How do you stay motivated???

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

Hey all. I did both my LPN and ADN the "old fashioned way". I am going on for my BSN, possibly MSN. I have taken Excelsior exams for credit in the LPN-RN bridge program at my college and did great on them. I am working full time now and want to earn my next degree with Excelsior at a part time pace, but without the deadlines for tests I just cannot seem to get motivated enough to really get started...I have the books/study guides I need for pathophysiology and ethics. Any suggestions ??? Thanks in advance.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.

Go ahead and schedule your test date. If you do that, you'll be giving yourself a deadline and you'll be more apt to study for the test. That's how I did it when I did the EC ASN program, and it worked wonders.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i agree. i paid for all my exams then scheduled them started in august and i will be finished on jan 10th. there is no way i would be done except to schedule them in advance. this is for the asn program though. good luck to the op i have been thinking about the rn to bsn program at ec ..maybe even the rn to msn . who knows how wild ill get with this rn thing...lol

go ahead and schedule your test date. if you do that, you'll be giving yourself a deadline and you'll be more apt to study for the test. that's how i did it when i did the ec asn program, and it worked wonders.
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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

I think this is what I'm gonna have to do. I purchased the sociology clep study guide in November and I will read a few pages then find every excuxse in the book not to study. I think I will schedule my test for end of Jan. and then it will motivate me to get prepared and study.

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
I think this is what I'm gonna have to do. I purchased the sociology clep study guide in November and I will read a few pages then find every excuxse in the book not to study. I think I will schedule my test for end of Jan. and then it will motivate me to get prepared and study.

Good thinking. BTW, I CLEPped sociology. The exam was very close to the practice test you can buy on the collegeboard website. Get that, and use the study guide- you should pass with no problem.

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

Thanks Baptized, I went to the site and did not see any practice test though when I google this is what comes up.And sociology is not there. I do see the official study guide and I plan on buying that is that what you were referring to?

http://www.testprepreview.com/clep_practice.htm

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Specializes in LTC/hospital, home health (VNA).

It sounds like you guys are on track! I think I am going to pay for the patho exam soon! I am concerned with EC regarding the "clinical" aspects of the BSN ( TAC, HAPE) ...is it really a do or die kinda thing? No matter where/how you go for your degree I don't expect it to be easy, and I am confident I can pass the tests ( once I get motivated:smackingf )... but that 1 shot to get your grade for the clinical stuff is nerve wracking. -(NCLEX terror all over again!) So any info/advice on that aspect of the Excelsior program? Is there guidelines/study guides/videos that help you get ready for those assessments, projects, etc?

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Specializes in Trauma,ER,CCU/OHU/Nsg Ed/Nsg Research.
Thanks Baptized, I went to the site and did not see any practice test though when I google this is what comes up.And sociology is not there. I do see the official study guide and I plan on buying that is that what you were referring to?

http://www.testprepreview.com/clep_practice.htm

Here's what I used:

http://store.collegeboard.com/productdetail.do?Itemkey=070062266

It's the official study guide for the Sociology exam, and you can download it for $10.

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

Thanks for the link -- I'm planning on CLEPing this one soon and I didn't know if I needed to slog my way through the entire TCN Sociology guide! :)

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

Oh, and I totally agree with scheduling the exam as being a motivator ... after 13+ years as a desktop publisher/designer in a deadline-driven environment, I function best with a deadline. I was able to complete nine EC exams (A&P, NC1-NC7 [including NC2], and Micro) between May and November. I always scheduled my exam and then studied up to my "deadline." It worked very well for me!

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Specializes in Day program consultant DD/MR.

Thank Baptized that is what I was looking at buying but think I'm gonna do the study guide that has all the cleps because I need like 5 or 6 and its 24.99 and says it has all the info that the individual ones do and they are 10 each. I may to barnes and noble or borders and look throught them before I buy them to see which will help me more. If the individuals have more content of study material and longer practice test I will purchase infividual.

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Specializes in Med surg and Psych.

I am also going to schedule ahead to keep motivated. Thanks for the good kick in the butt Lunah...regarding NC7. Good Luck to all of you getting closer to the CPNE, and to the ones like myself just starting out. Traci

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