JRRT

Thanks for quick response and the clarifying that for me. Am very good with studying on my own and I think I should be good with the second option (especially with my experience). Any advice about buying books + materials? Thanks

Hello Pixie I have been following your posts/advice about Excelsior for a while and I think I can rely on you for one nagging question that I still havent got a good answer to. Well, am an RRT trying to start my RN thru excelsior. I have all the prereqs (except they want me to retake AP again). I paid the application fee, sent all my transcripts in but have not yet paid the enrollment fee. This is mainly becoz am still confused about the real cost of each Nursing course or exam (or whatever it is that I would need to pay for). I know the exam fee is about $325 but I see they have 8 week online Nursing courses/classes that cost about $425/CR (which is about $1,300.00 per course). That is where am confused. From what I read from the catalog, the online classes seem to be optional but am NOT sure. So do I have to take those online courses they offer ( i.e are they mandatory) or can I just buy my books/material for each exam, study on my own and when am ready I would just pay the exam fee and take the exam that I need to take? Otherwise, if their 8wk online classes are mandatory then it means the cost per course ($1,300.00) + cost of exam ($325) + cost of books etc would be about $2,000.00 per Nursing course - which would add up to about $16,000.00 for all the 8 Nursing classes minus the CPNE)!!!!!! That is where am stuck:brb:. Am ready and want to start ASAP. I would appreciate your (and anyone's) clarification and advice. Thanks.

Melanie Ignore the negative bs. You will hear alot about 'no jobs' and other such bs. As with every profession it all depends on location, location, location as well as persistence. I was hired before I even graduated and have since got 3 other more job offers. I went part time at my first job after I got hired at one of the largest hospitals in my state (and indeed in the country) - work 3- 12 hour days and work two of my four days off part time at my original job. Turned down a home care job (not in my interest and did fit my long term goals) though it paid very well. So long story short, there are jobs out there though the market in ANY field is tight due to the general economy. I know RNs running around with no jobs. By the way, I decided to work on pursuing a more advanced profession beyond RN and working on that. Bottom line - ignore the negativity or follow it at your peril. I heard the same before I got into the program.

Mrs. Landis You will notice in various threads there is some negativity, misinformation and alot of bs (as RNandRRT notes).So just do your thing and follow your own common sense and goals and ignore some of the nonsense you will come across. It seems like a long road but time flies fast - so just stay focused. Wish you the best :)

Rayne I dont know what state you live in and what type of RT program you are in (2 yr or 4 yr). I hope its not a 4 yr program because an RRT with an Associates and one with a Bachelors end up earning basically the same (except if you go into management where you may earn just a little more). Am in a 2 year heavily state subsidized program which is going cost me about 20K total. Am looking into getting into a one year fast track RN program which will cost about 15-20K (and hopefully I will be able to get tuition reimbursement while pursuing the RN) - which am not counting on that much. But my dream is to be a critical care RN or NP and trying to use the RRT/RN combo foundation to get there. My advice to you to focus on the RRT for now and get that done so that even if you are not able to push further to RN you still have a good career handy.

Hi Its my first time here and its nice to talk to fellow RT students. Am starting my final semester in RT school next week and cant wait to finish. The advice I have is to be ready to put in some time. Its not hard but you have to really want it bad and thus have to put in alot of time. That has been my experience and my motivation waking up at 5am to study etc. Of course I have hated waking up that early but all it takes for me to get up is asking myself again 'How bad do you want it?' - that gets me up....lol. So its all comes down to commitment and 'wanting it bad'. I graduate in May 2011 and plan on finding a RT job and also start on my RN program in the fall. I believe being an RRT & RN would make it easier for me to face any competition in the job market with far higher chances. That is my point of view. Wish you the best of luck to you all :)