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Thanks guys, I'm going to call Tuesday and maybe get started with them. I was enrolled in their ASN program back in '09, got all the way to the CPNE but left after the first day. I had my LPN license but no experience and after the first day of the CPNE I realized I was not ready to be a RN so I enrolled at a local college for my ADN. That's kind of a bummer it's not as self paced as I was hoping lol, but I really liked Excelsior, I'm already accepted just have to enroll, so this may be the best choice for me.

Hi all, I posted a while back about looking for rn-bsn programs. At the time I thought I was going to end up accepted to Ohio University for an Oct. start date so I was just looking for alternatives in case that didn't work out. I called OU to check on my application and found out I applied to the wrong program. The RN-BSN program I am eligible for doesn't start till January. So I'm considering Excelsior now, I'm anxious to get started on my BSN lol. I like the exam/online course format and it works out for me cost wise. I have a good number of the pre-reqs already if they accept them. So my questions are how self paced are the online courses? Are they self paced kind of like WGU's are or do they have set start and stop dates? Think it would be possible to complete in 6 months or so if you have plenty of time to dedicate to it? Anyone doing their program? Thanks guys!

Hi all I just finished my ADN degree in May and am looking for an rn-bsn online/distance program that I haven't missed the fall deadline for. Also I'm a bit confused about how out of state tuition works with on line programs. I've researched the programs in my state and didn't have much luck, I've either missed the application deadlines or they're on campus which I just can't fit in right now. I applied to Ohio University for the August but I would like to apply to other schools so I'll have options if Ohio University doesn't work out for some reason. Not to mention despite all my research I'd say I'm overlooking programs. I looked at UoP, Chamberlain, Drexel, and Thomas Edison but they are so expensive. I strongly considered WGU but I'm iffy about the gpa thing. I've looked at so many programs they're starting to become a blur lol. If anyone has any suggestions for programs I could look at I would appreciate them so much, thanks guys!:)

Thanks for the encouragement. I have decided to just go on and give it a shot, I leave in the morning. I have a couple of last minute questions, I'm starting to stress over little details lol. Q's: when I first enter the patients room do I wash my hands then greet the patient or do I greet the patient then wash my hands? May I keep my grid in my scrub pocket or is there a place to set it thats ok with the CE? What books and papers am I allowed to bring with me? I'm sure I'll have more lol I appreciate any responses Thanks guys!

Wow Thank you Lunah I'll give them a call in the morning, in the meantime guess I better hit the critical elements in the study guide again

Well I'm scheduled to take the CPNE next weekend in York PA and I'm not even close to ready. I thought I was but I truly am not. I want to give myself another month or two and attend a workshop and take a few of Excelsior's online conferences. I don't feel familiar enough with the structure or comfortable with the documentation. Anyway was just wondering if anyone had ever rescheduled this close to their date and if anyone recommends any of Excelsiors online conferences? Thanks guys!

Give it a shot..I took my first test in Feb, second in March, third and fourth in April...got restless, and took the last 3 very close together in May..you know what? I did fine. Like the above posters said its definetly an individual thing but you never know unless you try. If your not terrified of failing one I say go for it, you may surprise yourself. And if you do fail, dont feel bad! Its absolutely no reflection on your ability, just may not be the pace for you, Good Luck!

WOW, nevermind! they just called me, I test at York Hospital in PA Sept. 25th-27th! I was so surprised they called so quickly, and how many dates she had available. YAY, im excited, any thoughts on the York, PA site?

Ok, I applied for the CPNE on June 5th. However it took me two weeks to get a dr. appt for the health status report, and then I couldnt find my CPR card, then I thought everything was done but there was something missing on the health status report so I had to have that fixed and reuploaded.:smackingf. I got an email about a week ago saying NPAC had received my application but b/c of the missing signature on the health status report that they could not schedule me. I have since completed my app. So it took me 2 months,lol, but my app is finally all completed and was accepted on Aug. 3. I applied to NPAC and put that I would accept a cancellation date with one weeks notice. What I'm wondering is apparently they were ready to give me a date, so now that my application is ready do you think I will have to wait again? I would like to call them but who do I call? And when and who do I start calling about cancellation dates? I have been studying for the cpne since I started the exams, so I would probably be comfortable with a date as soon as a month from now. but I dont understand how the scheduling works. Im all confuzzled, I hope some of this made sense, LOL. Thanks guys!

I would suggest checking with your local community colleges...if they approve the lecture course you took as equivalent to theirs, they shouldnt have a problem with you just enrolling in their lab. It shouldnt be any different than a student who passed the lecture, failed the lab, and was required to retake lab but not lecture. Good luck with school!

I am awaiting a CPNE date and realizing its time to start looking for a BSN program. I had decided before to go on to Indiana State University for my RN to BSN but now that I am so familiar with Excelsior I'm thinking why not just do their RN to BSN. I did a search on Excelsior's BSN program and didnt find too many opinions, I did find a post about it not being good for students who wish to get an advanced practice certificate in the future. I want to go straight on for my MSN then my Nurse Practitioner license, now concerned that might be a problem with an Excelsior BSN. I really like that its self-paced and I have most of the pre-req's. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions on the program? Thanks! :nuke:

Thanks guys for all the replies and congrats...definetly a C can be awesome...I didnt really explain why this one bugs me. I only have 2 exams left..I have one A, two B's, and now 2 C's. I have left what I feel are the two hardest exams till last and am only hoping for C's on them..lol. I have 4 years college behind me and the last year I was there I destroyed my gpa. It went down to a 1.8. I have been taking a few classes here and there to bring it back up but my focus is Excelsior...and my dream is to be a Family Nurse Practitioner..so my gpa is vital to me. This C bugs me because it is a result of me being lazy..lol The content is one of my strong points and with proper studying I believe I could have done better..Anyway I guess I'll wait till I have taken my last two...and see how I do on those. Thanks again guys. :)

I took Across the Lifespan 2 yesterday and got a C on it...I did not study well for it at all and I would like to take it again in a week or so. Can you retake an exam you passed? and do you pay for the exam again? thanks in advance:specs:

I applied to excelsior a few weeks ago and am waiting on evaluation right now, but I am also looking at ISU. So I had a thought I want to ask you guys about... I was thinking since I cant even start at ISU until fall '09 I could go ahead and do the excelsior program and I am hoping I would be CPNE eligible and waiting on the date by the time fall '09 rolls around so I'm thinking I could apply for ISU LPN-BSN program in May or June and still finish the excelsior program. I dont know if I can do that though becuase the CPNE would overlap the ISU program. Now let me explain why I want to do this so screwy. If I do my RN thru excelsior I could work as an ASN RN while finishing my BSN, I want to do the ISU LPN-BSN instead of RN-BSN becasue after I'm done I can use my LPN-BSN degree to avoid any problems with having an excelsior degree and use it to further my degree to a masters. The biggest plus would be avoiding any problems that may arise from having a degree from excelsior like states not accepting it because I would have a BSN from my LPN not my RN (makes sense? because thats sounds confusing) Another reason I want to do the excelsior program right now is if I dont get into ISU (GPA could still be too low) this fall it wont be so bad because I will be finishing up my excelsior degree so I'll still get my RN. So I guess my ultimate question is 'Can I start ISU LPN-BSN program and still finish the excelsior program? or can programs not overlap like that? Would I have to wait and finish EC then do an RN-BSN or could I finish EC get my RN and still do an LPN-BSN program? :bugeyes:Hope that makes sense, Thanks in advance!

Hey, just wanted to say thanks for the replies! I finally applied, I have printed off the study guide for Health Safety and I am excited to finally get started! :typing

HeatherTN, I'm assuming you are a TN resident, if so I believe TN RODP has a new associate in nursing completely online, you will do clinicals locally and I'm not 100% sure how it works but it is somehow intertwined with community colleges across the state. Check out RODP's website all the info is there and you can apply for the program there. I do not believe you have to have to hold any kind of license. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong! Good Luck!!

Ok so I was going to apply to Excelsior yesterday, but I didnt because I keep wondering about ISU lpn-bsn program. The ISU program looks perfect for me but I live in TN, and it isnt accepted here. *BUT* I live only 20 minutes from KY and VA both of which accept ISU. So I'm wondering if I move to KY or VA and do the program would TN endorse my license or if I decided to move back to TN? or could I work in TN if I decided to stay in KY or VA? Just wondering if anybody had any insight. ISU is really the program I want to do because I'm just a little nervous about Excelsior and the CPNE especially with surrounding states dropping it..I probably need to contact the TN BON but I was just wondering if anybody had any experience with this or any thoughts before I call? Thanks!

Hi, I am a new LPN and have decided to do the excelsior RN program. I am getting ready to apply, I've read on here it takes about 2 weeks for the whole application process. I would like to get started on the Nursing exams, I have all my prereqs from a local university, all taken within the last 4 years. Do I have to wait the two weeks or can I go ahead and enroll and get started on the classes? Or do I have to wait for the evaluation? I'm a little confused..I know you can take NC1 without enrolling but I'm assuming I cant take NC1 before I get accepted and evaluated..?? Also what materials do you need for a Nursing Concepts class? I know you need a study guide and can take practice tests is that it? are there any books or anything? Thanks in advance!

Hey, thanks everyone for the replies. I am definetly fully focused on my LPN program..after such a bad academic year I went into the LPN program feeling pretty lousy about school, but I just finished my first semester with an average I was extremely happy with. I'm feeling back on top of my game! So no I certainly dont want to distract myself with other classes, I was just wondering if I should get in touch with them about what classes I would need, like academic advising...kind of how CC and universities lay out academic plans for you...and I was worried that they were a GPA based program..that's good news that they will take classes C or above..the classes I failed were oddball classes I had picked out for electives. I'll just bookmark their website and check it out again when I get closer to graduation;). thanks again oh, what is a CLEP test??

Hi, this is my first post on allnurses.com! Ok, i have a question or two, I am currently in an LPN program starting my second semester in Jan. and I have pretty much decided I definetly will go through Excelsior for my Associates in Nursing then on to my BSN. I attended a university for 3 years prior to my LPN program, and have all my pre-reqs for my Associates, actually almost all for my Bachelors except Algebra and I need to retake dev. psychology. Is there anything I can start doing now with Excelsior or do I need to wait till I have my LPN license before I contact them? Also, make that I attended 2 productive years at an university and the last year there I flunked everything b/c of stressful personal ordeals and instead of taking a year off I kept trucking through in a sad attempt to use all my scholarship, and I literally flunked 2 semesters, my GPA is horrible like a 1.3 or something I'm afraid to look:o and it was a 2.9 before that year which wasnt bad. So my second question is will my bad GPA keep me from going through excelsior..I cant figure out if they are GPA based or not..I dont think I fully understand the programs requirements but I do know that I work best on my own and I need to work possibly full-time while I earn my other degrees. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!