Need Excelsior Clarification

Published

I am trying to sort out the info for Excelsior & need a little help. Can I get study material from eBay, yahoo, etc & contact Pearson to schedule test dates prior to enrolling. Basically I am looking to do this for the core classes if possible. Also, do I have to pay the $190 (3 credit) $220 (4 credit) & $280 (6 credit) for each exam if I am not purchasing the guided learning material? Can someone please get me very clear cut answers to what I will be "required" to pay for other than the enrollment, application, student services, CPNE, grad fees? Thanks so much for helping me sort out all the options a little clearer! Have a blessed day.:smilecoffeecup:

mistydave,

I hear ya - it took over THREE MONTHS of waiting to get my NY license, grrrrr...only good part was at least it was summer, but very frustrating.

diahni

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Do you have the chronicity guide? If so would anyone be kind enough to send it to me? I plan to enroll 2/18/08, but I am studying now!! It would be greatly appreciated!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Do you have the chronicity guide? If so would anyone be kind enough to send it to me? I plan to enroll 2/18/08, but I am studying now!! It would be greatly appreciated!

Is that the second exam? Remember you can skip that one if you're an lpn.

Diahni

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.
Is that the second exam? Remember you can skip that one if you're an lpn.

No, Chronicity is not the second exam -- Health Differences is. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Lunah,

Whaaaaa? Are you doing the "new" courses? Lemme get this straight - which is the first one (being the one I should do first?) I thought it was health and safety? Somebody from EC told me the courses are more or less the same, though NUR3 was split up, then there is the added "focused assessement," which I actually welcome doing, except for the cost. If you know where the changes are all outlined, please send me the link. How different could it be? Maybe I'll email them to get this all clear.

Diahni

P.S. Reds rule! My daughter and I are also blessed with the 16th chromosome evolution.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

No, I am not doing the new courses -- I'm waiting on my CPNE date! :) But I have kept up with the changes. Here is a quick/nutshell comparison of new and old:

Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Safety = NC1

Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Differences = NC2

Essentials of Nursing Care: Chronicity = NC3 + functional assessment (new) + end of life care (new)

Essentials of Nursing Care: Reproductive Health = NC3 + congenital anomalies (was in NC4)

Health Differences Across the Life Span 1 = NC4 (minus congenital anomalies)

Health Differences Across the Life Span 2 = NC5 + cognitive assessment (new)

Health Differences Across the Life Span 3 = NC6

Transition to the Registered Professional Nurse = NC7/Foundations of Professional Practice

Then there is that three-part focused clinical competencies assessment that is done on a computer. I have no clue what that involves, but there are some on this forum that should be getting to it in the next few months! :)

So "Essentials of Nursing Care: Health Differences" is the new NC2, and the one that LPNs/LVNs can skip.

YAY REDS! :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi Lunah - Thanks- I'm going to compare the content guides, too. I'm kicking myself for not enrolling last year so I could skip the new stuff, but I actually think I will benefit from the assessment part. Do you have a feeling for if the new deal is either more time or money? (I haven't done the math yet.)

'nuther question....how are you preparing for the CPNE? I'm hoping that any apparatus on which we demonstrate skills are part of the CPNE bag of tricks. I hear it's so hard, but I guess it depends on how comfortable you are with the skills. I will probably do a workshop, as I hear they're really helpful.

Diahni

P.S.Have you ever been near Boston? There are so many redheads, it's a scream.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in long term care Alzheimers Patients.
oops, I didn't answer your questions, did I? Okay, the length of time is up to you, though I hear it will generally take a year or so. You don't have to take exam number 2 if you have your lpn. As for the clinical aspect, read up on the CPNE, which is a long clinical exam you must take. My take is this - even though you will be tested on things you have already covered in nursing school, it will save you a lot of time. I believe there are six exams or so and the CPNE.

If you had one more semester, that would mean a lot more clinical days and about four or five exams? I'll take Excelsior instead! Moreover, my clinicals were usually about doing cna work and not getting paid for it.

Diahni

Diahni I hear you about the clinicals usually about doing cna work and not getting paid thats exactly how I felt about most of mine

Debi 23

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am working on my LPN, have only a few months left.

Question #1Can I send my unofficial transcripts to them and have them tell me which classes I will need. ??

Question #2 does this still cost the $75??

I realize I will need the nursing 1-7 classes. I am figuring I need sociology and micro, and maybe an english.

Question #3 Does that mean I can enroll for $75 and take sociology, english, and micro while waiting to get my LPN, then apply, get accepted and then pay that $895 yearly fee? Those classes are considered general classes right?

Question #4 Can anyone pay the $75 enrollment fee and start on their general classes?

You would think excelsior's website would be easier to understand. It seems complicated. I am so afraid that I will enroll and then not know how to work the system. Is that stupid or is it actually easier than it seems. Used to a brick and mortor school here.

Please help ! thanks for those helping, I feel like a ding dong!:p

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I am working on my LPN, have only a few months left.

Question #1Can I send my unofficial transcripts to them and have them tell me which classes I will need. ??

Question #2 does this still cost the $75??

I realize I will need the nursing 1-7 classes. I am figuring I need sociology and micro, and maybe an english.

Question #3 Does that mean I can enroll for $75 and take sociology, english, and micro while waiting to get my LPN, then apply, get accepted and then pay

that $895 yearly fee? Those classes are considered general classes right?

Question #4 Can anyone pay the $75 enrollment fee and start on their general classes?

Mistydave

1. I don't think they will evaluate unofficial transcripts - you pay the application fee, not sure how much, and then they will figure it out for you.

2. as i said, not sure how much application fee is...i'm sure it's on the webiste.

3. I don't think the 800 plus is a yearly fee - it's the enrollment fee which you pay once. again, verify this!

4. nah, not everyone - the 75 bucks you speak of i think refers to the application fee, the big one is the enrollment fee, i don't know about the other courses, but you can take the first nursing exam even without acceptance. but you should probably apply first! I think you need to be an lpn or some kind of medical person - there's a list of what you can be, like emt, etc. don't take anything until you are accepted. There's probably no reason why you wouldn't get accepted but why take chances. Once you're officially accepted, then take the first nursing course - the sequence names have been changed, and they added some new stuff, like an online test on assessments.

did I answer your questions? while the web site is a little confusing, once you have a login name, which you can do now, you can send messages and ask questions - they're pretty good at answering them in at the most a few days.

Diahni

Up Vote Up Vote ×

ok thanks. I plan on calling them tomorrow. My husband wants to take some courses at home as well, he wants to go full time and get his nursing degree but can't until I am done. I do have a free online account.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I just talked to them last week:

the application fee is $75 anf they will look at transcripts (I believe official ones only) and tell you what you need.

You do not need to enroll untill you are ready for the 3rd nursing class which means that since the 2nd one is waved if you are a licensed practical nurse (they need a copy of a current license) you can do all the pre-reqs and #1 nursing test and then enroll. I believe it is closer to $1000 the first year and $450 for every additional year.

I also found out that if you are registered for at least 2 tests at a time you can differ your student loans (if you have any). registering for a test means that you call and pay for the test and have 9 month to take it. So you can postpone paying back your loans while studying.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion