The CPNE is going up to $1900

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Holy smokes! As if it wasn't high already! Also all the exams are going up on July 1st. I will pay for Information Literacy because I can't stand to pay a dime more.

Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

I posted this a while back, but I'll gladly share it again, with updates now that I'm done! :) Here's a breakdown of my Excelsior-related expenses; bear in mind that tuition goes up every July 1, so some of these prices are older.

Info Lit..........$260

Enrollment......$895

Annual Fee.....$440

Classes.......$2,645

CLEP tests.....$160

CPNE..........$1,825

Grad fee........$495

Total...........$6720

I took Info Lit in 2006, so it was a little less expensive then. "Classes" includes NC1 through NC7 (including NC2), A&P, Micro, AND all the practice exams for each of those exams. The CLEP tests were Human Growth & Development (accepted in place of Lifespan Dev. Psych.) and Introductory Sociology. Each CLEP test was $65 plus a $15 site fee at the university where I took the exams. (I guess I could have applied for reimbursement for the CLEPs, but that thought didn't occur to me until just now. Duh...)

Anyway, I was VERY fortunate to receive a $3K scholarship in May 2007 from the Ladies Board at the hospital where I work, and my employer reimbursed me for the CPNE ahead of time (thank goodness I passed, or it would have eaten at least a paycheck and a half -- you have to pay my employer back immediately if you fail, and they'll take it out of your paycheck first!!). I took A&P as my first exam, before I got my scholarship, and my employer reimbursed me for that as well. So out of my pocket, I only paid for Info Lit, the enrollment, the A&P practice test, and the CLEPs. Total for me: $1375. Can't beat that! :D And I actually have a $260 credit with EC -- a small surplus from my scholarship -- so my graduation will cost $235 (program completion fee of $495 minus the $260).

That figure does not include books/study guide costs, which I estimate at $300 ... and I re-sold many of my study guides on eBay, so I largely recouped that cost. (Mostly because my copy of Chancellor's NC1 sold for $178 ... that is crazy. I started the auction at $35!!) I kept all the textbooks I bought, though. I love textbooks. I'm weird like that. :)

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

The book cost for Ebay are misleading because in the beginning I bought all required books for $300-400. Then I bought 5 college network book on Ebay for $150 and then 2 Minnay books for $270. Lisa Arends notes and study group notes for about $85-100. I didn't need all that stuff but was scared not to.

So in comparison to 50k, it is no where near what it cost the average person to go to EC. Hope this helps and puts things in perspective.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Oops, I forgot workshops in there ... but those really were optional, not required by EC. And I took two because I just LOVE to over-prepare, because for me there is really no such thing. LOL! I spent about $1300 on workshops, including the workshop fee and hotels.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

I'm glad you posted Lunah! We are on the same page when it comes to expenses. Minus Workshop and travel fees. EC fees are not too expensive IMO. Compared it to Traditional school where you have to cut your income because you have to work less and travel to clinicals.I went to LPN school 1hr and 15 min from my home and was spending $360 a month in gas and that was a year ago when gas was $3. Let's not even get started with gas prices!

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

Yeah, I was driving a Land Rover (gas hog!) when I was in paramedic school, and I lived 60 miles from my clinical sites. At the time gas was much cheaper and I was making scads of money as a desktop publisher/graphic designer, but still. Ugh. It was through a community college so it wasn't too bad, but I paid for all of it out of my own pocket because it wasn't work-related at the time, and I didn't qualify for financial aid because I was making great money. (I took a whopping 50% pay cut when I went to work in the ER!)

I really feel like EC is reasonable, even with the annual price increases.

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Lunah and NC Girl 35.

Interesting, I actually came up with $35K, but must have gotten something wrong.

Scholarships, grants, and FL laws may prevent me from paying for a condensed schedule like yourself (I work as a Security guard), but I can already see the informal reluctance in CC to support an older student with past degrees.

Their transferability and accredidations is a whole another story, since there is little to be found on their site like a pragmatic financial sequencing planning.

Thanks for the breakdowns. Its an alternative if I can't beat down the Halls of Institutions with logic.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.
Lunah and NC Girl 35.

Interesting, I actually came up with $35K, but must have gotten something wrong.

Scholarships, grants, and FL laws may prevent me from paying for a condensed schedule like yourself (I work as a Security guard), but I can already see the informal reluctance in CC to support an older student with past degrees.

Their transferability and accredidations is a whole another story, since there is little to be found on their site like a pragmatic financial sequencing planning.

Thanks for the breakdowns. Its an alternative if I can't beat down the Halls of Institutions with logic.

You MUST be a LPN, Paramedic or completed 50% of a traditional RN program to do the Excelsior RN program.

You should go to their website and download their Nursing Handbook. They list all the qualifications and fees. I'm not sure where you are getting your numbers from.

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

There are other qualifications for getting in the program but I can't remember them right off hand.

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Specializes in EMS, ED, Trauma, CEN, CPEN, TCRN.

https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/School_of_Nursing_Admission_Policy

That's the page with the admissions info. I posted it in another thread earlier today. :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics.

Interesting, I actually came up with $35K, but must have gotten something wrong.

Is this for the ASN program?Or maybe you are looking at the RN to MSN program? Because to hit $35k for the ASN program,you would have to be throwing a new car in to that total!!LOL:chuckleEven with all 14 exams,info lit and the CPNE,+ books,travel and hotels and a workshop I will have just over $10K in to the program.Oh,and a new laptop,too.:D

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https://www.excelsior.edu/Excelsior_College/School_Of_Nursing/School_of_Nursing_Admission_Policy

That's the page with the admissions info. I posted it in another thread earlier today. :)

OK, so I'm not even in the ballpark.

Hmmm, maybe RN is just a pipedream.

No wonder the CC won't even council ADN students until they are accepted. They are paying for all the new buildings, campus salaries and fixed costs, without a reasonable chance of completion.

Now all the worried looks and completely contrasting stories of employees make perfect sense.

Thanks Luna!

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You MUST be a LPN, Paramedic or completed 50% of a traditional RN program to do the Excelsior RN program.

You should go to their website and download their Nursing Handbook. They list all the qualifications and fees. I'm not sure where you are getting your numbers from.

It WAS calculated on Bachelors rate including a full degree program, and I may have replicated hours for classes. Nothing devious intended though. Have a nice life.

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