Question about Excelsior

suzi-Q · Sep 30, 2009

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.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Sep 30, 2009

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).

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 1, 2009

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.

catslady56 · Oct 1, 2009

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.

zebsmom2002 · Oct 2, 2009

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.

zebsmom2002 · Oct 2, 2009

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.

SirJohnny · Oct 2, 2009

Zach:

- Under no circumstances should you use College Network. They are a publishing company, and are unrelated

to Excelsior College. In addition, their study guides are not in-depth enough to adequately cover the material

on the exams.

In fact, so poorly written are the College Network guides, that I would NOT even recommend buying them

used from E-bay.

- Best bet would be to purchase Lisa Arends and Study Group 101 study guides from E-bay. They run about

$50 = $60 (for the entire set). Use these as your guides, and then make your own study notes as you read

the material. Can do search on Ebay for these notes.

- Subscribe to the following two Yahoo Discussion Groups: (free to join and participate)

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freehelpexcelsiorstudents/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PassCPNE/

Download all the files you can from these two groups. Use these files to focus your readings. Yes!!!! You must

read the textbooks in order to get good grades on Excelsior exams.

- Go to http://www.flaschardexchange.com and view the card sets constructed by previous students. This is a great

way to study, and again it's free to use.

- Make sure you purchase the practice exams from Excelsior ($60 for each exam).

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- The Excelsior exams are fair, but thorough. I think you have seven years (from date of enrollment) to complete

the exams. Excelsior does have their own set of pre-requisites, so definitely submit your transcripts for review

so there are no suprises.

- I had to take Lifespan Development Psychology (did this through a Community College). In addition, they wanted

me to re-take Chemistry 101 as I had not taken it since 1981 (high school). Again, I did this course at a local

Community College and Excelsior accepted the credits with no problems.

- Counselors are easy to get a hold of.

---------------

- The downside to Excelsior. You are basically on your own with regards towards studying and learning the material.

You are given the page numbers and a brief set of objectives for each exam. Then you are on your own.

When you are ready.

--> You pay for the practice exams (optional -- but definitely recommended).

--> You pay for the exam.

--> Wait two to four days for your "Authorization to Test" letter (snail mailed to you).

--> Register with PearsonVue for an actual exam date.

--> Go to exam site and take your exam. Grades are posted at end of exam. You also get paper receipt at end

of exam with your grade.

Clinicals are a 3 day process, called the CPNE.

--> Day 1 is compentencies (wet-to-dry, iv rate, IM injections, etc).

--> Day 2 and Day 3 are the actual patient cases.

You can read about CPNE experiences on the CPNE discussion group. Definitely recommend taking a

practice CPNE workshop. Again, can read about the workshops on the CPNE discussion group.

---------------

- My personal story. I failed nursing school (clinicals) with two weeks left to go in an RN program. This, despite the

fact I had a 3.8 QPA. I was able to grab my LPN license as I had completed three out of four semesters (NY used

to let you do this).

- Am currently an LPN working agency (Rhode Island and New York). I work about 50 to 60 hours a week in various

nursing home facilities. Bacially, push a med cart for 8 to 16 hours and do charting, and try to stay out of trouble.

- I started Excelsior in Sept 2007. Did my Chemistry at SUNY, and my Lifespan Development (online via Ivy Tech

Community College, Evansville, Indiana). Have done the first four exams, and have two more to go. Basically, takes

me three months (due to work demands) to prepare for an exam.

I used the College Network guides (bought from Ebay), for first three exams and had B, B, C. I then switched gears,

and use Study Group 101 notes (only run about $10/exam for the notes ... cheap, but good). I use the Yahoo group

notes and read, read, read the textbooks. Had an A, and another A on the last two exams. Am just about ready

for my next exam (Oct 24th).

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- Overall assessment so far....

- I don't like online classes ... as I have to self-pace myself. Also, it's tough to know what's important to study and

what you can skip. Found this especially true with the online Lifespan Development course. The Yahoo groups

help to focus on what's important for the exams. However, if you work full-time and bounce around (I work in Rhode

Island, but live in New York), then certainly online school is a viable option.

- Has Excelsior been fair? So far, I think the exams have reflected my knowledge of the material. I was definitely not

prepared for the the mother-baby exam (which I earned a C in). I used the College Network study guide exclusively,

and found it to be incredibly lacking. Hence, my negative review of them.

-----------

Sorry for the long rant. Just felt like typing away tonight. Was cancelled by agency for my night shift, so decided to

hack away.

Good luck,

John Coxey

(Syracuse, NY, USA)

teensytoes · Oct 2, 2009

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!

Thanks in advance!

Rachelle

craftygal43 · Oct 2, 2009

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.

DebbieM. RN

zebsmom2002 · Oct 2, 2009

Things may have changed since I was there.

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

Editorial Team / Moderator · Oct 3, 2009

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.

zebsmom2002 · Oct 4, 2009

:-) probably because lots of people did it like I did :chuckle

Still, the 3rd nursing exam is fairly far thru the program if you do the pre-req's first.