Passed A&P, now Microbiology

Nursing Students Online Learning

Published

I was scheduled to take A&P through Prometric December 23 but I just couldn't stand it anymore and yesterday I called Prometric and happened to be able to get an appointment to take it today. I was scared silly and when I clicked the "finish" button I was sure I was doomed but nearly had a heart attack when the grade B showed up.

Two down in one month. NC I I made a B and A&P I made a B. 8 more courses to go before I'm finished (except for the CPNE) I'm going to keep on chugging along and not miss a step. And folks, the best study guide you can get is the study guide provided to you by Excelsior. You can get the study guide free if you ask for it. I have seen the study guide from Moore and it doesn't tell you a thing Excelsior doesn't tell you. So if you are debating whether or not to use some study guide from publishing company please just save your money and use the best one you can get which happens to be a fraction of the cost.

So I came right home and just now registered to take Microbiology. I've got my trusty Excelsior study guide for Microbiology (I bought the book that has all the study guides in it for all the Excelsior exams). It's a real good feeling to pass these tests and know you're on your way to accomplishing something worthwhile. So I want to reach out to all the ladies and gentlemens who want to try Excelsior but feel like something is holding them back. Just take that first step and like Nancy Reagan said "Just do it."

No wait, that was Nike....:uhoh3: I haven't slept in two days and it is starting to get to me.

Has anyone gone through a publishing company to move through the program of LVN to ADN/BSN to Excelsior? And what did you think about the program. I contacted two publishing companies who claim to provide all materials for study and want to know if this is a good idea or not. They claim they provide all the materials for studying and then at some point in time of the course, get signed on with Excelsior or like Indiana State University. Can publishing companies be trusted? Need to work and move forward. Thanks. :uhoh3:

I would not advise going through a publishing company at all. Aside from the outrageous cost (if they were so sure you would love and need their materials why do they make you sign a contract to ensure you will keep paying the ridiculous price?) the materials they sell you offer NO BENEFIT to studying for your exams. Trust me. A friend showed me her A&P study book from Moore Publishing. This was after I had taken my A&P exam. That guide was just full of a bunch of gobbeldy goop to clutter up your mind with things not even relevant to the test. The best and most straightforward study guide you can get BY FAR is the one for free from Excelsior. It is simple. You go down the outline and you study each point. You don't need any special books. Know what I used? Cliff's Notes! I studied for 2- weeks for A&P using just Cliff's Notes and the Excelsior study guide and passed with a B. I studied 4 days for microbiology with Cliff's Notes and the study guide from Excelsior and passed with a B.

The ONLY extra guide I have seen that I feel has been helpful is from The College Network (I'm using it to study for Lifespan and Development. Yes, they are affiliated with ISU but you do not need to signh up and become an indentured servant to use their materials. I found the study guide for $20 on ebay. It is from 1999 when EC was still Regents College but I am finding everything on the current study guide from Excelsior in this book with very few omissions (and anything I feel I need to know more about I look up online).

PLEEEEASE do NOT SIGN ANY CONTRACT!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I think going with a study guide company is an individual decision. Personally, I went with one. I have been happy with their materials so far, have done Social Gerontology, Develop. Psych, Micro, and NC 1 - 5, and have done quite well. IMHO I chose a study guide company for the ease. Yes, it was expensive, but I have everything I need to pass that exam. I don't need to expend my limited time and energy on tracking down text books, etc. If I had known then, what I know now, I probably would have just gone to eBay or some other Excelsior student nursing sites to purchase them second hand. My suggestion would be to do one of the required courses without a study guide company and see how you feel afterward. A heck of a lot of people do it without these companies just fine. I kind of like being spoon fed the info I need to learn without searching for it. (OK, I tend to be lazy!) Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Has anyone taken the Excelsoir Micro Test, I am scheduled to take it on Friday and i just started studying... There is so much information and it is so boring. I am using Chancellors Study guides which have helped me with A&P and Life Span. :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I was surprised at how much I loved Micro. It's very straight foward and just makes sense. The only problem that you might have is that you might become a cleaning freak. I did--for a short time. My husband was thrilled--but, so sorry that it was a temporary side effect of the course?! :chuckle Good Luck on MIcro. You should do great! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you for posting. :) It just seems like so much information but hopefully I will do well. Thanks :balloons:

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Micro is very doable. I'm finished with all the Excelsior ADN courses except the CPNE. There is a big hold up with that, which really stinks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I tool my Micro Test and I did not pass today. I felt like everything i studied was no where to be found on the test. I go through chancellors and i am starting to think that it was a bad idea. The study guide that Chancellors gives you is very broad and the test was so detaily, I am so upset and I will re take it in 60 days. Any advice? :crying2:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Gastroenterology; and Primary Care.

How long did you study?

Even if I use a study guide, I still go over the excelsior outline.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I tool my Micro Test and I did not pass today. I felt like everything i studied was no where to be found on the test. I go through chancellors and i am starting to think that it was a bad idea. The study guide that Chancellors gives you is very broad and the test was so detaily, I am so upset and I will re take it in 60 days. Any advice? :crying2:

I'm terribly sorry. I know how it feels. I failed NC 5 and had to retake it. It isn't that you don't know what you are doing, those things just have a way of happening.

I have found that the study guides from the publishing companies do tend to be very broad, I bought a study guide from the College Network used off ebay and while it was helpful, it *did* have a lot of extra info. that was not relevant to the test. What I did was take the free study guide from Excelsior and I studied only what was in that study guide from Excelsior and nothing else. I ignored all the other information in the guide from College Network.

The good thing was that with the guide from College Network I didn't even need a textbook. I just highlighted key words from the EC study guide that I found in the College Network guide and studied that.

I thankfully passed micro with a B. If there is anything you feel I could help you with let me know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Would you be willing to sell your Microbiology Study guide from College Network?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Would you be willing to sell your Microbiology Study guide from College Network?

I didn't use College Network for microbiology. I only used College Network for one test: Lifespan, and I gave that to a nurse friend. I have a list of nurses who want my study materials when I finish with them. They even want the notes I took while I was studying. They are so afraid to just take that step.

What I did was use Cliff's Notes for Microbiology. You can get that at Books-A-Million or Hastings or another bookstore.

That will have most of what you need to know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment