for study guides, check them out first. Chances are, someone on these boards will know them or have experience with them.

Good luck!

Pmdc/GN

The only state not accepting Excelsior grads at all right now is California, and that will likely change before too long, as Excelsior is working with California on this.

I started the program in November and am getting ready to take my last exam in a couple of weeks. A lot of people here have been catty and have put me down for finishing the program so fast, but I know what I'm doing (maybe it helps the sour grapes wash down easier...I dunno) and if you were a good student in your LPN program you will likely do well in Excelsior's program. It takes concentration and a fair amount of self-discipline but it isn't rocket science so don't be terrified of taking that first step. Start with Nursing Concepts 1. It is very easy and a great motivator to get the ball rolling.

Only thing I'm worried about is the clinical. In fact, one of my coworkers asked me the other day, "you know you will fail the first time, don't you?" She hasn't taken the exam so I'm not sure how she knows but I have learned that what gets a lot of people is anxiety and not being prepared. All we can do is our best.

Good luck in your studies.

I will be officially graduating EC next Friday with my ASN. In Florida the board of nursing does accept EC as long as you are a currently licensed and practicing LPN on their registry. The program is doable and fair. The clinical really isn't very hard but requires a good amount of studying. Am I glad I went this route??? I have mixed feeling. Being able to study when convenient for me was great...avoiding placing my little ones in childcare a plus too. The down side is that unless you have plenty of time in as an LPN then it is best that you just go through a traditional program to gain clinical experience. I am fortunate to have a decade of LPN experience. Overall it is a good program if you can't attend a tradional school. I started in late 2003 and took my last requirement at the end of Jan. All the pre-reqs I completed locally at the community college...this to me saved some time. I personally feel that courses like A&P and micro need to be taken through CC that have a lab involved.

Karen

you finished pretty quick, why would ppl put u down for that? thats exactly what i want to do. i have all my pre-reqs done already, if all i have to do is nuring concepts 1-7 and worked at a steady constant pace what is the SHORTEST amount of time you think it would take?

Believe me no one here will put you down for going strong and steady and doing your best. Some have been cautioned on their overly cocky and snide attitudes. No one wants to see a nurse start out being cocky it can be dangerous. I personally do about 1 test per month accept when I have allowed myself to get off track or finances got in the way. One a month is doable some do it slower and some faster each person is different. You will get all the friendly support you need here. It is rare that someone comes along with a cocky and snide attitude but when that happens we all do care enough to try to caution that individual about the dangers of such attitudes. You do not sound cocky at all and I am sure you will do fine and get lots of kind friendly support from us. Don't forget to check out yahoo's rnstudygroup and nontradnurses sites. They are very helpful as well. Best of luck to you.

Only thing I'm worried about is the clinical. In fact, one of my coworkers asked me the other day, "you know you will fail the first time, don't you?" She hasn't taken the exam so I'm not sure how she knows but I have learned that what gets a lot of people is anxiety and not being prepared.

I passed it the first time so I personally know it's possible, lol.

I passed it the first time so I personally know it's possible, lol.

Me too! First time and no repeats on anything! I was out by 10 am Sunday. It can be done with good prep.

Karen

I am currently enrolled in Excelsior - and it is very legit - it takes a lot of self-discipline relating to setting times for yourself to sit down and study and block everything else out of your life for that specific time because you don't have instructors giving you due dates, but it is worth it - I have 3 more nursing theory classes left - so far so good!!

:sofahider hey i was just wondering if anybody knows any specifics on excelsior. me and my boyfriend were both thinking about starting the program to get our RN. i was just curious if anybody has already started/completed the program. it sounds pretty legit. i just want to make sure it'll be worth it. if u have any advice: positive or negative let me know. im open to all.

thanks a bunch :redpinkhe

you finished pretty quick, why would ppl put u down for that? thats exactly what i want to do. i have all my pre-reqs done already, if all i have to do is nuring concepts 1-7 and worked at a steady constant pace what is the SHORTEST amount of time you think it would take?

You should go back and read some of the threads. It was just a few people, I was basically ridiculed for trying to be in a contest and that they wouldn't want any nurse taking care of them who had finished that quickly because they had obviously not taken the time to learn the material...blah blah blah. Since none of these people know me from Adam I didn't really worry. You will see these types time and again though throughout your nursing career. I'm glad to work where I work, though, we occasionally have a know it all come in and try to take over...thank goodness where I work they don't last long.

At any rate, I have one more nursing concepts test to take and then I can sign up for the CPNE. I'm having to retake NC 5 because I made a D on it. Had nothing to do with Excelsior, I was just not prepared (I battle with depression and mania and I was going through a blue funk for awhile, call it an excuse if you want but that is the way it was). I will take Lifespan in a few days and NC 5 March 25 and that will be my last Excelsior exam for the ADN program except the clinical. I took my first test at the end of November of '04 and am taking my last one at the end of March '05. I did have some pre-requisites out of the way so that made it easier. The only courses I needed were:

Lifespan

A&P

Microbiology

NC 1

NC 2

NC 3

NC 4

NC 5

NC 6

Foundations of Professional Practice

I was terrified to take A&P but felt this uncontrolled energy and I studied for that sucker two weeks and passed with a B, then I went wild and a week after that took micro and passed with a B. I'd like to have made an A of course but I can't complain.

After the ADN I want to work on the BSN and hopefully one day go for FNP.

Of course, I won't put the cart before the horse because I haven't passed everything yet, but if there is anything I can help you with please pm me.

I'm thinking about signing on with Excelsior for the ADN program :uhoh21: . has anyone gone through a publishing company to get the materials, (books/study guides) and then proceed to the admission process of Excelsior? I want to make sure that I'm not getting ripped off by either the publishing company who claims that I would have to fork out over $2,995 to be applied to Excelsior at my third nursing concepts course. And then, another says, $800. What's the truth here? Help with some direction. Thanks.