I am trying to do my research before I decide how exactly I am going to pursue my RN. I am currently a Paramedic and work a 24 on 48 off schedule. I pretty much have decided on using Excelsior. I met with a represenative from The College Network and have considered going that route. I have also requested literature straight from Excelsior. Here are my questions.
If I enroll directly with Excelsior is there a contract involved?
Do I have to buy any course material from Excelsior or can I buy from another source, ebay for instance.
If I don't have to buy the course work from them what all do I have to pay for besides the application, enrollment, and yearly fees?
If anyone has gone this route please help me get started in the right direction. Thank you very much in advance.
Specializes in Addiction & Recovery, Community Health.
I used Excelsior to go from LPN to RN (I passed my NCLEX on the first try in April with only 75 questions). I did not purchase my material from EC but used Rue and was very pleased with their material. Yes, it may be costly, but they broke the material down and made it easier to study and understand. I took a total of 10 classes and made 4 As, 4Bs, and 2 Cs. (One of the Cs was because I had something bad happen right before I took the test and couldn't concentrate. The other was Microbiology and I was happy to have just passed!) I am considering pursuing my BSN and have thought positively about using EC again. My only problem with them is that I am having a hard time finding a job as an RN because of how I obtained my ASN. Which is totally stupid because we all have to pass the same NCLEX to get licensed. It's not like the computer modified it for me because I got my degree as a distance learner rather than sitting in a classroom. Oh, and I bought some of Lisa Arend's materials and found them to be very disorganized with many, many grammatical and punctuation errors. Wish I hadn't wasted my money.
Good Luck!
Cindy
Thanks for the heads up on Lisa Arend's CD's. I bought one and thought "this is it?" Would love to hear what others think.
I have just begun my EC adventure and am pleased so far. I would skip College Network so as not to pay a middle man and have an EC advisor available to you.
Thanks for the heads up on Lisa Arend's CD's. I bought one and thought "this is it?" Would love to hear what others think.
I think when you buy someone's notes, you get what you pay for -- notes! I found some good information in her notes, but I wouldn't use them as a primary study source. And yes, I am incredibly ... um, "detail oriented" when it comes to spelling, grammar, etc., so it was a little difficult to get past that. Heh. Just my opinion/experience; your mileage may vary.
I highly recommend EC's practice exams, though. Those things are worth every penny (I think they're $65 now).
Is Excelsior the better route to go from LPN to RN?
My GPA from LPN school is 2.5, and am finding a 3.0 is needed for for an LPN to RN university classroom program.
Depends on the student. EC is not for everyone -- it takes a great deal of motivation and the ability to teach yourself the material. An alternative to consider is to take some of the RN pre-reqs and general education classes to get your GPA up.
I am an RN and wanted my BSN so I ordered all the books from The College Network. Very expensive and then did not even use them. I decided to go through Western Governor's University which is very economical and accredited. Excelsior is its own program aside from TCN and costs more money on top of what you already spent. Be wary.
I didn't actually enroll with them until near graduation. Up to that point, I just paid for each test as i did it. Be aware, not all states accept their program...check with the state boards of your state before doing anything. Also, though they're accredited & other schools are SUPPOSED to accept the grades, most don't. After about a year of arguing, San Jose State finally at least gave me credit for some of the credits, if not the grades.
Their study guides are fairly good & you can get the books anywhere. Don't waste your money on any of the companies that sell you their study guides & books. Really pricy & they aren't all that helpful (friend did it that way).
I was an LVN for years & the program really worked for me. their pre-clinical test workshop was a terrific investment...their video wasn't.
Take some really easy classes to bump up your GPA (ie: PE, public speaking, food culture..). Alternatively, you can often re-take classes to replace the old grade...check on it. Community college is generally the cheapest.
I didn't actually enroll with them until near graduation. Up to that point, I just paid for each test as i did it. Be aware, not all states accept their program...check with the state boards of your state before doing anything. Also, though they're accredited & other schools are SUPPOSED to accept the grades, most don't. After about a year of arguing, San Jose State finally at least gave me credit for some of the credits, if not the grades.
Their study guides are fairly good & you can get the books anywhere. Don't waste your money on any of the companies that sell you their study guides & books. Really pricy & they aren't all that helpful (friend did it that way).
I was an LVN for years & the program really worked for me. their pre-clinical test workshop was a terrific investment...their video wasn't.
I'm an LPN, and just started looking into getting my RN a different way than the local college; I just don't have the schedule for a traditional program right now. Would you mind explaining to me how you did it; re: not enrolling until near graduation? I'd love to do this as efficiently/affordable as possible. Any advice you have for me would be great!
Specializes in Home Health, Hospice,Orthopedic,ENT.
I just graduated from Excelsior College and passed my state boards and started my first job this week. Just a little advice. Do NOT enroll right now with EC. Take all your pre req. first through whoever, you mentioned the college network. Take all those you have to take and once you are done. Then you can contact EC and you can take Nursing concepts 1 &2 before you have to enroll. The reason I say this is because they charge you a yearly fee of $500.00 something . If you wait and enroll when you have to you will save alot of money. My study partner didn't know this and has had to pay that fee for about 8 years before she finished. I didn't do that, someone was kind enough to inform me of this information so I am passing it on.
Good luck, I have ran into alot of paramedics who have taken this route and are doing well.
I did send my transcripts in for review & they recommended which classes for me to take. I got the study guide & information for one class at a time & when I was near to finished, i registered with them & prometric for the test. If you enroll, you have to pay extra fees every year, there are some benefits, but to me it wasn't enough to offset the cost. I had to enroll about 1 1/2 years before i was done because CA was no longer going to accept Excelsior & if you weren't already enrolled, you wouldn't be able to grandfather in. You do have to pay the enrollment fees prior to graduation...but you could get away with only paying them for the last year & not the whole time
You do have to pay the enrollment fees prior to graduation...but you could get away with only paying them for the last year & not the whole time
The way it's set up now is that you have to actually enroll before taking the third nursing exam. I used to hear about people not enrolling until the end -- not sure when they changed it, but they did.
I found some good information in her notes, but I wouldn't use them as a primary study source. And yes, I am incredibly ... um, "detail oriented" when it comes to spelling, grammar, etc., so it was a little difficult to get past that. Heh. Just my opinion/experience; your mileage may vary.
suzi-Q
115 Posts
Thanks for the heads up on Lisa Arend's CD's. I bought one and thought "this is it?" Would love to hear what others think.
I have just begun my EC adventure and am pleased so far. I would skip College Network so as not to pay a middle man and have an EC advisor available to you.