Excelsior Exams

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Specializes in Occupational Health/Legal Nurse Consulting.

My Wife and I are about to start at Excelsior. I am looking for a bit of feedback on studying from those that have completed or are currently enrolled. I looked at the overwhelming material that excelsior recommends, and I also saw some study guides, like studygroup101.com.

What do you all recommend for optimal studying?

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Specializes in Psych/Travel.

When I was taking my exams, I down loaded the study guide, went to the 'book store' and copy and pasted the ISBN of the recommended books on a word doc. Then I would go to half.com and search for my books. You can always find book there a few editions back and will have the same material. You don't always have to buy all of the books they recommend, use your own discretion on that. Study the material, back that up with Study Guide 101, and take the practice exams, then review the areas where you feel you may be weak and then plan on testing. Using this method I was testing about every 2 weeks.

Good luck to you and your wife

Steve

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Steve provided you with excellent guidance. :) Another resource students find helpful is a Saunders NCLEX-RN study guide. I personally used a combination of textbooks, notes like StudyGroup101, and EC practice exams. Some areas requiring more in-depth study were from textbooks, and other things I already knew well were reviewed via notes. It worked well for me. I would make one pass of studying and do the first EC practice exam, then use that score to tweak my studies and review areas where I didn't do as well. Then I'd take the second EC practice exam. I'd review the practice exams again before testing.

Good luck!! :)

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Specializes in Occupational Health/Legal Nurse Consulting.

Geesh, how many hours a day were you studying? 2 weeks seems pretty insane.

I have read that some people pass all the exams using only the study guide and practice tests. Any thoughts on that?

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I was using only the SG 101 guides. I made two C's on my first two tests. I went and got the books and made A's and B's. The Study Guide 101 for LS3 test didn't even cover a fraction what I was tested on. Do yourself a favor and get the books. I got the pharmacy book for3.00 off Amazon.

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Specializes in Psych/Travel.

I have read that there are people posting that they are using only Study Group 101, there is one thing you have to think about, EC is preparing you to be able to pass the NCLEX as with all nursing schools. So are you gaining enough knowledge to do so with these guides, they may be less expensive then books, but your nurses degree will be useless without passing the NCLEX.

As far as testing about every two weeks, I would study about 3-4 hours a day, many times reading more then the recommended material in the study guide. I started with my first test A&P April 09 and passed my CPNE April 10 and graduated May 10. I did drag my feet on one or two tests, such as Ethics but just kept going. At one point I was in a hurry for Humanities and English Comp, so I CLEPed Humanities for 6 credits and UXCEL English Comp for 3 credits all with in 2 weeks.

Right now I'm working as a travel Psych nurse in Staunton VA, and am currently licensed in Florida, Virginia and Texas.

I may be a hard program but very doable.

Steve

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I used studygroup101 for all the exams. Read through the study guide and take the practice exam and the study guide quizzes of which there are a ton all nclex style. Nipples I thought they were right on for LS3. You take practice exam b after studying and if your scores are in the 60s or 70s you should be good. I did have the books also but only used them as an additional refereence and used youtube and quizlet to help retain. I did my first 2 exams together and i dont recommend it, but the others at about a month apart all As and Bs :3

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I used studygroup101 for all the exams. Read through the study guide and take the practice exam and the study guide quizzes of which there are a ton all nclex style. Nipples I thought they were right on for LS3. You take practice exam b after studying and if your scores are in the 60s or 70s you should be good. I did have the books also but only used them as an additional refereence and used youtube and quizlet to help retain. I did my first 2 exams together and i dont recommend it, but the others at about a month apart all As and Bs :3

I guess I had a different test than everyone else. I had a question about the skin grafts that SG 101 did NOT cover. This is only one example of many from L3. I am so glad I had the books to study for L3. Otherwise, I would have failed it.

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Hmm i seem to remember takeing notes n skin grafts from the study guide. Someone of fb just posted an A with only sg101. I highly recommend using the study guide quizzes. They have like 500 questions all nclex style unlike the ec practice exams that are not nclex style.

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Hmm i seem to remember takeing notes n skin grafts from the study guide. Someone of fb just posted an A with only sg101. I highly recommend using the study guide quizzes. They have like 500 questions all nclex style unlike the ec practice exams that are not nclex style.

I'm with you, I find Sg101 very helpful so far. I haven't taken a test yet but the information looks to be very informative.

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I heard they have several versions of each test so you never know what you will get. Someone said they thought ti was like nclex where if you miss one on a subject they start giving you more on the subject until you get a certain nubmer right. Weighted I guess it's called. Does anyone know if this is true?

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

No, it is not like the NCLEX. You can go back and change answers.

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