Advice for an aspiring CRNA?

mcubed45 · Dec 7, 2008

a lot of schools have a minimum 3.0 gpa. it'd really depend on the school as to how flexible they are. some have very strict requirements and don't even bother looking at an app that doesn't meet them. i would think aceing RN school would be enough to raise it above 3.0 though. plus a lot of schools look more at your science GPA or just the more recent credit hours as opposed to your cGPA for your ENTIRE college career.

xenonaut · Dec 7, 2008

While it's true that most schools have a minimum 3.0 GPA, they usually take much higher gradepoint averages because competition is fierce and spots are few. Hopefully your math/science GPA is good? Aceing nursing school might bring you up -- I would definitely plan on it. Good luck!

loveanesthesia · Dec 7, 2008

Get good grades in the RN program, if you got a 4.0 that should pull you up above 3.0 nicely. Then get at least 2 years of experience in a busy ICU working as many extra shifts as you can. If you did poorly in physiology or chemistry (C's) retake them and get A's. You need to demonstrate you are willing to put in the effort to succeed in a program.

FutureNurseSaga · Dec 7, 2008

CRNA school is very very competitive (from what I have heard) so you need to get your GPA up and work in a good critical care unit for a couple of years. Where you lack in grades you can make up in work experience.

arelius · Dec 7, 2008

If you already have a BS in Biology than the nursing degree you are going for would be a second bachelor's. Is this what you're doing? If so, generally the two bachelor's degree each have their own gpa. You start out with a new gpa for your second bachelors. I don't know if that matters to CRNA schools though but that may be something you might want to consider when crunching the numbers and planning everything.

futrarmyCRNA · Dec 7, 2008

Every school is different and depends on how competitive they are. For the most part = GPA over 3.0, GRE over 900-1000/3.5, minimum one year (if not longer) good critical care experience, glowing interview and reccommendations. NOt all schools require GRE but most do. Now most schools want CCRN credentialling (which requires 2 yrs ICU experience). CCRN is a plus even if the school does not ask for it.

Take graduate level science, chemistry, or nursing classes and get good grades (As) and this will trump all previous fresh/soph grades. The GPA won't matter if your RN and grad level classes are A's. YOu must follow and shadow a CRNA for a few days to make sure this is what you want to do. Many people say they want to do this because it pays good but the interviewers do not want to hear that.

Good Luck!

nurselizk · Dec 7, 2008

The GPA will be an issu for accelerated nursing programs, not just anesthesia programs. Talk to the nursing schools you're interested in to find out what they're looking for, what your chances are, and how to make yourself a more competitive applicant. Doing well in an accelerated BSN program will make you a more attractive applicant for anesthesia programs, especially given your previous undergrad GPA.

GreenAsTheyCome · Dec 8, 2008

Thanks to all of you for your responses. Very good advice and several things I wasn't aware of.

I'll start looking for a local CRNA to shadow and try to do it soon. From what I've heard about the job (even the negative) I think it would suit me fairly well.

The GPA will be an issu for accelerated nursing programs, not just anesthesia programs. Talk to the nursing schools you're interested in to find out what they're looking for, what your chances are, and how to make yourself a more competitive applicant. Doing well in an accelerated BSN program will make you a more attractive applicant for anesthesia programs, especially given your previous undergrad GPA.

Nurselizk,

Glad that you mentioned that. And yes, you're right, they are looking for >3.0. Leads to my next BIG question:

If I don't get accepted to an accelerated BSN program, what is the best and quickest route to becoming an RN at this point with future CCRN and CRNA in mind? Do I try to make myself more attractive to the accelerated program or go a more traditional route as a transfer student?

Again, I really appreciate the advice. This was my last question (I think) and I promise I'll quit bugging you guys. Thank You.

nurselizk · Dec 8, 2008

If you don't get accepted to the accelerated BSN program, call them and find out the stats for those who did get accepted and what will make you a more competitive applicant. Then you need to decide whether to go the ADN route first, or re-apply the following year, probably to more schools, if that's an option. You can take classes in the meantime, so it's not like it'd be a wasted year. If you go the ADN route, you can work on your BSN while you're getting nursing experience, depending on your personal situation--that's a lot to take on at once, but still less than an anesthesia program.

ncemt · Dec 10, 2008

GreenAsTheyCome- I'm in a somewhat similar boat, currently have two semesters left before I graduate with a BS (pre-med major) from a very good school and my GPA is not as high as it could be. I actually found an excellent BSN program in my home state (Texas) that is a "generic" (i.e. not accelerated) program, but only takes 16 months to complete. Basically, they ask you to get 60 hours of prerequisites done before you start, but they only look at your grades for those prerequisites. I don't know about you, but for me it was the calculus and organic chemistry-type classes that dragged my GPA down, and I did really well in all of the courses they counted as prereqs. This means that I actually have an excellent prerequisite GPA and should be a good candidate for the program (fingers crossed). I'm sure there are plenty of other programs like this, and I would definitely look at schools in your area to see how they calculate GPA.