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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Wow! I feel so much better about EC's program now that I have contacted my advisor & truly figured out what I need to satisy the LPN-RN program. I have been so frustrated trying to complete my RN degree! I recieved my LPN through a school that is nationally accredited instead of regionally, had I known the difference at the time I never would have went that route, but they don't explain the difference to you they just tell you that yes they are accredited.:confused: Had I been wiser at the time & known about this site, I would have been much more educated, but live and learn I guess. Anyhow, I spoke with my EC advisor this morning to figure out what I need and how I can get it. Unfortunatley I still have quite a few credits to satisfy for the general education portion of the program, but have decided to take a majority of them at my local community college to save some money and since I qualify for financial aid through the community college they will pay for all of it:yeah: So all I'm going to pay for out of pocket is Information Literacy, Foundations of Gerontology, A&P (which I have started studying for) and the required nursing components.

I'm sure many of you are wondering why I would even choose to go through EC if financial aid will pick up the tab at the community college, well it's simple.....Ivy Tech has a HUGE, and I mean HUGE, waiting list to actually get in to the LPN-RN bridge program. I have a friend who has been taking her gen eds for 2 years now, and actually is now taking classes that she doesn't even need just to stay enrolled at the college while she waits to get accepted into the actual nursing program. I'm getting too old to wait, I'm not in my 20's anymore and am beyond ready to earn my RN so I can move on & get my BSN. So all that being said has anyone taken a similar route? How did it work out for you? Any regrets, advice.....I'm open to it all. I'm studying for my A&P exam now so any advice is welcome, it is a lot of info to take in. Thankfully another nurse that I work with that just recently graduated the same LPN program that I took years ago is in the process of signing up for EC so we can do it together, which I'm hoping will make all the difference;) I would love to hear about your experiences with EC, advice, etc.....thanks for reading!

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Good luck with your program at EC.

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Specializes in Home Health, Podiatry, Neurology, Case Mgmt.

hey dragonfly...how close are you to louisville? just curious since we are taking some of the same exams we could study together sometime or something. i'll give you my facebook info later through a PM! good luck!

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Specializes in PD,Nxstage,hemo.

Good luck!

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
hey dragonfly...how close are you to louisville? just curious since we are taking some of the same exams we could study together sometime or something. i'll give you my facebook info later through a PM! good luck!

I'm in northern Indiana

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I think you are doing the right thing for you... I have a friend, with whom, I graduated from LPN school with, 4 years ago . We both knew we wanted to be RN's, we both research the same lpn to rn programs together. After seeing how long the waiting list were, and, all the extra prereqs, I would have to do in a traditional program, I decided on Excelsior College. She however, decided that she wanted to stick with a traditional program, and would start taking the remaining pre-recs, until she was accepted into a lpn - rn bridge program.

I must admit, although I did decide on Excelsior, 4 years ago, I didn't get serious about it, for at least 2 years after being an LPN. Mainly do to a heavy work load and having a new baby. But once I did, I would study and take a test about every 2 months. Now, I'm proud to say I only have 2 more test to take, until I can call myself a GN:). I've finished all my nursing course's and passed the CPNE, on the first try:yeah:. I just have Life Span Psy which i test on the 3rd of august. And Micro which i have already paid for, and will test on Sept 30.

Meanwhile, my friend is still taking pre- recs, and has yet to get into a lpn- rn bridge:crying2: . I told her Excelsior is the way to go. She is starting to come around, but I think once she sees my name with RN behind it, on the board of nursing's website... Then she will really be encouraged !:up:

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
I think you are doing the right thing for you... I have a friend, with whom, I graduated from LPN school with, 4 years ago . We both knew we wanted to be RN's, we both research the same lpn to rn programs together. After seeing how long the waiting list were, and, all the extra prereqs, I would have to do in a traditional program, I decided on Excelsior College. She however, decided that she wanted to stick with a traditional program, and would start taking the remaining pre-recs, until she was accepted into a lpn - rn bridge program.

I must admit, although I did decide on Excelsior, 4 years ago, I didn't get serious about it, for at least 2 years after being an LPN. Mainly do to a heavy work load and having a new baby. But once I did, I would study and take a test about every 2 months. Now, I'm proud to say I only have 2 more test to take, until I can call myself a GN:). I've finished all my nursing course's and passed the CPNE, on the first try:yeah:. I just have Life Span Psy which i test on the 3rd of august. And Micro which i have already paid for, and will test on Sept 30.

Meanwhile, my friend is still taking pre- recs, and has yet to get into a lpn- rn bridge:crying2: . I told her Excelsior is the way to go. She is starting to come around, but I think once she sees my name with RN behind it, on the board of nursing's website... Then she will really be encouraged !:up:

Congrats on passing your CPNE:clpty:I myself am terrified even thinking about it!:uhoh3: My friend who has been taking pre-req's for 2 years, who I am also trying to recruit over to EC with me, is too afraid to attempt EC because a nurse she worked with failed her CPNE for not identifying her patient. That's not what I'm afraid of because that's pretty basic and part of the 6 rights of medication administration.....I'm worried about bombing other aspects of the CPNE. I've read/printed out everyone's notes and am keeping them in a binder for later use when I get closer to the CPNE...got a long way to go yet! I have just wasted so much time & so much money trying to get my RN. I went to a technical school for a semester, because they accepted my LPN credits, but since they did not have a bridge program it would still take 2 years and $30,000.00:eek: So considering how if I want to get my BSN.... again the stupid credits wouldn't transfer, and I'd have to start from square one all over again, not to mention the amount of homework they piled on me every week (no joke! 3 classes of 9 chapters of study guides, end of chapter reviews, critical thinking, and papers to write...all this due in one week!! who has time to study!) I quickly gave up on that and decided that for a mother of 4 who works power weekends and isn't rich, EC is the way to go!:nurse:

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Iam new at all of this so what is EC? I to am not in my 20's any more having a hard time trying to get started into a RN program

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

EC is Excelsior College, which has a nursing program for people who are already healthcare providers of some sort -- LPNs, Paramedics, RTs, etc., or who have finished a certain amount of a traditional program.

https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/School_of_Nursing_Admission_Policy

Welcome to allnurses! :)

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Congrats on your decision. I am slowly getting there, haven't taken my first exam yet due to constant schedule changes and working long hours. I have since got back into things and have decided to schedule my first exam. I really got inspired over the past month especially since I found out that my DON was an Excelsior grad! Smartest nurse I know and very professional in her position. So I am all smiles heading towards my RN degree.

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Specializes in Geriatrics.
Congrats on your decision. I am slowly getting there, haven't taken my first exam yet due to constant schedule changes and working long hours. I have since got back into things and have decided to schedule my first exam. I really got inspired over the past month especially since I found out that my DON was an Excelsior grad! Smartest nurse I know and very professional in her position. So I am all smiles heading towards my RN degree.

I haven't taken my first exam either. I have paid for the A&P exam and now have til Nov to take it, but I'm getting really nervous about it as I am now trying to sort through all the info. I still need to buy the practice exams, I'm sure that will help, especially with determining how well I already know the info. It feels good to finally commit, like you I have been enrolled for awhile, life just got in the way...but now I'm grabbing the bull by the horns & not letting anything stop me!:rckn:

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