Lisa Brown Galloway, New Jersey
Here’s Lisa’s inspirational story about her very long journey to become an RN. She’s achieving her goal despite a number of life challenges, problems with Excelsior and being the sole breadwinner for her 4 children.
Why I Wanted to Become a Nurse
“I was raised with my grandfather who eventually became ill with cancer. I was working as a casino worker at the time but I wanted to take care of him. That started my long journey to become a nurse. I worked as a health aide from the early nineties to 2005. During that time I attended nursing school part-time. It was slow go, especially after having my daughter. That kind of put everything on hold. Eventually I was able to get a scholarship to another nursing school and after 11 months of hard work I become an LPN.”
My LPN to RN Struggle with Excelsior
“I wanted to get some experience, then go on to earn my RN. I started 2 years later with College Network and Excelsior. Fortunately Excelsior, accepted a lot of previous course work so I only had about 9 classes to finish It was completely self-taught. They basically sent you this huge book, and you just had to read It, and they had some practice tests in the back of it, then test out. I also tried taking online courses directly with Excelsior with their Blackboard. But there was no real interaction and you had to participate in a discussion board by a certain time and date. It just wasn’t convenient. You had to be really disciplined. I found I wasn’t really learning. I was just reading to get through the material. If I had questions, there was no one to ask.”
“I was making progress but it was slow. Then life got in the way again when my husband died and I was left raising 4 children on my own. I tried to continue with my courses, but it was just too hard especially as I approached my 50’s.”
Almost Gave Up After 7 Years
“Then in October 2015 I received a notice from Excelsior that it had been almost 7 years since I started and I needed to finished my courses or I would lose all my credits! However, if I finished all my theory classes by February 2016, they would give me an extension of 1 year to complete my CPNE. I didn’t want to lose all my hard work. But how could I finish my remaining classes in just a few months when it took me almost 7 years to complete 5 classes through College Network and Excelsior?”
From Failing to Success with Achieve in Just Months
“I was ready to give up until I heard about Achieve Test Prep and enrolled. Their program seemed to be the answer. But after trying for 7 years with College Network and Excelsior, could they really help me finish in just a few months? Through Achieve, I not only was able to more quickly pass the tests, I actually learned practical knowledge that will help me become a better nurse.”
Materials: “Their condensed books not only teach you want you really need to know to pass the test they also include helpful little things that aren't necessarily in the Excelsior textbooks.”
Live Virtual Classes: “The virtual classes with a live webcam put a face with the subject matter. You can see the teacher and ask them questions. I also learned from the live interactions with the other students. All from the comfort of home. The live virtual online classes meet once a week and are about 3 hours long, which is much, much, better than sitting through hours of classes at a local campus every day.”
Instructors: “The advisors and instructors are wonderful. They give you their e-mails and phone numbers, so you can ask them questions anytime. This is very helpful if you feel awkward asking a question in class or need more help on a topic. They are happy to give you one-on- one help. They also give the practical advice and extra material you can use to become a better nurse.”
The Result?
“In just a few months, Achieve’s advisors and instructors supported me and helped me complete 3 theory exams and 2 focused clinical assessments by January. They are now preparing me for the CPNE!”
Conclusions
What advice would you give someone who is considering Achieve Test Prep?
“I couldn’t have done it without Achieve. I would definitely tell them that Achieve is the way to go, especially if they've had some past college credit experience and work experience. You don’t need to take 2 years and spend $30,000 to go school while still working and need to take care of their families. Achieve is easier, less expensive, and faster than going to a traditional school.”
"This student is part of Achieve’s Ambassador program and was asked to give a summary of their actual experience while attending our program and was compensated for their time. "
LPN to RN Bridge Program Online
