Paying for Excelsior

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Specializes in Ortho, Peds, MS, ER, ICU, Informatic.

i am new to the forum. i just completed my application and received the informal review. i am ready to enroll, but i wanted to know if anyone has any creative ways of obtaining financial assistant.

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

What, like bank robbery? :D Hey, you said creative!

Seriously, look into any/all scholarships. Check to see if your employer offers tuition assistance, and what the return obligation might be. Excelsior has scholarships as well. Also, check this website: http://www.discovernursing.com -- there is a link to scholarships on there somewhere.

Also, please be aware that you do NOT have to enroll until you're ready to take the third nursing exam. Once you enroll, you start the clock ticking toward an annual student services fee, so the longer you put off enrollment (but still continue to work through the program!), the less you'll be likely to have to have to pay over the life of the program.

Welcome to the forum!! :)

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Specializes in Ortho, Peds, MS, ER, ICU, Informatic.

Thanks I did not know I could take some of the test prior to enrolling that helps a lot. :bow:

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

No problem! No one told me (and I didn't know), so I ended up paying the enrollment fee almost 10 months before I even took my first exam! D'oh!! Oh well ... live and learn, right? :)

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And Excelsior does now grant financial aid. Fill out the FAFSA per the Excelsior website.

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Specializes in Ortho, Peds, MS, ER, ICU, Informatic.

Suesquatch thanks but I tried that the FAFSA does not cover the ADN program only the RN-BSN. I am a LPN trying to obtain my RN.

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Ah, I didn't know that.

A traditional student loan? Are you eligible?

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

you cannot get a pell for the asn program as mentioned before but i applied for a scholarship and received one valued at $750. so you might try that it ended paying for 3 of my test.

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Specializes in home health, LTC, assisted living.
Suesquatch thanks but I tried that the FAFSA does not cover the ADN program only the RN-BSN. I am a LPN trying to obtain my RN.

I found out the same today! I got a postcard from Excelsior in the mail about financial aid, only to find out on the website that the ADN does not have federal student aid available. and I thought there was a nursing shortage?:banghead:

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Specializes in Ortho, Peds, MS, ER, ICU, Informatic.

I think I am going to apply for some scholarships. I thought I read on their website somewere that you can enroll in the RN-BSN program if you have 50% of your nurses courses done. If I could do that then I would be eligible for a student loan. Sallie Mae no longer has the program that's listed on EC website. I guess I am going to have to pay as I go. Which is going to slow me up, but I can still do it one paycheck at a time. :(

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

I don't think they allow anyone without an RN to do the RN-BSN. They used to, but that changed in the last few years, I believe.

Definitely apply for scholarships. I applied for one offered through my employer/hospital's ladies board, thinking I wouldn't get anything ... and they gave me $3,000. I almost fainted when I opened that letter! LOL!! It completely removed the financial hurdle ... and to think, I almost didn't apply! I did it at the very last minute -- had to overnight my application to get it there in time.

Good luck!!!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

I went through FACTs and had my payments split up into 6 payments. I paid $150 dollars a month. Its through EC. Call and ask about it.

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