New Nursing Student With Excelsior

Jo Dirt · Jun 26, 2008

You can use any books, materials, etc. you want.

You do not have to use Excelsior's materials.

I went through Excelsior and graduated in spring of 2006. I had most of the prerequisites but I didn't think the cost was any higher than some other programs (out the door price for me was somewhere around $8,000.)

BUT...

If you go through a publishing company you will spend more than twice what it will cost to go through Excelsior. Thank God I did not go that route, but I know someone who paid out a couple of grand to this publishing company who was real good at hiding that they are in no way affiliated or endorsed by Excelsior College and therefore totally uneccesary.

Anyway, no, you DO NOT have to buy your school books from Excelsior. You can go to the Goodwill and buy an A&P book to use. I've got a very nice almost new one I would be willing to sell cheap but for some reason I can't receive or send PMs.

Jo Dirt · Jun 26, 2008

BTW, the couple of grand this person paid out was not the cost of the publishing company's fees, it was only a fraction (she stopped paying and threatened to sue them for deceptive advertising.) They have not been bothering her about following through with her contract, I guess they knew she was right.

Baloney Amputation, BSN, LPN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

Definitely! Buy the texts online. Sometimes you can go an edition back from the recommended textbook's edition and save a ton of money. Honestly, they recommend chapters to read from their particular books they pick, which are good books. However, some of us have texts from school that we are used to navigating and can modify what chapters EC recommends reading to what we have on hand.

I have a collection of texts bought online, some from my husband's traditional RN program, and some I bought at Half Price Books.

Welcome!

CSLee3, ASN, BSN, LVN, EMT-P · Jun 26, 2008

Congrats on getting enrolled! EC is a great program and it is what you make of it. That being said. I would recommend buying a "Chancellors" study guide online (ebay) or even new from Chancellors. Or you could buy The College Network, Rue, etc. These study guides are excellent and a shortcut to big text books. HOWEVER, you could pick up the recommended text used from amazon or yahoo discussion groups. What you will find is former Excelsior students helping new Excelsior students. Kind of Pay-it-forward mentality. At least it has been my experience. I completed EC years ago and wouldn't trade my experience for the world. There is support out there. Join EC dicussion groups, search ebay and other stores like amazon, half price books, etc. NOW, there is a lot of debate and basically opinion as to wether you should use a publisher, like Chancellors, to purchase your study guides from. Personally I purchased all my guides from Chancellors and never bought one text book. It was worth the money to me. Yes it is expensive, yes they finance and maybe yes, it is not necessary. But I prefered to have someone act in my best interest, keep my updated, sell me the most current stuff and oh yeah, provide me a week of CPNE training (boot camp) prior to my clinical exam (CPNE). Do what you think is right for you. I would buy a used guide first and see if it is a fit for you and you learn with that style. EC has pretty good telephone advisors that can answer most of your questions too. Good luck and hang in there.

ERDude, RN

LarryRNinfl · Jun 26, 2008

I am currently enrolled in Excelsior's AAS, RN program. I am studying for my A&P & NC1. Is there anywhere besides Excelsior where I can get a A&P book from? Does it matter who makes the book? I am so worried b/c I do not want to fail any classes b/c this school is expensive. It is good for military and their families or anyone who doesn't have time for a classroom nursing program, but the price is :no:WOW!!!!
Anyone who can help me prepare or give me guidance. It will be appreciated...
Thanks

Hi Neshia,

I'm a graduate of Excelsior College and will help.

All the best,

Larry

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

Welcome! I moved your thread to the Distance Learning Forum so that you continue to get good responses.

Danish, MSN, APRN, NP · Jun 26, 2008

I get all my books at www.half.com

Then, I sell them back when Im finished for just about the same price I paid to begin with.

Good luck!

NESHIA · Jun 27, 2008

Congrats on getting enrolled! EC is a great program and it is what you make of it. That being said. I would recommend buying a "Chancellors" study guide online (ebay) or even new from Chancellors. Or you could buy The College Network, Rue, etc. These study guides are excellent and a shortcut to big text books. HOWEVER, you could pick up the recommended text used from amazon or yahoo discussion groups. What you will find is former Excelsior students helping new Excelsior students. Kind of Pay-it-forward mentality. At least it has been my experience. I completed EC years ago and wouldn't trade my experience for the world. There is support out there. Join EC dicussion groups, search ebay and other stores like amazon, half price books, etc. NOW, there is a lot of debate and basically opinion as to wether you should use a publisher, like Chancellors, to purchase your study guides from. Personally I purchased all my guides from Chancellors and never bought one text book. It was worth the money to me. Yes it is expensive, yes they finance and maybe yes, it is not necessary. But I prefered to have someone act in my best interest, keep my updated, sell me the most current stuff and oh yeah, provide me a week of CPNE training (boot camp) prior to my clinical exam (CPNE). Do what you think is right for you. I would buy a used guide first and see if it is a fit for you and you learn with that style. EC has pretty good telephone advisors that can answer most of your questions too. Good luck and hang in there.
ERDude, RN

Thank you for this information. I was looking at Chancellors before. Yes they are expensive, but like you said it is up to me as to what I might need and what I might now need. I haven't been in a hospital setting in a year now b/c I work at a college now, but if I was still a corpsman I would fly by the CPNE. ( I THINK:cool:)

NESHIA · Jun 27, 2008

I get all my books at www.half.com

Thanks for this info. I am looking on their now... :up:

NESHIA · Jun 27, 2008

Hi Neshia,
I'm a graduate of Excelsior College and will help.
All the best,
Larry

Thank you Larry your help will be appreciated....

Pipsqueak, ADN · Jun 27, 2008

I tried to stick with the textbooks recommended by excelsior. However, I bought very few from them. I already had a few in my collection that were very similar to the recommended text so I just used what I had.

And for the rest, I frequently scoured ebay and have gotten some great deals. Did occasionally buy a used college network study guide if it was cheaper than the text.

Also frequently found books on http://www.bigwords.com/. They compare prices of all the major stores (exept ebay)for the book you are looking for to find you the cheapest copy.