Excelsior college grads...help

[mike1907]

so I'm thinking of enrolling in excelsiors online nursing program. I have spent the last 3 years attending a local community college nursing program all while working full time at the local hospital, raising 3 teenage girls and married to a demanding wife. well the wife's, kids and my school schedule did not mesh...long story short I missed passing my 3rd semester by 2 points so I need to start over now. I have heard that EC is expensive, intense, and demanding. I need to hear from EC grads to let me know some details about the program

how does it work?

study materials?

how do I find local study groups?

how do I know that EC's program is right for me?

I spent 18 yrs in sales, taught 7th and 8th grade for 4 years and a volunteer firefighter/EMT for the past 14 years before deciding to make the jump to nursing school. I believe that I have found my calling. I just need to finish nursing school that works with my schedule and gets me to where I need to be.

[caliotter3]

Suggest you start by reading several of the many threads on this subject in the distance forum. Covered many times over. You need to go to the Excelsior College website, http://www.excelsior.edu, and get very familiar with it. Plenty of answers there. Good luck.

[Silverdragon102, BSN]

Moved to the distant learning forum

[NC Girl BSN]

welcome mike to allnurses. i graduated for ec feb 20, 2009.there are several threads on the distant learning board that covers your questions below. the first thing you need to do is some homework about ec. ec is not accepted in all states and some state require additional preceptor hours to practice in that state or previous experience as a lpn. you have to be extremely careful because you don't hold a license in nursing.

go to their website www.excelsior.edu and download their nursing catalog and call ec and speak with an nursing advisor. because you are not a lpn, you will have to apply to the school and let them evaluate your transcript to see if they will consider letting you into the asn program. good luck and read through alot of the threads on here.

1.how does it work?

ec is a test out program. its does not have an online component. you read the books and go to your local pearsonvue center and take the test. (there are 8 nursing test). there is also about 30 hrs of prerequisites.

after you finish your nursing test, then your eligible to take the 3 day cpne. its a clinical test at a hospital. it test your assessment ablilities and you have to know how to do 4 nursing skills.

then once you graduate you can take the nclex rn.

2. study materials?

ec has recommended text that you can buy. there are also study notes on ebay that you can buy.

3. how do i find local study groups?

most people network on the epn. which is the excelsior college chatboard.

also, studygroup or partner maybe okay for the cpne but most people study for the test on their own. thats what makes the program so hard. you have to be extremely motivated.

4. how do i know that ec's program is right for me?

if your state bon accepts the ec would be the first thing to check.

you have to be extremly motivated and a independent learner to do this program. you don't have teachers that give you deadlines. that why alot of people don't complete the program.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

State Board requirements:

https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/Accreditation_and_Licensure/State_Board_Requirements

If you are in New Jersey, you should be fine; just be aware that there are some states in which you might never be able to practice as an RN, such as Maryland or California.