My conclusion is Excelsior...

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

After a lot of research and reading alot of posts about the convenience of Excelsior I came to the conclusion that this is the route that I am going to take right after I graduate from my LPN program in two weeks. But I also have a question... If I started doing the exams around let's say Dec 20th, is it realistic for me to be done with the whole program by August, CPNE included?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, OR, ICU.

Realistically no, not including CPNE. Exams can be completed within that time frame. Could get FCCA completed by then as well if you time out exams right since FCCA is only offered every 2 months. Advisors are saying average wait time for CPNE is 4-6 months once you are eligible

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

O ok. So I do know that I can go on to the nursing component once I at least complete a&p I and II and micro info to lit and a couple of the general studies. While I am waiting to take the fcca or the CPNE can I complete the last few general exams?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, OR, ICU.

A&P is just one exam, they combine the I & II. Micro and A&P along with info lit are the only ones that must be completed prior to beginning the nursing components which are now in phases. All other prereqs can be completed at the end or whenever you choose. I finished my math while waiting for CPNE date

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

When I went through, you had to have completed all but 10 general education credits before being allowed to even apply for the FCCA or the CPNE. Back then, I took A&P (6cr) and Micro (3cr) while waiting on my CPNE date. So unless this has changed (referencing the # of credits remaining prior to the CPNE), I don't think he will be allowed to take all of the general education requirements in the end.;) https://my.excelsior.edu/documents/78666/291539/ASN_AASN_degree_chart.pdf/df3df84d-d138-4f59-8b31-df5be9b1f607

That is still the case. Read the fine print at the bottom of the link.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.
O ok. So I do know that I can go on to the nursing component once I at least complete a&p I and II and micro info to lit and a couple of the general studies. While I am waiting to take the fcca or the CPNE can I complete the last few general exams?

Only if they tally up to 10 credits or less.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

Wow thanks I guess it all still isn't that bad thanks I really appreciate it all. I do have some credits hopefully carrying over I did do the beginning algebra with aleks and clepped my humanities

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Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

To address your original post, once you apply, EC will take very close to 60 days, well, I'll say a few weeks, to process your application. Once that is done, you will need to enroll (fee for this). Provided you pass your pn NCLEX on the first attempt (I'm sure you will;)), it could be February or March before you are actually free to get rolling with EC because they have to have official transcripts and a copy of that LPN license before they even start the application evaluation process.

I recommend you ask an advisor if there are any exams that you could knockout (CLEP or EC) while they complete this process. I know you can do CLEP exams; I don't know about the EC exams. But you would want to make sure that any new exams taken do not duplicate something you've already taken because EC will not accept anything that they consider to be similar in content to another completed component.

In in addition to all of the above, EC may ask you to sign a waiver if your state is one of those with additional requirements after you complete your ASN and receive your RN license. This waiver will need to be signed and returned to them (if applicable) before they allow you into the college.

So, given all of the above and the costs of the EC exams, unless you have a stash somewhere ;), I don't think August is a realistic deadline. But, the time will fly by.

One other thing. EC offers some exams that will fulfill your areas and they are only $95, like the ethics exam. Ethics is not required for the ASN but it is required for a lot of BSN programs. If you take as a general education requirement, take an upper level version if it is offered and approved, and be done with it. (For example, EC has a $95 version, a $300+ version, and a $1100+ course version of ethics. They are all worth the same UL 3 credits. Needless to say, I took the cheaper one). From what I've seen, all of those $95 exams are also worth upper level credits. I recommend taking UL credit exams whenever possible as they will be needed should you decide to go further after the ASN.

I think that's it. Congratulations in advance on completing the LPN! Good luck to youll the NCLEX!!!

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

Wow thanks for going so in-depth in explaining. Yea I will have to call them tomorrow and see exactly how I can go about this then... Oh and thanks I swear I can't wait. When our director stated for us to prepare because anything that can go wrong in a year will happen, she wasn't lying. I'm just ready for it to be over so that I can move on to my next journey.

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I've seen a couple posts where people have completed the nursing courses in 4 months (that's A LOT of WORK!!) then you'll have 2 months for fcca and you could do life span dev or english at the same time, then 4 months for CPNE - all in all if you work your butt off you could probably do the program in less than a year.

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Specializes in Behavioral Health.

Thanks that is my plan

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Be aware that the "official evaluation" can take 4-6 weeks. Also, make sure all your transcripts are evaluated fully and sent quickly. The sooner your transcripts with your "official evaluation" are in, the sooner things move.

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