Has anyone had experience with The College Network prior to doing Excelsior College?

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 31, 2015

Has anyone had experience with The College Network prior to doing the Excelsior College classes? I'm currently on the brink of filling out the application for online LPN to RN but I'm having some second thoughts and am a bit nervous since I saw that The College Network got an "F" rating with the BBB.
Thank you in advance for any information you may have.

The College Network is an overpriced publisher of study materials that cost an average of $615 per three-ring folder. The College Network has been in recent legal turmoil. Avoid this entity like the plague unless you want to waste $10,000+ of your hard-earned money.

Peterjoy93 · May 31, 2015

Go for it! Best decision you will ever make.

edmia, BSN, RN · May 31, 2015

Go for it! Best decision you will ever make.

I hope you mean go for EC and not the college network!

The college network is a scam. Apply directly to EC.

Sent from my iPhone -- blame all errors on spellcheck

JustBeachyNurse, LPN · May 31, 2015

The college network (despite what some of the admissions counselors claim) is neither affiliated with not endorsed by Excelsior. They are not a school. Their financing is not financial aid but a high interest private loan through their preferred credit union and payable regardless if you graduate or ever use their materials. All costs ($10,000-$15,000) are in addition to Excelsiors fees, tuition and related expenses. They can not guarantee admission nor are they authorized to advise you academically.

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 31, 2015

Go for it! Best decision you will ever make.

Hahahahahaha! Again, you have inspired me to create the word "snarcasm."

Editorial Team / Moderator · May 31, 2015

Has anyone had experience with The College Network prior to doing the Excelsior College classes? I'm currently on the brink of filling out the application for online LPN to RN but I'm having some second thoughts and am a bit nervous since I saw that The College Network got an "F" rating with the BBB.
Thank you in advance for any information you may have.

I think you might as well pile all your money up and set it on fire. At least it'll look pretty while you're wasting it!

TCN awards no degrees, they exist to take your money. There are many unhappy students in various Facebook groups who complain that TCN is months behind with test fee checks, too. And EC has something to say about TCN: Excelsior College | Advisory

Call EC tomorrow and speak with them directly, you will save thousands of dollars.

meanmaryjean, DNP, RN · May 31, 2015

You are a 'bit nervous' about the BBB 'F' rating? Honey- you need to to up the parameters on your Danger Meter.

RUN away from TCN and never have anything to do with them ever again.

NurseSpeedy, ADN, LPN, RN · May 31, 2015

This isn't going to be very popular but I'm going to be honest about my experience with TCN. I had all the per-requisite courses done at a community college. I was not in a situation where I could take off from work to pursue a traditional nursing program. I spent about $4K on material from TCN back in 2005. I bought the practice test from excelsior prior to taking each exam. Got the highest score possible on all tests and finished in about 6 months....then came time to register for the clinical/lab component with Excelsior. I'm going to say that I was young and stupid because I don't know why I didn't think that one of the patients for clinical was going to be a pediatric patient but I found this out when I called Excelsior with some general questions about what to expect and if they had any material to review prior to setting up a date to test. I freaked out. I've never felt comfortable with young sick children, even during my LPN program. I also get really nervous when being watched (my PN lab was very informal, nothing at all like what I would need to do for the program at Excelsior). I ended up never registering for the last part when I heard from various people that the failure rate was high for this portion of Excelsior and over time the program was restructured and if I wanted to pursue it now I would have to take all the tests over again. I'm now doing a hybrid bridge program where the lab is extremely formal. I know now that I made the right decision to cut my losses because I would never have been able to go in and do it right on a dummy step by step without making a slight mistake due to nerves. My advise would be to do something in your local area. It takes time but if you fail the clinical/lab component (I think three times?) you are not allowed to take it again after that and your credits are useless. At least with a normal school it's all weaved into the program and once you pass you move on to the next portion of the program and continue to progress. Just my opinion.

tiggerkat811 · May 31, 2015

Thank you all for your comments...along with the information I have discovered the last few days, it has helped to cement the decision I think I already knew I was going to make. I feel kinda sheepish almost falling into this :blink:

I think I will take my husband on a trip with all that money I'm going to save :up:

Thank you all again!

caliotter3 · May 31, 2015

Just go to the Excelsior College website and you will get all the info that you need. You can also get contact info to place calls if you have any questions about anything on the site. Not necessary to pay TCN more than $10,000 for a bunch of binders of study material. If you truly want their study material, do like many who get them for $10 to $20 apiece on ebay. You will see that they are not worth thousands of dollars of added debt. Good luck.

nana Brenda · Jun 1, 2015

I paid for that program, The College Network, and said "forget it." You have to continue to pay too much. Way too much to test out of every unit of courses. I just did not like it. Some of the classes were endless, just much longer than other courses; just too much. It was very informational but I could not do it. I completed my BSBA online at Cum Laude. Had a car accident which drop me from A average. Believe me, don't do that College Network program. Find something else. Nana Brenda