Can someone please tell me if The College Network and ISU is a good idea?

Nursing Students Indiana (ISU)

Published

I'm about to graduate in Dec. I've been looking into schools and The College Network and Indiana State University sounds to good to be true. I'm graduating the LPN program at Penn Valley in Kansas City. I'm being told that I can get the few general education classes done through the College Network and that Indiana State University will accept them. Afterwards I'll be accepted into ISU with no waiting list and I can finish the nursing core classes at my own pace. I've read that people had problems in the past with getting checks to pay for their tests, but that doesn't seem to be the issue any longer because now it's the individual's responsibility to pay for their exams. Can someone please tell me they finished the program successfully and if they have any advice on whether it is definitely not a scam. Thanks so much!

0 Votes
Specializes in CEN, CFRN, PHRN, RCIS, EMT-P.

The College Network is not a school, it is a publishing company that will sell you overpriced study guides and scam you off thousands of dollars, steer clear

0 Votes
Specializes in ICU.

Why not just do ISU without the College Network? I'm doing ISU after I graduate from Ivy Tech. I live in Indiana and they have an excellent online program. My understanding the College Network is shady. I would stay away from a place like that.

0 Votes

When I inquired at ISU, I was told that I could not start their program without going through College Network. That ended it for me.

0 Votes

A girl in my class says that you have to do the gen ed classes through TCN, I ONLY have three to take. I was also told there is a two year wait list to go straight through to ISU.

0 Votes

Thanks, I definitely don't want to be scammed.

0 Votes
Specializes in ICU.

I was just on their site the other day and I will only have 3 classes to take. It states on their website that these classes can be done through a community college. I don't know if that only applies to in state people maybe? I know my college, Ivy Tech, has partnered through them on the nursing and criminal justice programs so that was one of the big features of me going there. I was planning on taking college stats over the summer and then doing the other 2 classes which are 300 level classes online through them. I know my cc only goes up to 200 level classes. But if you have to go through the college network, I won't go there. I'll get my BSN through .

0 Votes
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Although they might represent themselves as a school, the College Network is not a school. It is not a degree-granting entity, and therefore, cannot offer the general education coursework that it claims to be offering. Their advertising is deceptive and they have been in legal trouble this year.

Here's how the deal goes. The College Network provides you with very expensive study guides that cost an average of $615 a piece. You use these study guides to help you pass CLEP, DANTES and DSST exams for general education credit.

You can obtain the College Network's study guides off Ebay or Amazon used for $10 to $50 each. I recently paid $14.99 for a College Network study guide that originally cost more than $600.

The College Network will require you to sign a contract that will leave you obligated to repay in the $10,000 range for these study guides. Since the College Network is not a school or degree-granting entity, the loan will be a private one that is not subject to federal student loan protections. The $10,000 does not even include the tuition and fees that ISU will charge you.

0 Votes

So, The Commuter... you're saying that I can get the study material online and test out myself? How do I do this? I only need to take 3 classes which will cost me almost $5000 through TCN. The program at ISU will be another almost $20,000. Thank you so much for your input.

0 Votes
Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
So, The Commuter... you're saying that I can get the study material online and test out myself? How do I do this? I only need to take 3 classes which will cost me almost $5000 through TCN. The program at ISU will be another almost $20,000. Thank you so much for your input.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) tests cost approximately $80 each. 33 CLEP tests are offered, so I am sure your three courses are in there somewhere. For each CLEP that you pass, you earn 3 to 12 college credits. Click on the link below:

CLEP Exams | CLEP

DSST exams are another option for testing out. You receive 3 upper division credits for each exam that you pass. Click on the link below:

Test Preparation | DSST | Get College Credit

TECEP tests, offered through Thomas Edison State College, are another affordable way to earn credit through testing out. The current cost is $37 per credit attempted, or $110 for a three credit exam. Click on the link below to attempt to find the three courses that you need to test out of.

Thomas Edison State College: All TECEP® Tests

And, of course, you can find good test preparation study materials and guides on sites such as Ebay, Amazon, Barnes $ Noble, and so forth. They do not necessarily need to be from the College Network, since the College Network has no official affiliation with CLEP, DSST or TECEP.

0 Votes

why do they make you take the TEAS test when you are already a licensed LPN?

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment