Excelsior

labrador4122, RN · Jan 28, 2008

EXCELSIOR program is great for people who are busy.

It is expensive though, just like a private school.

out of 10 people only 2 graduate because they are very very very strict on the students.

You honestly have to teach yourself the nursing skills such as IV start, NGT-placement.... etc.

when you are in clinicals (they will send you to another state if where you live there is not a site available), the instructor is allowed to say NOTHING to you when you are doing your skills. and if you mess up somewhere, that is an automatic failure.

I know locally, I am in pembroke pines, FL. Broward community college has an online RN program, and everything is online except the clincal days which is just one day a week. And the program costs about $6K including pre-reqs

I did their program (I live here) and now I am a working RN

BUT make a search to see if your community college has something similar, so you don't get stuck making school payments the rest of your life.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2008

Lot's of EC students at the Distance learning forum here at Allnurses. I'll move your post there. Take a look around. Good luck!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 28, 2008

I didn't find EC to be all that expensive, personally. It intended for students who already have some clinical skills, but as a medic, I'm sure you're pretty good in that area. :) There are many medics who have been successful with EC -- I hope to be one of them this summer.

There are a lot of us on this forum, and a lot of threads pertaining to EC. Browse around, ask questions ... we're pretty good at answering. :)

NC Girl BSN · Jan 28, 2008

This is probably in another thread somewhere and if it is I'm sorry but I'm a paramedic in Pennsylvania and looking into Excelsior college for my RN. I have a bachelor's degree already so most of the Gen Ed's should be covered. I'm looking into Distance Learning Systems to start. Anyone have any insight or advice on this? I'd love to hear all thoughts, good or bad. Thank you SO much!!!

There are several people here doing excelsior. It is a hard program but people pass all the time. The clinical component is a 2.5 days. You will be checked off on your skills. I'm not sure if the poster below stats are right about 2 out of 10 make it through the program. I do know that some are not motivated enough to complete the exams because it takes a lot of disapline to study on your own. The pass rate for the clinical component is 64% right now. There are several workshops offered to help you pass the clinical checkoff(CPNE).Hang around here for a while. This is a great board!

NC Girl BSN · Jan 28, 2008

To piggy back on what Lunah said, EC is fairly inexpensive and its pay as you go type deal. I was in a situation similar to yourself. A person with all there prerequisites should not have to pay no more than 5-6 thousand. My LPN expenses at CC was $3000.Because of the expense of uniforms books,dues etc. Not to mention the 60-90 dollars a week I spent in gas to get there. To me thats expensive.

pamedic20013 · Jan 28, 2008

Ok, then my next question would be should I go through DSL or just directly through Excelsior. I guess I'm not exactly sure what DSL is. I've gotten info from them and it seems that on here people say it's much more expensive to do both. It certainly seemed like the right idea to go through them but now that I'm reading on here I'm wondering? :bugeyes: Yes, hopefully some of this will come easier with my medic skills. I also already have a bachelor's degree from Clarion University here in PA so hopefully my gen ed's will already be taken care of. Thanks to all who have responded so far

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jan 28, 2008

I totally forgot to respond to that part of your post! Whoops! :) I'd recommend just going through EC -- no need for a publishing company or the contract and $$ that would entail. Not to say that their study materials are bad -- I've used The College Network (TCN) and Chancellor's study guides for many of my exams, but I bought them used on eBay. Another medic and student on one of the YahooGroups is using DSLI, and she wishes she hadn't signed on with them and paid all that money, but is making the best of it. :)

You should submit your application and have them evaluate your transcripts -- it's $75, but the evaluation you receive will tell you what you'd need to complete.

Lorie P. · Jan 28, 2008

EC is very doable and not that expensive for me at least. If you have any type of medical background, RT, EMT, LPN you should do just fine.

Most people think EC is a cake walk. Wrong, it take motivation, disipline and hard studying on your end, but will be well worth it when all it complete.

For some of us, this is the only way to go, instead of waiting around 2 years on the local college list to get in an Rn slot.

Best of luck, ask questions and we will answer them the best we know how!

tom-from-texas · Jan 28, 2008

As another medic, I would second the advice given. Sign up directly with Excelsior. Don't sign up with any of the third party study guide providers.

Good Luck and keep coming back to this Forum. There are always lots of helpful people here.

Tom

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jan 28, 2008

i think you are a little off on your information. the total price tag for me was just over 3k of course i had all my classes done before i enrolled. however, anyone pursuing a ec degree can clep out of the majority of their classes (which is very inexpensive). you probably paid 2k more for your school than a ec student will for theirs. because ec is set up for students with experience you should not be teaching yourself any skills (refresh maybe).

during the clinical evaluation it is not a automatic failure if you mess up something. you will have the opportunity for one more try at passing. the cpne is nothing that you can just walk in and take. it takes months of preparation.

i also think your stats on the pass rate are off but cant back that up right now.

excelsior program is great for people who are busy.
it is expensive though, just like a private school.
out of 10 people only 2 graduate because they are very very very strict on the students.
you honestly have to teach yourself the nursing skills such as iv start, ngt-placement.... etc.
when you are in clinicals (they will send you to another state if where you live there is not a site available), the instructor is allowed to say nothing to you when you are doing your skills. and if you mess up somewhere, that is an automatic failure.
i know locally, i am in pembroke pines, fl. broward community college has an online rn program, and everything is online except the clincal days which is just one day a week. and the program costs about $6k including pre-reqs
i did their program (i live here) and now i am a working rn
but make a search to see if your community college has something similar, so you don't get stuck making school payments the rest of your life.

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jan 28, 2008

EXCELSIOR program is great for people who are busy.
It is expensive though, just like a private school.
out of 10 people only 2 graduate because they are very very very strict on the students.
You honestly have to teach yourself the nursing skills such as IV start, NGT-placement.... etc.
when you are in clinicals (they will send you to another state if where you live there is not a site available), the instructor is allowed to say NOTHING to you when you are doing your skills. and if you mess up somewhere, that is an automatic failure.
I know locally, I am in pembroke pines, FL. Broward community college has an online RN program, and everything is online except the clincal days which is just one day a week. And the program costs about $6K including pre-reqs
I did their program (I live here) and now I am a working RN
BUT make a search to see if your community college has something similar, so you don't get stuck making school payments the rest of your life.

Excelsior cost me less for the whole ASN program than my current private brick & mortar costs for 1 semester for the BSN.

Plus, I think as a paramedic, the OP will be more adept at starting IVs than a lot of nurses.