NC 1 through Excelsior

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I'm currently an LPN and have applied to excelsior. I understand that you don't have to enroll until NC3...so I'd like to take NC1 before enrolling to save money...however i'm confused on what exactly I need to do to get started. I see they have a list of books to get...I assume you just study from the books and go by the exam content guide and when I feel ready take the exam? Am I correct on this? Do you really need all the books they recommend?

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Specializes in Rehab, Corrections, LTC, and Detox Nurse.

I thought that if you are a LPN you don't have to take NC1. That's what I thought they told me.

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I believe it's NC 2 that LPN's don't have to take.

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You do not have to take NC2 if you are an LPN. They just give you a PASS on it. I know you can take NC1 without being registered first but don't know exactly how because I was registered first. You can call them directly and ask, # should be on thier web site.

As for the books they recomend, I didn't use any of them. Most say they did and that was the only way to go. I used outdated TCN study guides, can buy them off of Ebay. You may want to take the practice tests online that EC offers. They are a great study help.

Tom

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Specializes in Certified Diabetes Educator.

You have to take all 7 of the Nursing Concepts exams.

Excelsior has study guides for all of the exams that are free. You can download them from the web site, or they will mail you one. You do not have to get the recommended text books. You can use the text books you had in nursing school in order to save money. There are also study guides put out by College Network and Rue and some others.

The best thing to do is call Excelsior or send an email and clarify just how it works to take the NC1 and NC2 without enrolling and also be able to get credit. I have to wonder if the grades of those exams are held in a "bank" until you enroll and then a transcript is sent.

My advice is to concentrate on getting the core requirements (pre-req's) done and out of the way before you start on the Nursing Exams. I still have Life Span Development Psych hanging over my head to finish before March when I take the CPNE. Now I don't want to study for that, I just want to get done and graduate and take my boards. I can't imagine going this far and having 10 more general education requirements to do. You can't take the CPNE if you have more than 10 general education requirements to complete. I guess Excelsior has figured out that once you go for that CPNE, you are ready to be done.

I went to my local Community College and took classes, and I did CLEP exams to get my general credits--------except for this Life Span........AUGH. You can also take the general courses on line from other universities and transfer the credit. I will probably take the LIfe Span on line from the Univ of OK. I could also test out of it, but right now, I'd rather take it on line. Less hard studying that way.

Something everyone needs to understand. Excelsior is not necessarily as fast or any faster than going to a college. It is more flexible because you study at home and take a test and you go at your own pace. You still have to get a AAS degree. Excelsior has been the perfect solution for me since I work full time and have lots of other stuff going on in my life. I could not have done this any other way right now.

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Specializes in Psychiatric and Substance Abuse Nursing.

I went to my local Community College and took classes, and I did CLEP exams to get my general credits--------except for this Life Span........AUGH. You can also take the general courses on line from other universities and transfer the credit. I will probably take the LIfe Span on line from the Univ of OK. I could also test out of it, but right now, I'd rather take it on line. Less hard studying that way.

I just CLEPed Life Span (a.k.a Human Growth and Development) with less than 2 weeks of studying for it and passed it. I highly recommend CLEP tests. I considered online classes as well but I did not want to do any papers and did not want to have it drag on for a whole regular semester (16 weeks) or even a summer session (5 weeks).

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Thanks for the replies. I have a lot of the prereqs done. I was planning to go through my local community college for my RN, like I did with my LPN but have since changed my mind. I'm just waiting to see what other prereqs I have to complete, i've already applied and had my transcripts sent...just waiting to enroll.

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You have to take all 7 of the Nursing Concepts exams.

Just for clarification, IF you are already an LPN you DO NOT need to take NC2 any longer. Last year when I was that far back the rule was if you carried a B average in your LPN program you did not have to take it, they just gave me a PASS grade on it. Now the NEW rule is if you are an LPN you don't need to take NC2 at all--they just give you the PASS grade.

The reason why is that NC2 is BASIC nursing skills you should already know.

Tom

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Specializes in Rehab, Corrections, LTC, and Detox Nurse.
You have to take all 7 of the Nursing Concepts exams.

Excelsior has study guides for all of the exams that are free. You can download them from the web site, or they will mail you one. You do not have to get the recommended text books. You can use the text books you had in nursing school in order to save money. There are also study guides put out by College Network and Rue and some others.

The best thing to do is call Excelsior or send an email and clarify just how it works to take the NC1 and NC2 without enrolling and also be able to get credit. I have to wonder if the grades of those exams are held in a "bank" until you enroll and then a transcript is sent.

My advice is to concentrate on getting the core requirements (pre-req's) done and out of the way before you start on the Nursing Exams. I still have Life Span Development Psych hanging over my head to finish before March when I take the CPNE. Now I don't want to study for that, I just want to get done and graduate and take my boards. I can't imagine going this far and having 10 more general education requirements to do. You can't take the CPNE if you have more than 10 general education requirements to complete. I guess Excelsior has figured out that once you go for that CPNE, you are ready to be done.

I went to my local Community College and took classes, and I did CLEP exams to get my general credits--------except for this Life Span........AUGH. You can also take the general courses on line from other universities and transfer the credit. I will probably take the LIfe Span on line from the Univ of OK. I could also test out of it, but right now, I'd rather take it on line. Less hard studying that way.

Something everyone needs to understand. Excelsior is not necessarily as fast or any faster than going to a college. It is more flexible because you study at home and take a test and you go at your own pace. You still have to get a AAS degree. Excelsior has been the perfect solution for me since I work full time and have lots of other stuff going on in my life. I could not have done this any other way right now.

If you are a LPN there is one NC you DON'T have to take and that was not to long ago decided.

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