Thinking about Excelsior

VonnieNICU-RN · Apr 10, 2007

I finished my cpne in September of 2005, took state boards in Jan of 2006 and am now working on my masters via Excelsior. I am so happy I did it. it made the road to getting my RN so much easier and workable since I have a family and work full time. Please let me know if you have any more specific questions...I'm happy to help.

Mudwoman · Apr 10, 2007

I graduated LVN school in Ft Worth, TX in 1994. I worked until 1999 and then hubby started getting moved all over with his job at IBM. I didn't work again until 2003 when we found ourselves in Arkansas after hubby was laid off. I started back nursing. There is no way I could have worked full time and helped build a house and gone to school and still had time for my family. Excelsior has been wonderful for me. I started in Jun 2004 and even with 3 job changes and traveling to Texas for 6 months taking care of my mom who had terminal cancer, I just finished and passed the CPNE. It is expensive, but worth it in my opinion. I will make up the cost in about 6 months as an RN. Now that I have done this, some of the major hospitals in this state are going back to primary care and RN's and getting rid of the LPNs as time goes on. It was a very smart move on my part.

floridanurse65 · Apr 11, 2007

I was an LPN for 4 years and had to work full-time as a single mom. I graduated from Excelsior (then Regent's College) in 1999. I could not have done it any other way at the time. It's challenging but worth it. As the old saying goes you will get out of it what you put into it. Just be sure your state recognizes Excelsior Grads first. Not all states do. Good luck whatever your decision.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2007

Just took Excelsior's Nusing Concepts III exam. Got a B.

I can't stand classrooms. I loooove Excelsior.

JOLIEDAME · Apr 11, 2007

Hello I read your post to the forum and was wondering how was NC1? I am ready to pay the money for the exam, but wonder if I have studied enough. Was there much pharmacology or pediatric stuff? Nursing process? Do they make you come up with nursing diagnoses?

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 11, 2007

Jolie, I don't remember it all that well but it was much easier than this one, although 3 was a bunch of stuff that doesn't interest me.

Unless you are really broke I would spend the $60 and take the practice exams. They're really, really worth the money. First, they give you a good idea into the content of the exam and secondly, you'll get familiar with the format of the questions.

The pharmacology is never tricky, and never a lot of the exam, but print out the study guide they provide and know the drugs and things they mention and you'll do fine.

CSLee3, ASN, BSN, LVN, EMT-P · Apr 11, 2007

NO REGRETS WHATSOEVER about Excelsior. Yes, it is not for everyone. However, the type of people that can complete an Excelsior degree are the same type of people we call "boss" really soon. If you add up the cost of brick and mortar school, missed time, mileage, lunchs, books, fees, etc. EC was worth the bucks to me. And the mixed drinks on the plane coming home from CPNE is OOOOO so sweet!!! I recently saw a Nurse Practitioner for an illness. I was really impressed by her. I looked on the wall and noticed not one but two degrees from Excelsior!!! She got into Master's program without a hitch. If you are thinking about EC, determine your learning style and motivation...talk to grads, not neysayers and dropouts...then make an informed decision about it....and rock on!

ERDude:lol2:

LaxNP, DNP · Apr 12, 2007

The only thing I regret is that I did not start excelsior sooner. I tried a regular school and was not impressed(now I feel as though I wasted my tim), they were not nice at all, very unorganized. So when I went to look for other schools I thought I would give EC a try. I only have 1 NC exam left and that is next week. I called today an requested the CPNE material(everyone at EC is always freindly). When I take the last exam next week and pass(hopefully), it will have taken me just shy of 3 months to get the NC exams outta the way. So you really cant beat it. The thing with EC that I think people should know is that it takes a certain amount of time to prepare for the exams and some people can devote more time than others in a certain time frame. I have no kids, and work 2 days a week and get paid full time salary, so there is no reason I cant do it in the time frame I did. I called around to 2 places before I started this program to see how recruiters saw EC grads, and all they said was "an RN is an RN" and one guy was an EC grad himself.

txspadequeenRN, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2007

i received the very last nursing school rejection letter today!!! i am developing new plans and i think ec is one... your post has given me some inspiration... thank you!!!!

the only thing i regret is that i did not start excelsior sooner. i tried a regular school and was not impressed(now i feel as though i wasted my tim), they were not nice at all, very unorganized. so when i went to look for other schools i thought i would give ec a try. i only have 1 nc exam left and that is next week. i called today an requested the cpne material(everyone at ec is always freindly). when i take the last exam next week and pass(hopefully), it will have taken me just shy of 3 months to get the nc exams outta the way. so you really cant beat it. the thing with ec that i think people should know is that it takes a certain amount of time to prepare for the exams and some people can devote more time than others in a certain time frame. i have no kids, and work 2 days a week and get paid full time salary, so there is no reason i cant do it in the time frame i did. i called around to 2 places before i started this program to see how recruiters saw ec grads, and all they said was "an rn is an rn" and one guy was an ec grad himself.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Apr 18, 2007

I'm loving it.

I'm in NYS so clearly my BON accepts it. Make sure yours does.

lawsonnic · Apr 19, 2007

Excelsior is the way to go if you don't want to sit in a traditional classroom. BUt you have to be dedicated and make Excelsior your priority to get through it. I graduated in Feb 16, 2007 and became an RN on Feb 28, 2007. Its the best thing I have ever done.