Going to go with Excelsior...

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 17, 2007

You only have to enroll before October 1 if you don't want to have to do the new curriculum, which includes an eighth Nursing Concepts exam and a new three-part clinical competency assessment. But you might want to actually start the application process now and get all your transcripts to them so that you can enroll before October 1 if you decide to do so -- it does take a few weeks to get all that done.

You don't have to enroll with Excelsior until you're ready to take Nursing Concepts 3. You can do Nursing Concepts 1 and 2 before you actually pay the enrollment fee. If you're a currently licensed LPN/LVN, you won't be required to do NC2 and can go directly to NC3. :)

And yep, all you have to do is download the study guide, gather your study materials (eBay/half.com, amazon.com, etc. are great sources), and start reading! Once you pay for your exam, you can register for your exam date online at http://www.pearsonvue.com/excelsior -- it takes a day or two after you pay for your exam with Excelsior for your info to be the in Pearson system to enable test scheduling (and registration/testing with Pearson for these exams is FREE -- no additional money, unless you schedule or cancel by phone instead of doing it online).

Also, after you pay for the exam with Excelsior, you can also register for the Excelsior online practice exams. They cost $60, but I've found them to be very helpful so far (I've done NC1 and NC2 and got a B and an A, respectively). You get two practice exams, called "Form A" and "Form B." They each have 100 questions, and once you're done, it gives you the rationales for both the correct and incorrect answers.

Hope this was helpful info! :) Good luck!

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 17, 2007

Just to clarify one thing -- when you submit the initial undergraduate application, you'll submit transcripts and get an "unofficial" evaluation of your transcripts, and they'll tell you what classes you'll need to take to finish the program. You'll be admitted to the School of Nursing. And once EC has those transcripts and has done your unofficial evaluation, you won't have to resubmit transcripts for enrollment -- you'll just have to complete an enrollment form and send the enrollment fee with that form. Once that's done, you'll get an "official" evaluation. I'm happy to say my "unofficial" and "official" were a match ... not like some places that magically add requirements once you've forked over the enrollment fee.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Jul 17, 2007

well i got all my stuff together and will fill out my app soon . i have thought long and hard about this..i could have been a rn by now if i had just done it. i still am not completely sure it is for me though and a lot of that may just be cause this is coming out pocket.....ugggg .

erinp88 · Jul 17, 2007

Lunah -

Thank you so much for the information. I keep exploring so much information and figuring stuff out on my own. By 8pm last night, my brain was shot!

I have 2 courses that I'm taking currently. They end in August, do you think that will be a problem to get them reviewed in time?

txspadequeen921: I am feeling the same way! I am so apprehensive about this, but at this point, all the programs are full in the area. My fear is that in August, someone will call me to tell me they have a spot in the original program I applied for. Taking a spot, would require me to quit my really good job so Excelsior is looking really good now!

I'm tired of dwelling over this decision and think it's time to bite the bullet to go with Excelsior! I've been taking online courses for the past year, so I'm good with the self discipline thing. I'm worried about not having the deadline to keep me going. Hoping I can find a study partner or something.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 17, 2007

Erin, I would ask Excelsior about your classes ending in August, but as long as transcripts for those are sent when you're done with the classes, EC should be able to add them to your pile of credits. :) The reason I think it shouldn't be a problem is because during your enrollment, you can take CLEP tests for certain classes, and EC will accept them. So it doesn't seem to me that they would turn down credits from other classes either just because they were finished after you applied or enrolled.

And yup, CLEP Is an option for some of the required EC courses. I'm going to do the CLEP for Sociology as well as Human Growth and Development, which EC will accept in lieu of their Lifespan Developmental Pscyh requirement. CLEP info is available at http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/about.html -- I know you didn't ask for it, but just in case, there it is.

I also had no clue that I didn't have to enroll before starting the tests, so I just had to pay the annual student services fee of $440 -- my enrollment anniversary is actually today. I'm taking NC3 on the 31st so I would have had to enroll by now anyway, but duh. I think of it as my annual dumba$$ tax, ha ha. Luckily I have a scholarship that covered it, but still. I should be done by this time next year, though!

erinp88 · Jul 17, 2007

Lunah,

Do the clep tests transfer to other college institutions? I am trying to earn credits that will transfer in the future if I ever decide to go back (lets hope to god I don't)!

I seriously cannot thank you enough for your wealth of information.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 17, 2007

A lot of schools accept CLEP -- it just depends on the school. I've heard that some schools will only accept so many CLEP credits, and the rest have to be traditional credits. According to the CLEP website, 2900 schools accept CLEP tests for credits or advanced standing.

I've only taken one CLEP test in my life, and that was to earn computer class credits while getting my second associates degree (the paramedic one). I've been a computer professional (graphic designer/desktop publisher, among other things) for more than a decade, and no way was I going to pay to sit through a basic computer class! Ha ha. I could TEACH that class. So I went and took the CLEP test for information systems/computer applications and passed without even studying for one second. But I've been into computers for ... yikes, 27 years, so it wasn't difficult. :)

You can also search to see which schools accept CLEP: http://apps.collegeboard.com/cbsearch_clep/searchCLEPColleges.jsp

I've already come to terms with the fact that, although my degree through EC will be my THIRD associates degree (pitiful!), I'll be heading back for my BSN at some point. :roll

I'm glad this has been helpful! :)

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 17, 2007

One more thing I wanted to mention (good grief, I am blabby today!) ...

Bear in mind that, even if you enroll before October 1, if you don't finish Nursing Concepts 1 through 7 by September 30, 2009, you're subject to the new curriculum. Just thought I'd mention that!

But two years is plenty of time to finish those -- I've been averaging one a month. Granted, I don't have kids to take care of (just a wonderful husband! :)) and I work 12-hour shifts so I have four days off each week in which to study, but I'm betting you won't have a problem, either.

erinp88 · Jul 18, 2007

Nope! No kids here! That is half the reason I"d like to get done as quickly as possible... So I can start having kids.

I'm hoping to do one test a month. I'm trying to figure out how to intermix these CLEP exams now.

I don't know why I never thought of that before. Someone told me a long time ago to CLEP my general ed and it never really phased me.

I'm calling Excelsior tomorrow to get the application rolling!

Thanks again for all this info!

Erin

Editorial Team / Moderator · Jul 18, 2007

I'm saving my CLEPs (and Micro, for which there is no CLEP) until after I get NC3-7 out of the way. The reason I'm doing that is because there is usually a 6-month wait between applying for your CPNE and your actual testing date. I plan on using the time between application and testing to finish the last three non-nursing classes I need.

To be eligible to apply for CPNE, you have to finish NC1 through NC7 and be within 10 credits of finishing (so you need something like 21 of the 31 general ed course credits completed).

Okay, now I'm really getting away from the computer for the evening! :)

niceguytx · Jul 18, 2007

Does anyone know what site you can go to find out what schools will accept the nursing concept exams as credit?

Thanks!