Excelsior

caliotter3 · Oct 4, 2009

Hi I just registered with excelsior, and I would LOVE for someone to explain to me how the fees work. I understand that I pay @ Pearson everytime I take an exam. However, the website is not clear on how each class works. Do you pay for each credit for every class that is required? LPN To RN is 67 credits, so that is 67x315 per credit hour????? Sorry to sound simple, but it is NOT clear anywhere, and I did not get the info when I called. Thanks!

No, sounds like you have it a little mixed up. Not for every credit hour. For the nursing exams it is one set fee, around $260 at this time (per test). The CPNE at the end is currently $1950. Then there is a graduation fee, about $490. If you take longer than one year to complete the entire program, they will send you an annual bill to stay enrolled, it is about $450. Other courses or tests, for the general ed courses, will have their own costs. Most people transfer in credits that they received at their local colleges. The Excelsior website can be difficult to navigate. Just be patient when you are trying to find out info there. Or, you can always call or email with questions. Hope you are successful with the program.

caliotter3 · Oct 4, 2009

I did my ASN via EC and am now in the BSN program. I love it.

Hey Sue. Can you expand about your opinion of the BSN program? What classes have you finished and how are they? Never see very much about the BSN program. Thanks.

Joey&Laurensmom · Oct 4, 2009

Thanks, that helps. None of my original community college credits will transfer, they were all in fashion. So I will pay per credit for all General Ed classes, and only for materials for Nursing classes. That is much easier to take. You are correct about the website, it is like you get lost!!!

dizzydolphin · Oct 11, 2009

i did my asn via ec and am now in the bsn program. i love it.

no. 10 from suesquatchrn

suesquatchrn, i love your attitude! you have a lot of positive energy! i have read a few negative posts this evening re excelsior, and somehow it gets me down, even though i only come on this site every few months.

i think all nurses should try to bring each other up with positive energy. we all have our strengths as well as things we could work on, should we choose to pursue such goals. i mean, if a nurse is not great on the floor, she will most likely "self-select" herself into an area she finds personally more interesting and/or rewarding; otherwise, she will work hard to bring herself up to a competent level where she's at (especially if she has supportive co-workers, with whom i am blessed to work.)

personally i have only good things to say about excelsior. i think they are very responsible about letting you know what you have to do to make it through. it is true it is rough getting a job in certain areas, but i relocated within my state to take a job at a hospital, where i've just completed my first year as an rn, which is far superior to any where i used to live. :smokin:

some people seem to feel so strongly that ec grads are substandard b/c they feel their clinical experiences are limited:smiley_ab. my opinion is that most quality clinical experience is gained on the job, not during nursing school.

it is true however that i have observed an instructor of adn students on our floor who does a great job with them. however, that was not my own experience at large midwestern state u, where 80% of my clinical instructors provided absolutely zero guidance on the floor, matched me with rn preceptors who were downright dangerous, and saw me maybe 5 minutes during a shift, during which time they used those precious few minutes to completely berate me:uhoh3:.

a final point: i don't think there should be a difference between lpns and rns; i think it is an archaic distinction and potentially degrading to lpns. to me, such a distinction is yet another example of a "i'm a better nurse than you because you are {insert put-down: inexperienced/finished at an online school/don't have a bsn/don't work in icu}". we should all look up, be proud, and take care of each other :loveya: thanks for reading

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

Hey Sue. Can you expand about your opinion of the BSN program? What classes have you finished and how are they? Never see very much about the BSN program. Thanks.

Caliotter, I just saw this. I am now taking Teaching Across Cultures and Health Assessment and Promotion. Scheduled for theManagement in Nursing exam

The classes are good, but they are very much geared towards teaching and management. I am more interested in clinical, but they are not requiring me to take any gen eds (I have a bazillion credits) except an English.

caliotter3 · Oct 11, 2009

Caliotter, I just saw this. I am now taking Teaching Across Cultures and Health Assessment and Promotion. Scheduled for theManagement in Nursing exam
The classes are good, but they are very much geared towards teaching and management. I am more interested in clinical, but they are not requiring me to take any gen eds (I have a bazillion credits) except an English.

Thanks for your reply. Good to hear from a current student about the general atmosphere of the program. I think most BSN programs that are not for initial licensure focus on teaching and management versus clinical. Good luck with the program.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Oct 11, 2009

Thanks for your reply. Good to hear from a current student about the general atmosphere of the program. I think most BSN programs that are not for initial licensure focus on teaching and management versus clinical. Good luck with the program.

That really depends. Some schools are heavily clinical, esp. in the NYS university system. They focus on practioners.

caliotter3 · Oct 11, 2009

That really depends. Some schools are heavily clinical, esp. in the NYS university system. They focus on practioners.

If I had my druthers, I would be looking for a clinical focused program also. Teaching or management can wait for the MSN as far as I'm concerned.

MedicMaria · Nov 12, 2009

I'm currently going through Excelsior. It is all self study, but if you are disciplined, you can do it. I am a medic and I think that a background in medicine is needed to succeed. You get the support you need from them too.

I decided that I didn't need an instructor to read to me out of the text and send me off with homework. I thought I could teach myself and I'm half way through. Plus, I only had 8 sections/tests to complete to get through the course. I started in May "09". It's alot faster than traditional College. Yes, we have a test to prove that we know how to write careplans, and we have a clinical weekend to prove we know the skills. Then to NCLEX.

I did talk to the state before enrollment and was told that Excelsior nurses are hired quickly because of those tests. I do know many people that are grads from Excelsior. I am actively being recruited not only in Michigan, but in Texas and Tennesse. I will decide shortly...I'm well pleased with Excelsior.