Excelsior University - Considering it, is it worth it?

caliotter3 · Apr 10, 2015

If you have other options, you should save EC for your last option. It is great for those who need it and are successful. It can be just another disappointment for those who waste time, money, and effort when they are not successful. But at least it was a chance for those people who may not have otherwise had a chance to achieve this goal.

Nalon1 RN/EMT-P, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2015

I am guessing your referring to the CPNE, but never heard that they are more likely top fail you just for being a paramedic. You may be more likely to fail since nursing is way different than para-medicine, but if you study and do it the "Excelsior way" you are no more likely to fail than a LVN/RT. If your friend was told that and failed, he has recourse with Excelsior for a free retest. Now every Clinical Examiner is free to have their opinion, but I would have reported that comment to the Clinical Administrator immediately. Each testing site is different, but they are supposed to conform to set standards (but we know how that can go.

I passed the CPNE on my first try, my friend did too. Never saw any bias towards me as a paramedic from anyone. As far as I remember, they did not even know I was a paramedic till after I had finished and passed all my testing.

I have 3 co-workers (all paramedics) that are doing Excelsior right now, one is doing his FCCA right now, 2 others are doing the nursing exams.

Is it for you, only you can answer that, but thousands of paramedics have done it. You have to be self driven and motivated. It took me almost 8 years from the time I started (took lots of breaks for life and took too long to restart after they occured). One of my co-workers (the one doing the FCCA now) has done it all in less than a year. He failed one of the FCCA last time, so he has had 2 months added re-doing it, but should be done in under 18 months (depending on test site availability).

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2015

I took my CPNE years ago and the instructor didn't even know my background. I know that because we talked about it after I passed. She said I looked very comfortable in a hospital setting.

caliotter3 · Apr 11, 2015

CPNE evaluators are subject to the same unseen prejudices and equanimity as other instructors. Even if there is blatant discrimination or substandard evaluator performance during the CPNE process, it is almost impossible to fight, as is the same situation for fighting the power structure in any nursing program. A very famous case involved a person who failed the program many years ago. She took her case to the internet and the courts, and as a result everything she said about her ordeal (and it was plenty informative), was subsequently removed from public view.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2015

Do you remember what the final outcome was? Now that you mention it, the story is familiar

CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P · Apr 11, 2015

I have heard some of the same stories, but I have also heard that as long as you know the EC way, you are golden. I have been warned not to go to Atlanta as a paramedic to RN candidate by a friend who tested there 5+ years ago.

I don't know what your hours are like, but we work 2-3 24 hour shifts a week so traditional school was next to impossible for me, and I have two friends who are EC graduates and both s

ay that it was worth it.

caliotter3 · Apr 11, 2015

I don't really remember as I only ever saw parts of the story at the time because I only had tangental interest in it then. I do believe however that she got nowhere. Excelsior must have won, because everything she ever said had to come off the internet. Then, on the other hand, who knows, maybe she did win, and part of the agreement was for her to remove her statements. One can only speculate. I have done internet searches on the name she was using and have never been able to find another mention specific to her. I do remember that when I read what I did see about this, I was impressed that this person had credibility to her allegations. It was a shame that her remarks were removed. Much of what she talked about was good advice, specific to succeeding at EC. That, along with her criticism, which was also a good warning to prospective students, all went away. She did not come across as one of the sour grapes losers that often denigrate the EC program. At least not in my opinion. I think that reading her comments, would give one a more balanced view.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Apr 12, 2015

I did the program as a paramedic, and never felt that there was a bias. Here are a couple of articles to peruse that might be helpful:

https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/the-excelsior-college-808335.html

https://allnurses.com/excelsior-college-online/the-clinical-performance-884109.html

caliotter3 · Apr 12, 2015

Students who are the recipients of biased treatment from Excelsior are in the minority, but they do exist.