After looking at the packet of info for 6 months - I finally sat down and pulled it all together - requested official transcripts from two universities, called Excelsior and stayed on hold 10 minutes...and then got a really nice guy that said all I have to do right now, today, was send the transcript copies, fill out the app, copy my license, add a resume if I wanted and $60 in some form....
So what happens next? How long does it take to hear back - and then will I hear what I have to take in addition to the nursing part to get my ASN Not sure all my credits will work. Who has done things like psych, or others with Excelsior?
And - gasp - how hard is A&P and Micro??? I figure I have about as good of a chance as anybody - and people DO pass this...I just don't have the time, patience or desire to go sit in a classroom.
Hope there's someone out there that is on the first step too so maybe we can vent, share, cry and cheer each other on.
With that, let me assure you that although I did buy the Chancellor's I wound up essentially not using it. You can get everything you need online for free. Really.
It would be great if you could elaborate on this one Chris, tia.
It would be great if you could elaborate on this one Chris, tia.
No problem, with pleasure.
Excelsior has study guides, free and downloadable, which include a very detailed outline. If you use that outline and gather the related information, soon you will have a textbook of your own, basically. I used google to find out info I didn't know.
That's the "appropriate" way to study Excelsior, if you don't want to actually buy the books.
There is yet another way, and I found it worked spectacularly for me. There are notegroups in yahoo--I found nontradnurses to be the best, and I joined all that would have me. When I was moderator of nontradnurses, I organized all the notes that had been posted, according to the nursing concepts exam they applied to. So in the files section now there are folders labelled NC-1, NC-2, etc.
The notes are pretty comprehensive. I found that of all the nonauthoritative sources I've come across, these notes were about the best, but you must remember that they were written by students. If you don't know that what you are reading is fact, you do yourself a huge favor by looking it up elsewhere (remember, that's why God made google....).
I also reformated, corrected spelling and essentially re-wrote the notes in my own Word document. I have a thing about good diction, and making a document look nice, so the minor errors I found in the notes would've been a distraction for me, had I not corrected them for myself. After I'd done about two sets of notes that way, I realized I was learning the material along the way. I do not recommend this "method" for everyone--I think it works best if you tend to notice things like spelling and punctuation, etc.
I hope this is helpful--others led me down this particular path and I've never regretted it. I'm glad to pass the info along.
Excelsior has study guides, free and downloadable, which include a very detailed outline. If you use that outline and gather the related information, soon you will have a textbook of your own, basically. I used google to find out info I didn't know.
That's the "appropriate" way to study Excelsior, if you don't want to actually buy the books.
There is yet another way, and I found it worked spectacularly for me. There are notegroups in yahoo--I found nontradnurses to be the best, and I joined all that would have me. When I was moderator of nontradnurses, I organized all the notes that had been posted, according to the nursing concepts exam they applied to. So in the files section now there are folders labelled NC-1, NC-2, etc.
The notes are pretty comprehensive. I found that of all the nonauthoritative sources I've come across, these notes were about the best, but you must remember that they were written by students. If you don't know that what you are reading is fact, you do yourself a huge favor by looking it up elsewhere (remember, that's why God made google....).
I also reformated, corrected spelling and essentially re-wrote the notes in my own Word document. I have a thing about good diction, and making a document look nice, so the minor errors I found in the notes would've been a distraction for me, had I not corrected them for myself. After I'd done about two sets of notes that way, I realized I was learning the material along the way. I do not recommend this "method" for everyone--I think it works best if you tend to notice things like spelling and punctuation, etc.
I hope this is helpful--others led me down this particular path and I've never regretted it. I'm glad to pass the info along.
Good luck!
That's a pretty darned smart thing to do. Good idea.
Spazzy, you are my very favorite wacko, second only to myself!
:blushkiss
BTW, I'm scheduled for the NCLEX Tuesday Sept 14 at 10:00 a.m., and my review software puts me in the 99% probability of passing. We'll see.
You should know that in traditional nursing school I could not get an A in a theory course to save my life, I did fail one exam, and I probably would have spontaneously ignited if I had not found Excelsior College.
If I win the lottery, I am going to my graduation in the spring.
Hey rock on! I'll be thinking of you on the 14th!! Unfortunately I won't be home to check my mail to see how it went, as I will be in Arkansas learning to widdle small flutes and to study inbreeding. But I'm all over it when I get back!!!
BTW, I'm scheduled for the NCLEX Tuesday Sept 14 at 10:00 a.m., and my review software puts me in the 99% probability of passing. We'll see.
Congratulations, Chris! You are in the home stretch. I finished the CPNE on May 2, 2004, and I am finally starting my first nursing job on Monday. I made the mistake of waiting until I got my NCLEX results before looking for a job. That mistake forced me to wait two months to start the next orientation. Nursing jobs are not very hard to get. If I had to do it over again, I would have found a job before taking the NCLEX. When you have a 99% probability of passing the NCLEX, it is pretty safe to line up a job before taking your boards. Good luck on the NCLEX! I am sure you will do fine!
I'll be thinking of you tomorrow! You'll do great and it will be so wonderful to have it OVER!
I'm gonna get real serious in a couple of weeks about starting everything. Excelsior is simply waiting for me now - it's a go from all they can say.
I'm taking a break - til the money gets squeaky! - I'm 'head-tired', just lost my beautiful cat of 10 years, and just ran screaming out the door of a way-going-down Healthsouth - with my sanity and license thankfully still intact. Am going to recreate myself and my next job around super concentrating on getting through Excelsior. And I'm flying Wednesday to visit my 21 year old son in the Air Force whom I've not been able to see in over a year. THAT is my priority. Deployed twice - but back safe and sound and we are going to catch up. For the first time in HIS apartment - it will seem so strange! He and I can't wait for 'mom' to go to the grocery store and make his refrigerator look real inside.
Anyway - got off subject - but wanted to say congratulations tomorrow!
But I'm all over it when I get back!!!
deej
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