Excelsior Exams?

Hi Steven,

I am also an Excelsior student I have only one nursing exam to go before the wretched CPNE.

I found that Chancellor's study guides worked the best for me. I have passed all my exams with A's so far just from using them. They are great because they give you the information you need for the test. I have saved so much time by using them it isn't funny. I have been averaging a test a month where before it was taking me 3-6 months to prepare for one test.

But don't buy them directly from Chancellor's too expensive. Try and buy one from another student.

I hope this helps you out.

Jen

Are those Chancellor study guides the same study guides that the Excelsior website warns potential students about using?

Are those Chancellor study guides the same study guides that the Excelsior website warns potential students about using?

Chancellor's is an independant publisher and what EC is saying is that you are not REQUIRED to use a 3rd party publisher. They are optional and they streamline the material based on the EC content guide and the recommended texts. Some publishers also send students to take the exams to they can better taylor the guides. I think what EC was warning students about was publishers that tell students they are part of the school. ExcelAdvantage gives the impression that they are actually the school and you get the degree from them. You don't find out until later that you must actually enroll with EC and take the tests from them. I use Chancellor's to study and I like them. They don't tell anyone they are a part of the school or that the degree comes from them. Using their guides makes studying easier and faster and it is better for me but each person is different. Just be sure you check out whatever publisher you decide to use, if any, and don't let them tell you they are part of the school or are in conjunction with the school. None of the publishers are part of the school and if they try to tell you they are I would have serious concerns about the quality of their program.

Thanks for that reply justrubl, let me pick your brain a little if you don't mind.

Are the Chancellor guides all you use? What else do you recommend? I'm trying to get an idea of what this will cost. Thanks

Check ebay everyday. Go to books and type in Excelsior in the search area. There are lots of students who are selling their study guides for a fraction of the cost for new ones. I'm not a student at Excelsior but I've used ebay to buy study guides for their tests that I'm taking to complete a BS in Liberal Arts.

You know, I just studied from the recommended textbook, and the Excelsior study guide, and after 8weeks, I work full time, got an A. Boy was I shocked. But I did learn in my intro to nursing program, (about the only thing I got out of it) was how to pick out what was important, and really read the questions. Narrow down the answer, and pick the best answer. Hope it helps.

Check ebay everyday. Go to books and type in Excelsior in the search area. There are lots of students who are selling their study guides for a fraction of the cost for new ones. I'm not a student at Excelsior but I've used ebay to buy study guides for their tests that I'm taking to complete a BS in Liberal Arts.

Thanks for that reply justrubl, let me pick your brain a little if you don't mind.

Are the Chancellor guides all you use? What else do you recommend? I'm trying to get an idea of what this will cost. Thanks

I use the study guides from Chancellor's and I belong to several groups on yahoo and sometimes I use study notes posted in their files sections. There are several Yahoo groups devoted to studying for the Excelsior program and I belong to most of them. They are a good source of encouragement and information. But mostly I use the study guide from Chancellor's.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two guides? I just called EC today and am seriously looking to possibly enroll there. I am a Paramedic with 15 yrs experience and two Bachelor's Degrees already. It seems that EC is going to be the fastest and least painful way for me to complete my RN. I am new to this forum and I keep reading all these discussions regarding these darn study guides...If the material being covered is the same, how different can these two guides be to produce this much discussion? Please let me know so that I can make a good choice when deciding what to study from. Thank you.

Kenn

Hi Steven,

I am also an Excelsior student I have only one nursing exam to go before the wretched CPNE.

I found that Chancellor's study guides worked the best for me. I have passed all my exams with A's so far just from using them. They are great because they give you the information you need for the test. I have saved so much time by using them it isn't funny. I have been averaging a test a month where before it was taking me 3-6 months to prepare for one test.

But don't buy them directly from Chancellor's too expensive. Try and buy one from another student.

I hope this helps you out.

Jen

The EC guides tells you what books you need to study and what chapters you need to read for a particular test. Like for NC1 the study guide will say read Ch 16-20 and know the steps of the nursing process. The chancellor's guide will list the info you need to know in short paragraph/sort-of outline format and you don't need to read the textbook just the info in the guide. The guides condense the info. They look at the EC guides and what they say you need to know and find the info from the books and put it in their guides. For me, using the guides is a time/FRUSTRATION saver since all the info is there and I don't have to try to find it all in the book. And, being a paramedic also, it is easier to take the 170 pg study guide to work and study than it is to take the actual text books to work and try to study.

Hope this helps. If you need any further help feel free to email me at [email protected].

Kerri

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two guides? I just called EC today and am seriously looking to possibly enroll there. I am a Paramedic with 15 yrs experience and two Bachelor's Degrees already. It seems that EC is going to be the fastest and least painful way for me to complete my RN. I am new to this forum and I keep reading all these discussions regarding these darn study guides...If the material being covered is the same, how different can these two guides be to produce this much discussion? Please let me know so that I can make a good choice when deciding what to study from. Thank you.

Kenn

Thanks for your reply. I will respond to you directly via email.

Kenn

The EC guides tells you what books you need to study and what chapters you need to read for a particular test. Like for NC1 the study guide will say read Ch 16-20 and know the steps of the nursing process. The chancellor's guide will list the info you need to know in short paragraph/sort-of outline format and you don't need to read the textbook just the info in the guide. The guides condense the info. They look at the EC guides and what they say you need to know and find the info from the books and put it in their guides. For me, using the guides is a time/FRUSTRATION saver since all the info is there and I don't have to try to find it all in the book. And, being a paramedic also, it is easier to take the 170 pg study guide to work and study than it is to take the actual text books to work and try to study.

Hope this helps. If you need any further help feel free to email me at [email protected].

Kerri

I read in one of the posts the Excelsior Advantage leaves one thinking it IS Excelsior. I have been to their website many times in the last few months and it is very clearly states that you will be getting your degree from Excelcior, not from Excelsior Advantage.

Now, this may have changed since the other poster posted back in April. But my interest is in the non-nursing classes. A&P, etc. Does anyone know if you take the course via Excelcior Advantage and their exam, do you then have college credits that will transfer to Excelsior or do you take their class then take a CLEP test to gain credits.

I love the idea of the online lectures, etc but can't see the $255 plus another $155 or so for the CLEP test. I am seriouslly interested in this because I can get financial aid throu Excelsior Advantage but not Excelsior.

Dixi--

Excel is nothing more than a test prep company--and in no way do they confer any type of college credit!!!! You must take these courses at a local college or take the EXCELSIOR college exams to be awarded college credit for these courses. If I were you I would steer clear of excel...they seem to lurk in the shadow. They are not excelsior advantage but excel advantage--read some posts related to them by doing a search of this board...think it will shed some light on the issue. The best advice is to call Excelsior they will explain their testing and credit awarding procedures to you. Be cautious there are sooo many different companies posing as the college, as students, etc--just looking to make a quick buck off of an innocent unknowing victim.

Kim

I read in one of the posts the Excelsior Advantage leaves one

thinking it IS Excelsior. I have been to their website many times in the last few months and it is very clearly states that you will be getting your degree from Excelcior, not from Excelsior Advantage.

Now, this may have changed since the other poster posted back in April. But my interest is in the non-nursing classes. A&P, etc. Does anyone know if you take the course via Excelcior Advantage and their exam, do you then have college credits that will transfer to Excelsior or do you take their class then take a CLEP test to gain credits.

I love the idea of the online lectures, etc but can't see the $255 plus another $155 or so for the CLEP test. I am seriouslly interested in this because I can get financial aid throu Excelsior Advantage but not Excelsior.