Excelsior Students- how did you pay for it?

TrickieTam · Jul 28, 2010

About to take my first exam and I am working overtime paying for each one, seems easier. I don't wanna owe anyone when I am done with nursing school like I did when I finished LPN!

ndragonfly · Jul 29, 2010

I'm picking up extra hours at work when I need money for books, tests, etc. I have enough student loans from my first 2 degree's to equal a small mortgage:eek: That is one thing that I love about EC....I can pay as I go and it doesn't cost me even half as much as my previous colleges:yeah:

arob14 · Jul 29, 2010

I'm in the same boat, I don't know what to do. I just got a bill from excelsior for $800 for a yearly fee. My plan was to pay as I go but it hasn't worked, I haven't taken one exam. My hours at work were cut so I have no extra money. My husband thinks it's silly for me to pay this bill if I'm not going to take the exams but I have to do this to further my career. I've already payed this school $2000 for something that I later found out I could have payed after I was done doing all the exams. Ahhhhh!

TashaLPN2006RN2012, ASN, RN · Jul 29, 2010

what did you pay that was $2000???

I use the easy pay method with EC...when i enrolled the enrollment fee was 895 i put 179 down and pay 179 per month for 5mo to pay it off. I know they have pay as you go for the exams too, but i've been using a grant i got, and my husband just signed his GI Bill over to me, but i have to send the application over to VA to be approved before sending it to the school. i think because i WANTED this sooo badly i've just made do and will continue to do so as i go. Dont worry about the total cost just think about taking it exam by exam...CLEP what you can (it's cheaper for the Gen Eds) or talk to your community college and see what gen eds you could take to transfer.

Conqueror+, BSN, RN · Jul 29, 2010

Union benefits and OT.

GeauxNursing · Jul 29, 2010

I used their payment plan, but I don't think that they offer that anymore. You basically pay $130 a month and all of your test fees and everything are included in with that in a year's time.

thats not bad. I just looked at the website, and it said something about a payment plan.

ndragonfly · Jul 29, 2010

I'm in the same boat, I don't know what to do. I just got a bill from excelsior for $800 for a yearly fee. My plan was to pay as I go but it hasn't worked, I haven't taken one exam. My hours at work were cut so I have no extra money. My husband thinks it's silly for me to pay this bill if I'm not going to take the exams but I have to do this to further my career. I've already payed this school $2000 for something that I later found out I could have payed after I was done doing all the exams. Ahhhhh!

you can split that payment up into $150.00 per month for 6 months....I did. They just took it out of my account on the 5th of every month

Kanolybme · Aug 4, 2010

@ SweettartLPN for how long did you pay the $130...How $ is tuition per semester?

Kanolybme · Aug 4, 2010

For how long did you pay the $130/ the cost per semester?

czorokong · Aug 4, 2010

I am picking up extra work and used part of my tax return. I also am hoping to get a scholarship. Will be nice when I am done and will not have to pay anything back.

flowerchildnc · Aug 4, 2010

I worked at a hospital that had $1500 per year tuition reimbursement and used that for tests. I bought the books they recommended but bought the last edition which costs about 90% less and has same info. There are also some study guides you can buy online which helped alot. The school gave me a student loan of $1950 for the CPNE. You also need to apply for the Pell and some students can get a grant from excelsior or a loan much like the government loans are set up.I took all my other classes at community college (A&P, Micro, humantities, everything except nursing classes because it costs much less than excelsiors) I took my literary class online at penn college online. It is only 1 credit hour and this way was only $90 compared to their class which cost closer to $1000 or a CC class for a couple hundred. They supplied the book and the two tests needed to pass and sent transcripts to excelsior. You can clep out of humantities if you need credit hours there.

It gets expensive because every year you are still a student they charge another $400 for tuition. When you take the CPNE you really have to take a workshop to make sure you do it their way. They are very structured and very detailed with this test. So that is $1950 for the test plus cost of airfare and hotel and the workshops are fro $400 up to $1000 and cost of hotel too.

Its much cheaper to take anything except nursing tests at a CC.

You are able to take the first test without being enrolled and they waive test number 2 when you are an LPN so you could start paying after those two are behind you and save some time and money because as stated before you have to pay that yearly fee before you can finish. And one last note...I studied like crazy for the CPNE, took the test in Wis and failed. First fail she said I touched my shirt with my sterile gloves. they did not have my size and I wear a 7.5. I can hardly get a 7 on so had to wear a 9 which were way too big I still dont think I did this but they dont video it so its your word against theirs. On my PCS they did not like my careplan so failed me again. So..take your own sterile gloves just in case and would be good to do a careplan class. They dont give you a break if you fail it...have to come up with another $2000. Hope this helps...

bnmekiki · Aug 5, 2010

Hey in Illinois that program is not considered a legitimate nursing program you have to show proof you have worked 2yrs in a clinical setting before they let you receive a license in that state.